Encountering God: The Foundation of Christian Identity and Community

 “As Christians we assert that religious experience — an encounter with the divine — is foundational to our self-identity. According to the biblical tradition, the goal of the human-divine encounter is the establishment of a community of people who stand in covenant with God.”

Stanley Grenz, Theology for the Community of God (p. 7)

Created for Community

God created human beings to be relational and social. This is why the very first thing God declares as "not good" in Creation is the loneliness of man. Adam had a relationship with God and spent time with animals, yet a key part of his life was missing: a relationship with another human. The creation of Eve was not just about marriage; it was about ensuring the presence of people throughout history. You and I were created for community.

A Relational God

The Bible teaches us that God is a relational God. He is not a distant deity who takes no interest in His creation. Rather, He is active and present in the world He has made. This means we are able, on some level, to experience God in our lives. One way we encounter Him is through nature. As Psalm 19:1-6 and Romans 1:20 affirm, when we stand in awe of creation, it is our spirit recognizing the reality of God.

Since we are spiritual beings, we will have moments when the Holy Spirit touches our hearts and minds. Consider the two disciples on the road to Emmaus in Luke 24:32 (NLT):
They said to each other, "Didn’t our hearts burn within us as he talked with us on the road and explained the Scriptures to us?"
After encountering Jesus, their hearts burned within them. Our own encounters with God can stir a similar response.

Testing Spiritual Experiences

A word of caution: Not every "burning heart" moment is an experience from God. While we should expect divine encounters, we must also remember the biblical warning to test the spirits (1 John 4:1). People are often led astray when they assume every spiritual experience is from God without measuring it against Scripture. The Bible remains our ultimate standard for discerning truth.

Two Purposes of Divine Encounters

According to Stanley Grenz, there are two primary reasons why God gives us these "burning heart" moments:

1. To Guide Our Self-Identity
   We need divine guidance to understand who we are and why we were created. Our search for truth and purpose is only complete when we allow God to direct us. True self-discovery happens in the light of His revelation.

2. To Form a Covenant People
   We don’t follow Jesus alone. God’s purpose in sending Jesus was not simply to save us from our individual sins but to form us into His people. The Church is built on the foundation of the prophets and apostles (Ephesians 2:20) and is meant to reflect God’s character in the world.

A Question for Reflection

What divine encounter has significantly transformed your life?

Grenz reminds us that these encounters are foundational to our identity as God’s people, and we should expect them. They are not necessarily mystical experiences but moments where God grabs our attention and transforms our lives. Whether through reading Scripture, singing worship songs, hiking a trail, or even watching a movie, God reveals important truths that shape our hearts and guide our lives.

Sharing the Blessing

These divine encounters are not for us alone; they are also for the benefit of God’s people. Since we are created for community, when God blesses us with truth, insight, or transformation, we are to use those blessings to strengthen the Church. We are called to share what God has given us to edify His people.

Conclusion: Transformed for a Purpose

In the end, our encounters with God are not isolated moments meant only for personal inspiration—they are meant to shape us and draw us deeper into community with His people. From the very beginning, God designed us to be relational, and His work in our lives always has a communal purpose. When we experience God—whether through Scripture, worship, nature, or the quiet stirrings of the Holy Spirit—He is not only revealing more of Himself to us but also shaping us into the kind of people who reflect His love and truth in the world.

As we journey in faith, may we remain open to these divine encounters, always testing them against Scripture and seeking God’s wisdom in how they shape our identity and calling. And most importantly, may we use what God teaches us not just for our own growth but to encourage, strengthen, and build up the Church.

So let’s return to the question: What divine encounter has significantly transformed your life?

Whatever it may be, may you embrace it as part of God’s greater plan—not just for you, but for His people. Let us be faithful stewards of what He reveals, sharing His love, wisdom, and grace with those around us so that together, we may stand as a covenant people, reflecting His glory in the world.

Theology and Our Relationship with God

"Hence, the reality of faith itself — our commitment to the God revealed in Christ — calls forth theological reflection." — Stanley Grenz, Theology for the Community of God (p. 1)

As a parent of school-aged children, I frequently confront the reality that, while assisting them with their homework, I struggle to remember what they are learning. More often than I’d like to admit, I find myself turning to Google in search of the correct answers.

