Is Commitment a Kind of Freedom?

I've been thinking a lot lately about how variable the concept of "freedom" is.  Freedom is only a relative state of being, for one thing.  There is no such thing as "complete freedom"--you can only be "free of" something.  If you are free of everything, you really aren't free at all.  For example, if I am free of my family, I may find myself trapped by my loneliness and longing for them.  If I am free of gravity, I am trapped by my inability to stay firmly planted on the ground and do all the things that require gravity (and, for that matter, I would soon be dead--"freed" of my life).  So, "freedom" is only so valuable as the degree of evil of the thing from which you are made free.

So, when I visited Starbucks this week and read "The Way I See It" (#76) on my cup, I found it of particular interest.  This is what it said:

"The irony of commitment is that it's deeply liberating--in work, in play, in love.  The act frees you from the tyranny of your internal critic, from the fear that likes to dress itself up and parade around as rational hesitation.  To commit is to remove your head as the barrier to your life."  --Anne Morriss

Now, think about that for a moment.  Read it again and let it sink in.   

Our entire society--in fact, the society of the entire earth--is absolutely obsessed with the idea of freedom.  We think we want free everything.  We want free stuff (making us liberated from having to work or earn a living); we want free choice (liberating us from responsibility to the laws--whether they be moral or political); we want free love (liberating us from commitment to another person in marriage).  However, in each situation these kinds of "liberations" or "freedoms" are illusions.  They are traps.  They are deceptions.  They are lies.  When we free ourselves from the need to work, we simply end up taking advantage of others, falling prey to laziness and self-centeredness and, when it catches up with us, starving to death.  When we free ourselves from moral and/or political law, we also end up falling prey to our own depravity--we inflict pain on others and destroy ourselves.  When we free ourselves from loving commitments to others, we become trapped by our loneliness, our lusts and, eventually, to all the ailments that attack those with a promiscuous lifestyle.  What do all these scenarios have in common?  Our destruction.

I, like Ms. Morriss, believe commitment to be one of wisest and most liberating decisions we can make--if made to something or someone worthy of that commitment.  

God said:  

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.  (Jeremiah 29:11)

Challenge:  Search your heart.  How free are you?  Have you committed yourself to something or someone that is robbing you of true freedom?  Have you avoided committing your life to the God who made you and loves you and desires only your best?  If so, make a change!  Ask Jesus for the freedom only He can provide.

Does God Afflict Us?

It is disturbing to think God might be out there causing us difficulties. In part, for this reason many have accepted deism--the religious idea that God is an impersonal being--a being who spun the world and humanity into existence, but then stepped back and left us to our own devices, without interference of any kind. Many find this concept easier to palate because we have no one to answer to except ourselves. According to this view, we are our own guides and we have no one to blame for our troubles except ourselves (or each other), but neither do we have any source of help or rescue except that which we can ourselves provide--or exact from others. The atheist viewpoint also embraces these consequences.  

Personally, I find this idea not only lacking in merit from an emotional standpoint, but from an evidential one as well.  There simply is no evidence to support such a view; it is empty philosophy and nothing more.  Furthermore, the Bible contradicts this idea in nearly every passage of its 66 books.  God is described as a very personal Being.  He is highly relational.  Not only did he design our world and our bodies, but He left His fingerprint on our hearts--leaving a place there only He can fill.  He is intimately interested in our every moment.  And, while it is true that He has limited His visible interactions with us since the fall (when we basically asked Him to stay out of our lives) His love compels Him to remain accessible to us and involved to the extent which we will allow (and, sometimes, beyond).  In fact, though we may try to hide from Him, there is no place we might flee to escape God's presence.

Psalm 139:1-16

"O Lord, you have searched me and you know me. You know when I sit and when I rise; you perceive my thoughts from afar.  You discern my going out and my lying down; you are familiar with all my ways.  Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O Lord.  You hem me in--behind and before; you have laid your hand upon me.  Such knowledge is too wonderful for me, too lofty for me to attain.  

Where can I go from your Spirit? Where can I flee from your presence?  If I go up to the heavens, you are there; if I make my bed in the depths, you are there. If I rise on the wings of the dawn, if I settle on the far side of the sea, even there your hand will guide me, your right hand will hold me fast. If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me and the light become night around me," even the darkness will not be dark to you; the night will shine like the day, for darkness is as light to you.

 

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place. When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body. All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be."

It makes sense, then, that so many, when facing some trial or need, lift their faces to the heavens with lips ready with either supplications or accusations.  Even those who question God's existence often succumb to these kinds of interactions when dire times come.

So, does God afflict us?  Is God to blame for the troubles that come into our lives?  You may be surprised at the answer.  The answer is both "yes" and "no".  God does not cause evil or delight in seeing us suffer.  However, Psalm 119:75 says:  "I know, O Lord, that your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness you have afflicted me."

The reason it is so difficult for us to accept "affliction" from God is because of our lack of a trusting, loving relationship with Him. But consider who God is:

He is our Father.  (Col. 1:2)

He is Love.  (I John 4:8)

He is our strong deliverer.  (Psalm 140:7)

He is our refuge in times of trouble.  (Psalm 59:16)

He is the one who is able to keep us from falling.  (Jude 24)

He is our provider.  (Gen. 22:14)

And much, much more...  (See Names, Titles and Descriptions of God)

Now, let us look at that verse again, along with the ones following:

I know, O Lord, that your laws are righteous, and in faithfulness you have afflicted me.  May your unfailing love be my comfort, according to your promise to your servant.  Let your compassion come to me that I may live, for your law is my delight.  (Psalm 119:75-77)

The writer of these words obviously had a deep, loving and trusting relationship with God.  He was thankful that God was faithful in afflicting him!  Then he seeks God's unfailing love as his comfort and stated that God's laws were a delight to him!  This is not a cowering, frightened man begging to be spared from the hands of an angry God.  This is a son speaking to his Father!

