The Love of God (PART 4) The dilemma

The Love of God (PART 4)

John MacArthur when preaching on the Love of God said, “Why hasn’t God expressed the maximum love for the Holy Angels, who never fell, and who have been faithful to love and to serve him through all time. He damned the Angels that fell, why would he redeem man? We don’t know the answer to that, except that he pre-determined to love us, and by loving us drawing us to himself.”

Here’s the positive to the issue of God’s Love. God loves us; to the point that while the character of his Justice demands the punishment of our sin, the character of his Love imputes the guilt of our sin to the person of His Son. Who, came to earth, strictly to be punished for the sake of the world, in the only way that could have us redeemed; his death. That His blood be shed, not for show, but for actual payment of our redemption. Scripture bares this truth out.

It’s because He first loved us that we in turn, after having the veil removed from our eyes in regeneration from above, that we can then say that we love him. This is what’s referred to as the Irresistible Grace. That is to say; that, as John Piper says, “God’s sovereignty can overcome all resistance when He wills it.” Jesus said in John 6:44 Jesus says, "No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him." It is the Father who draws us to Himself in Love to bring us to a place where He can remove the veil covering our eyes.

Looking at it from the negative; we see the dilemma two fold. First we see the argument that; “Ok, If its God who calls me then how am I responsible?” To answer that, Paul says, "Why then does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?" To which Paul answers: "Who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, 'Why have you made me thus?' Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for beauty and another for menial use?" (Romans 9:20).

The issue is the same as the question MacArthur posed at the beginning. Why then does He redeem man at all? We don’t know the answer to that, except to say that he does choose to set is Love on us. We can only preach the gospel to the world, not that we have any saving power of our own. But that through the proclamation of his message God moves in the hearts of people.  So the scripture is true:

“How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? [3] And how are they to hear without someone preaching? 15 And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!”—Romans 10:14-15 (ESV)

 Hebrews 3:15 says, “As it is said, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion.”

Though I fear the prophecy is coming true, that in the end people will be lovers of themselves. Our moral compass as a society will be turned upside down. This is already happening.

I saw on Facebook people arguing about circumcision and how cruel it is. One person made the statement that they were appalled at the permanent damage being done to children. These are some of the same people who have ZERO problems with the trans-gender movement, who not only support mutilating or disfiguring body parts (by either removal or insertion) but applauded events like in Australia where the parents of a 5 year old boy allowed him to make the decision to become a little girl. Talk about permanent scarring for life! And the doctor that would do this?!! This is what Roman 1 talks about. Let’s set the stage of what this means

The Apostle Paul wrote the book of Romans around 56 AD about 10 years before he had his head chopped off for preaching the word of God. Talk about a hostile environment…. It was in the first chapter of this book as he introduced himself to a church he deeply desired to visit—though he never was able to make it there—then launches into instruction to doctrinal issues to a church of believers he had never met.  In doing so he needed to set the stage for the readers of his letter to them.  In the verses 18—32 of chapter 1, he did exactly that, what follows is his accounting of society and city that boasted nearly 1 million people at that time.

(My comments added in parenthesis)

“18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. 19 For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 20 For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.” (Stop here for a second, all this is to say, that they have heard the gospel, whether from family, friends, preachers, they have heard the truth. They know the consequences of sin, let’s continue in verse 21). “For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. 22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things. 24 Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, 25 because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. 26 For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; 27 and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error. 28 And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.” (Let’s skip down to verse 32), “32 Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.”—Romans 1:18-32 (ESV)

Scripture is clear, this is what John MacArthur refers to when he talks about a reprobate mind. This is the direction society is going. Once we let go of the precepts of God, we become slaves to the passions of our heart, where ever that may lead. This is not to say that everyone who is an unbeliever is a bad person. That’s not what scripture is teaching. Certainly not as we use the term bad or evil today.  Scripture doesn’t equivocate on the issue, “if you being evil know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give you. “  But the evil being spoken of here is the intent of the heart, that is its desire, to disobey God and do what seems right in his own eyes. “I’m going to be the Captain of my soul; I’m going to live life my way.”  Isn’t that a Frank Sinatra song…..

“There is a way that seems right to man, but leads to destruction.” (Proverbs 16:25) But God had some pretty heavy words for such conclusions that we read at the end of Romans chapter 1. They deserve to die….its worth reading that one verse again, vs 32. This was in the warning God gave to Adam, wasn’t it? “In the day you eat of it you will surely die.”

Paul refutes the arguments he knows is coming in the next chapter:

“2:1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? ” –Romans 2:1-4 (ESV)

So, we’ve looked at the positive in how God draws us in, through His love that none should perish, and we see as a society how the free will of man corrupts absolutely. Isn’t this exactly what false religion always offers, health, wealth, and prosperity.  Satan has nothing but the same methods as always. It’s everything the unrepentant sinner wants anyway. Like the people “ who believed,” in the final verses of John 2, they believed in so far as what they could get from him, (Jesus). Which is why in verse 24 we read: “But Jesus on his part did not entrust himself to them, because he knew all people.”

