Years ago, talk show host Oprah Winfrey said she started rejecting Christian beliefs when she heard that God is a jealous God (Deuteronomy 6:15). She said she couldn't believe in a god who was “jealous of her” (source/ video minute 7:50).
It's pretty amazing that any human could think God is jealous of them!!
In truth, God is jealous for us.
He knows what's best for us, and He wants us to devote ourselves to Him and His purposes, not to false gods, and Oprah's statement points to the false god of self-esteem just as 2 Timothy 3:1-5 explains:
He knows what's best for us, and He wants us to devote ourselves to Him and His purposes, not to false gods, and Oprah's statement points to the false god of self-esteem just as 2 Timothy 3:1-5 explains:
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, without love, unforgiving, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not lovers of the good, treacherous, rash, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God— having a form of godliness but denying its power. Have nothing to do with such people.”
It's hard to believe Oprah thinks God envies her! But her response fits her decision to reject biblical faith. Only an unbeliever would think our perfect, infinite, all-knowing, glorious God envies them.
As Galatians 6:3 says, “If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.”
When we focus on ourselves, we naturally judge all things by our human intelligence. We don't understand God's incredible grace because we don't understand our incredible sinfulness and desperate need for a Savior. Instead of being humbled by God's incredible love for us, we're proud of our human reasoning power.
As Galatians 6:3 says, “If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves.”
When we focus on ourselves, we naturally judge all things by our human intelligence. We don't understand God's incredible grace because we don't understand our incredible sinfulness and desperate need for a Savior. Instead of being humbled by God's incredible love for us, we're proud of our human reasoning power.
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To read more about the meaning of God's jealousy: Our Jealous God
To read more about the god of self-love: Godly Self-Esteem.
Picture of Oprah Creative Commons.
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It is too bad Oprah didn't read the verses surrounding Deuteronomy 6:15. If she had she would realize that God is not jealous of us, but is jealous of the time we waster worshiping other "gods". Someone with such great influence could have done so much in furthering the gospel if they had "rightly divided the Word of God".
ReplyDeleteWas it oprah?
ReplyDeleteyes. If you click the link in the words "well-known celebrity" you can read more about it.
DeleteThe Lord is very Jealous for us. It is the same way a man is jealous for his wife and vice versa. We should be committed and faithful to God because he is committed and faithful to us. Thank you so much. I read the love notes often and this is my first response.
ReplyDeleteYes, Terry. You're right.
DeleteI'm so glad you are a regular reader.