Imagine for a moment a good father and how he would guide his child through the obstacles of youth. No doubt there will be many times he will have to provide consequences (or cause "affliction") for misbehavior or as lessons for further healthy growth.  For example, he might insist on a healthy diet, despite the child's sweet-tooth.  Or, he might demand that the child get regular exercise, even though the child would rather spend the entire day playing Minecraft.  He may have to provide punishment for disobedience or give a lecture in response to a bad attitude.  And, yet, because of the relationship that exists between them, we can clearly see that each of these actions, while they may cause pain or discomfort for the child, springs from this man's deep love for his child and his desire to see the child one day become strong, healthy, independent, and full of integrity, compassion, and wisdom.  

This is what God desires for us.  When God "afflicts" us, it is not to see us crushed, but to see us develop into a person of character--one that reflects His own amazing qualities.  However, to understand these trials, it is necessary for us to have a relationship with God.

Challenge:  When you feel as if you are dealing with some kind of affliction, refrain from whining and blaming God.  Instead, spend time in prayer and in study of God's Word, the Bible. Ask God to reveal to you the amazing thing He is trying to show you.  Ask God to give you wisdom.  And offer yourself and your life to Him to mold into the person He created you to be.

Stockholm Syndrome--A Common Reaction to Sin

Wikipedia defines Stockholm Syndrome as “a psychological response sometimes seen in an abducted hostage, in which the hostage shows signs of loyalty to the hostage-taker, regardless of the danger (or at least risk) in which he has been placed.”  This term was coined by criminologist and psychiatrist, Nils Bejerot, when, in August of 1973, several people were taken hostage during Kreditbanken bank robbery in Norrmalmstorg, Stockholm, Sweden.   Though the victims were held hostage for six days, once freed they showed attachment to their captors and even defended them.  

Another example can be found in the case of Carol Smith.  On May 19, 1977, Carol (age 20) was attempting to hitchhike from Eugene, Oregon to Westwood, in Northern California.  When a young family--consisting of a man, woman and baby--stopped to pick her up, she felt they were safe, and so accepted the ride.  Soon, though, she realized her danger, when the man--Cameron Hooker (who had already murdered one young woman)--drove to a remote location, put a knife to her throat and then bound, blindfolded her, gagged her and put a plywood box over her head that prevented her from being able to eat, drink, hear or see.  Over the next seven years, Carol was held by this couple and used as a sex slave.  She was repeatedly beaten, raped and tortured. For much of the time she was caged in a small wooden box until Hooker felt the need to heap abuse on her.  In addition to all this, Hooker used psychological abuse and threats to her and her loved ones to keep her under his control.  However, even after she escaped (only willing to do so at the insistence of Janice Hooker, the wife), Carol never went to the police.  In fact, she even called him many times.  It was Janice who finally turned Hooker in.  During the trial Carol was reticent to testify against her captor and the defense introduced letters in which Carol proclaimed her love for Cameron.

Other examples of Stockholm Syndrome include victims of domestic abuse and child abuse who refuse to leave or turn in their abusers.  

Once source explains it this way:

"What appears to occur, according to experts who have studied the phenomenon, is that the person "freezes" as a way to avoid further torture, and then yields to try to appease the captor.  If the captor then takes care of basic needs, the captive may feel gratitude bordering on affection..  Such victims become susceptible to suggestion, and having their own world shrink to that shared with the captor, may become sympathetic.   Identifying with the captor and seeing no way to escape, it becomes easier to acquiesce, even to the point of acting as if they love their captors.  They are trying to arrange their otherwise unsafe and difficult world for maximum comfort and safety." (Ref.)

When I hear these anecdotes of people who identify with and even defend their captors--people who have viciously abused and brutalized them--I am dumbfounded.  And, yet, it is my belief that Stockholm Syndrome is much more common than we may think.  In fact, the vast majority of us will experience some level of Stockholm Syndrome at some point in our lives.  Some of us even live in a continual state of this mental condition.  How?  Consider this:  Anytime we are held captive by anything that is detrimental to us, we are at risk of developing Stockholm Syndrome.  Whenever we are caught by an enemy, we have two choices:  fight for our freedom or give in to our captor.  When we fight, we will most likely go through a heightened time of trouble--at least until we gain our complete freedom.  However, by giving in-- aligning ourselves with the enemy--we are able to embrace the illusion that we have some amount of power in our situation and, thereby, granting ourselves a false sense of freedom.  

What are these enemies?  Anything that stands between us and our relationship with God. That is, anything that controls us to the exclusion of God's control over our lives.

Romans 6:12-14  "Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its evil desires. Do not offer the parts of your body to sin, as instruments of wickedness, but rather offer yourselves to God, as those who have been brought from death to life; and offer the parts of your body to him as instruments of righteousness. For sin shall not be your master, for you are not under law, but under grace."

The Bible has warned us of many of these things--such as sexual sin, alcohol abuse, greed, idolatry, etc.--but keep in mind that anything can become your master if you allow it.  Even such things as shopping, video games, relationships and even religious activities can come between us and the freedom Christ purchased for us on the cross.  Anything in your life that draws your love away from God puts you at risk.  Once made captive, you are in danger of succumbing to Stockholm Syndrome and, thereby, being destroyed.

James 1:13-15  "When tempted, no one should say, 'God is tempting me.' For God cannot be tempted by evil, nor does he tempt anyone; but each one is tempted when, by his own evil desire, he is dragged away and enticed.  Then, after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and sin, when it is full grown, gives birth to death."

