Thursday, March 27, 2014

Who's Your Father by Robert Bernecker



Who’s Your Father?
Robert Bernecker
CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform
North Charleston, South Carolina. 2013
227 pp RRP $2.86 Kindle edition



Is your God really GOD? Or is he a god made in your own image, a tame god who jumps to do your bidding?
These and other questions are posed in Robert Bernecker’s book, Who’s Your Father.
Bernecker freely admits he is a non-theological lay-person dealing with weighty topics. As such, however, he relates well to the common person and every point he makes is backed up by Scripture, with the pages littered with Scripture references, and extensive quotes from eminent Christian scholars.
Much of the teaching in the church today is shown to be false by the clear teaching of Scripture. There are many ways in which we attempt to bring God down to our own size or make him in our own image.
 Bernecker opens his discussion with the illustration of the sparrows that Jesus used (Matthew 10:29). Here he challenges us to a right view of God’s sovereignty and his minute involvement in our lives.
If God had all power but did not love us, or loved us but did not have all power, what confidence could we have in him? ‘Jesus, however, showed us that our God gives to us the perfect combination of unlimited love and unbounded sovereignty,’ he writes. ‘We can, therefore, have a real and living faith.’
 Following chapters discuss the erroneous concept of a ‘Gentleman God’ and the role of faith because with our finite minds we CANNOT understand God’s ways. Is God unfair? Are we puppets or robots? Does God override our free will?
The book would be easier to read if it had shorter chapters and paragraphs and less unnecessary repetition. At times I struggled, but these are deep truths and it takes concentration to grasp the message. Prayer and an open Bible to check out the Scripture passages are vital.
Bernecker’s goal is to draw us closer to our God who is with us not only in our past and future, but also in each moment of the present.
The Lord reigns, let the earth rejoice. (Psalm 97:1) Whatever the Lord pleases, he does, in heaven and on earth, in the seas and all deeps. (Psalm 135:6)
This is our God, the God who wants an intimate relationship with us and in whom we can have total confidence.