It’s supposed to be encouraging when we hear that God the Father sees His children through the filter of His Son Jesus Christ. I’ve seen Christians almost come to tears when they talk about how God the Father is wearing “blood-colored glasses” to look at us, seeing the righteousness of His Son instead of our sinfulness.
So, we are told, He sees His blood-bought children as holy instead of the unrighteous, filthy, utterly degraded, deceitfully wicked, totally sinful vile creatures we actually are.
I’d heard it all my life. (Yes, they were talking about the “blood-colored glasses” back in the 1960s and 1970s too.)
But there came a time, when I was immersed in the Word of God, that I questioned it.
“If God sees us one way,” I pondered, “but we are actually something quite different, doesn’t that mean that God is deceiving Himself?”
Has anyone else wondered this same thing?
I’ve sat on this question for years. Years, I’m telling you. And a satisfactory answer has not been forthcoming, even as I continue to hear people offer this teaching.
The other problem with this teaching that has greatly troubled me is that it is nowhere taught in the Bible. In fact, the Bible teaches something radically different.
***
This article has now been incorporated into the book You can find that book here.
***
Here’s a related blog post: “Jesus as Intercessor”: barely restraining God’s wrath?
***
Go here to download your free Guide, How to Enjoy the Bible Again (when you’re ready) After Spiritual Abuse (without feeling guilty or getting triggered out of your mind). You’ll receive access to both print and audio versions of the Guide (audio read by me). I’m praying it will be helpful.
Lovely, thank you! I appreciate how you write- always rings true and encourages me!
So thankful to hear it, Lori.
I feel sick every time I hear people describe “us” as filthy, vile, and worthless creatures. I hear the words and feel the sickening memories of what it meant to be treated that way by Christian leaders. Those beliefs have helped many abusers justify abuse. Personally, I encountered the most horrific consequences in the Fundamentalism/BJU world. Rape and other horrific abuses were defended when committed by “godly” men, because, after all, we victims were already despised and worthless before God. On the other hand, the abusers were men of God, men who were saving the eternal souls of the lost. Mostly, I just can’t think about that world. I can still feel the terror and hopelessness of knowing I could never be rescued. I was not worthy of rescue. I was only worthy of the abuse. My peers deserved the same. That we wished for protection was just another indication of the pride in our evil hearts .
In the evangelical world, the initial picture is very different. It stands in stark contrast to fundamentalism. It can take years of seeming freedom before one realizes they are in the same trap, just not to the same extreme. They still emphasize our worthlessness. They still tell abuse victims to examine their own hearts and find the wrong thinking or sin that is causing pain or struggling. They teach us to be kind and forgiving towards abusers because we are all the same – worthless, vile sinners. How does one even recognize or ever escape abuse when we are taught we deserve nothing more? How do we walk away from abusers when we are told we are all the same and we are to love them? How do wives protect themselves and their children when they are told only to submit to abuse? How do children ever grow up thinking they can get help from abusers when they are told they deserve even worse. I vividly remember the many lectures that described the torment and torture of hell – being melted alive, eaten by magots, screaming through torture and being told that it was exactly what I deserved. I should be grateful and feel undeserving of anything less than that. The hardest battle in attempting to follow God is to lose the terror of him seeing me as deserving of torment and torture.
I’m so sorry for what happened to you, Summer, and I hope you can see the truth of how God really sees you, as His Word so clearly displays.
Summer, that is so, so sad!
In comparison, I’ve been thinking how biblical (nouthetic) counseling is somewhat like asking me to see my struggles (they call it) / abuse as “looking through rose-colored glasses”, too, when they suggest that I’m suffering for righteousness sake (NOT), and that I forgive…and love…and show grace…and tell me I’m just as great a sinner, etc.
It pushes me to denial, and pretending and living a lie, and hypocrisy and delusion and deceiving myself (and others).
It denied reality.
Even “reformed” churches don’t get it right. I heard a sermon in a wonderful church recently where the whole point was how much we need to “probe our sinful hearts”. I turned to the person sitting next to me, saying I disagree! If we focus on our own sin, how can we focus on loving and worshipping Jesus! – AND, Rebecca, I appreciate so much that your blogs are in large print for those of us who have aging vision issues!
