Some focus so primarily on the justice and righteousness of God that they neglect any mention of His love. Likewise, many focus on grace and forgiveness solely and never mention the need to live a righteous life. Let's look a little at both.
Colossians 1:15 “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation.” This verse notes that though God the Father and God the Son are difference in subsistence, Christ was the perfect image of God the Father in His ministry here on earth. Therefore, the mercy (love) demonstrated in His ministry (to lepers, the adulterous, the murderers, Lazarus and countless others) is a picture of the love of the Father to His creation (that sick, adulterous, dead creation).
“So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love...” -1 John 4:16
Life. “Grace: Favor extended where wrath is deserved.” Humans are given incalculable amounts of grace. Life itself is a testament to the grace of God. The fact that He (in all of His holiness) allows anyone to exist in a world that He created for His glory staggers the imagination. Humans are brought forth in sin and iniquity and remain that way even after justification, and yet His love is evidenced in the fact that He breathed air into the nostrils of Adam and knits each individual together without mistake. Flawed? Yes. Diseased? Yes. Without mistake? Yes. Your life is evidence of His love for you.
Salvation. “...but God shows His love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” -Romans 5:8. Without argument, the greatest gift of love from God is salvation. The sending of the Son, the sacrifice of the Son and the separation from the Son present the greatest love story ever told. While the giving of the Son demonstrates the love of God the Father, the Self-sacrifice of the Son demonstrates Christ's love. Will all be graced with salvation? No. But it is without doubt an overwhelmingly compelling case against those who preach only upon God's attributes dealing with justice.
Aside from life, aside from salvation, most of us are graced all the more. Marriage is (or should be) an inexplicable example of grace. Children are a blessing from the Lord and should be recognized as such. Even if one isn't blessed with a family, most have material items that God is allowing them to temporarily have. Whether a house, car, bed, Mac, TV, warm shower, or a multitude of other items that mean nothing in eternity; they are a demonstration of His love in the present.
Dare I throw in an example of grace that you mightn't have considered before? The grace of suffering. All people (whether willingly or unwillingly) will bring glory to the Son eventually. But if you are suffering through a circumstance that wasn't brought about by sin, you have been given an opportunity to glorify the Son through your response to that suffering. No, it isn't easy (and I wouldn't tell someone recently diagnosed with cancer to relax and be thankful for the opportunity to glorify God) but it is definitely an opportunity that not all men get to take part in. If you will glorify God through your diseases, your tears and heartbreak, doesn't it make the suffering easier to swallow? If you realize that glorifying God is the sole reason for your existence then you can look back on your time of heartache with a Spirit of thanksgiving that God allowed you the privilege of walking through the eye of the storm.
Another beautiful example of the love of God is that of His compassion and understanding on our behalf. Jesus (Who is the image of the invisible God) wept at the death of Lazarus. He wept not because Lazarus was dead (He knew He would raise him), He wept out of compassion for the pain of the people. He felt the pain of Mary, Martha and the rest of those who were mourning. In the Psalms, we are told, “You have kept count of my tossings; put my tears in your bottle. Are they not in your book?” He has given life, salvation, material items and still His heart beats compassion for you.
Next: God's Justice and Demand of Righteousness
On the note of suffering one thing I know but still have to repeat to myself multiple times is that God works all things for our good and His Glory. No matter how horrific or completely overbearing the pain and suffering is, it will always produce more godliness for the believer in the end. With that said the suffering still hurts and will be tender even if the cause is removed and I don't want to downplay that aspect.
ReplyDeleteI absolutely agree. Sometimes the pain lasts a lifetime and I should've stressed more that it is ok to mourn. The glorification of God through our pain will probably be a minute by minute decision to trust Him.
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