After spending over four decades working in engineering related fields, I’ve come to an appreciation of the complexities that can so often exist beneath the surface of a seemingly simple veneer. Because starting from scratch is generally a long and arduous process, it can be advantageous to begin with something that has already been developed and proven to be functional. By breaking an existing assembly down into its foundational elements, one can often find keys to its success, which can then be used to build upon. This process is known as “Reverse Engineering.”
Similarly, when efforts to motivate someone in a positive direction fail to get the desired outcome, it can at times be effective to take an inverse approach, which may allow them to back over a threshold they weren’t willing to directly step across. This approach is known as “Reverse Psychology.”
Recently, during a time of prayer, I sensed the Lord use the phrase “Reverse Theology.” And as I meditated on that term, I sensed that it describes a process of seeing God through the lens of who we want Him to be (or think He ought to be), instead of seeking to know Him as He truly is. Like reverse engineering, we can begin at the end, and work our way backwards by finding verses, teachings, and ministers which will undergird our predetermined conclusions.
If we are naturally militant, we can grab ahold of scriptures like the Kingdom of God suffers violence and the violent take it by force (Matt.11:12), you’ve trained my hands for war (Psalm 144:1), and countless Old Testament stories about crushing the enemies of Israel; while ignoring New Testament verses about loving our enemies (Matt.5:44), and living in peace with our neighbors (Rom.12:18).
If we are scholarly we might gravitate toward verses which exalt the value of knowledge (Hosea 4:6, 2Peter 1:5), and ignore the admonitions about coming as a little child (Matt.18:3). If we are patriarchal we can embrace the commandment for wives to submit to their husbands (Eph.5, Col.3), while omitting the corresponding directive for husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church, and gave His life for her (Eph.5:25).
If we are comfortable within the world system, we can console ourselves with “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son (John 3:16)”, and disregard His warning that friendship with the world amounts to enmity with God (James 4:4). Like a modular living room set, we can arrange the pieces in whatever way best fits our space.
Interestingly, we can stand on the authority of scripture to justify our positions, and then dismiss scriptural counterpoints with catchphrases about the Bible being a “flawed book”, “written by men”, which has been “frequently mistranslated” …
Based on scripture, the way to develop an understanding of who God is (i.e. a theology) is to seek Him, and to allow Him to reveal Himself to us (Jer.29:13, Matt.7:7). Often, the revelation of who He is will be accompanied by a revelation of who He created us to be as well (Gen.17:5, Gen.32:28, Matt.16:18). If we choose to surrender ourselves, and walk with Him, our knowledge of Him grows, and we are transformed into His image, which is ultimately our destiny (Rom.8:29, Rom.12:2, 2Cor.3:18).
The application of a “reverse theology” saves us from all that seeking, surrendering, and transformation, by offering the hope that we can be delivered directly to our desired destination and destiny, by a god that aligns with our values, priorities, and vision for the future (i.e. the way that seems right to us – Prov.14:12).
Within this paradigm, we aren’t reformed into His image, He is in fact reimagined based on our experience and understanding. We decide that “if He is good,” He will adhere to our standard for goodness; and “if He is just,” He will satisfy our sense of justice; and if “He is love,” He will act in the way that we deem to be loving. And perhaps most prevalently, if He does not adhere to these expectations, we feel perfectly justified in being angry with Him. In such moments, we are literally judging God by our standards, and finding Him to be lacking, which implies that our standards are higher than His.
I am not suggesting that anyone consciously endorses this “Reverse Theology” pattern, but it is something that we can slip into unconsciously and with little effort. If we only acknowledge the aspects of God, and the scripture that make sense to us, we can convince ourselves that we are “saved, sanctified, and going to heaven,” and never realize that we have developed a huge spiritual blind spot.
Because we cannot conceive of how justice (i.e. we get what we deserve) and grace (i.e. we don’t get what we deserve) can be perfectly embodied in the same being, we embrace the aspect that appeals to us, and ignore the elements we struggle to reconcile. Like a poster of our favorite teen idol, we can put His picture on the wall, and worship who we imagine Him to be. Though we can truthfully claim to have acted “in Jesus’ name,” He can rightfully respond that He never knew us (Matt.7:23).
Evidences that we may have fallen into this trap are abundant. The scripture tells us that they that abide in the vine (i.e. are connected to Jesus) will produce fruit (John 15:4-5). And the fruit He is speaking of is not temporal results (e.g. extravagant facilities, well attended gatherings, extensive ministry networks…), it is Christ’s character being revealed in us (Gal.5:22-23, Col.1:27). A lack of genuine transformation is the most obvious indication that this connection is not strong.
If we find ourselves frequently deceived by charismatic ministry leaders, false teachers, and illegitimate “prophetic” voices, it is an indication that we have fallen out of step with the Holy Spirit (Matt.24:24, Col.2:8). Jesus said that His sheep know His voice, they listen and they follow (John 10:27). A lack of confidence in one’s ability to discern the Lord’s voice should be seen as a critical matter.
The good news is that even if we have stumbled into this trap, the Lord stands at the ready to meet us where we are at. Like He did for Saul (a learned and respected leader, who felt sure he was doing the work of the Lord), Jesus can reintroduce Himself and change our name in the process (Acts 9). But He made it clear that anyone who wishes to be His disciple must be willing to deny himself, and to take up their cross daily (Matt.16:24). And whether we like it or not, He also said that anyone who is unwilling to take up their cross is unworthy of Him (Matt.10:38).
