An Accurate Perception?

The importance of how we perceive God cannot be underestimated. Our perception of someone has a massive impact on the way that we relate to that person. If I perceive you to be an angry, grumpy and unpleasant person, I feel little inclination to initiate relationship with you. In short, relationship reflects perception.

In my opinion, an inaccurate perception of God is the chief reason why many people, secular and Christian, have little inclination or enthusiasm to initiate a relationship with Him.

From 2 Corinthians 3:6-11 we can pose some questions to identify if our perception of God is true and accurate to New Testament realities.

1. Is He the God who marks my wrongs, or the God who makes me right?

v9 – For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.

God as revealed through the life of Jesus, delights not in condemning but in curing the sinner. To many people the idea of ‘God’ or ‘church’ conjures up thoughts of judgment and guilt, and subsequently condemnation, however this is inaccurate.

The purpose of church is not to remind a person of their wrongs, creating guilt in the heart of man. Instead, the purpose of church is to remind a person of their righteousness through faith in Jesus, creating praise and gratitude in the heart of man.

2. Is He the God who limits me, or the God who liberates me?

V6 - …for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

It is a tragedy that for many people the Bible is all about ‘the big ten’ (commandments), resulting in a perception that God has confined and curbed man’s freedom through an impersonal set of commands. What follows from this perception is a belief that ‘God = restriction, sin = freedom’. Nothing could be further from the truth.

The Bible teaches that any person who commits sin is a slave to sin. In its initial stages the path of sin seems wide, promising freedom and choice. In comparison the path toward God can look narrow, requiring restriction and submission. However, if you follow each path to its end you will find that the path of sin becomes narrow and treacherous, bringing you to a place of bondage and addiction. On the other hand, the path toward God, which initially seemed narrow and restrictive, broadens to a life of freedom and choice. On this path, ‘the heart is set at liberty, and enlarged, to run the ways of God’s commandments.’ (Barnes notes on the New Testament)

3. Is He the God of the letter, or the God of love?

V6 - …for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.

It is so important that we do not confuse the religion of man with the reality of God. Religion esteems it’s principles over it’s people. God esteems people over religion’s principles.

Jesus showed this. Luke 13 records an instance in which Jesus healed a woman of long-term arthritis, however He healed her on a Sabbath day, which infuriated the religious leaders. They were so focussed on the letter of God’s law that they missed the love of God, demonstrated right before their eyes.

The message of Jesus is not one of letters, laws and rules, but of love leading to life.

4. Is He the God of punishment, or the God of pardon?

v9 – For if the ministry of condemnation had glory, the ministry of righteousness exceeds much more in glory.

The purpose of Jesus' life and death was not to punish man for his sin, but to pardon man from his sin. John the Baptist said of Jesus “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!”

The phrase ‘takes away’ literally means ‘to take upon oneself and carry’. Jesus took upon himself my sin, carrying it to the cross where he received my punishment. Because of this, He offers free pardon from sin to every person who places their faith in Him.

Far from delighting in punishment, God’s greatest joy is to offer pardon to mankind.


In summary, habitual Bible study is of huge importance as it ensures that I hold a correct perception of God. It is this correct perception of God that then frees me to have an enthusiastic relationship with God.