“A personal relationship with God”-that’s one of those phrases you hear a lot in evangelical circles, and for most of us I suspect it’s a phrase with positive connotations: it refers to the highly personal way in which we are saved by, and interact with, a being who is otherwise out of our league (if you will) by infinite orders of magnitude. But it’s also one of those phrases that starts to seem a bit strange the more you think about it: what are the dynamics of a personal relationship, and what do those dynamics look like when they occur between an almighty Creator and his creations?
At the Strangely Dim blog, Dave Zimmerman is asking these questions, and offering some good insights into the idea of a “personal relationship with God,” and why that can be a troublesome phrase. From his post:
...we bring a lot of baggage with us to a phrase like “personal relationship with God.” Our understanding of who God is affects our approach: Is God the author of evil? Is God impotent or indifferent in the face of evil? Is God likeable, impressive, praiseworthy, approachable?Our understanding of what comes with a personal relationship affects our take on the idea too. If I’ve been hurt over and over again in my personal relationships, the last thing I might want is to get personal with someone who controls the weather and steers comets. If my personal relationships have been with really boring people, I might imagine a personal relationship with an infinite being as infinitely boring. I might take my worst experience in personal relationships and expand it to a cosmic level, and decide that I’d rather do without, thank you very much.
Dave then uses a Bible story I’ve rarely seen discussed much-a conversation between David and Bathsheba—to illustrate how the dynamics of our personal relationship with the Creator might work.
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January 27, 2007 at 03:51
I guess the reason why having a personal relationship with God is complicated, is that it is an asymetrical one. If it is symetrical, that is both parties are equal, then a personal relationship has only 2 possiblities; either a friend or a foe.
January 27, 2007 at 10:45
“Our understanding of who God is affects our approach:”
That’s why it is important to get to know God—through his Word, through His creation, etc.
Because it is “asymetrical” (thanks, Peter), we recognize that we will never know as much about God as he knows about us. But I can know enough about God to know that—through the work of Christ—it’s OK…
One of the things that has bothered me about the “personal relationship” idea is that some want part of God’s personality (e.g. the “big buddy upstairs”) but don’t recognize His awesomeness (is that a word?), His holiness and His justice…
But even then, God’s love and mercy seems to make up for some of that…
See… I’m still trying to figure God out, but it’s a wonderful relationship…
January 28, 2007 at 14:45
I’ve heard it said that if God is transcendantly, vastly superior to His creation, then He is therefore infinitely more personal than persons.
As much as I think and know and love and relate, He thinks and knows and loves and relates more.
He gives us His Word and His Spirit to correct, heal, and prepare us for a relationship with Him as He actually is. Without these, it’s impossible not to have our concept of a personal relationship with God distorted by life in a fallen world.
The baggage from our relationships may indeed color our approach to God. However, by the same token the stark contrast between God’s perfection and our human experience can make us cherish Him even MORE. Unlike people (parents, spouses, friends, etc) God never leaves, never betrays, never abuses. He always considers and perfectly acts upon only what’s best for us. As a light shines brightest in the darkness, so God’s perfect love shines ever brighter in the midst of our imperfect, broken human relationships.
January 29, 2007 at 14:56
Of course, our past experiences affects our relationships and how we view God & our relationship with Him but we can get way too picky on what are proper phrases to use when it comes to walking with God. Such discussions usually lead to more man-made rules of what to say or what not to say. I think there are many more important issues we should be discussing!
January 29, 2007 at 15:12
I like Danr’s comment…”infinitely more personal than persons”...A relationship isn’t personal if all we have is a book (the Bible) and our one-way communication of prayers. There are several layers to this “personal” relationship.
