I will reserve harsh remarks until I actually read the book, but i hope to post tomorrow a brief response to some of Bell's questions:
27 February 2011
09 February 2011
What Breaks God's Heart
The LORD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intention of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually. And the LORD was sorry that he had made man on the earth, and it grieved him to his heart.
Genesis 6:5-6
Genesis 6:5-6
From Black and White to 1080p
I'm currently prepping for my small group lesson. This week our chapter is on the crucifixion of Christ, and I have struggled to organize it in a way to hit all the important points and not take 3 months in doing so. We will see how successful those efforts will be. However, one thought came to my mind while sifting through scriptures, commentaries, books, and musings. Namely, that while there is a hesitance in discussing or approaching the concept of God's wrath in modern Jesus-anity (typically in favor of "love" as an emotional, sappy, reassurance from God), it is precisely this attribute that frames so poignantly the depth of that love. We never want a cheap love; we want it to cost something. We distrust those who build their relationships on mutually benefitting circumstances that disappear when said benefits dry up. God's wrath points out (at least) two ideas for us:
1. That He is perfectly holy and righteous. I mean, it seems kind of harsh right? We do fun things that we are sort of inclined to do - even though we have this feeling that we shouldn't - and because of that God burns with hatred towards all of humanity? Really? Well, yes actually. According to Psalm 5, God hates all evildoers. And according to Romans 3 (via Psalm 14), all persons are evildoers. Therefore, my deductive logic tells me, my dear Watson, that God hates all persons. Proverbs particularly bangs the drum of God's animosity toward pride. The root of all sin seems to be idolatrous pride; that is, taking God off the throne and placing ourselves as judge of right and wrong, good and evil, as if our insights were profound enough to overcome the wisdom of the system designer. The smallest things that we excuse are direct defiance in the face of the King of the universe. And he does not take it lightly. This communicates to us that God is not dependent on humanity to fulfill his longing; He doesn't need worshippers or children or homeboys. It's not as if it creates a deficiency in Himself to wipe us off the face of the planet. He is self-sufficient separate from His creation which shows that he is holy (other or separate) from his creation. He is different from us dependent creatures. Also, if His nature is such that He burns with anger and punishes the slightest transgression of His law, he truly is perfectly righteous and good, and hates evil. Many mushy-gushies would have us believe that it would be good (and best) for God simply to overlook our sins rather than punish them. The problem with that, of course, is what God says. So we see through God's wrath that He is entirely holy and righteous.
2. God's love is magnified in His wrath. Through the cross of Christ, God freely chooses to pour out love on his enemies by pouring out the wrath that they have incurred onto His son. God does not do this because He is loving and He must; rather, He chooses to demonstrate His love in the full light of His wrath. Christ - dying in the place of sinners, for their sin - is the best picture of God's love, not creation. Providing for physical needs of the destitute is not the most glorious display of God's love, Christ's absorption of God's hatred of sinners is. We have heard that God is love and therefore holds no judgement toward sin. But we know that this is the very definition of love: that Jesus Christ died as a substitute and incurred God's wrath upon himself for people that were His enemies. Then He sat down at the right hand of the Father to make intercession for those who would rather suffer eternal torment than bow their knee to Him. How powerful is God's love when we know that He disregards all obstacles between us and at the cost of His own Son. How vibrant the redemptive picture is when it includes the brushstrokes of His very wrath.
I just don't get the thinking behind "Best Life Now" theology, where God is infinitely resourced, so He will (and exists almost exclusively to) give you whatever you think will make you happy and not miss anything. Why would we ever accept from God a love that we wouldn't accept from another person? Is it really better to think that God's love didn't really cost Him anything? I guess those who want a loving God without a wrathful one are kind of like someone who enjoys watching cheesy reruns on a black and white tv. I prefer to see grace in 1080p.
1. That He is perfectly holy and righteous. I mean, it seems kind of harsh right? We do fun things that we are sort of inclined to do - even though we have this feeling that we shouldn't - and because of that God burns with hatred towards all of humanity? Really? Well, yes actually. According to Psalm 5, God hates all evildoers. And according to Romans 3 (via Psalm 14), all persons are evildoers. Therefore, my deductive logic tells me, my dear Watson, that God hates all persons. Proverbs particularly bangs the drum of God's animosity toward pride. The root of all sin seems to be idolatrous pride; that is, taking God off the throne and placing ourselves as judge of right and wrong, good and evil, as if our insights were profound enough to overcome the wisdom of the system designer. The smallest things that we excuse are direct defiance in the face of the King of the universe. And he does not take it lightly. This communicates to us that God is not dependent on humanity to fulfill his longing; He doesn't need worshippers or children or homeboys. It's not as if it creates a deficiency in Himself to wipe us off the face of the planet. He is self-sufficient separate from His creation which shows that he is holy (other or separate) from his creation. He is different from us dependent creatures. Also, if His nature is such that He burns with anger and punishes the slightest transgression of His law, he truly is perfectly righteous and good, and hates evil. Many mushy-gushies would have us believe that it would be good (and best) for God simply to overlook our sins rather than punish them. The problem with that, of course, is what God says. So we see through God's wrath that He is entirely holy and righteous.
2. God's love is magnified in His wrath. Through the cross of Christ, God freely chooses to pour out love on his enemies by pouring out the wrath that they have incurred onto His son. God does not do this because He is loving and He must; rather, He chooses to demonstrate His love in the full light of His wrath. Christ - dying in the place of sinners, for their sin - is the best picture of God's love, not creation. Providing for physical needs of the destitute is not the most glorious display of God's love, Christ's absorption of God's hatred of sinners is. We have heard that God is love and therefore holds no judgement toward sin. But we know that this is the very definition of love: that Jesus Christ died as a substitute and incurred God's wrath upon himself for people that were His enemies. Then He sat down at the right hand of the Father to make intercession for those who would rather suffer eternal torment than bow their knee to Him. How powerful is God's love when we know that He disregards all obstacles between us and at the cost of His own Son. How vibrant the redemptive picture is when it includes the brushstrokes of His very wrath.
I just don't get the thinking behind "Best Life Now" theology, where God is infinitely resourced, so He will (and exists almost exclusively to) give you whatever you think will make you happy and not miss anything. Why would we ever accept from God a love that we wouldn't accept from another person? Is it really better to think that God's love didn't really cost Him anything? I guess those who want a loving God without a wrathful one are kind of like someone who enjoys watching cheesy reruns on a black and white tv. I prefer to see grace in 1080p.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)