Some people say, “How can a God of love judge and punish people. Is this not a contradiction?”
Read Nahum 1: 2-6
When you read the prophets, sooner or later you’re confronted by the fact that they talk a lot about God’s judgement. Like many others today I have struggled to reconcile the God of love with the God of judgement. God is so insistent that his character is defined by love. Jesus, God’s most perfect revelation of what he’s like was also defined by his love and compassion, although he did get angry with the religious and the oppressors of the poor.
So why all this talk of judgement? Many atheists portray God as capricious and cruel, and love v judgement seems to be a real barrier to some people coming to faith. This is something I’ve had to wrestle with. I don’t hold the view, that I’ve heard others express, that, “God is God and can do whatever he chooses”. I can’t go along with that is because I believe that God would never do something that contradict his character and his self-revelation.
Two things in particular come to mind; the first has to do with justice, and the second with God’s concern for people.
The world would be a terrible place without justice .People would be able to do just as they pleased and there would be little protection for the weak and powerless. God’s love and judgment are not opposed to each other, his judgement flows from his love and his desire to be just. Some people simply will not choose to do what’s right, constantly preying on the weak, the vulnerable and the poor. Justice demands that they are stopped. The reason Jesus came into the world was to deal with evil in the world, an evil that resides in the human heart. Jesus rescues and frees people from the power of evil at every opportunity, but some people are so resistant to God having any say in their life that they will not allow themselves to be freed from evil and ultimately are destroyed by it.
So why doesn’t God just stop them straight away? Surely, he has the power to do that, as verse 3 suggests. Why do evil people often seem to prosper? Once again, the Bible gives a reason and an explanation: Verse 3 says, “The LORD is slow to get angry”.
Joel gives a similar message in chapter 2: 13, “ “Don’t tear your clothing in your grief, but tear your hearts instead.” Return to the LORD your God, for he is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. He is eager to relent (or show mercy) and not punish.”
Or in 2 Peter 3: 9, “The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed but wants everyone to repent.”
God doesn’t want to lose a single precious human being, but he must honour the freedom of choice he gives each one. So, he waits, in the hope that people will want to surrender their evil hearts and be changed.
[See also Exodus 34:6 NLT, 2 Peter 3:9 NLT, 1 Timothy 2:3-4,6 NLT]
Are you praying for someone who seems resistant to God? Don’t give up…remember this story that Jesus told. Maybe you’re like the person who looked after the vineyard!
Luke 13:6,8-9 NLT
Then Jesus told this story: “A man planted a fig tree in his garden and came again and again to see if there was any fruit on it, but he was always disappointed. [8] “The gardener answered, ‘Sir, give it one more chance. Leave it another year, and I’ll give it special attention and plenty of fertilizer. [9] If we get figs next year, fine. If not, then you can cut it down.’”
Pilgrim Traveller 