Romans 3:23  "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord."

We are all often tempted to sin and to put other things in God's rightful place in our hearts and lives; however, if we don't resist, that temptation, we become sin's captives.  Once captive, we can either struggle against our captor and ask God to free us, or we can accept the sin in our lives, learn to love it, and turn our backs on the truth of the evil we have embraced.

I have seen this unhealthy response many times--even in my own life when I chose to remain in an unhealthy relationship to the detriment of my relationship with God.  I have seen it in my friends, who embraced homosexuality, allowing themselves to be convinced that it was okay--even healthy--despite the absolute wreckage it made of their lives.  I have seen it in the beliefs of young people who have accepted false teachings.  But, perhaps the most depressing of all, I have seen it in a woman who completely turned her back on Jesus to the point of becoming an atheist because life without God made her feel free.  Suddenly she believed she was the master of her own life.  

Unfortunately, all of us were not embracing Truth, but lies.  We either failed to recognize our captor or we decided to embrace our sin in order to revel in a false freedom.  Somehow this seemed preferable to going through the humbling process of allowing God to rescue us, clean us and give us true freedom--freedom from our sin.

This is not a new problem:

Romans 1:18-32  "The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness, 

since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.  

For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities--his eternal power and divine nature--have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.  

For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened.  

Although they claimed to be wise, they became fools 

and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like mortal man and birds and animals and reptiles.  

Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.  

They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator--who is forever praised. Amen.  

Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts. Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.  

In the same way the men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another. Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.  

Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.  

They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, 

slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; 

they are senseless, faithless, heartless, ruthless.  

Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them."

When we allow ourselves to remain in our sin--in opposition to God--we do not secure freedom, but our own destruction.  

CHALLENGE:  Ask God to search your heart and identify those areas which you have allowed to be mastered by another.  Rededicate those areas to Him and ask Him to help you despise sin and cling to Jesus--the Way, the Truth and the Life.  (John 14:6)

Psalm 139:23-24  "Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.  See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting."

What Kind of Obedience Does God Expect of Me?

"What you do reveals what you believe about God, regardless of what you say." Henry Blackaby

Matt. 21:28-30:

• The Parable of the Two Sons

• 28.
 
• "What do you think? There was a man who had two sons. He went to the first and said, 'Son, go and work today in the vineyard.'

• 29.
 
• " 'I will not,' he answered, but later he changed his mind and went.

• 30.
 
• "Then the father went to the other son and said the same thing. He answered, 'I will, sir,' but he did not go.

• 31.
 
• "Which of the two did what his father wanted?" "The first," they answered. Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, the tax collectors and the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God ahead of you.

• 32.
 
• For John came to you to show you the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes did. And even after you saw this, you did not repent and believe him.

I would venture to guess that most of the world finds the concept of obedience to God uncomfortable. Obedience to a Being we can neither hear nor see?  It seems ridiculous, sometimes even to those who believe in some kind of deity.  Perhaps this creeping feeling of uneasiness comes from the sad fact that we often equate obedience to God with obedience to a man proclaiming to have God's ear, or His power, or His word, or whatever.  In other words, whenever we allow ourselves to confuse God with man, we run the risk of falling for the devices of a false prophet.  We've seen what blind obedience to false prophets can do within cults--just consider David Koresh, the FLDS, Charles Manson, Jim Jones, etc...  It's not surprising that we shrink from anything that would seek to control us.

However, once we recognize God for who He is--a Being capable of reaching us in His own way and on His own terms--One who, though He desires to work in us and through us, does not require a human third party in order to speak to our souls--One whose very nature is that of Holiness and Love and who proved this on the cross through Jesus Christ--well, then, hopefully, we will come to the place where we can love Him back and enter into a relationship with him.  Once we do so, it is His desire that we trust Him and obey Him.  Our obedience is how we show God we love Him.

John 14:15  If you love me, you will obey what I command.

John 14:21  Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him.

If we claim to love God, but refuse to do what He says (in the Bible, that is), then we deceive ourselves and make ourselves hypocrites.  In the second verse above, don't miss what Jesus promises to do for those who obey Him--He will show himself to them!  What an amazing promise!  We come to know God through obedience.  We see more and more of Him as we act on faith to trust Him enough to know what is best for us--regardless of what the world is saying.  

What kind of obedience does God require? Full obedience! God takes a very dim view of sin. He spun your world into motion, and He knows exactly the kind of thing that will throw it off its axis. He's given some pretty clear warnings in the Bible, and when we ignore them, we often not only hurt ourselves, but others as well.  His rules are for your BEST!

Jeremiah 29:11  "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Challenge:  If you are having trouble obeying God in some area of your life, recommit yourself to Him now. Perhaps the following prayer will help:

"Dearest Lord Jesus,  Thank you for loving me enough to save me, even though I was trapped in my sin.  I no longer want anything to have mastery over me except You.  I know in my head that You are trustworthy and that You would not ask me to do anything or to abstain from anything unless it was for my best.  Right now I am struggling with  ____[sin/addiction/etc.]_______ and I long to know in my heart that You can and will free me from my captor.  Please give me the faith I need to trust in You and the strength to do what is right.  This moment I renounce this captor's claim on my life and I give myself back to You.  As I obey you in this area of my life, I ask that You show Yourself to me more and more.  Help me to know You and love You, Jesus!"

Then, STOP whatever it is you're not supposed to be doing, or DO whatever it is you are supposed to be doing.  Remember, your relationship with God is between you and Him.  When you disobey Him, you damage that relationship.  This prayer is not a magical formula to get you back on track, but if you mean what it says, God will hear you.  He will help you, but you must keep your eyes focused on Him, not on your own strength.  That means that you might have to say this prayer every day, or even every hour, until the temptation to go back to your sin is gone.

