How Could a Good God Sacrifice His Son?

 

Many who misunderstand the Gospel, complain that it's unfair and cruel of God to demand that His son suffer and die for our sins. "No good father would do that," they argue. Agreed.

But one has to recognize that the Scriptural descriptions of God as a father are metaphorical. God and Jesus aren't literally father and son in the biological sense. Their relationship is FAR closer than that. They (along with the Holy Spirit) are ONE (Isaiah 9:6, John 1:14, 10:30, Colossians 1:15-17, 2:9, etc.). Therefore, where Jesus is, God is. What Jesus chooses, God chooses. What Jesus does, God does.

When Jesus allowed Himself to be put on that cross, God allowed Himself to be put on that cross. Jesus wasn't put on the cross by His Father--a distant, uncaring God who turned His back on His son. God Himself was on that cross! Jesus's cry of, "Father, Father, why have you forsaken me?" is a great mystery, but the way I understand it is that He was NOT referring to a breach in relationship with God, as many have assumed. God and Jesus were never at odds or at cross purposes or against one another (Matthew 12:25). Rather, Jesus/God was experiencing the weight of sin and suffering and pain in the same way all humanity has experienced it when we allow sin to master us rather than Christ's love and grace.

Because Jesus "became sin for us" (II Corinthians 5:21) as a human being--suffering and dying for the sin of the world--He was not experiencing the glory of Heaven or of divinity or of grace at that moment. He was experiencing existence as a mere man--separated from His Godhood and divine nature and state of sinlessness. That, I believe, is the separation and abandonment Jesus felt--not a literal abandonment of a cruel, heartless father refusing to acknowledge the suffering of his son--but the choice God made to abandon His godliness and glory so He could live life as a human being and suffer and die as a human being in our place (Philippians 2:6-8).

In this way, God Himself, as Jesus, allowed Himself to be tortured, ridiculed, and rejected, so we don't have to be. Therefore, God didn't demand any sacrifice He didn't pay Himself. And, because He is an excellent Father, He made sure you wouldn't have to pay that price either.

Would A Loving God Send People to Hell?

Universalist philosophy is largely built on the idea that a good and loving God wouldn't send anyone to Hell. I agree. He wouldn't, and He doesn't. In fact, Jesus says Hell was prepared for the devil and his angels (Matthew 25:41). "Sending" people to Hell was never part of the plan, and still isn't. However, because we have free will, we certainly have the right to choose to go there.

Now, some might argue that no one would willingly and knowingly go to Hell. No one would be foolish enough to choose Hell over Heaven with Jesus. But though Jesus and the writers of Scripture do speak of a literal, post-death Hell (Matthew 25:31-46, Mark 9:43, II Thessalonians 1:8-10, Revelations 21:8, etc.), they also spoke of a possible hellish existence in this life (Matthew 5:22, 29-30, 10:28, 23:15, 43-45, James 3:6, etc.). Living in wickedness and sin and rejecting Christ and His way of love is hell.

Consider how people today live who are severely addicted to drugs or who involve themselves in sex-trafficking or who are exceedingly violent and greedy. Imagine the worst drug dens and sex rings. If you showed up and said, "Come with me. I can get you out of here. I can help you get clean and have a good and happy and pain-free life. Just leave all of this behind." How many of them would get up and accept your offer? I bet very, very few.

Jesus did exactly that--only He was God and even rose from the dead to prove it. How many people accepted His grace and forgiveness and healing? And how many people today are STILL rejecting Him and choosing their own hellish life? If they're doing it now, they'll do it after death, too. No second chance will help. And no one will end up in Hell who doesn't want to be there.

Response to "Ruby Wives" by Sam Greenlee

I borrowed this post (with permission) from Sam Greenlee, who wrote this insightful response to a Facebook group called "Ruby Wives," which teaches terribly unhealthy attitudes and practices within marriage. Enjoy!


A couple of days ago, Facebook Memories reminded me of a terrible list of "insights" published by a group called "Ruby Wives" that I responded to, point-for-point. I am sharing it here because all this same nonsense is spread out so diffusely in so much Christian advice and teaching.
Here is the full article with my commentary in parentheses:

1. Men thrive on praise. Your verbal compliments and sincere appreciation are like gasoline in a race car. Your praise keeps him racing for you.
(Most humans like praise, regardless of gender. It is a good thing to praise your spouse when they do praiseworthy things, and to be grateful for the gifts they bring into your life, but don't offer insincere praise just to make them happier.)

2. Never tell him how to drive. Just wear your seat belt and whisper a prayer if you are afraid of his driving. Men absolutely hate to be told how to drive.
(Both spouses should try to be gentle and loving when offering criticism, but sometimes criticism is warranted. One of the benefits of marriage is that both partners have a life-time commitment to the other and can trust one another to look out for their best interest. This creates fertile ground for sanctification, as both partners can lovingly help the other to see their blind spots and to do better. Unsafe driving is a risk for your spouse, for any passengers, and for others on the road and warrants a conversation.)