I do believe the size of the type is important, but the type on most websites can be enlarged. Don’t know how to do it on the phone, but on the computer it’s [control]+
Yes, what you heard is so common–so many reformed churches have a very unhealthy emphasis on sin. That’s the observation behind several of my blog posts, including this one: https://heresthejoy.com/2017/03/four-ways-teaching-christians-to-embrace-im-the-worst-sinner-i-know-is-harming-the-church/
You will know a tree by its fruits. Buddhist monks and virtuous Jews love and obey Jesus (not the Church Jeezus and all of his titles, but the real Jesus) more than I.F.B cult leaders or handsy priests. Those who reject the Church which raped them but obey Jesus in all but name will fall into his arms much sooner than the wife-beating churchman. I promise you.
I appreciate the thought, but we are told in the Scriptures that there is no other Name by which we must be saved than that of the Lord Jesus Christ. The real Jesus welcomes those who trust in Him (not those who use His Name as a cover for their heinous deeds), but I do believe according to the Scriptures that it’s imperative that we believe in HIM, trusting in HIS actual salvation, His perfect life lived for us, His death on the cross in our place, and His triumphant resurrection. Here is more on that: https://heresthejoy.com/2015/10/what-kind-of-salvation-did-we-get/
Thank you for another important, insightful commentary, Rebecca. It seems that one of the ways Satan keeps us from experiencing the relationship and growth God desires for us is by faulty teaching that offers a paltry substitute.
I always found it very distancing to hear that when God looked at me he saw Jesus. Like most people, I believe the deepest desire of my heart is to be known and loved by God, for who I am.
I also discovered, in later years, how this ‘clothed in the righteousness of Christ’ concept allowed individuals to cling to the sin and unrighteousness that God longs to deliver us from. I have long considered this theology as the equivalent of Luther’s ‘Sin Boldly’. Both turn a loving, personal relationship into a formulaic transaction. Sign on the line that you accept these terms, and here’s your ticket.
So many of Satan’s deceptions involve conflating doctrine and religion with relationship. I believe that Jesus came to show us the ‘Abba’ way, which invites us to come to God as little children, confident in his desire to shower us with his love.
Thanks again, for tackling faulty teaching.
Good thoughts, thank you.
Wow. I have NEVER heard that ‘glasses’ analogy … thankfully, that one missed me somehow. I always thought we were the ones ‘seeing through a glass, darkly’ so to speak. What a truly horrid and miserable way to view oneself. I am so, so sorry for anyone who has had to cope with that. ((hugs)) They seem to be missing the point. All those lovely verses you quoted about how God sees us … those are the truth. In fact, once God says something, it IS true, because God speaks the Word, and things Happen … creation and all good things. (Or floods and whatever, but they HAPPEN, and that’s the miracle of it. He speaks Truth. Pretty sure that’s half the point of the Bible, at least … He can’t or won’t speak otherwise!)
Exactly, so true.
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I’ve heard the “filter” teaching so many times, yet I don’t recall it ever being taught in Scripture.
Another, very similar teaching is the “robe of righteousness” teaching. This says that God clothes us in a robe of righteousness at conversion. This one IS mentioned in Scripture, but only in the Old Testament. “I will greatly rejoice in the LORD, my soul shall be joyful in my God; for he hath clothed me with the garments of salvation, he hath covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decketh himself with ornaments, and as a bride adorneth herself with her jewels.” (Isaiah 61:10) Interestingly enough, this passage starts with a prophecy about Jesus. So it could be implied that this “robe of righteousness” is actually part of Jesus’ clothing.
(There is one other mention of being clothed with righteousness in Job 29:14: “I put on righteousness, and it clothed me…”)
In the New Testament, however, righteousness is presented as something WITHIN us, instead over top of us. My problem with the “robe of righteousness” idea is that we could be vile and filthy underneath the robe, but it would be “hiding” our sin–kind of along the same lines as the “blood-colored glasses” idea. However, as you pointed out in this article, Rebecca, God not only makes us appear righteous, He makes US righteous.
I feel rather passionate about all this, because it changed my life when I realized that Jesus didn’t just do an external work from the outside in–He completely changed me on the inside and is continuing to do so! I have experienced so much freedom from learning to walk in the reality of being innately righteous instead of a sinner who struggles to do the right thing.
Ultimately, it comes down to identity–am I a ransomed, redeemed, transformed child of God, or am I a groveling servant who is unworthy of even a crumb of God’s attention?
I love this so much, Joel! And yes, the robe of righteousness issue is the same thing, and you’ve expressed it so well. Thank you!
That one, I’ve heard used (and occasionally misused) … I’ll keep a sharp eye out for that in future. Good point that it can be taken the wrong way, too. The family of God, the kingdom of God … it’s not a masquerade ball. If you’re there, it’s because He invited you, adopted you, brought you in on purpose.
