The Fury of God's Love

"Watch out now." "You better be nice." "You're gonna burn in hell." "You better play by the rules." "Don't make me come down there."

Today, the Christian church in America has shifted too far in the opposite direction, but not too long ago preachers pounded on pulpits and threatened the fires of hell, if you did not accept Christ as Savior. The truth is that without Christ all are condemned to hell. Our condemnation is not the question. The question is, "How shall we escape condemnation?" And yes, Jesus is the answer.

I say these things to beg the question, "Shall we fear God"? Do we need to be afraid of God, and are there different types of fear of God? How can an all loving God be full of wrath? First of all, yes, you should fear God. And I pray your fear is grounded in a balanced knowledge of who is He, and not a one-sided perspective. Allow me to explain.

Put your self in the place of an American slave in the 1800s. Your lord is harsh man. He works you to the ground; He punishes you harshly, when you make a mistake or fail in a task. Though he does provide you with shelter, food, and clothing, you see no hope of ever being free. Your lord has total domination over your life and treats you harshly. You would do anything to escape him. Any positive thing he does for you is overshadowed by your fear and anger towards this abusive person.

Now, let's trade you to another master. This master still requires of you hard work and service, but the master is kind. You are a part of his family. He is providing for you in exchange for your service. You have clothes, food, and shelter. You know your master's business and you help him with it. The work is hard, but you share in it knowing that you are of mutual benefit to each other, and that your lord is a fair man. You are still his slave, he bought and paid for you, and if you try to run, or fail in your duties, there will be stern punishment. But you also know that this master may someday set you free. He has the power and authority to keep you, or to set you free.

The first master is the picture Satan would have you believe about God, when it is really the devil that holds you down. Satan would have you believe that God is an evil one-sided oger that will never let you go. Satan wants you to think God is oppressive, controlling, and full of wrath.

The reality is that Satan is the destructive master. But Satan is also subject to God's sovereignty. God can and has destroyed individuals, families, cities, nations, and even the entire know world. He has destroyed evil, and he will do it again. You should be afraid of that. God has promised to destroy everything that is evil or causes evil, and He has demonstrated this in the past. You do not want the Lord to break out against you. You want to be on His side.

Now, knowing that God has such awesome power over His enemies, we also understand that this is the fury of His love. We know that He destroys His enemies for the sake of His people and His kingdom. Do you want murders in heaven? If murderers lived in heaven, it would not be heaven, would it? Do you want rapists, liars, thieves, and quarrellers in heaven? That would ruin the whole deal.

God is at work fitting us for heaven. He is preparing a place for us. I know you think of mansions, when that phrase appears. But what about the rooms of our hearts? What if it is really the spaces of our heart that need to be made ready for heaven. Certainly it is. We must come to understand that fear of God is justified. He can and does break out against evil. He is holy. He is Mighty. He is the Eternal God. He is also Our Righteousness.

The ultimate deception is associating our fear with unjustified or evil motives of God, rather than the fury of His love.

Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. - 1 Corinthians 15:24-26 ESV

- Recommended Fiction Reading: Karen Kingsbury, Every Now & Then
- Recommended Music: Rich Mullins, The Love of God, Songs 2

Know the Blessing