You know that God of only love that so many people have been talking about the last few years? Well, He doesn’t exist, if He did, there would be no such place as hell.
You know that God of wrath and vengeance so many people used to talk about years ago? Well, He doesn’t exist either, if He did, there would be no such place as heaven.
But there is a heaven and there is a hell, so who is God?
“For I am the LORD, I change not;” (Malachi 3:6a)
I would ask that you stop reading this for a few minutes and think of every possible emotion that you can, in fact write them all down someday, both positive and negative, all of them that you can think of. Now, do you want to know who the Living God is? He is everyone of those emotions, and more that we human beings cannot even begin to contemplate. Care to know how I know this truth?
“So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.” (Gen. 1:27)
There is one very large difference in this area between us and our Creator, His emotions are always under control, ours are not.
Those people that believe that God is love and only love are the ones who assisted our adversary in the enabling days we find ourselves in, inclusivity, the supposed injustice of personally held beliefs not held by others, never judging, for God is love and loves everyone just as they are. And if you do not do the same, you are not of God.
Which verse would you prefer here?
“Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God.” (1st John 4:7)
Or
“And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them.” (Eph. 5:11)
I am going to ask you a question you may not like to answer to yourself truthfully, for your answer, at least in your mind, may attempt to persuade you that you are not a loving person, that you are not Christlike.
Have you ever prayed that the wrath of God would fall upon someone?
There are numerous places throughout the Old Testament of God-fearing men doing just that. And then along comes the Lord Jesus Christ and says,
“Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” (Matt. 5:44)
If God doesn’t change, how are we to interpret those verses, which God are we supposed to serve? Was Paul wrong when he blinded that man, when he gave another over to Satan? Are we or are we not told to not even let them into our house? That doesn’t seem very loving, does it?
Can you see this oh so subtle trap of our adversary now, is it a little easier for you to see the path that he is attempting, and succeeding in leading mankind down? But isn’t it interesting how if you do not love everyone as they are, that you will be called a hater by those who say we are to love and accept everyone?
They must think we are really stupid, to put it bluntly.
“For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness.” (1st Cor. 3:19) God is love, God is wrath, He is mercy, justice, compassion and hatred. No emotion exists that He did not create, and every emotion existed in Him before He imbued mankind with them. And my friends, if you can accept this truth, you are to reveal nearly all of them in your life. But one.
“Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.” (Romans 12:19b)
Which one? Which Verse?
“Do not I hate them, O LORD, that hate thee? and am not I grieved with those that rise up against thee? I hate them with perfect hatred: I count them mine enemies.” (Psalm 139:21-22)
Or
“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you;” (Matt. 5:44)
I never try to tell you what to do, but sometimes I do attempt to tell you what you should be contemplating.