3. Your motherhood cape...You need to leave it at the door of your bedroom. Remember, you married your husband before you had kids. He needs you to be his lover in the bedroom. Don't ever let him feel like he's last place. His reach for you is important. Your response to his reach even more so. He connects with you emotionally when he connects with your body. Don't let this area in your marriage be neglected.
(The apostle Paul offers his wisdom that husband and wife should maintain the sexual aspect of their marriage, unless they choose to abstain by mutual consent for a limited time. So it is a good idea to cultivate that aspect of marriage, but there is no specific level of regularity required and the willing consent of both partners is always necessary.)

4. A woman of honor does not need to correct her man. Don't correct him. He's not your child. He's a man.
(No one, with the exception of Jesus, is perfect. This means everyone needs correction sometimes. Correction can be given lovingly and in a way that does not demean the other person or embarrass them in front of others. See #2.)

5. Your reaction when he walks in the door is so important.
Your warm smile and light in your eyes is his greatest welcome. Put everything down to greet him. You should always be his greatest hello.
(It is great to really acknowledge the humanity of other people, to greet them with attentiveness, kindness, hospitality, and love. This is a great practice within marriage for both partners, although a marriage does not benefit from legalism and there will be times when either one of you is distracted and busy. You are both called to love one another well, but neither of you is called to be the door-man or hostess for the other.)

6. Chaos and clutter are not pleasant for a man in his castle. A man likes to come home to a clutter free environment.
(If a man does not like clutter in his house, he can always help clean it up. Different marriages will have different arrangements based on who is working, who is in school, who is at home, etc. There is no general rule in Christian scripture or theology that wives are particularly responsible for a clean house.)

7. Whatever he provides for you...a house, car, gifts, etc... Appreciate and don't take his efforts for granted. Whatever you do- don't complain and nag. It's like arrows piercing his heart. A man's identity is often felt by his work and how he provides for his family. This is a natural instinct. Men are wired this way. Don't put down his job or what he provides you with.
(It's absurd to claim that all men are wired the same way regarding provision and employment. Men are diverse and unique individuals, as are women. Gratitude is a great practice for every Christian and greedy materialism is a sin to be avoided, but these are not gender-specific.)

8. The Holy Spirit never needs a wife's help in speaking and convicting her husband's heart. Your job is to pray and let God do the work.
(The Holy Spirit doesn't need humans to share the gospel with one another, but God has chosen to involve humans in that work. The Holy Spirit doesn't need a church community to help Christians in their sanctification, but God has chosen to work through such a means. There is no prohibition in the Bible or in Christian theology on a wife being iron who can sharpen the iron of her husband. A healthy Christian marriage will involve both partners spurring one another on toward holiness. It is true that not every situation calls for one spouse to offer correction to the other, so discernment is needed. See #2.)

9. A moment of dishonor can cause great damage...Even if he laughs it off or doesn't say he's hurt...trust me, disrespect and dishonor hurt him more than he tells you.
(It is not clear what a "moment of dishonor" means. If it has to do with unkindness, an insult, etc., then really the issue boils down to sin. If either spouse sins against the other, he or she should apologize, seek not to do it again, accept forgiveness, and be reconciled.)

10. Your honor keeps his heart open for you.
(What?)

11. Never talk about his weaknesses to others. It's called respect. You represent your husband. speak well of him or not at all.
(It's a good idea for neither spouse to gripe about the other to others, in general. Christians should not gossip about others and Christians are told to present their complaints about wrongdoing first to the wrongdoer for the sake of repentance, reform, and reconciliation.)

12. Your "Not tonights" are huge rejections to a man. Let there be very few of these. If he's reaching, you're blessed. When's he not reaching for you, then there's something wrong in your relationship.
(It's ok to be too tired or stressed or just not to be interested. It's good to speak openly and honestly with one another about your felt needs in this regard and to cultivate this part of your relationship without one partner always having to assent when the other wants it. Your husband is an adult and should be capable of handling small disappointments with empathy and understanding for your own feelings. Also, don't buy in to to generalized broad-brush representations of how each sex feels about sex.)

13. Your looks do matter. Women often say, "My husband loves me just the way I am." This is true. And he won't tell you because he doesn't want to hurt your feelings....but honestly, he wishes you would dress and try to be your best for him. Many wives let themselves go and get stuck in a frump girl slump. Men are visual. Just being honest... a wife should be her best. You dressed nice and put make up on to impress him when you were dating...He still deserves this.
(It is good for both partners to try to love one another well, to be generous and considerate, and to tend lovingly to their relationship. This means it is a good idea for both partners to be continually putting in effort to make the other happy and to help them feel loved (although "happiness" can be a false idol if it gets in the way of holiness). It can be great for both of you to take care of your bodies for many reasons, including for one another's aesthetic preferences, but you also both need to love and accept the other when the other is exhausted, or needs a break from "performing", etc.)