This experience illustrates a crucial truth: our knowledge of the world is limited. It is constrained by what we have learned, what we can recall, and the information available to us. There is no one person who possesses comprehensive knowledge about everything. Indeed, even specialists in a given field have gaps in their understanding. These gaps encourage us to engage in deeper inquiry and study.

This is true for the most important of all areas of inquiry: God.

The Need for Theological Reflection

Too often, because our contemporary culture emphasizes the “relationship” aspect of God, we feel like the study of God makes that relationship all about intellectual knowledge. We figure that because it is like a relationship, we will learn what we need along the way, through our experience. Unfortunately, this reality has contributed to the American Church not fully understanding who God is and how He expects us to live.

In a typical interpersonal relationship, we come to know another person through shared experiences. These moments reveal their character and provide us ample opportunities to engage in conversation and ask questions. However, our relationship with God operates differently. The experiences we have with Him must be interpreted through the lens of Scripture. The Bible serves as our primary source for understanding both who God is and His will for the world. Part of nurturing our relationship with God involves dedicating time to study and meditate on the Bible, which helps us in truly knowing Him.

We Are All Theologians

Many of us do not identify as theologians. For much of my life, I viewed myself simply as a Bible student, with the academic discipline of theology seeming distant and inaccessible. We often perceive theology through an academic lens, characterized by complex terminology and intricate ideas. This perception can lead to the conclusion that theology is irrelevant to our relationship with God.

It is true that theology can feel out of reach and not practical to following Jesus, but that is not all theology is. At its core, the work of theology is the work of thinking well about God. Understanding that God is the Creator is the work of theology. Knowing that God is Trinity is also the work of theology. As we think through what the Bible says about God, we are engaged in the task of theology.

Since theology is thinking well about God, then we engage in theology whenever we ponder His nature, His works, or His will for our lives. It is important for us to remember that theology is not merely an academic pursuit for scholars in seminaries; it is a necessary discipline for every believer who desires to grow in their faith. To follow Jesus faithfully requires that we take time to deepen our understanding of God through study, reflection, and application.

The Foundation of Theology

The foundation for theology is always Scripture. While it is true that nature reflects the glory of God, it is Scripture alone that provides us with the information that we need to truly understand who God is. Reading, studying, and meditating on the Bible are important parts of theology; they provide the correct input we need to think well about God. Without a solid grounding in Scripture, our thoughts about God can easily be shaped by cultural assumptions, personal experiences, or misconceptions rather than by biblical truth.

Yet, theology is not merely an individual endeavor. The Church, both historically and presently, plays a crucial role in shaping our understanding of God. Throughout history, faithful believers have wrestled with Scripture, created doctrines, and provided insights that help us think rightly about God. Engaging with the teachings of the Church helps guard against error and deepens our understanding by connecting us with the wisdom of the faithful people who have gone before us.

Theology Leads to Transformation

The goal of theology is not merely learning more information but fostering a deeper love for God and maturing our faith. Jesus taught that the greatest commandment is to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind (Matthew 22:37). Loving God with our mind implies engaging in the work of theology—seeking to know Him rightly so that we may worship Him more fully and live in obedience to His will.

When we neglect theology, we risk distorting our understanding of God and living according to a false perception of Him. A faith that is not grounded in truth is susceptible to error, doubt, and instability. However, when we commit ourselves to theological reflection, we equip ourselves with the knowledge necessary to discern truth and to stand firm in our faith.

Ultimately, theology is a pursuit that leads to transformation. As we grow in our knowledge of God, our hearts are strengthened in commitment, our lives better reflect the character of Jesus, and our purpose aligns with God’s heart. Theology is not just about thinking well; it is also about living well. It is about knowing God so that we might love Him more deeply and follow Him more faithfully.

Sunday Prayer: Produce the Fruit

Galatians 5:22-23 (NLT)

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things!

Heavenly Father,

Thank You for the gift of the Holy Spirit, who works within us to make us more like Jesus. Lord, my great desire is to bear the fruit that comes from being guided by the Spirit. Fill my heart with love, that I may love others as You have loved me. Let joy overflow in my life, even in trials, so that I may be a witness of Your goodness. Grant me perfect peace, calming the storms within me and helping me trust in Your will.

Teach me patience, Lord, in every situation and with every person, just as You are patient with me. May kindness and goodness flow from my words and actions, reflecting Your heart to the world. Strengthen my faithfulness, that I may walk in obedience and remain strong in my commitment to You.