Remember, if you need encouragement along the way, you are not alone.  Find a Christian friend to be an accountability partner with you, and, of course, I am here as well.  Leave a comment and ask me to pray for you.  (I don't need to know what you're struggling with in order to pray for you.  God already knows.)

God bless you as you continue to seek the Lord.

Are Christians Buying Into a False Faith?

Could it be that Christianity--despite its loyal masses and moral trappings--is a false faith after all? Could it be that Jesus wasn't Who He claimed to be--or worse--never existed at all? Could it be that when we cry out to God, no one hears us?

The Bible condemns such faiths, for faith--no matter how sincere--is only as valid as the object of that faith.

They say to wood, 'You are my father,' and to stone, 'You gave me birth.' They have turned their backs to me and not their faces; yet when they are in trouble, they say, 'Come and save us!' Where then are the gods you made for yourselves? Let them come if they can save you when you are in trouble! For you have as many gods as you have towns, O Judah. (Jeremiah 2:27-28)

So, if the Bible is so adamant about the futility of such faiths, then the "truth" the Bible puts forth had better be valid. In other words, there must be a great deal of evidence for the validity of Scripture as truth, or that verse would be nothing but a clever deception (not to mention the rest of it).

Interestingly, there is indeed a vast amount of evidence for the validity of Scripture--so much, in fact, there have been no accusations that have been able to stand their ground against it. What about the many accusations that the Old Testament was simply mythology? Ahh... but archeaology has brought silence to most of those and brought into serious question the rest. And, what about the theory Jesus never existed? Well, that has been soundly blasted out of the water. (For a small taste of this, see: Did Jesus Actually Exist?) And, what about the consipiracy theories--those that claim Jesus' disciples merely collaborated and made up the stories of Jesus so they could start a new religion? But, of course, those have been proven (through a study of extra-biblical historical documents, the religious and political history, the prophetic fulfillments, contextual coherency & accuracy, documental preservation, archeaology and eye-witness accounts) to also be false.

So, if there are so many evidences for the Bible's accuracy and validity and so few arguments against it, why doesn't everyone believe? Because spritual truth is given directly by God and only by God.

"The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned." (1 Cor. 2:14) (See also Mat. 16:13-17)

It cannot be figured out. It does not come through study. It does not come by being born into it. It is a gift--and it is given only to those who have been called by God and respond to His call.

"No one can come to me [Jesus] unless the Father who sent me draws him. Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me. This is why I told you that no one can come to me unelss the Father has enabled him." (John 6:44-45, 65)

Now, we are all called by God at one time or another. (See: Jeremiah 7:13, Matt. 18:10-14, John 3:16-17, 2 Peter 3:9) So, there are none that are not chosen to be His, but we are not all called at the same time nor in the same way. Also, even once we are called, we are not forced to believe. That is our choice--although God has made belief very available, simple and appealing. (I mean, what's not appealing about being forgiven for our sins, reunited with God--the omnipotent and loving Being who made us, having his all-knowing guidance during our lives and having the assurance of paradise with Him after we die?)

So, could Christians be buying into a false faith? No. Not as long as that faith is in Jesus Christ--fully God and fully man--as defined by the Scriptures (both Old and New Testaments but no other books). The question then is, why haven't you accepted Jesus yet? Is it because God hasn't called? Or, is it because you haven't answered? Hopefully, though, it isn't because you have rejected Him outright. If so, I ask you to take another look.