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Bjcorbin's Blog 
Reverse Theology
Posted in Commentaries, tagged deceived, imagination, judging God, predetermined, reverse engineering, reverse psychology, reverse theology, transformation on October 22, 2024| Leave a Comment »
After spending over four decades working in engineering related fields, I’ve come to an appreciation of the complexities that can so often exist beneath the surface of a seemingly simple veneer. Because starting from scratch is generally a long and arduous process, it can be advantageous to begin with something that has already been developed and proven to be functional. By breaking an existing assembly down into its foundational elements, one can often find keys to its success, which can then be used to build upon. This process is known as “Reverse Engineering.”
Similarly, when efforts to motivate someone in a positive direction fail to get the desired outcome, it can at times be effective to take an inverse approach, which may allow them to back over a threshold they weren’t willing to directly step across. This approach is known as “Reverse Psychology.”
Recently, during a time of prayer, I sensed the Lord use the phrase “Reverse Theology.” And as I meditated on that term, I sensed that it describes a process of seeing God through the lens of who we want Him to be (or think He ought to be), instead of seeking to know Him as He truly is. Like reverse engineering, we can begin at the end, and work our way backwards by finding verses, teachings, and ministers which will undergird our predetermined conclusions.
If we are naturally militant, we can grab ahold of scriptures like the Kingdom of God suffers violence and the violent take it by force (Matt.11:12), you’ve trained my hands for war (Psalm 144:1), and countless Old Testament stories about crushing the enemies of Israel; while ignoring New Testament verses about loving our enemies (Matt.5:44), and living in peace with our neighbors (Rom.12:18).
If we are scholarly we might gravitate toward verses which exalt the value of knowledge (Hosea 4:6, 2Peter 1:5), and ignore the admonitions about coming as a little child (Matt.18:3). If we are patriarchal we can embrace the commandment for wives to submit to their husbands (Eph.5, Col.3), while omitting the corresponding directive for husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church, and gave His life for her (Eph.5:25).
If we are comfortable within the world system, we can console ourselves with “God so loved the world that He gave His only Son (John 3:16)”, and disregard His warning that friendship with the world amounts to enmity with God (James 4:4). Like a modular living room set, we can arrange the pieces in whatever way best fits our space.
Interestingly, we can stand on the authority of scripture to justify our positions, and then dismiss scriptural counterpoints with catchphrases about the Bible being a “flawed book”, “written by men”, which has been “frequently mistranslated” …
Based on scripture, the way to develop an understanding of who God is (i.e. a theology) is to seek Him, and to allow Him to reveal Himself to us (Jer.29:13, Matt.7:7). Often, the revelation of who He is will be accompanied by a revelation of who He created us to be as well (Gen.17:5, Gen.32:28, Matt.16:18). If we choose to surrender ourselves, and walk with Him, our knowledge of Him grows, and we are transformed into His image, which is ultimately our destiny (Rom.8:29, Rom.12:2, 2Cor.3:18).
The application of a “reverse theology” saves us from all that seeking, surrendering, and transformation, by offering the hope that we can be delivered directly to our desired destination and destiny, by a god that aligns with our values, priorities, and vision for the future (i.e. the way that seems right to us – Prov.14:12).
Within this paradigm, we aren’t reformed into His image, He is in fact reimagined based on our experience and understanding. We decide that “if He is good,” He will adhere to our standard for goodness; and “if He is just,” He will satisfy our sense of justice; and if “He is love,” He will act in the way that we deem to be loving. And perhaps most prevalently, if He does not adhere to these expectations, we feel perfectly justified in being angry with Him. In such moments, we are literally judging God by our standards, and finding Him to be lacking, which implies that our standards are higher than His.
I am not suggesting that anyone consciously endorses this “Reverse Theology” pattern, but it is something that we can slip into unconsciously and with little effort. If we only acknowledge the aspects of God, and the scripture that make sense to us, we can convince ourselves that we are “saved, sanctified, and going to heaven,” and never realize that we have developed a huge spiritual blind spot.
Because we cannot conceive of how justice (i.e. we get what we deserve) and grace (i.e. we don’t get what we deserve) can be perfectly embodied in the same being, we embrace the aspect that appeals to us, and ignore the elements we struggle to reconcile. Like a poster of our favorite teen idol, we can put His picture on the wall, and worship who we imagine Him to be. Though we can truthfully claim to have acted “in Jesus’ name,” He can rightfully respond that He never knew us (Matt.7:23).
Evidences that we may have fallen into this trap are abundant. The scripture tells us that they that abide in the vine (i.e. are connected to Jesus) will produce fruit (John 15:4-5). And the fruit He is speaking of is not temporal results (e.g. extravagant facilities, well attended gatherings, extensive ministry networks…), it is Christ’s character being revealed in us (Gal.5:22-23, Col.1:27). A lack of genuine transformation is the most obvious indication that this connection is not strong.
If we find ourselves frequently deceived by charismatic ministry leaders, false teachers, and illegitimate “prophetic” voices, it is an indication that we have fallen out of step with the Holy Spirit (Matt.24:24, Col.2:8). Jesus said that His sheep know His voice, they listen and they follow (John 10:27). A lack of confidence in one’s ability to discern the Lord’s voice should be seen as a critical matter.
The good news is that even if we have stumbled into this trap, the Lord stands at the ready to meet us where we are at. Like He did for Saul (a learned and respected leader, who felt sure he was doing the work of the Lord), Jesus can reintroduce Himself and change our name in the process (Acts 9). But He made it clear that anyone who wishes to be His disciple must be willing to deny himself, and to take up their cross daily (Matt.16:24). And whether we like it or not, He also said that anyone who is unwilling to take up their cross is unworthy of Him (Matt.10:38).
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