14. A man will share and open up when he feels safe to do so. Keep your love nest with no thorns. Don't tell him how to feel or criticize him when he's being vulnerable with you. A man needs a soft place to land. Your warmth and non-judgmental approach offers him this.
(People in general sometimes need a place where they can be vulnerable and listened to without being given advice or criticism. It is important for everyone to recognize these times and to behave accordingly. It is silly to pretend this is a special husband-thing.)

15. Every man has a little boy in him. God made men this way. Don't forget to sometimes play, flirt, and laugh with your man. Men connect with women who can relax with them. Don't take every moment of the day too seriously.
(Everyone sometimes needs to play, to laugh, to have fun, to relax. This is part of why God gave us the Sabbath. Don't try to make in this into a gendered thing.)

16. Respect to a man is the same as romance is to a woman...Men feel loved when they are respected. Your respect is what he desires...more than your romantic gestures.
(Men, like women, are diverse unique individuals. Christians should do their best to respect everyone they encounter, which is not the same thing as obedience or pretending that a person who is wrong is actually right.)

17. When the world is against him, always be present and by his side. Your loyalty is everything to him.
(Loyalty and faithfulness are important to any marriage and to both spouses. Obviously you should both be faithful and supportive to one another. But again, you don't need to support someone when they are wrong and refusing to recognize it. That does them no good.)

18. Don't try to correct in him in how to be a spiritual leader. Let him become a leader by trial and error. God will raise him up. Yes, its scary being in the back seat, but there can't be two drivers at the same time. Let him lead the prayers at the dinner table. Let him suggest the devotions. Let him lead. God will honor you for this. Your husband will make mistakes...extend grace.
(There aren't two drivers in a car, but there are two on a Tiller truck. "That's silly! Marriage isn't like a Tiller truck!" you say. Sure. It also isn't a car. You are both responsible for your own spiritual lives and mutually accountable to and for one another and for your children. You should pray together, discuss matters of faith together, seek discernment on big decisions together, etc. Don't worry about who is in charge "as the Gentiles do". Seek to be faithful together in mutual loving submission to one another that seeks consensus in the Spirit. You should both be open to loving correction from the other.)

19. He needs your prayers when he's in battle. Be his best prayer partner. A praying woman is a strength to him.
(It is good for people to pray for other people.)

20. A man who loves his wife will do just about anything to please her...and a good woman will never take advantage of this. Appreciate and value what you have...Because you never know when it could be lost or stolen.
(Gratitude is good. Refusal to take advantage of others is good. These don't need to be gendered.)

8 Ways Women Can Kindly Demand Equal Treatment (At Home, At Work, At School, and In the Church)

This list could have been a lot longer! Men aren’t the only ones with sexist attitudes against women. We ladies were raised to believe these very same things about ourselves. As a society, we’ve (ironically) worked together to keep women “in their place.” But it’s time for that to change. We’ve seen the light—that women are, in fact, equal in value with men and equal image-bearers of our Creator. Scripture is clear that we have equal access to salvation, equal responsibility for the problems in the world, and an equal calling to minister to, nurture, and rescue the lost. It’s time to ask the Holy Spirit to illuminate the lies and half-truths about women’s value—and then confront them and reject them wherever they are found. Let us replace that which marginalizes and divides with that which unites us in love and respect. After all, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus” (Gal. 3:28).

1.      Stop asking permission.

     Let’s say you have a chance to hang out with your husband and you have an idea of something fun you’d like to do. How do you bring it up to him? Do you ask him permission, saying something like, “Hey, Joe, can we go see a movie tonight?” Or, “Is it okay if we go see that movie tonight?” If so, did you realize that, just by the way you’re phrasing the question, you are giving him the entire decision for what you hoped would be a joint activity? You’ve just posed a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question, and unless this is something you’ve both been wanting to do for a long time, he’s most likely going to say ‘no’—simply because his mind is probably somewhere else at the moment and it’s often hard for men to switch gears that fast. And, when he does say no, you’ll probably feel like he’s being controlling and doesn’t care about what you want—as if he denied you any say so (when you actually denied yourself!). Often, the little power struggles that drive women crazy are the ones we create ourselves when we subconsciously accept and maintain a subservient position. Next time you want something, try a different approach—an approach that solidifies your position as an equal. For example, “Hey, Joe, I was thinking we could go see a movie tonight. What do you think?” See the difference? Instead of putting the entire decision on him, you’re inviting him into a joint discussion as an equal partner in the activity. You’re actually honoring him by, one, taking the pressure off of him for coming up with every activity, two, by being willing to hear what he would like to do, three, by letting him know you’re wanting to spend more time with him, and four, by offering a chance to plan a relationship-building experience together. Whether you end up at the movie or having a quiet evening at home with some hot cocoa and a shared blanket, you’re far less likely to resent him at the end of the night.

