GOD’S GRIEF TURNED TO JOY
Recently, a nationally respected minister wrote an article entitled, "God’s Grief Over His
People. Observing the "sad and pitiful condition" of many Christians, he laments that
"Satan is trampling over multitudes of God’s people." According to this minister, the
Christian community is in a sorry state: lives are in chaos; suicides are increasing; the
divorce rate is climbing; once radiant Christians are turning their backs on the Lord;
backsliding is widespread and getting worse; iniquity is abounding; the love of many is
waxing cold; people are feeling "helpless" defeated, cast down, defenseless, and
wearied." Since these obvious sins are so widespread, it must be concluded that many
less obvious sins are at least equally if not more widespread. Sin such as
self-righteousness, religious ambition, pharisaical pride, and spiritual timidity, are
equally repugnant in God’s people.
Amazingly, these observations are about that segment of the church which has
experienced healing, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit. These people generally
believe in doctrines which declare the agonies of an unending fiery hell for the unsaved
and that they too, through sin could lose their salvation and go to eternal punishment. Is
it possible that these doctrines which supposedly motivate people to "get right" and "stay
right" with God have not only failed but in fact have had the reverse effect of arousing
sin?
The Underlying Cause
There must be an underlying cause why many Christians’ best efforts to repent are
unsuccessful. This underlying cause is directly related to a distorted image of God. The
psalmist said that those who make idols and those who trust in them will be like them
(Ps.115:8). Like the idol makers of David’s psalm, today’s Christians have accepted an
image of God that is distorted and that distortion in turn incites sin hindering their
fellowship with God. This distortion is rooted in an image of God that sees Him acting
in a manner which is contradictory to His nature. This distortion is the outgrowth of
embracing the doctrine of eternal punishment.
We as Christians have grown up with an image of a God who created mankind knowing
full well in advance that the vast majority will be condemned to eternal punishment. We
are told this same God who knows the end from the beginning is an all-powerful,
all-wise, ever-present God of unconditional love who never gives up on anybody, yet He
"writes off" just about everybody. Because of these obvious contradictions, people either
consciously or unconsciously question God’s integrity. For example: Would God be just
in condemning to eternal punishment all who have not believed the gospel, regardless of
whether they have ever heard the name of Jesus or not? Will Judas Iscariot, whom the
psalmist prophesied would betray the Messiah and whom Jesus chose to be that
instrument of betrayal, be punished eternally with no hope of forgiveness? Is God fair to
separate unto Himself even from His mother’s womb a murderer like Saul of Tarsus,
while hating Esau before he ever came out of his mother’s womb? Will a just God
condemn for eternity the Jews to whom He gave a spirit of slumber (Rom.11:8)? Such
unanswered contradictions insisted upon by the doctrine of eternal punishment, create
grounds for distrust and cynicism not only among Christians, but among many who might
otherwise be open to the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Sin Justified
As a result, Christians feel justified in their own contradictory, hypocritical behavior,
since their God is Himself contradictory and hypocritical. He says to forgive, but instead
He condemns; He says not to let the sun go down on your wrath, but He pours out His
wrath for all eternity; He says to limit punishment to 39 stripes lest the guilty party think
you vile, but He punishes for all eternity; He says to overcome evil with good, yet His
solution is eternal torment; He says to love your enemies, yet His answer us unending
hatred. His Son bears man’s punishment as a substituted for three days, yet man’s
punishment without the substitution is forever.
The image of God created by this doctrine is one of confusion, contradiction and
unreliability. Since this God "writes off" most of His creation, then Christians feel
justified in "writing off" those who do not measure up to their standards. Is this not what
justifies the curse of denominationalism which only perpetuates disunity? The nature of
this God becomes the nature of those who believe this doctrine. Today’s church is
reaping the seed it has sown. Is it any wonder so many Christians are in such pitiful
conditions?
Objections
Some well intended objector will say, "we need this doctrine to get people saved." Dear
one, if preaching the love of God as manifested in Jesus doesn’t bring people to salvation,
then all that is produced is people embracing another religion in hope of saving their own
skin. Others say, "but we need this doctrine to keep Christians from sinning." Dear
friend, is Jesus’ indwelling presence of so little significance that sin is more appealing?