Father, help me to be gentle in my responses, showing grace as You have shown grace to me. And give me self-control, that I may resist temptation and choose to live a life of holiness that reflects Your character in the world.

I surrender to the Holy Spirit’s work in my life. Shape me, mold me, and let my life bear fruit that glorifies You. In Jesus’ name, I pray.

Amen.

Living Out Holiness

1 Peter 1:13-16 (CSB)

Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ. As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct; for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy. 

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Have you ever paused to reflect on what it truly means to be holy? 

The apostle Peter’s words that we read in 1 Peter 1:13-16 provide us with guidance as we seek to live a holy life. What we see here is that holiness is both a command and a calling for every believer. 

Since being holy is such an important part of being a follower of Jesus, we need to understand what holiness actually is.

The simple definition I like to use for holiness is: To be separated from the ordinary. God is separated from the ordinary because He is the Creator, the very definition of Love and Goodness, and the only One worthy to be Worshipped. 

We are separated from the ordinary because of God’s saving work through Jesus. This means we have been set apart for a purpose: to Love God and to love people. The key thought behind holiness is the reality that God has set us apart from the rest of the world for His purposes. It is up to us to live that reality out in the world.

How do we go about doing that? This passage will help us understand how we can live as God’s holy people in the world.

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Prepare Your Minds

Peter begins with a call to action: “Therefore, with your minds ready for action, be sober-minded and set your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:13, CSB).

This preparation involves more than just wishful thinking; it requires intentional focus. Our hope is anchored in the grace of King Jesus—a grace that not only saves but sustains us until his return. To set our hope fully on this grace, we must guard our minds against the lies, distortions, and distractions of the world.

How often do we allow our thoughts to be shaped by the noise of culture, rather than the truth of Scripture? This is why renewing our minds take intentional effort. We do this through prayer, worship, meditation on and study of Scripture, and loving those around us. These are the type of activities that help us align our hearts with God’s heart.

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Conduct Yourselves with Reverence

Peter continues, “As obedient children, do not be conformed to the desires of your former ignorance. But as the one who called you is holy, you also are to be holy in all your conduct” (1 Peter 1:14-15, CSB).

There was a time when we could have claimed to be ignorant of God and His ways. Once we put our faith in Jesus and following him that is no longer the case. We are to live as obedient children, because we know the character and will of our Heavenly Father.

The defining part of leaving behind ignorance and embracing obedience is holiness. It is true that we when we first start following Jesus we didn’t fully understand God’s will, but we understood that we are called to be different, to be separated from the ordinary. This changed our desire from trying to be part of the world to trying to honor King Jesus in what we said and did.

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Embrace God’s Call to Holiness

Finally, Peter reminds us of the ultimate standard: “for it is written, Be holy, because I am holy.” (1 Peter 1:16, CSB).

God doesn’t want us to be separate from the rest of the world just so we can be different. He wants us to be separate from the world because He is. He wants us to be holy because He is holy. We are created in His image to demonstrate His character in this world. The only way we can live out this original design is for us to be holy.

The only way we can be holy is to be dependent on God. This is what is means to be “poor in spirit.” We don’t have what it takes to be the people God created us to be, the only thing we can do is to trust Him. This is why prayer, Bible study and meditation, worship, and being part of a Christian community are vital parts of living a holy life. We can’t do it on our own.

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Putting Holiness into Action

Take a moment to reflect: Are there areas in your life where holiness has taken a backseat? Perhaps it’s in your thought life, your habits, or your relationships. This is part of being holy, it is evaluating our lives and discovering those areas that still need to be brought under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. 

Holiness is not about perfection; it’s about progress. It’s a daily journey of becoming more like Jesus. Commit to that journey today, relying on God’s grace and strength every step of the way.

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Final Thoughts

Living out holiness isn’t just a command; it’s a calling that transforms every aspect of our lives. As we prepare our minds, conduct ourselves with reverence, and embrace God’s call, we’re reminded that holiness is ultimately about reflecting the character of God in this world. It is one of the ways people will witness God in their lives.

Holiness is a crucial part of living as a disciple of Jesus. It gives us a path to travel and it allows us to show the world around us that there is a better way to live.

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What are your thoughts on holiness? Share your reflections in the comments below—I’d love to hear how God is working in your life.