2.      Stop apologizing for everything.

     If you spill hot coffee in someone’s lap or lose your temper and say something mean, by all means, apologize. However, if you’re late getting dinner on the table because you’ve been working hard all day, don’t apologize. You’ve done nothing wrong. Instead, ask the family to pull together and help. That’s what families are for. If you made a decision in good faith that your boss or husband doesn’t happen to agree with, don’t feel like you have to apologize for it. Just explain your reasons, if pressed, and/or offer to readjust where necessary. But, as an adult, you have both the right and the responsibility to make choices, recognizing that sometimes those choices may not be perfectly on point. That’s just being human. It’s not a failing of womanhood. So, don’t apologize for not having perfect judgment or insight in every situation. Just recognize the error and adjust as necessary. As a general rule, try to limit your apologies to moral failures or for causing someone harm (whether intentionally or not). Otherwise, admit the error, but don’t apologize for it. Just fix it. To apologize for every single failure is to reinforce the idea that it’s your job to be perfect, that the person you’re apologizing to is your moral authority or superior, and that, if you’re not perfect, then you’re somehow less valuable as a human being. All of these are lies. Don’t perpetuate them.

3.      Stop treating adults like children.

     Women (particularly, Christian women) often buy into the lie that it’s their job to be everyone else’s “helper.” (In fact, the word mistranslated as “suitable helper” in Gen. 2:18 actually means something more like man’s best match and mighty defender/rescuer.) While there’s something beautiful about a person (males and females) who has a servant’s heart, there’s something unhealthy and misfocused about someone who doesn’t know how to value their own time and resources or set healthy boundaries. Women tend to believe that, if there’s a need, it’s their job to fix it. (Which doesn’t reflect the best opinion of what the Holy Spirit is capable of….) This is particularly true when it comes to their husbands. Here’s a tip: If you truly respect your husband, you won’t feel the need to serve him hand and foot or come to his “rescue” every time he can’t find the ketchup. He’s an adult. Stop treating him like a child. Let him figure some things out for himself. He can do it. He can cook a meal. He can do a load of laundry. He can take care of his own children for an afternoon. (It’s not babysitting if it’s your own kids!) Stop jumping in and doing everything. Let him join you in the responsibilities of caring for the family, and you could even step up to the plate in areas of minor home repair and auto maintenance, for example, as needed. The point is, if you want a love and respect-based partnership instead of a servant/leader relationship with someone, don’t assume the role of a servant. After all, you’re not really helping anyone when you undermine their identity as adults by catering to them as if they’re toddlers. So, go ahead and see yourself as worthy of respect, behave in a manner worthy of respect, and you’re far more likely to gain respect. (And do the same for others!)

4.      Stop reducing your value to how you look.

       Though we hear this message often, far more often we hear the message that our bodies (and, hence, ourselves) were designed to be little more than playthings for men. That is a LIE! Don’t feed the lie by dressing in a way that invites attention to your body (and yourself) as a sexual object. Rather, make yourself beautiful from the inside out, recognizing that you were designed to be intelligent, competent, compassionate, diligent, clever, wise, strong, and Christ-like. Of course, at the end of the day, no matter what clothes you choose, it’s never your responsibility to keep men from lusting. That’s on them. But you do have the responsibility to recognize your own identity as an image-bearer of God and to let that identity influence every aspect of your life. God has given you far too many gifts for you to sift them down to just one—the way you look. When you see yourself as more than a body and choose to build good character, others will also begin to see the real YOU behind the pretty face.

5.      Recognize and confront sexual harassment.

     Looking back, I’m appalled at how often I endured or ignored sexual harassment. Why did I do it? Three really stupid reasons: One, I didn’t recognize it as sexual harassment, Two, I didn’t feel entitled to better treatment, and/or Three, I didn’t want to hurt the feelings of the person treating me like a piece of ___. (You fill in the blank.) As a society, sexual harassment against women is modeled and played out for us in so many different ways, we have started to see it as normal, healthy behavior—as if sexual harassment and even assault is some kind of legitimate courting ritual. It isn’t.

    Sexual harassment is the making of unwanted sexual advances or obscene remarks. So, if a guy you’ve never met approaches you with a skeezy, “Hey, Baby,” you know this interaction has already gone south. To him, you’re a sexual object, not a person. Examples of sexual harassment include everything from wolf calls to asking about your sexual history or fantasies to touching your hair, clothing or body. For a more detailed description, go to: http://www.un.org/womenwatch/osagi/pdf/whatissh.pdf. If someone (whether male or female) treats you this way, and you didn’t ask for it or don’t want it, it’s harassment, and it’s illegal. That person is not your friend. You are worth too much to become some disposable character in their sexual fantasies. Don’t worry about their feelings! (They obviously aren’t worried about yours!) Look them in the eye and clearly tell them to stop. A simple, “Please don’t speak to me that way,” should be enough, but if it isn’t, feel free to report them. But whatever you do, don’t just take it.

