Uncomfortable Conversations: God You Made in Your Own Image

Have we reshaped God to fit our preferences? When Jesus never confronts, corrects, or challenges us, He may not be Lord—but a mirror.

One of the most dangerous idols in the Church today doesn’t look like a golden calf.

It looks like Jesus.

Or at least, a version of Him.

A Jesus who always agrees. A Jesus who never confronts. A Jesus who affirms opinions, excuses sin, and fits neatly into our worldview.

And that leads us to an uncomfortable question:

If your Jesus never disagrees with you, is He Lord—or just a reflection of you?

When God Is Reduced to an Idea

Scripture warns us about this exact danger.

“Because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened.” (Romans 1:21, NKJV)

The issue isn’t ignorance.

It’s distortion.

People didn’t stop believing in God — they reimagined Him.

They reduced the Creator to something manageable. Something agreeable. Something that wouldn’t interfere with their desires.

That’s not faith.

That’s idolatry.

Idolatry Isn’t Always Obvious

When we hear the word idolatry, we think of statues and shrines.

But Scripture defines it much broader.

“You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image…” (Exodus 20:3–4, NKJV)

An idol is anything — including an idea of God — that replaces who He truly is.

When we take parts of Scripture we like and discard the rest, we are no longer worshiping the God of the Bible.

We are worshiping a god we’ve edited.

A God Who Never Confronts You Is Not the God of Scripture

The true Christ:

• Calls people to repentance

• Confronts hypocrisy

• Exposes hidden sin

• Commands obedience

He is loving — but He is also holy. He is gracious — but He is also just.

When grace is separated from truth, it becomes permission.

When love is divorced from holiness, it becomes deception.

“Professing to be wise, they became fools… and exchanged the truth of God for the lie.” (Romans 1:22, 25, NKJV)

When Jesus Becomes a Mirror

A self-made Jesus never challenges your politics.

He never touches your idols.

He never calls out your compromise.

He always agrees — because He was designed to.

But the real Jesus says things like:

• “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself…”

• “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do the things which I say?”

A Jesus who only affirms is not transforming you.

He’s reflecting you.

Lordship Means Surrender, Not Customization

You don’t get to follow Jesus and remain unchanged.

You don’t get to call Him Lord and ignore His commands.

You don’t get to shape Him into your image.

We are called to be conformed to His image.

“For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son…” (Romans 8:29, NKJV)

Anything else is a counterfeit gospel.

Who Is God to You—Really?

The God of Scripture is not safe.

He is good.

He is not tame.

He is holy.

And He refuses to be reduced to a preference, a trend, or an opinion.

The question isn’t whether you believe in God.

The question is whether you believe in the true God — or one you’ve created to agree with you.

Remember to strive to walk in God's truth, even when it says you're a liar.

“Let God be true but every man a liar.” (Romans 3:4, NKJV)