Names, Titles and Descriptions of God

A faithful God (Deut.32:4)
A forgiving God (Neh. 9:17)
A fortress of salvation (Ps. 28:8)
A glorious crown (Isa. 28:5)
A jealous and avenging God (Nah. 1:2)
A Master in heaven (Col. 4:1)
A refuge for the oppressed (Ps. 9:9)
A refuge for the poor (Isa. 25:4)
A sanctuary (Isa. 8:14)
A shade from the heat (Isa. 25:4)
A shelter from the storm (Isa. 25:4)
A source of strength (Isa. 28:6)
A stronghold in times of trouble (Ps. 9:9)
An ever-present help in trouble (Ps. 46:1)
Architect and builder (Heb. 11:10)
Builder of everythign (Heb. 3:4)
Commander of the army of the LORD (Josh. 5:14)
Creator of heaven and earth (Gen. 14:19)
Defender of widows (Ps. 68:5)
Eternal King (Jer. 10:10)
Father (Isa. 9:6; 63:16; Matt. 5:16)
Father of compassion (2 Cor. 1:3)
Father of our spirits (Heb. 12:9)
Father of the heavenly lights (Jas. 1:17)
God (Gen. 1:2)
God Almighty (El Shaddai; Gen. 17:1)
God and Father of Jesus Christ (I Pet. 1:3)
God Most High (Gen. 14:18-22)
God my Maker (Job 35:10)
God my Rock (Ps. 42:9)
God my Savior (Ps. 18:46; 27:9)
God my stronghold (Ps. 144:2; 2 Sam. 22:3)
God of Abraham, Isaac, Jacob (Ex. 3:16)
God of all comfort (2 Cor. 1:3)
God of all mankind (Jer. 32:27)
God of glory (Ps. 29:3)
God of gods (Deut. 10:17; Ps. 136:2)
God of grace (1 Pet. 5:10)
God of peace (1 Thess. 5:23)
God of retribution (Jer. 51:56)
God of the living (Matt. 22:32)
God of the spirits (Num. 16:22)
God of truth (Ps. 31:5)
God our Father (Col. 1:2)
God our strength (Ps. 18:2)
God over all the kingdoms (Dan. 4:17)
God the Father (Col. 3:17)
God who avenges me (Ps. 18:47; 94:1)
God who relents from sending calamity (Joel 2:13)
Great and awesome God (Deut. 7:21)
Great and powerful God (Jer. 32:18)
Great, mighty, awesome God (Deut. 10:17)
He who blots out your transgressions (Isa. 43:25)
He who comforts you (Isa. 66:13)
He who forms the hearts of all (Ps. 33:15)
He who raised Christ from the dead (Rom. 8:1)
He who reveals His thoughts to man (Amos 4:13)
Helper of the fatherless (Ps. 10:14)
Him who is able to do more than all we ask or imagine (Eph. 3:20)
Him who is able to keep you from falling (Jude 24)
Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead (2 Tim. 4:1)
Holy Father (John 17:11)
Holy One (Rev. 16:5)
Holy One among you (Hos. 11:9)
I AM WHO I AM (Ex. 3:14)
Jealous (Ex. 20:5)
Judge of all the earth (Gen. 18:25)
King of glory (Ps. 24:7-10)
King of heaven (Dan. 4:37)
Living and true God (1 Thess. 1:9)
Lord Almighty (2 Cor. 6:18)
Lord God Almighty (Rev. 4:8; 16:7; 21:22)
LORD is Peace (Judg. 6:24)
LORD Most High (Ps. 7:17)
LORD is my Banner (Ex. 17:15)
LORD my Rock (Ps. 28:1)
LORD of all the earth (Mic. 4:13; Zech. 4:14)
Lord of kings (Dan. 2:47)
LORD our God (Deut. 1:6, 10)
LORD our Maker (Ps. 95:6)
LORD who heals you (Ex. 15:26)
LORD who is there (of Jerusalem; Ezek. 48:35)
Lord who makes you holy (Heb. 2:11)
LORD who strikes the blow (Ezek. 7:9)
LORD will provide (Gen. 22:14)
Love (I John 4:8)
Maker of all things (Eccl. 11:5; Jer. 10:16)
Most High (Gen. 14:18-22)
My advocate (Job 16:19)
My Comforter in sorrow (Jer. 8:18)
My confidence (Ps. 71:5)
My helper (Ps. 118:7; Heb. 13:6)
My hiding place (Ps. 32:7)
My hope (Ps. 25:5, 21)
My light (Ps. 27:1)
My might rock (Ps. 62:7)
My refuge in times of trouble (Ps. 59:16)
My song (Ex. 15:2)
My strong deliverer (Ps. 140: 7)
My support (2 Sam. 22:19)
One to be feared (1 Chron. 16:25)
Only wise God (Rom. 16:27)
Our dwelling place (Ps. 90:1)
Our help and our shield (Ps. 33:20)
Our judge (1 Sam. 24:15)
Our lawgiver (Isa. 33:22)
Our leader (2 Chron. 13:12)
Our Mighty One (Isa. 33:21)
Our Redeemer (Isa. 47:4; 63:16)
Our refuge and strength (Ps. 46:1)
Righteous Father (John 17:25)
Rock of our salvation (Ps. 95:1)
Shepherd (Ps. 23:1)
Sovereign Lord (Acts 4:24)
The Almighty God (Gen. 49:25; Ruth 1:20)
The compassionate and gracious God (Ex. 34:6)
The Eternal God (Gen. 21:33)
The consuming fire (Isa. 33:!4)
The everlasting God (Isa. 40:28)
The exalted God (Mic. 6:6)
The faithful God (Deut. 7:9)
The gardener (husbandman; John 15:1)
The glorious Father (Eph. 1:17)
The glory of Israel (Mic. 1:15)
The God who saves me (Ps. 88:1)
The God who sees me (Gen. 16:13)
The great King above all gods (Ps. 95:3)
The just and mighty One (Job 34:17)
The living Father (John 6:57)
The Majestic Glory (2 Pet. 1:17)
The Majesty in heaven (Heb. 1:3)
The one who sustains me (Ps. 54:4)
The only God (Jude 1:25)
The potter (Jer. 18:6)
The rock in whom I take refuge (Ps. 18:2)
The spring of living water (Jer. 2:13)
The strength of my heart (Ps. 73:26)
The true God (1 Thess. 1:9)
You who judge righteously and test the heart and mind (Jer. 11:20)
Your glory (Ps. 57:11)
Your praise (Isa. 38:18; Ps. 71:8; 138:1)
Your very great reward (Gen. 15:1)

(This list was recorded in Henry Blackaby's Experiencing God workbook.)

Is Preterism Sound Doctrine?

What is "Preterism"?

Preterism is the belief that the end time events prophesized in the New Testament have already happened. The great war of Armageddon in the book of Revelation occurred in the late 60's and early 70's AD when the temple in Jerusalem was destroyed, many Jews were killed and the rest were driven from Palestine. When Jesus talked about the end of the world, he did not mean that the physical world would be no more. He taught that the old Jewish worldview was coming to an end, to be replaced by a new concept, the Kingdom of God. Thus, all of the major elements in the book of Revelation (Tribulation, Armageddon, Rapture, etc.) actually took place in the first century AD.

How To Understand Confusing Biblical Passages:

Whenever there is confusion over a passage of Scripture, one must do the following: 1.  Humble yourself to submit to the teaching of the Word--admitting you really don't know much about the ways of God (Isa. 55:8).  2. Ask the Holy Spirit--the Spirit of wisdom and understanding (Eph. 1:17) to help you understand as you read and then don't jump to any conclusions until you're certain He has answered.  3. Read the entire passage & consider it within the context of ALL Scripture (2 Tim. 3:16).  4. Consider the meaning of the confusing words in their original languages*.  5.  Avoid "proof-texting": simply looking for verses to support your view instead of considering the Bible as a whole.  6.  WAIT and keep searching and praying!  Sometimes God teaches you things over time.  You can't expect to understand everything in an afternoon.