6.      Hold your head up, stand up straight, and look people in the eye.

     This might sound simplistic, but body language and eye contact are surprisingly powerful. If you carry yourself with an air of confidence, people will be less apt to think of you as beneath them, and their behavior towards you will adjust to those impressions. If you’re used to being walked on, overlooked, or marginalized, you have probably learned to keep your head down, talk quietly, and avoid eye-contact. It’s time to change that self-perception (because it’s based on a lie!) and practice a healthy, pro-active self-confidence. You don’t have to be the smartest, most attractive, or most talented person on the planet to stand alongside those who think they are. Just being you—a fully human being with inherent worth—is enough! No one—regardless of their posturing—is, at base, better than you. God made you in His own image to be YOU—a unique, non-reproducible way of reflecting His image to the world. So, when you start thinking about what you have to offer, don’t ignore God’s voice on the subject! As a child of God, you have Christ! I ask you, what better quality is there?

     “Where is the wise man? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men” (I Cor. 1:20-25).

7.      If possible, kindly replace sexist comments with egalitarian ones. Otherwise, flatly reject sexism.

      Sexist comments are so prevalent, we often fail to recognize them as such, but if they go unnoticed, their power to marginalize and silence half the population will continue unchecked. Because sexism is so prevalent in our society, both men and women use sexist comments without even realizing it. So, if you notice a sexist remark, simply kindly replace it with an egalitarian one. For example, if asked, “Can I speak to the man of the house?” Answer, “We’re both in charge of the house. How may I help you?” Or, if your pastor jokes, “I can see who wears the pants in your marriage,” you can respond with, “Actually, we both wear pants, we both care for the children, we both work hard, and we both love Jesus.”

      Other comments are harder to correct, such as those which deny you a voice or a promotion or an education based on your gender, or those which qualify as sexual harassment. For example, if you are told you won’t be considered for a promotion because the men in the office wouldn’t be able to respect a pretty woman as their boss, that’s grounds for lawsuit. Let’s say you’re cleaning a bottom shelf and your boss quips, “That’s where I like you. On your knees.” That’s sexual harassment. Also a lawsuit. Look them right in the eyes, calmly but clearly point out the sexism, and tell them you expect more respect in future. If they can’t comply, it’s time to find a good attorney.

8.      Embrace your femininity!

       Sadly, many women have been made to feel so devalued that they have adopted masculine behaviors. They may change everything from their clothing to their hairstyles to the way they walk and talk—just to blend in with the men. But to reject your own femininity is to implicitly accept and promote the idea that there’s something wrong with it. There is nothing wrong with femininity or womanliness or motherhood or sisterhood. You can wear a skirt (or not) and makeup (or not) and you should still be able to expect respect and recognition. You can be feminine, react in a way a woman would react, think in a way a woman would think—all without having to adjust it or apologize for it. Let’s say you’re sitting in a meeting where the plight of orphans is being discussed. You tear up because you identify with the trauma these children are experiencing. A man looks at you and says, “Are you going to be okay? Can you continue discussing this topic?” You can respond with, “The fact that I’m not okay with children being abandoned means I’m the perfect person to discuss this topic.” Don’t believe or perpetuate the notion that womanhood and femininity is somehow weaker or less capable or less valuable than masculinity. There is a great deal of power—life-changing, life-embracing power!—in the gifts women possess.

As a Christian, How Should I Respond if a Friend of Mine Makes a Rude, Angry, Incindiary Comment on One of My Social Media Posts?

Things I've Learned About God

It's amazing to me how much we can learn about God's character, the Bible and life even after growing up in a Christian home and church. That's not to say I didn't have good teachers and role models, only that God can always surprise you. Here are a few things I've learned:

1. God's primary characteristic (contrary to what many think) is not love, but holiness. Look at how many time God is called love in the Bible vs. how many times He is called holy.

2. God does not save us because He loves us. He loves everyone, but He will not save everyone. He saves us only when we allow the death and resurrection of Christ to take the place of the death that is demanded of us as payment for being the property of Satan--making us the property of God. Why does it have to be this way? Again, because He is holy. We are not.

3. Good and evil don't exist in the normal, conceptual way we think of them. That is why atheists (rightly) have trouble accounting for them as 'real'. The only way we can know "good" is to know God--(again, He's holy--He is the standard of goodness). Evil is the antithesis of God--anything that is contrary to God. God--a Being, not a belief or a concept--IS the standard. There is no such thing as a standard for goodness or a measure of evil without accepting that God is who He says He is. It just doesn't make any sense. This is also why asking questions like, "Why does God do evil things?" is nonsensical. Whatever God does is "good"--because He's the standard. He cannot be judged by any other standard aside from Himself. (Certainly not by us.) Good and evil are exclusively relational terms and always find their essence within a relationship or lack of relationship with God.

