“Sin always begins with the character assassination of God. We believe that God has put us in a world of delights but has determined that he will not give them to us if we obey him. This is the lie of the serpent. . . . One of the main reasons that we trust God too little is because we trust our own wisdom too much.”- Timothy Keller
“But the serpent said to the woman, ‘You will not surely die. For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’ “- Genesis 3:4-5 (ESV)
In Chapter 19 (“Relationship to God’s Word”) of The Prodigal Prophet, Timothy Keller reminds us of the root of Jonah’s disobedience. That it centered on his mistrust in the goodness of God. Thus, we must understand that all sin is grounded in refusal. Our refusal to believe that God’s more dedicated to our good than we are. And the God’s more aware of what constitutes our good.
Certainly, Pastor Keller underscores, Adam and Eve didn’t set their sights on acting evil. To ruin their lives and everyone else’s in the process. Rather, they desired happiness. But Adam and Eve thought God’s commands failed to give them what they perceived they needed to thrive. So, they opted to take things into their own hands.
Hence, Pastor Keller counsels:
“Because of our deep distrust of God’s goodness and Word, we do everything we can to get out from under his hand. This is really the most fundamental temptation that there has ever been in the world, and the original sin. Specific details may vary, but the deep heart song of ‘I have to look out for myself’ is always there.”
In conclusion, Pastor Keller exhorts, turn your eyes to see Jesus trusting God in the dark in order to save you. Because that enables you to trust Him when things turn confusing and difficult.
Today’s question: What Bible verses help stop a character assassination of God? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Love at the heart of our storms”