*The trouble of interpretation arises when we strictly rely on the English variances of the Greek, Hebrew or Aramaic words instead of returning to the original languages.  Strictly speaking, the Bible is inerrant only in the original languages.  Translations must be studied with the understanding that there are inherent difficulties within language translation--take it from someone who knows; I'm bilingual.

A Couple of Verses Explained Which Have Been Misunderstood:

Matthew 24:34:  "I tell you the truth, this generation will certainly not pass away until all these things [the end time events] have happened."  Trouble:  Scholars agree that "these things" refers to end time events; however, they disagree as to what Jesus meant by "this generation".  Preterists believe "this generation" meant specifically those who were alive at the time of Jesus' teaching.  However, we have to recognize that Jesus had a tendency toward being cryptic--using earthly/physical references to teach spiritual things.  The parables provide many examples of this, but perhaps an even better one is in John 2:18-21:  "Then the Jews demanded of him, 'What miraculous sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?'  Jesus answered them, 'Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.'  The Jews replied, 'It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it again in three days?' But the temple he had spoken of was his body."  Though Jesus said, "temple", what He meant was "body"--two very different words and very confusing to those around Him; however, later the truth of His statement became clear--even to his enemies and even before His actual resurrection (Matt. 27:63).  So, given Jesus' tendency to cryptic messages and the vast amount of Scripture that is very specific about the events that are yet to come, it would be best to be careful in our interpretation of what Jesus intended to say here.  Furthermore, the word "generation" lends itself quite easily to double meaning--even more so than the word "temple", in my opinion.  The word "generation" in the Greek used here is "Genea", meaning:  a space of time, circle of time, a race, an age of time.  It could also mean the type of Jew in existence at that time, but it is not specific to a generation as we understand the term in English to mean the lifespan of one individual.  

Matthew 10:23b: "I tell you the truth, you will not finish going through the cities of Israel before the Son of Man comes."  Trouble: Given Jesus' cryptic language and His tendency to make seemingly simple statements which are actually pregnant with deeper spiritual meaning, one needs to really consider the Greek word for "city" in this passage.  The word in the Greek is "polis", meaning, "city or town", but is very closely related to the word, "polemai", meaning "warfare, battle, fight or war".  If you read the entire chapter you will note the vast number of references to warfare--both physical and spiritual.  In fact, verse 34 states, "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth.  I did not come to bring peace, but a sword."  Jesus' hearers would have understood the double meaning--that the "cities" they were going through would indeed be "battles".  Furthermore, the Jews have not yet been reached.  Due to the diaspora (the scattering of both the northern and southern tribes of Israel at the hands of the Assyrians and Babylonians centuries earlier) not all of "cities of Israel" were even in Israel at that time.  Even today they are scattered across the globe and still have not all been reached with the Gospel of Christ.  This verse seems to say that Jesus Himself will have to be here before the Jews are all reached and, yet, since those Jews have consistently remained lost since then until even today, it seems obvious that we are still waiting for His return.

Others:  There are various verses in Scripture that refer to Christ coming "soon" or that the time is "near"; and there is no doubt that some of these passages are difficult to understand; however, we must take these in light of how God--who is the Creator of time and not to be governed by it--intends.  Naturally, we will not naturally understand God's ways.  It must be taught to us through the Holy Spirt and through the Word.  Here is one verse that sheds some light on how God sees the passage of time:  "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."  (2 Peter 3:9)

The Trouble of "Missing Events":

One of the primary arguments against preterism is the fact that there is little to no evidence that many of the end time prophesies have, indeed, occurred--let alone within the lifetimes of those who were there to hear Christ's teaching on the subject.  

These "missing events" include: 

False "Christs" which perform great signs and miracles, Wars, Famines, Earthquakes in various places, most of the believers leaving the faith, the gospel being preached to all nations, an abominable thing will be set up inside the holy place of the Temple, the flight of the people of Judea into the hills, Jesus Christ will appear in the sky and all nations of the earth will mourn, the sun and moon will be darkened, the stars will fall from the sky, the heavenly bodies will be shaken; a loud trumpet will sound, all believers from all around the world will be gathered (raptured) and taken to heaven as they go about their business, many will have long given up and cease to expect Christ's return, the appearance of the Antichrist, the appearance of the ten kings, the enforcement of all to take the mark of the beast or be beheaded, the inability of any without the mark of the beast to buy or sell, the 7 years of tribulation, the 200-million man army from the north, the drying up of the Euphrates River, the falling of 100-pound hailstones, the destruction of all of Satan's forces by the words of Christ's mouth, the battle of Armageddon, the imprisonment of Satan and his spiritual forces, the 1000 years of peace on earth....  and the list goes on and on and on....

How Do Preterists Get Around This Lack of Fulfillment of Prophesy?

The Bible takes a very dim view of false teachers and false prophets.  Deuteronomy 18:22 states, "If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the LORD does not take place or come true, that is a message the LORD has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously. Do not be afraid of him."  In other words, if any prophesy goes unfulfilled, then that prophet is a liar. A prophet of God will be correct 100 percent of the time.

