1 John 4:9-16 “In this the love of God was manifested
toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we
might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us
and sent His Son to
be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has seen God at any time. If we love
one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us. By
this we know that we abide in Him, and He in us, because He has given us of His
Spirit. And we have seen and testify that the Father
has sent the Son as Savior of the world.
Whoever
confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God has for us.
God is love, and he who abides in love abides in God, and God in him.”
This last
week, our small group Bible Study, continuing on our series “Knowing God”, we
took a look at God’s essential nature of love and justice. As we've delved into
the Word of God, we've seen that He is the self-existent, self-sufficient
Creator, who is righteous, just, all-powerful, all-knowing, all-present
Sovereign that rules over all; a God of truth who never changes. But some may
ask, “How can a God, being love in essence, have wrath against sin and send sinners
to hell?” You read about it in verses like Deuteronomy 7:9-10 “Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the
faithful God who keeps covenant and mercy for a thousand generations with those
who love Him and keep His commandments; and He repays those who hate Him to their face, to destroy
them. He will not be slack with him who hates Him; He will repay him to his
face.”
In these
passages that describe God, is there a mixed message or are we seeing His love
and His justice? As in Exodus 34:6-7 Then the Lord passed by in front of him and proclaimed, “The Lord, the Lord God, compassionate
and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in loving-kindness and truth; who keeps loving-kindness
for thousands, who forgives iniquity, transgression and sin; yet He will by no
means leave the guilty unpunished.” A judge that doesn’t punish convicted criminals would not be good or
just. He may love the criminal but hate the crime. A “just” God must punish
sin, so how can a merciful God manifest His love to a lost in sin world? Romans 5:8-10 But
God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died
for us. Much more then, having now been
justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. For if while
we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His
Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.
You and I
are loved unconditionally and eternally by God. Can we grasp that? Once we come to
God, acknowledge our sin in repentance, admit our impotence to save ourselves
and our need of a Savior, His love will be poured out in our heart through the
Holy Spirit of God, who He gives us. Once we truly believe, once we truly
receive Jesus, absolutely nothing will ever be able to separate us from His
ever-lasting love. God holds us in His hand. No one can take us out of this
hand (John 10:27-30). Isn’t that reassuring to know? There is love and there is
justice.
Ephesians 2:4-5 But
God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love
with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our
transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved). Stand next
to the spout where the grace pours out.
In Christ, Brian
4 comments:
Justice, Lord, to the fallen West. That its reactionaries will see the Church restored. Not in a pretended 'global Christianity'; but in their respective places.
In your glorious name...
Well said Brian. Think about it, if every murderer, rapist, and thief were never sent to prison for their crimes because every judge thought jail was a bad place, imagine the nightmare that would create. Many think,all I have to do is say I am sorry to God, thus all will be fine. Well, that does not work in court, why would it work with God?
As always, another great post.
Blessings,
Ken
Thank you Mr. Mcgranor for reading the post and commenting. I agree, and believe that your follow blogging brother s and sisters in Christ feel the same great and urgent need in our society for the fulfillment of the Lord's Great Commission (Matthew 28:17-20 in this nation and all nations, as Jesus Christ, the Way, the Truth and the Life (John 14:6) is the answer. Revival and restoration is the goal through knowing Christ and making Him & His gospel known to a sin-sick, lost in darkness, and dying in unbelief world. Authentic, not pretentious, preaching and teaching of the Word of God found in Holy Scripture is the key. As citizens and workers of the kingdom of heaven, children of God, we bring the love and light of God with the help of the Holy Spirit. I think that the culture is beginning to see their need of a Savior and starting to seek answers only found in His righteousness. It is my prayer that the Lord use me and you and all His people to bring whomsoever will come to a "saving" knowledge of Jesus Christ. Excellent points you bring up. Thank you again.
Thank you Ken for your kind words about the post. 1 Corinthians 14:33 tells us: "For God is not the author of confusion but of peace, as in all the churches of the saints." So the Word of God is logical, understandable and applicable to our everyday life, when studied and examined in detail. The Lord wants us all to know the truth and align our will with His perfect truth, our will with His absolute will, and our way with His complete way. So knowing God though His Holy Word,through prayer and worship in loving relationship. For this reason, I want to know Him more and make Him known. I know that you do too.
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