Intimacy or Intimidation

It is easy to see why newcomers to the Christian faith might have some struggles trying to understand the God of the Old Testament and the God of the New Testament. The God of the Old Testament seems so harsh and demanding while the God of the New Testament seems so loving and forgiving. What’s the deal?

Regardless of how different they may appear, the God of the Old and New are the same God. The Old was a preparation for the New. God, from the beginning of time, wanted to live in intimate relationship with man. When man sinned, that sin was a barricade that kept sinful man from enjoying the presence of a perfectly Holy God. Jesus came and died in man’s place and removed the barricade between God and man. Now through the individual’s acceptance of Jesus, man can come with boldness right into the presence of Father God. It is to be a relationship. For all Christians, that relationship should be one of intimacy. Yet, all too many believers seem to live in a relationship of intimidation rather than intimacy.

The great problem here is that intimidation limits and causes the relationship to remain on a powerless plane. The Christian at this level never moves beyond that first level of introduction. Every time he encounters God, he is uncomfortable and gets little from the experience. On the other hand, a person who has an intimate relationship with the Lord is at peace in God’s presence. That connectivity of intimacy transfers spiritual power that leaves the believer on a higher level than before.

The church was built on a revelation that the Apostle Peter received through that connectivity of intimacy, “thou art the Christ”. Jesus said to him, “flesh and blood did not reveal that to you”. As Christians, we need to move beyond “flesh and blood” Christianity. We need to move beyond only keeping the rules and regulations and enter that place of intimacy with the Lord.