The preterists, however, do not say the prophesies went unfulfilled, they simply spiritualize them and try to make them appear to have been figurative only--not real prophesies or literal fulfillments at all.  For example, they say that the "old earth", prophesied in Scripture to pass away, is the "Old Covenant".  The new earth then becomes the "New Covenant" and the "elements" which Scripture says will burn with fervent heat are the elements of the law.  Furthermore, it's quite interesting to watch preterist theologians (after their dogmatic defense of the literal interpretations of other passages of Scripture) try to squeeze the very specific number of the millennium--no less than 1,000 years--into the 40 years between 30 AD and 70 AD.  The backflips they have to do with Scripture would make an Olympian beg for an ice-pack.

When we begin to study prophesy, a good place to look for how God both makes and fulfills prophesy is to those prophesies fulfilled by Jesus Himself when He first came to Earth in bodily form.  We must ask: Were the prophesies specific in nature?  Were the prophesies fulfilled in a specific manner?  Were the fulfillments easily recognized?  Did all of the prophesies come true up to that point?  Were the prophesies about literal, physical realities?  Were the prophesies fulfilled literally and physically?  To each of these questions, we must respond with a resounding "Yes!"  So, it stands to reason that when there are prophesies surrounding the end times that call for "earthquakes in various places" (Matt. 24:7), "an army of 200 million soldiers on horseback" (Rev. 9:16) or "100-pound hail stones" (Rev. 16:21), that those are literal, physical prophesies that must be fulfilled.  Well, have they?

So, Is Preterism Sound Doctrine?  Based on what I've seen, I would have to say, no.

What Are the Dangers?

When Scripture can, at a whim, be taken as "figurative" in order to make it fit with our worldview, we are straying onto very dangerous ground.  Suddenly, anything we dislike, can be rationalized away.  Convenient, isn't it?  Instead of basing our faith on God and His instruction, we are now trusting in ourselves--massaging our own wants and desires.  We no longer even have to have a relationship with Him--we just have to find the path of least resistance toward a "warm and fuzzy" conscience and get on it. (But, beware!  A deep pit of legalism waits just down this road!)  In fact, why bother taking anything Jesus said seriously?  I mean, after all, He could be a bit of a battle-axe sometimes--all that talk about how even looking at a woman lustfully being sin and taking a whip after those guys trying to make a living on Temple grounds.  And, while we're hard at the task of stripping away anything that pricks our consciences or makes us afraid or confused, why bother believing in Jesus at all--or even in God?  

Do you see how dangerous it is to pretend we have an intellectual superiority over the Scriptures?  I'm not denying there are confusing passages within it's pages.  That's part of the point!  Jesus' words were often very confusing to His disciples.  Why did He speak in riddles so often?  So that they would SEEK HIM--so that they would RELY on the HIM and, later, on the HOLY SPIRIT, not on themselves to understand spiritual things (Prov. 3:5-6).  Remember, only the Holy Spirit can reveal spiritual truth.  Reading the Bible alone isn't going to do it.  

"The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned."  (I Cor. 2:14) 

