Can I get a slice of God to go, please?
- Jane Isley
- May 26
- 4 min read
Updated: Sep 3
Slicing up God’s character like a pizza.
Many only want one piece of God’s character, saying they choose the “loving God”, but then ignore the rest of Him in an effort to justify their belief system.
Let me provide an example. My husband: he is sweet, kind, loving, happy, crabby, serious, annoying, stubborn, cheerful, fun, defensive, smart, etc…
I can’t just choose one or even two of his characteristics to love and converse with for the rest of my life; I have to choose all of him or none because he’s a package deal, and they are all equally a part of him.
That would lead to a rather dull and disappointing relationship if I only interacted with one or two of his characteristics for the rest of my life. I believe most sane people can agree that to love someone is to accept all of their characteristics, even the ones you aren’t particularly fond of.
It’s an all-or-nothing deal.
This idea that you can pick and choose what characteristics of God you want to believe and focus on is disastrous for your faith. You can’t select, elevate, and revere one above the others and expect a rich and abundant relationship with Him.
It really is an all-or-nothing situation. To cut God’s characteristics up like a pizza, then pick one piece to eat for the rest of your life, will leave you starving.
I Do Not Change.
Here’s the thing: God does not change, and in turn, you can not change God either and expect Him to go along with that nonsense. You have to accept all of Him, even the “God of the Old Testament” that so many have an issue with.
Some will call as defense that the Old Testament God is not the same God of the New Testament and that they simply can not believe in that kind of God, yet they happily say they believe in “The God of the New Testament.”
Which is quite oxymoronic because they are one and the same.
Additionally, we have Jesus stating, “I and the Father are one.” John 10:30. Then in Hebrews 13:8 we see, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever!”
Your God of Love is also the God of Wrath.
Attempting to separate the two, or any of the characteristics of God, leaves you at a disadvantage where you begin to adjust your thinking to the ways of man and not the ways of God.
When you remove a characteristic(s) you don’t like or understand, then you simply do not know God. It would be an impossibly, because you are removing key elements and pressing the mute button on both yourself and God.
You, and only you, are responsible for that.
If you are capable of accepting your spouse, parents, siblings, child, best friend, etc, as a whole, then you are fully capable of doing that with the God of both the Old and New Testament because they are indeed one and the same, whether you want to accept that or not.
“Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like someone who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But whoever looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues in it — not forgetting what they have heard, but doing it — they will be blessed in what they do.” James 1:22–25
“Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.” Colossians 3:16
Acceptance is and always will be your choice.
But it goes both ways; acceptance into Heaven is also God’s choice as well.
“Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them. Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’ “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock.” Matthew 7:20–24
Sources, References & Recommended Reads:
Bible Study Tools: The Attributes of God: What They Mean and Why They Matter
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