We could best help those questioners by determining if they are genuinely born of the
Spirit (1Jn.3:9). Some say, "but we need this doctrine to motivate people to evangelize."
Dear one, if Jesus Christ all in and of Himself, doesn’t excite people enough for them to
want to tell the world, then perhaps they do not really know Him in the first place.
Another may say, "but it’s all in the Bible." Yes, it is in some Bibles, but not in all
Bibles.
It is asked, "why do so many people believe in eternal punishment?" If you’re like me,
you accepted certain scriptural presentations of this doctrine from respected teachers
without ever inquiring about the contradictions lest you incur their displeasure. So fear
of man is certainly a factor. More recently, I’ve realized that many of us are like the
prodigal son’s elder brother because we, like him, secretly resent the magnitude of the
father’s mercy (Lk.15:29), not to mention God’s sovereign grace in choosing when each
person shall be regenerated in spirit (1Cor.15:22-23; Gal.1:15-16).
The Foundation: Sand or Rock
Jesus spoke of the necessity to build one’s house upon the rock. The house represents
one’s spiritual life. The rock represents one’s revelation of Jesus Christ. Any life built
upon a revelation of God inconsistent with His true nature and purpose is like a building
built upon sand. When the storms of life come, the house falls. Certainly saving the lost
and building the church are high on God’s agenda, but our first and foremost priority
must be to know Him and His purposes. Though I feel sorry for Christians who may not
have experienced the rich blessings of the power of the Holy Spirit, I feel worse for those
who call Him, Lord, Lord, who cast out devils, who do miracles and mighty works, yet
may some day hear the words, "I never knew you" (Mt.7:21-23). Yes, God may be
grieving over His people, but it is because they so readily embrace doctrines which both
malign Him and sabotage themselves.
The Alternative
There is an alternative to the doctrine of eternal punishment. It is a doctrine which
reveals God’s true nature and sovereign purpose in creation, His infinite wisdom, grace
and power. His judgments whereby man partakes of His righteousness, and His love
which never fails anyone. This alternative Paul called, "my gospel" (Rom.2:16). It is the
means God uses to "judge the secrets of men" (Rom.2:16). When preached, many
misunderstand, "shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound" (Rom.6:1)? Although
this doctrine is revealed throughout the scriptures, it cannot be seen if one’s heart is
intent upon eternal punishment. The Holy Spirit sums up this alternative in Col.1:16-20.
Briefly stated, it says that Jesus Christ pre-existed "all things", that "all things" consist in
Him, and that the "all things" he creates and over which He has preeminence are the same
"all things" which He reconciles to Himself by the blood of His cross. The Greek word
here translated "reconcile" means "to change in the face of opposition." This means that
though all humanity be like Saul of Tarsus, God will change them to be pleasing and
acceptable to Himself. To limit the ‘all things’ which He reconciles is to limit the ‘all
things’ which He pre-exists and has created, not to mention belittling the blood of His
cross.
It is essential that Christians understand the nature and purpose of God. If our God is the
God of eternal punishment, then His harsh, demanding, punitive nature not only affects
our relationship to Him, but it works in us strongly affecting the way we see ourselves,
and consequently arousing the sins so detested. If our God is the God who in spite of
man’s sin, reconciles all people to Himself, then we can confidently entrust ourselves to
Him and at the same time experience His reconciling holy nature and purpose being
worked in us.
The psalmist, seeing our predicament, said, "If we have forgotten the name (or nature) of
our God, or stretched out our hands to a strange God (a false image); shall not God search
this out? For He knoweth the secrets of the heart" (Psa.44:20-21). Even now He is
searching our hearts that He might teach us afresh about Himself, that we might truly
know Him who "is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think"
(Eph.3:20), thereby turning His grief and ours into joy!
Our Prayer
Father, in Jesus’ precious name we ask you to forgive us for bowing down before false
images of you. We ask that every hindrance of pride, complacency, men’s traditions,
and fear of man be purged from our being. Grant unto us the spirit of wisdom and
revelation in the knowledge of you that we might know you, your ways, and your
purposes that Jesus might be glorified through us. Thank you. Amen!
Lee Salisbury, pastor
King Jesus Church
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