Please hear me when I say: “God is not ‘out to get you’...but He did come to get you.”

Again...would you read that once more and read it aloud...then take a look at John 3:17.

Yesterday, I pointed out how those who fall under God’s judgements are oftentimes oblivious or unaware as to the what and why’s they are experiencing God’s wrath. (Hosea 4:6). John 3:36 states that those who are not believers in Jesus...the wrath of God abides or remains on them already. Would you let that sink in for a moment. Could you even explain to a non-believer what that even means? 1 John 5:19 might help.

There is something else I need to point out today regarding God’s judgements that is very important to hear and understand. You’ll find it spelled out in 2 Pet. 3:9 – God is patient with us and is not willing that ANY...should perish (be destroyed)...but that ALL should come to repentance.” It is His will for ‘all men to be saved’. (1 Tim. 2:4)

We see a pattern established by God early on going way back in the Old Testament, where He would bring in (or allow) the enemies of His people when they rebelled against Him to carry out his wrath, His judgements, and His curses. And the majority of times, it was with the direct intent to humble His people and bring them to repentance so they would turn from their sinful ways... so that He could, in turn, bless them again.

When was the last time you poured over Deut. 28-29, reading how God made it clear...Do what I ask of you to do and I will bless you beyond your wildest dreams; but turn away from me and things will get quite bad for you. These were not ‘threats’, but warnings, just as any loving parent would lay down for their own children. God told them over and over there in those chapters how their enemies would come in and take them captive, or their children captive and suffering would abound. But...if/when they returned to Him with all their hearts, that God would ‘bring them back from captivity and have compassion on them’. But please note how He ties in that condition of returning to Him... with “ALL their hearts”. (Deut. 30:1-10)

I don’t know who needs to hear this, but we do not have the luxury of separating the God of the OT with the God of the NT; He is One and the same, and He never changes. (Mal. 3:6; Heb. 13:8). “In the beginning was the Word...the Word was with God and the Word WAS God...and the Word became flesh and dwelt among us...” (John 1:1,14). Jesus told His disciples...”he who has seen Me has seen the Father”. (John 14:9) Jesus is...the ‘express image of the invisible God’. (Col. 1:15)

And that same Jesus is the one who pleads with us to ‘come to Him’, that we might have life...and protection. (John 5:39-40; Matt. 23:37) This same Jesus was the one who instructed people to “go and sin no more...or something worse may come upon you.” (John 5:14; 8:11). And it was this same Jesus who made it quite clear that various tragedies and sufferings that had befallen people...did not happen to them because they were ‘worse sinners than anyone else ...but unless we repent, we too, would all...likewise...perish”. (Luke 13:1-5). Even Peter made it clear, pointing back to the writings of old...that this same Jesus was the One Moses spoke of whom God would send...and those who failed to ‘hear Him in all things and do whatever He says...will be utterly destroyed from among the people.” (Acts 3:19-26)

So where does ‘grace’ come in to all this? I’m glad you asked! Meet me back here tomorrow ...if you can.