Mistakes about New View

Mistake 1: "This is secularising God, using him for our purposes"

The New View is that God is involved in our everyday lives, to bring blessing to them, not just to make us holy. This sounds like the folk-religion view of God being a kind of provider of resources or even a lucky charm. Is this secularising God? Does it rob our relationship with God of its spiritual and heavenly aspect? Does it see God as merely serving our interests in this life?

Not at all! In New View it is not that God serves our interests. Not even that we pursue our interests 'for' him. Rather:

We first let go of our own interests. We 'lose' our lives to CHrist.
We allow God to make his interests ours, but freely.
Then we learn to live with God in pursuing those interests.
And his interests are not just 'heavenly' but 'earthly' too - but always Christ-centred and full of the joy of the Holy Spirit.

What he enjoys becomes our joy, truly and freely. What he wants and wills becomes our will, truly and freely. And we learn the power and effectiveness and joy and responsibility of living that way - the way God wants - because our wills are freely aligned with God.

Mistake 2: "This is Syncretism"

New View is not syncretism. It holds that Jesus Christ is the only Saviour of the world, and is rightful Lord and Heir of the cosmos. It holds that humanity is ultimately powerless unless and until the Holy Spirit dwells in the hearts of people. It holds that humankind is guilty before God and stands in need of forgiveness, which is freely offered on repentance.

Created: 2 May 2009 by Andrew Basden.

Last updated: 3 May 2009 secularising.