Redeemed, new creature in Christ, saint (not sinner), forgiven, set free, loved, beloved, child of God . . . we have new labels that go with our new identity in Christ. In our rebirth we are made anew. Truly wonderful.
Yes!
This is beautiful and exactly what my should needed today. Thank you!
Thank you Rebecca, as always, your words are fresh and encouraging.
I’ve been active in several protestant denominations over the years. Many of them have adopted the belief system you describe. It is a terrible thing to deceive God’s children.
I used to worry so much about the unseen sin in me. I believed what the experts taught about our sin nature making us filthy rags, disgusting to look upon, a major disappointment to God. I would search my heart looking for the sin & evil in me. But how could i confess stuff i didn’t know I was guilty of committing? I was trying so hard to do everything I was taught, but it was a no win situation. It left me feeling defeated and without any hope for resolution– I was filthy and guilty inside because of “hidden” sin I hadn’t confessed nor eradicated.
I left the church because of all the hypocrisy and twisted theology. I eventually rewired my brain to realize I, myself, am clean and pure before God because of Christ’s sacrifice for me. I confess what I am guilty of doing, humbly ask forgiveness and trust that’s good enough for God. I no longer worry that I’m in a constant state of sinning. I was changed when I got saved. I don’t have to hide behind Jesus when it’s time to meet God face to face. My eternal daddy loves me, even in my fallible human state.
Alison, thank you so much for these words. I wrote about the “hidden” sin that the believer can’t find but needs to confess in this blog post here: https://heresthejoy.com/2018/03/no-more-karma-christianity/
I do get it that this is written within the framework of American evangelicalism, but it is also a huge issue here. The idea of imputed righteousness is a big concept in Lutheran theology, and it is very popular to describe Christian life just like that. We are just being covered by the work of Jesus, not really changed, and still remain horrible sinners. It both discourages but also brings a false relief to many who can continue to sin and then justify it with all the ‘imputed righteousness’ talk.
On the other hand, plenty of ‘sinless saints’ also went to the deep end and justified their actions with ‘oh I am a saint and thus can no longer sin’, living in complete denial.
Yes, I’ve heard of that one but have never seen it personally. I guess “attractive” errors tend to rise and fall in popularity in various parts of the world and in various segments of Christianity.
My country has leaned to the legalistic rigid religious end of the spectrum for centuries, but there have been some twisted ‘sinless’ groups as well, in which heavy drinking and sexual libertarianism was practiced… ugh. Another form of Gnosticism, which claimed that since our physical body was worthless, it didn’t really matter what it did…
Yes, I’ve seen that here in the States too. “Hypergrace,” I think it’s called. Misapplied grace, more like.
Thank you Rebecca! This post is an answer to what I’ve prayed the last few days. I’ve been aware of a hard place in my heart, similar to you, and have been ashamed of it, but brought it to Him honestly. Here is proof that the Lord listens and cares for us.
Yes, for sure. One thing I’ve said to the Lord, when I see sin that He brings forward to me, has been, “Lord, I’m so thankful You’re not surprised by this. When I come to confess it, You’re not wrinkling up Your nose at me. You already know, and You were lovingly waiting for me to come talk to you about it. Thank You.”
I see this is an older post, but I just had to comment. Rebecca, once again you have pointed out one of the worst myths that continues to persist in the Western Church, that God does not want to look at us, and only sees us through Jesus. What initially got me to question this was, as you pointed out, the fact that this could only be some kind of mind game that God played with Himself. Jesus and the Father are One. How is it that Jesus could see the real me, but the Father could not? Add to that the idea that Jesus is supposed to be our way TO the Father, not our way of AVOIDING Him! Add to that the fact that this distorts our image of God, a “god” we would want to stay away from. Add to that the fact that it distorts our understanding of Christian Identity. And what does one do with all the Scriptures that say God wants to dwell among His people? It is the worst of what Dallas Willard calls the “Miserable Sinner” form of Christianity. There is so much wrong with this myth that I cannot figure out how it has survived for so long. Yet I heard this nonsense for years from pulpits and books.
Yes, as you can see, it went into one of my Untwisting Scriptures books, the one that addresses what “righteousness” and “wickedness” really are. I had sat on my disgruntlement about this particular teaching for years, but when I heard yet another person talk about it (in a women’s Bible study), I went straight home and wrote this article.
Then when I read your book years later, I saw that YOU also used the term “mind games” about this teaching, a term I had also used.