With the Holy Spirit resident in me I can tell almost instantly when I have offended Him. It’s not a matter of breaking a written rule, you just quickly know His feeling about a subject. He speaks in a variety of ways. Sometimes He draws your attention to a particular verse and uses a hilighter in your heart. Sometimes when I awake a certain scripture will be repeating in my mind and when I finally look it up I discover that it may relate to events of the day. Occasionally He gives me scripture references in my sleep…in a dream. Sometimes a still small voice speaks in our heart. For example, I was on a business trip, staying at a hotel where a huge Catholic youth convention was happening. All the kids were wearing T-shirts that made reference to Jesus on them. I had just finished reading a history book very critical of the Catholic church and being of a protestant denomination I had a feeling of resentment when I saw them. As I stood in the crowded hotel restaurant waiting for breakfast I suddenly “heard” a still small voice inside me say “I honor anyone that proudly bears My name”. I was instantly convicted.
He can speak through others prophetically, as He did when prophets warned Paul that he was going to be imprisoned in Rome. Often we read in Acts, “the Holy Spirit said”. He can speak through visions and dreams as He has with me several times. Other times I will wake with a song repeating in my head, it may even be a secular song, and it will be His way of preparing me for something during the day.
If God can create and regulate the vast expanses of space why would it stretch us that He is capable (and desirous) of having a “personal relationship” with 2 billion people at once. Jesus had a close personal relationship with 12 disciples, yet He was limited by time and space. He said “it is good if I go” because He would send another who would not be limited, because He is a Spirit. “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.”He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.” As David said, “Where can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence? If I ascend to heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.”
January 30, 2007 at 16:27
Hi,very interesting post and comments. There is something that is missed between the extremes of the Catholic and Reformation position, one favouring the individual and the other the priest. The missing part is the role of the community of believers in the relationship with God. The Bible has so much to say about the body and people of God, their relationships with each other and corporately with God. I am an evangelical and believe that we are saved by a personal work of the Holy Spirit but then our relationship with God is so dependent on our relationship with other believers.
January 31, 2007 at 14:09
I appreciate Colin’s point about the body of Christ. However, the question is, what is a personal relationship with God? A personal relationship means two way communication with God. If God is not real and supernatural, then all we have is an ethics club, a fraternity, self improvement meeting or a book-discussion group. Jesus said to the busy practicing Christian religionist, “depart from me, I never knew you”.
This is not just theological positions, His sheep really do hear His voice and know Him. This personal relationship develops over time as we spend moments alone with Him, cultivating a listening ear that functions in the midst of the busiest day. Jesus, as a man, developed His relationship with the Father during His frequent all night prayer sessions alone on the mountains. John’s greatest revelation happened alone on the Isle of Patmos. Paul spent years in Arabia, after his conversion, getting to know the Savior before connecting with the disciples in Jerusalem. John the Baptist communed with God in the wilderness. Elijah, alone on the mountain, listened for the still small voice, Moses spent 40 days alone on the mountain for 40 days communing with God.
We can function as the body of Christ, we can learn to love one another, we can practice corporate worship, we can represent Christ to the world, but everything we do must be based on a living personal relationship with God or it is just busy good works.
February 5, 2007 at 03:25
I agree with Rick that a personal relationship is central to being a Christian and there are many examples of this in the Old Testament. My point really is how do we build that personal relationship. Some would say alone and in a monastic way (in a cell or up a mountain) and I agree this is a great way to get close to God. I regularly practice a time away with God and it helps.
However, the point I am making and is so easily missed in our individualistic society, is that it is only in community we can build our relationship with God or as the Bible puts it become disciples. It is no accident that the New Testament records so many times Jesus interacts with the disciples in groups, with the 12 or with the 3. The disciples learned about following him in dialogue and sometimes conflict with each other(e.g when several came to him and asked who is the greatest). Is this not why St Paul talks of the body ministry and proverbs says as iron sharpens iron so one man sharpens another. It is in the fire or furnace of personal relationships with other christians that we are refined and God speaks to us, shows us our selfish ways. We alson must remember Jesus’s prayer in John 17 where he prays that they be in unity ,”that they will be one, just as you and I are one” “so the world will believe that you sent me” vers 21. Do you agree?