4. There is no such thing as blind faith. All faith is based on a reason or a set of reasons. (Although, they may not be good reasons.) Just ask someone--even the crazy guy in the asylum who talks to his magic marker--why they believe or act the way they do. They'll have some kind of reason.

5. Satan is evil, but he's not the "embodiment of evil." Evil entered the world through man, not through Satan. Creation was given to us and we promptly handed it over to Satan--practically gift-wrapped it for him. That's why he's called the prince of this world.

6. Angels don't have wings. Seraphim and Cherubim (never called "angels" in the Bible) do have wings. Regular angels don't. These are distinctly different beings created by God.

7. There is no foundation in Scripture for the belief that the fallen angels became the demons.

8. The Bible doesn't ever, not in a single translation I could find, says that in heaven the lion will lie down with the lamb. There is a brief mention of a lamb lying down with a wolf, but not a lion.


Well, that's it for now.

God of Love or God of Wrath?

[This topic was written and posted in response to a request made by a reader. Thanks, Vince! To ask a question or suggest a topic of your own, click here.]

Why do we so often think of the God of the New Testament as a God of LOVE and the God of the Old Testament as a God of WRATH, and yet insist they are one and the same? Going even further, doesn't the Bible claim that God never changes? ("I the LORD do not change." Malachi 3:6, and see also James 1:17.) So, why does a changeless God appear wrathful and angry in the Old Testament, but loving and patient in the New Testament? Is this the same God?

I think the answers to these questions lie in developing a better understanding of God's nature--not an easy or simple thing, but a very worthy pursuit, all the same. I don't have time to delineate ALL of God's characteristics--indeed, no one even knows all of them!--but for the purpose of answering this question, I think we can focus on five major ones: God's Holiness, God's Love, God's Justice, God's Mercy and God's Jealousy. (This post also assumes that God is also all-knowing, all-present and all-powerful, as well as the Creator of the universe and the Triune God--God the Father, God the Son [Jesus] and God the Holy Spirit.) 

I will first briefly describe each characteristic individually and then I will compare the Old Testament with the New Testament to see if all three of these characteristics appear within them. Finally, I will address some of the major biblical examples for why God seems to have "gone soft" in the New Testament as compared to the Old and explain the real change that has taken place within how we now relate to God.

God's Holiness

Though some may disagree, I believe Holiness, not love is God's primary characteristic (if one could be chosen above the others). As defined by the Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible, Holiness is: "Chief attribute of God and a quality to be developed in his people. 'Holiness' and the adjective 'holy' occur more than 900 times in the Bible. The primary OT word for 'holiness' means 'to cut' or 'to separate'. Fundamentally, holiness is a cutting off or separation from what is unclean, and consecration to what is pure." 

God's Love

Though God is primarily holy, it was His characteristic of love that motivated Him to create man and woman, to initiate an intimate relationship with them (and us) and then, even after they (and we) turned their backs on Him in favor of becoming enslaved to sin and forfeit to Satan, to offer a means by which they might be rescued and returned into a harmonious & pure relationship with Him--by coming as Jesus Christ to give His life as a ransom for them and bridge the gap between a holy God and a sinful people. Godly love is perhaps best described in I Corinthians 13, but there are many, many passages in both the Old and New Testaments that praise God's loving nature.

God's Justice

Webster says that "Just" means: 1. adhering to what is fair, honest and moral, 2. rational and informed, 3. in accordance with correct principles, 4. agreeable to truth or fact, 5. given or awarded rightly, and 6. proper or right. The Bible describes God's justice as the quality that causes Him to be a righteous judge--rewarding righteousness and never allowing evil to go unpunished. To understand, then, how we--who are evil--can ever be forgiven instead of simply receiving his just punishment, we need to understand God's mercy:

God's Mercy

Webster says of mercy: "1. compassion shown toward an offender or an enemy, 2. a disposition to forgive or forbear..." Though God's characteristics of holiness and justice require that all sin be punished, His love and His mercy caused Him to provide a way for us to escape destruction and be reunited with Him, while still dealing with the issue of our sinfulness. In the Old Testament this was done through the sacrifice of an animal or through a scapegoat. In the New Testament this was done once and for all by Jesus Christ--God in the flesh--who willingly allowed Himself to be crucified in our place and then rose from the grave, evidencing God's power over both sin and the death penalty sin demands.

