For Gods indignation is being revealed from heaven on all the irreverence of justice of men who are retaining the truth in injustice.
Romans 1: 18, Concordant New Testament
How many of us have heard of the two faced God? You the One, the God who promises safety and security all while somehow scheming to bring harsh punishment upon those foolish enough to disobey Him. Does this sound like the God you serve? Well, like it or not, He's out there. I read a article this week from a columnist who was calling for a boycott of God due to His treatment of man whom He so lovingly created. While I cannot be on board with this bunk, I can understand how someone might come to the conclusion that God is somehow a vengeful, hateful and violent being. The scriptures are chock full of examples where God, in His almighty power, brings death and destruction unto those whom He supposedly created in His very image {Genesis 1:27}. We have the Lords destruction of the Egyptians as the Israelites fled Egypt {Hebrews 11:29}. We also know that it is God who wiped out most of humanity, save His few elect, with the great flood {Genesis 6:17}. Many will, and have, wondered how it is that a God who professes to love His creation can suddenly turn a blind eye to His love and seemingly kill His cherished creation without so much as a care. I get it. There have been times where I have wondered the very same thing. The ages old question of why bad things happen to good people has been a part of our Christian theology for as long as I can remember. So, what's up with God? Doe's He truly carry such a dislike for us that it's only a matter of time before He lets loose and performs another purge on humanity? Is He so oblivious to the daily sufferings of His people that He allows so many things that hurt us to infest our lives? Does God care at all about me? Well, the good news is that God indeed does care for us. He cared enough to provide His very Son as an offering in our place on that Roman cross {2 Corinthians 5:21}. He loves me enough to live in me today {Galatians 2:20}. Yet the ongoing narrative of some inside and outside the Christian community is that God somehow can be provoked into unleashing His other nature of anger. The church, for their part, has certainly used this fear to their advantage.
He who is not loving knew not God, for God is love.
1 John 4: 8, Concordant New Testament
How many people have been subjected to the church mantra that continues to teach that disobedience and/or disinterest in God or the church will surely bring about the Lord's wrath? For some time, I believed that missing a Sunday church service would open myself up to the opportunity for God allowing misfortune into my life. Eventually I discovered that God was not this monster that He was being painted to be. However, by using statements such as these, the Christian church is banking that congregations will be so in fear of Gods retribution that they dare not stray from the church doctrine. As one country singer once opined...That ain't no way to go. So if God is not the monster who dealt death and suffering to so many of His children, who is He? Well, I believe that the God we serve indeed has, as we do, two natures. Remember that we were created in HIS image. Why would God not have the very same makeup as those He created to be as He is? The trouble is, while you and I have no qualms when it comes to displaying our two natures any chance we get, God is different. For while retaining two natures, God chooses to display His nature of love as His true nature. We also know from scripture that Jesus Himself had the natures of both God and man {Colossians 2:9}. When we see the worst of the worst unfolding before us, it is not uncommon to question why it is that God would allow such things to happen. After all, we have seen and known His love nature for His children. It is this side of God which He chooses as His one true nature.
Nevertheless empties Himself, taking the form of a slave, coming to be in the likeness of humanity.
Philippians 2: 7, Concordant New Testament
~Scott~
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