This is the same lie Satan has played on us since the conversation in the Garden. Telling Eve, that she would be like God; knowing of good and evil, lies are always sprinkled with a little bit of truth aren’t they? Makes the lie easier to believe doesn’t it?  She knew God. She knew him intimately, there’s no doubt that they had probably been on countless walks in the Garden like it says about Adam and God. She had likely conversed with the Lord many times. She knew of his goodness, and enjoyed the benefits of life, under his provision and care. Presented then, with the false information that she would be like God, she viewed the fruit to be good for eating. She swallowed the hook, line and sinker, as does everyone who follows the teachings of false religion or a false gospel.

This is nothing new. We see this same tactic used on Christ himself as Satan tried to tempt Jesus. I hesitate to call them temptations because Jesus as God, could hardly be tempted with everything that was already His, but that’s what false religion does. Makes a carbon copy of the one true religion, offering Christ health, wealth, and prosperity, turn these stones into bread (health), fall from the temple so all will see and be saved by your legions of angels, (prosperity of adoration), and worship me (satan), and I will give you the riches and positions of power in the world, (wealth).

Paul warns in his 2nd Letter to Timothy and his final letter before being martyred, in chapter 4 verse 3 he says, “For the time is coming when people will not endure sound teaching, but having itching ears they will accumulate for themselves teachers to suit their own passions, 4 and will turn away from listening to the truth and wander off into myths.”—2 Timothy 4:3-5 (ESV)

So while everyone searches for the church that will present to them the way they understand the Love of God to be, let them consider the words of Jesus;

“See that you do not despise one of these little ones. For I tell you, that in heaven their angels, always see the face of my Father who is in heaven. 12 What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go in search of the one that went astray? 13 And if he finds it, truly, I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine that never went astray. 14 So it is not the will of my Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones should perish.”—Matthew 18:10-14 (ESV  )

In as much as we have talked about sin and how God does not like sin, because as we see in the verses above, it separates us from him. This is where we begin to understand his compassion for us. We begin to understand what Peter says “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.”—2 Peter 3:9

Or as we see in Ezekiel 33:11 “I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked.”

As heartbreaking as it is to God, his Holiness demands it. As we see here in Jesus’ pronounces a curse on Jerusalem, “37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to it! How often would I have gathered your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, and you would not! 38 See, your house is left to you desolate.”—Matthew 23:37-38 (ESV) ‘

We know historically that in AD. 70  (less than 40 years after Christ spoke the curse on Jerusalem) the future Emperor Titus, sacked Jerusalem, wiping it out and completely destroyed the Temple just as Jesus had predicted in the gospel account when talking to the Pharisee’s. They mocked him when he said, “that not one stone would be left unturned.” And according to history, not only was the Temple destroyed completely, but that it was so thorough that the vessels made of gold began to melt and get in between the bricks of the temple as it burned from the siege. The commander actually ordered each brick be removed so they could get to the gold in between. Fulfilling what Jesus had said. To this day a monument called the Arch of Titus that still stands in Rome as celebration of the siege that led to the destruction of Jerusalem and the second Temple. It was built in AD 82 by Emperor Domitian after Titus had died to commemorate his older brother’s exploits, including the siege in Jerusalem. The Arch of Titus was inspiration for a very similar and world famous arch in Paris, France. A modern day reminder of what took place in AD 70. But an even more deadly reminder of not only the curse Jesus placed on Jerusalem—which came to pass—but of the warning we talked about in Part 3 that God gave to Cain. He gives to all of us. “If you do what’s right will you not be accepted. But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at the door, and its desire is for you.” In other words, its desire is against you.

Jesus told Peter in Luke 22:31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat.” Wow, is that not a powerful illustration of Satan’s desire for us. He wants to crush us. And how loving is the Lord to remind us, its crouched waiting at the door for us. What’s even more amazing is not only does His love remind us of this, yet this is while we are enemies against him, we live completely against Him. While being hostile to Him and His ways we want to do what we want, He still stops to say, “I love you, come to me, and find rest and comfort in my arms, in my protection. I will supply your needs. I will protect you. You’ve been hurt, I will comfort you. You have lost love, you’ve lost children, you’ve lost a parent, or a spouse that returns love—that rejected you from their promise. You’ve been stabbed in the back by betrayal. Been lied to, Been lied about, and gossiped about.

No matter what we’ve been through He calls us to repent and come to Him, to trust Him. Why? Because He is the life giver, He is the creator of the universe, and in Him we can find comfort and true joy. In His Love, we find peace. But let us not fool ourselves. Though we may have suffered greatly, it does not mean we are owed more grace and mercy than another, or that the actions of others are more deserving of punishment, and that somehow our sufferings plead the case before God and therby forgiving us of our sin.

As I close Part 4 let me set up words from Jesus himself in answering the many different sufferings we come with….Jesus had just finished in chapter 12 of Luke getting everything you deserve if you want by pushing it, in his analogy of God as a judge, and his justice forcing Him to punish as the law requires, and it was at this they must’ve said mentioned the wrongs that were done to them, when we see chapter 13 open with some of the Jews sacrifices to God that were mixed by Pilate and their sacrifices of blood offerings to their gods. As you read Jesus’ words to their sufferings, I beg you to consider all that we’ve talked about in Part 4 with these (His) words, in mind….

“Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent you all will likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they are worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”