God's Jealousy

Though we often think of jealousy as an unfavorable quality, God exhibits a righteous jealousy--and a very active one, at that. Webster says that jealous means: 1. resentful and envious, as of someone's attainments, 2. fearful of losing another's affection, 3. troubled by suspicions of rivalry, unfaithfulness, etc., and 4. vigilant in guarding something. My favorite is the last definition, though the others could apply as well. God, like a man desperately in love with his wife, becomes very jealous when our affection--due rightfully to Him--strays onto other things, people or gods. He responds by being "vigilant in guarding" us from those things that would draw our love from Him--through warnings, punishments and great displays of His love and power. Eventually, though, we must choose: God's salvation or our own lusts?

Characteristic	Old Testament Example*	New Testament Example*
Holiness	"...'Be holy because I, the Lord your God, am holy." (Lev. 19:2)	"...'Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come.'" (Rev. 4:8)
Love	"I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness." (Jer. 31:3)	"Whoever does not love does not know God, because God is love." (I John 4:8)
Justice	"Be sure of this: The wicked will not go unpunished, but those who are righteous will go free." (Prov. 11:21)	"God is just: He will pay back trouble to those who trouble you and give relief to you who are troubled, and to us as well." (2 Thes. 1:6-7a)
Mercy	"Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from old." (Psalm 25:6)	"But because of his great love for us, God, who is rich in mercy, made us alive with Christ when we were dead in transgressions—it is by grace you have been saved." (Eph. 2:4-5)
Jealousy	"You shall not bow down to them; for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God...." (Exodus 20:5)	"You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of the demons too: you cannot have a part in both the Lord's table and the table of demons. Are you trying to arouse the Lord's jealousy?" (I Cor. 10:21-22a)

* There are many more references in both the Old and New Testaments for these characteristics. I am providing only one example of each, though some of these verses mention more than one of these characteristics.

Has the God of the Old Testament Gone Soft?

As you can see from the above comparisons of God's primary characteristics, both the Old and the New Testaments describe God in very similar terms. Obviously, this is the same God--so why does He seem to act differently in the Old Testament than He does in the New? It kind-of reminds me of parenting--with the first kid, you're on top of everything, but by the time you have the fourth or fifth, you tend to not care so much whether they eat a cookie before dinner or not. Is this what happened with God? Has He gotten tired and resigned Himself to "picking His battles"? Has God gone soft?

Here are some prime examples of God's wrath as displayed in the Old Testament:

The Flood:        

In Genesis 6-8, God got so fed up with mankind that He decided to wipe them all out and start over, sparing only one family. Everyone died--men, women, children and all the animals of the land or air. (If that's not wrath, I don't know what is!)

Sodom and Gomorrah Destroyed:

In Genesis 19, God got so sick of the stench of the sinfulness in these two cities that He rained down burning sulfur on them. (FYI: Burning sulfur will easily burn through metal. Yep! That would do it!)

The 10 Plagues on Egypt:

Exodus 7-11 describes some pretty horrible plagues God sent on the Egyptians to persuade them to free the Israelites from bondage, culminating in the deaths of all the firstborn sons of any family that didn't mark their door frames with the blood of a sacrificed lamb. But, wait... is this an example of His wrath toward the Egyptians or His great love and deliverance of the Hebrew people? Hmmm....

Destruction of the Canaanites:

Much of the Old Testament describes various ways the Canaanites and the other people groups of that region were attacked by the Hebrew people. In fact, God told them to wipe these people out completely—down to the last child and to even kill all their animals, though the Hebrews didn't completely obey this command.

After reading through all of that, anyone might tremble at the thought of this God who often seems content to heartlessly order the destruction of many. But, if one is willing to read further, he comes to the New Testament and it's like a breath of fresh air. 

Here are some contrasting examples of how God appears loving in the New Testament:

Jesus' Miracles:

Jesus healed the sick, lame and the blind, fed hungry multitudes, cast out demons, and even raised the dead. (Ex.: man with leprosy: Matt. 8:1-4; sick and demon-possessed: Matt. 8:14-17 & 28-34; paralytic man: Matt. 9:1-8; a dead girl and a sick woman: Matt. 9:18-26; a two blind men and a mute/demon-possessed man: Matt. 9:27-33; fed 5,000: Matt. 14:13-21, etc.)

Jesus with the Children:

Jesus allowed the children to come to Him when the disciples were trying to shoo them away. (Matt. 19:14) 

Jesus facing his enemies in the Garden of Gethsemane:

When Peter cut off a soldier's ear with his sword, Jesus told Peter to knock it off and healed the man. (Luke 22:49-51)

Jesus on the cross:

Not only did Jesus show mercy to one of the thieves being crucified along with him (despite His own enormous agony), He also asked God to forgive those who were crucifying Him. (Luke 23:26-43)

When recalling such stories to mind, the God of the Old Testament certainly seems much harsher than how God acted in the Person of Jesus Christ in the New Testament. However, I think we are forgetting two very important things. 1. There are some very fine, but often overlooked, examples of God's love in the Old Testament as well as His wrath in the New Testament (some of these are outlined below.) AND, 2. The way God interacted with those before Christ's death and resurrection was in accordance with the Old Covenant, while the way He interacted with them after Christ's resurrection was in accordance with the New Covenant--which we are currently enjoying. (Comparison to follow.)

