We have to be very careful about the image of God we allow into our minds. Why, you may ask? Because we can create a false god so easily. Examples of this false representation of the Lord are heard all the time. "God is love" people say, and that is true. "God is just" other people say, and this is also true. From these statements the conclusion is drawn, "Since God is a God of love, we believe His love is greater than His justice and He certainly won't judge anyone harshly or punish them forever." The natural conclusion is then, "There must not be a hell and everyone goes to heaven." Or, "It does not matter what you believe about God." What a terrible heresy!
We cannot create a sketch of God, filling in the attributes we think He has, and leaving out others we find inconvenient or think are inconsistent with our level of comfort. We would then paint a picture of a Divine Lord of life who changes and vacillates. This creates an image of a god who seems to be thinking, "O, maybe I should change my mind about this or that." Nothing could be further from the truth. God is immutable, so He does not change. He is loving, yet also just. He is holy and perfect in every way. He is faithful, knowing all about us and our motivations.
And as for people going to hell. . . He created that place for the devil and his evil angel followers. Eternal punishment is the final result of a person continuously refusing to accept the way to heaven through Jesus' blood which the Father supplied. Hell as an everlasting destination for a person is a matter of their personal choice. God does not send them there, they choose to go by rejecting Him. God constantly seeks to save the lost and desires everyone to come into His kingdom through the door he provided, Jesus Christ, His Son. It helps to realize that we cannot push people into the kingdom. Jesus said, "I am the Way, the Truth, and the Life, no one can come to Father except through me." John 14:6. So God is faithfully seeking, knocking on the doors of people's hearts. We do well to remember that sinners do what sinners do and to pray for them like crazy! Only God's grace makes us any different from them! Remember the pit from which you were rescued, the miry clay that held you fast.
So, let's stop trying to create an image of God to match the cultural perspective and seek the truth about God by reading and studying the scriptures. Together with our mighty God we can make a difference in this world, right where we are. Pray for people to open their eyes to recognize the choices they are making; whether they will lead to the joy of eternal life or unending terror and death. We all live forever somewhere.
I know with whom I want to spend eternity and His name is Faithful and True! Doma
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
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