Names, Titles and Descriptions of Jesus

A Nazarene (Matt. 2:23; Mark 14:67)
All (Col. 3:11)
Alpha and Omega (Rev. 1:8)
Anointed One (Actsw 4:26, Ps. 2:2)
Apostle and high priest (Heb. 3:1)
Author and perfecter of our faith (Heb. 12:2)
Author of life (Acts 3:15)
Author of their salvation (Heb. 2:10)
Branch of the LORD (Isa. 4:2)
Bread of God (John 6:33)
Bread of life (John 6:48)
Bridegroom (Luke 5:34-35)
Chief cornerstone (Eph. 2:20)
Chosen and precious cornerstone (2 Pet. 2:6)
Christ Jesus my Lord (Phil. 3:8)
Christ Jesus our hope (I Tim. 1:1)
Christ of God (Luke 9:20)
Consolation of Israel (Luke 2:25)
Crown of splendor (Isa. 62:3)
Eternal life (1 John 5:20)
Faithful and True (Rev. 19:11)
Faithful and true witness (Rev. 3:14)
First to rise from the dead (Acts 26:23)
Firstborn from among the dead (Col. 1:18)
Firstborn over all creation (Col. 1:15)
Firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep (1 Cor. 15:20)
Fragrant offering and sacrifice to God (Eph. 5:2)
Friend of tax collectors and "sinners" (Matt. 11:19)
God over all (Rom. 9:5)
God's Son (John 11:4)
Great high priest (Heb. 13:20)
Great light (Matt. 4:16)
Great Shepherd of the sheep (Heb. 13:20)
Guarantee of a better covenant (Heb. 7:22)
He who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world (John 6:33)
He who searches hearts and minds (Rev. 2:23)
Head of every man (1 Cor. 11:3)
Head of the body, the church (Col. 1:18)
Head over every power and authority (Col. 2:10)
Heir of all things (Heb. 1:2)
Him ... who died and came to life again (Rev. 2:8)
Him who loves us and has freed us from our sins (Rev. 1:5)
His one and only Son (1 John 4:9)
Holy and Righteous One (Acts 3:14)
Holy One of God (John 6:69)
Holy servant Jesus (Acts 4:27, 30)
Hope of Israel (Jer. 17:13)
Horn of salvation (Luke 1:69)
Image of the invisible God (Col. 1:15)
Immanuel (God with us; Matt. 1:23)
Indescribable gift (2 Cor. 9:15)
Jesus (Matt. 1:21)
Jesus Christ (John 1:17)
Jesus Christ our Lord (Rom. 1:4; 5:21)
Jesus Christ our Savior (Titus 3:6)
Jesus of Nazareth (Mark 1:24; Matt. 26:71)
Judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:42)
KING OF KINGS (Rev. 19:16)
King of the ages (Rev. 15:3)
Lamb of God (John 1:29; 1:36)
Light for revelation to the Gentiles (Luke 2:32)
Light of men (John 1:4)
Light of the world (John 8:12)
Living bread that came down from heaven (John 6:51)
Lord and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 3:18)
Lord (Kurios; Josh. 3:11, 13)
Lord of glory (1 Cor. 2:8)
LORD OF LORDS (Rev. 19:16)
Lord of peace (2 Thess. 3:16)
Lord of the harvest (Matt. 9:38)
Lord of the Sabbath (Matt. 12:8)
Lord (Rabboni; John 20:16)
Man accredited by God (Acts 2:22)
Man of sorrows (Isa. 53:3)
Master (Luke 8:24; 9:33; Col. 4:1)
Mediator of a new covenant (Heb. 9:15; 12:24)
Merciful and faithful high priest (Heb. 2:17)
Messenger of the covenant (Mal. 3:1)
Messiah (John 1:41)
Morning star (Rev. 2:28)
My friend (Jer. 3:4)
My intercessor (Job 16:20)
One who makes men holy (Heb. 2:11)
One who speaks to the Father in our defense (1 John 2:1)
One who will arise to rule over the nations (Rom. 15:12)
Our glorious Lord Jesus Christ (Jas. 2:1)
Our God and Savior Jesus Christ (2 Pet. 1:1)
Our only Sovereign and Lord (Jude 1:4)
Our Passover lamb (1 Cor. 1:30)
Our peace (Eph. 2:14)
Our righteousness, holiness and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30)
Physician (Luke 4:23)
Prince and Savior (Isa. 9:6)
Prince of Peace (Isa. 9:6)
Prince of princes (Dan. 8:25)
Prince of the hosts (Dan. 8:11)
Ransom for all men (1 Tim. 2:6)
Refiner and purifier (Mal. 3:3)
Resurrection and the life (John 11:25)
Righteous Judge (2 Tim. 4:8)
Righteous One (Acts 3:14; 7:52)
Rock eternal (rock of ages; Isa. 26:4)
Ruler of God's creation (Rev. 3:14)
Ruler of the kings of the earth (Rev. 1:5)
Savior of the world (John 4:42)
Second man (1 Cor. 15:47)
Shepherd and Overseer of your souls (1 Pet. 2: 25)
Son of Man (John 3:13-14; 5:27; 6:27)
Son of the Blessed One (Mark 14:61)
Son of the living God (Matt. 16:16)
Son of the Most High God (Luke 8:28)
Source of eternal salvation (Heb. 5:9)
Sure foundation (Isa. 33:6)
Teacher (Matt. 23:10)
The Amen (2 Cor. 1:20)
The Beginning and the End (Rev. 21:6)
The bright Morning Star (Rev. 22:16)
The exact repreentation of His (God's) being (Heb. 1:13)
The First and the Last (Rev. 1:17)
The gate (door; John 10:7, 9)
The good shepherd (John 10:11)
The Head (Eph. 4:15; Col. 2:19)
The last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45)
The life (John 14:6)
The Living One (Rev. 1:18)
The living Stone (1 Pet. 2:4)
The LORD Our Righteousness (Jer. 23:6)
The man from heaven (1 Cor. 15:49)
The man Christ Jesus (1 Tim. 2:5)
The most holy (Dan. 9:24)
The One and Only (John 1:14, 18)
The only God our Savior (Jude 1:25)
The radiance of God's glory (Heb. 1:3)
The rising of the sun (Isa. 59:19)
The stone the builders rejected (1 Pet. 2:7)
The testimony given in its proper time (1 Tim. 2:6)
The true light (John 1:9)
The true vine (John 15:1)
The truth (John 14:6)
The way (John 14:6)
The Word (logos; John 1:1)
True bread from heaven (John 6:32)
Wisdom from God (1 Cor. 1:30)
Wonderful Counselor (Isa. 9:6)
Word of God (Rev. 19:13)
Word of life (1 John 1:1)
Your life (Col. 3:3)
Your salvation (Isa. 30:15; Eph. 1:13)

Names, Titles and Descriptions of the Holy Spirit

A deposit (earnest; 2 Cor. 5:5)
Another Counselor (John 14:16; 26)
Breath of the Almighty (Job 32:8)
Holy One (1 John 2:20)
Holy Spirit (John 1:33)
Holy Spirit of God (Eph. 4:30)
Seal (2 Cor. 1:22)
Spirit of Christ (1 Pet. 1:11)
Spirit of counsel and of power (Isa. 11:2)
Spirit of faith (2 Cor. 4:13)
Spirit of fire (Isa. 4:4)
Spirit of glory (1 Pet. 4:14)
Spirit grace and supplication (Zech. 12:10)
Spirit of his Son (Gal. 4:6)
Spirit of holiness (Rom. 1:4)
Spirit of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:19)
Spirit of judgement (Isa. 4:4)
Spirit of justice (Isa. 28:6)
Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD (Isa. 11:2)
Spirit of life (Rom. 8:2)
Spirit of our God (1 Cor. 6:11)
Spirit of sonship (adoption; Rom. 8:15)
Spirit of the living God (2 Cor. 3:3)
Spirit of the LORD (Isa. 63:14; Luke 4:18)
Spirit of the Soverign LORD (Isa. 61:1)
Spirit of truth (John 14:17; 1 John 4:6)
Spirit of wisdom and understanding (Isa. 11:2)
The gift (Acts. 2:38; 10:45)
The promised Holy Spirit (Acts 2:33)
The same gift (Acts 11:17)
Voice of the Almighty (Ezek. 1:24)
Voice of the LORD (Hag. 1:12; Isa. 30:31)

(Taken from Henry Blackaby's Experiencing God workbook.)

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)