God’s Perfection in You

“Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.”

God’s law is a good and perfect gift. Men can have good laws but if they are truly good and perfect, we know the Father gave it to us from heaven.

God forbids evil inventions and takes credit for the inspiration behind good ones. (Romans 1:30)

Fred Wright, in writing his book The Character of God teaches an idea about passive parenting from God:

“God is not deceitful or underhanded. He is the God of truth. Thoerefore it needs to be clearly understood that He did not de- sign a law with built-in punishments. He gave the liberty, therefore He will not punish any who exercise what He has given them.” - F.W.

I disagree. Nature has built-in protective punishments. Headache for dehydration, to prevent death by continued violations of the laws of hydration, for example.

“For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth, and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth.”  - Hebrews 12:6

Is it fair to say God has layered the universe with safety nets for fools? I think so.

Proverbs says “A prudent man foreseeth the evil, and hideth himself: but the simple pass on, and are punished.”

Children are born with the manifest image of God, including natural laws. They are also fools. Their bodies are their schoolteacher revealing Christ to them. All we must do is allow them and not forbid them. But they will be chastised and taught of God by nature, as we all are.

Here’s another example of Fred’s idea of God parenting us:

“On that day [of disobedience] the presence of the Holy Spirit died out of them [Adam and Eve] and was replaced by another spirit, that of the devil.” - F.W.

There is only one Spirit animating all. If the Holy Spirit died out in them, they would be dust.

Satan’s spirit is also the breath of God. He has no life independently of God. So to be dead to God is to be dead to the Holy Spirit within. “Satan’s spirit” is just a fraudulent concept, because it, too belongs to the Giver. It is the spell of deception about God and a strong delusion. Death is an illusion of Satan. Fatherhood by Satan is another deception. He can only man-steal, he cannot give life.

Could God enforce protection or discomfort out of love? Yes, he clearly does. We’ve never been free to do just anything we want without being stopped by God. God has mercy in this way.

Jonah was swallowed by a whale to force him into compliance with his commission. A prophet was forced to bless Israel when he tried to curse them.