God's Love in the Old Testament

Contrary to how we normally think of the Old Testament God, the most harmonious relationship God has ever had with man is described not in the New Testament, but in the Old. This was the relationship God had with man and woman (Adam and Eve) before they sinned. In that relationship, they actually walked in the Garden with God, spoke to Him face to face, conversed freely with Him and were naked before Him without feeling ashamed. (Genesis 2 & 3) Never again has man had such a free and open relationship with God. Not only does this picture show us something about humanity, but it shows us about God's original design--that of an intimate, open and free relationship between Himself and us--and of His inclination toward open revelation and communication, not the image of separation between God and man as shown through the rest of the Old Testament. In other words, God's natural inclination and desire is for an intimate, loving relationship with us--not a relationship of disunity, anger and wrath. Yet because of the Fall--the event in which dominion of this earth, first given to us by God, was handed over to Satan when in our free will we chose to disobey God--a chasm opened up between God and man. This chasm was not closed until Jesus came to pay the cost of our disobedience through His death and resurrection.

God's Wrath in the New Testament

Though Jesus has ushered in a new era of openness between God and man, we often make the mistake of thinking He has lightened up when it comes to the issue of sin. I can assure you that in this regard God has not changed! God is still holy! God is still just! Sin will still be punished! If you take a good look at Jesus and His teachings throughout the Gospels, you will find that never does He gloss over the issue of sin. In fact, He goes even deeper, requires even more and demands higher standards than even the religious zealots and legalists of the day. No, He does not require legalistic ritual, but rather purity of heart--something the Law cannot govern--something that is between God and man alone. For example, the Law said "Do not commit adultery", but Jesus said, "But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Matt. 5:28) The Law requires action, but God requires a loving heart, for God knows that if you love Him, you will obey Him. (John 14:23-24) Another good example of God's wrath in the New Testament is in the story of Ananias and Sapphira in Acts 5:1-11 who were struck dead by God when they lied to God. So, no! God has certainly NOT gone soft!

NOTE: God's wrath, when shown in either New or Old Testaments, is always in response to at least one of the following: a form of idolatry (putting self or something else above God), willful sin or hypocrisy. His wrath is triggered when His desire for a love relationship with a pure people is thwarted by sin, thus igniting His righteous jealousy.      

Below is a very basic outline of the differences between the Old and New Covenants. (Hebrews 8-11 describes it better.)

	Old Covenant	New Covenant
Given Through	Abraham	Jesus Christ
When	Abraham to the Messiah	For all time.
What	The Law given to the Jews by God that told them how to set themselves apart in obedience to Him.	Grace given to men through the death and resurrection of Jesus through which they might be reconciled to God.
Ramifications	Was only for the Jews.	Was for all men.
	Had to make animal sacrifices.	Jesus was the ultimate, once and for all sacrifice for yesterday, today and forever.
	Life under the Law. (Cleanliness rituals, circumcision, etc.)	Live under grace. (Jesus didn't revoke the law; He fulfilled the Law.)
	Were separated from God while awaiting the Messiah to bridge the gap between them and God's presence.	Jesus, the Messiah, had come! He bridged the gap; the curtain was torn in two (symbolizing that man and God no longer had to remain separated. Mark 15:38)
	External influence only of the Holy Spirit.	The Holy Spirit actually indwells the believer, allowing Christ to live through him or her and granting them access to Christ's righteousness and power.

 

 

As you can see, the relationship between man and God seems much more strained in the Old Testament because they were still covered in their sin. God and man were still separated by the sinfulness--the uncovered impurity of their hearts. They were under the Old Covenant--under the Law, not under grace. Remember, God is holy--"separated" or "cut off" from anything impure. It is His nature--His primary characteristic and thus He cannot go against His own holiness or He wouldn't be God! But, because of His great love--described first and best in the Old Testament--He decided to make a way for us to again be reconciled to Him--through Jesus Christ.

The God of the Old Testament--complete with vengeful wrath and fists full of destruction--is the SAME God as the God of the New Testament, who laid His life down as a ransom for many. His holiness, love, justice, mercy and jealousy are fully intact today.

Perhaps the best picture of both God's holy wrath and His love is this one, which appears in the Old Testament:

"For this is what the high and lofty One says--he who lives forever, whose name is holy: 'I live in a high and holy place, but also with him who is contrite and lowly in spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly and to revive the heart of the contrite. I will not accuse forever, nor will I always be angry, for then the spirit of man would grow faint before me--the breath of man that I have created. I was enraged by his sinful greed; I punished him, and hid my face in anger, yet he kept on in his willful ways. I have seen his ways, but I will heal him; I will guide him and restore comfort to him..." (Isaiah 57:15-18)