A CARTOON GOD

Romans 1:22-23

Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.

                You can find them at almost any county fair or popular tourist destination. They are usually set up near where the majority of people will pass by. Their set-up is simple; an easel, a small table, a chair, and several examples of their product. They are caricature artists.

                Caricature artists are skilled at capturing the essence of their subject, but with a twist. They can create a very recognizable facsimile of their subject. Often the head is large and out of proportion to the rest of the body. Certain features are exaggerated. A cartoonish scene completes the picture, with the person placed at the center. When the portrait is complete, others can easily recognize the subject. We laugh at these caricatures because we recognize the obvious distortions.

                Many people believe in a caricature of God, except they do not see the distortion. Unwittingly they exaggerate one or two attributes of God and allow the others to fade into the background. The result is an image of God that is vaguely recognizable, but very incomplete. In some cases, the image is so distorted that it has little or nothing to do with the real thing.

                Satan knows that there is a hunger in the heart of all people to know God. So instead of trying to deny God’s existence, he has substituted a caricature. Just like a caricature artist, he emphasizes one aspect of God to the exclusion of the rest. He turns God into a cartoon. A cartoon God is much easier for people to live with. He fills the void, satisfying their need for God, yet he makes no real demands on the person’s life.

                One of Satan’s greatest and most popular caricatures of God in the West is that God is love, exclusively. God’s love has been brought to the forefront of most people’s image of God, but it is a distorted picture of love. It is not the love that is depicted in the Bible. It is love as defined by the current culture. In this caricature, God is a heavenly grandfather who is indulgent and not demanding. His greatest desire is that people would be happy. Whatever makes them happy is fine with Him. Whenever God’s justice or discipline is raised, it is silenced with the phrase, my God is a God of love. He would never do that!

                In other parts of the world, the caricature of God is the exact opposite. God is depicted as a God of wrath and punishment. God is to be feared and appeased. There is no hope of getting close to God. In fact, the idea is to keep God as far away as possible. The less involved God is in a person’s life, the better. There is no love in this caricature, only fear.

                In between these two extremes is a multitude of other caricatures. Each one focusing on one or two real aspects of God, to the exclusion of others. Instead of a well-rounded understanding of God, they give us a distorted image that is something less than the real thing.

                All of us have a slightly distorted image of God. Our image of God has been shaped by our life experiences. That is why it is essential that we regularly check our image against what the Bible says about God. It is like comparing a caricature to a photo. The photo allows us to recognize the distortions in the caricature. In the same way, the Bible helps us recognize the distortions in our image of God. Even here, we must be careful. It is possible to find passages that support our caricature. We need to examine our image against the complete image of God given in His Word.

                The place to begin is with an honest examination of Jesus. Paul tells us in Colossians 1:15 that Jesus is the real deal. He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. If we want a genuine, real picture of God, we need to look to Jesus.

                When Jesus was preparing His disciples for what was ahead for them, Philip asked Jesus to give them a glimpse of God. Jesus’ reply was that Philip had already seen God in Jesus.

    Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."

    Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? (John 14:8-9)

                Satan is the master salesman. He has been selling the world a wide variety of caricatures of God, and the world have been lining up to buy them. People want a God who is safe, a God who is manageable, a God they can control. People want a God in their own image. But none of these are the real thing. They all distort who God really is. They give people a false sense of security. Too many people find out too late that they had placed their faith in a caricature of God and not the real thing.

                The question we all need to ask is, what is my image of God? Is it a caricature or the genuine article?

Hebrews 1:1-4

In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe. The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. So he became as much superior to the angels as the name he has inherited is superior to theirs.

   

John 1:14

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.