Have you ever noticed how there is great deal of emphasis placed on how filthy we (humans) are or how bad we are by Christians (and the Church)? We use verses like Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fall short…” Or Isaiah 64:6, “Our most righteous acts are like filthy rags…” Yes these verses are there and are true BUT is that really the emphasis? Is this really the WHOLE story?
We know that God limited Himself and came in human form as a sacrifice to reconcile ourselves back to Him. But we hear it conveyed to us something like this, “God SHOULD’NT have come BUT He did anyway.” Or, “All we deserve is death! God had every right to just let us sit there and die BUT He came anyway.”
True. He came because we messed it up. Is it really the mindset of God that we are just so horrible and He is just so Holy that He just throws His hands in the air and says, “Geeze! What a bunch of idiots. I don’t want to come but I guess I should.”
When we say things like, “He SHOULD”NT have…” it almost sounds like He was very reluctant to do what He did. The exact opposite is true. I think He was very very willing to come. Very willing to hand His life over and go though extreme torture and death to bring us (God and man) back together.
When we talk like this it gives people the picture of a harsh father figure having to step in and do what needs to be done with no emotion.
I believe that God agonized over our sin (Genesis 6:6). I believe that he is saddened at our choice to reject Him (John 1:10-11). I believe that He has been in a continual sate of grief over our sin.
The picture I see of Jesus is carefully guiding us and lovingly sacrificing Himself for the sake of our (God and man) relationship. Not that of a fed up father that says in an aggravated voice, “Get out of the way! I’ll DO IT!!.”
The Bible paints a portrait of a God that is so frustrated with sin and the separation that it brings that He decides to step into the world. Not as a the mighty POWERFUL “get out of my way or I’ll destroy you” God. Rather He comes as the most helpless defenseless form you can imagine.
A new born baby.
And it doesn’t stop there at the birth.
He lets His own creation raise Him, teach Him and counsel Him. Lives in a small town in Israel. Make s meager living as a carpenter (I assume it was meager). And at age 30 decides to start His public ministry. Not where you would expect I might add. He doesn’t head straight to the Religious epicenter of Jerusalem. No. He heads to small towns in the north Galilee region. And in these small towns and villages He preforms great miracles. He astounds the crowds. And when He is finished He often says, “Do not tell anyone what you just saw.”
Then the betrayal.
His own creation abandoned Him, rejects Him, runs from Him, turns Him over to the Romans. Then His creation, beats Him, mocks Him and crucifies Him. Even while He is on the cross He is insulted and ridiculed and mocked. Then He dies and is resurrected. Then He turns around and uses that same act of cruelty as our forgiveness. This is humility. This is not the action of a frustrated and fed up father that reluctantly steps in because HE HAS TO.
The Bible also says this about us Who you are in Christ so lets meditate on these as well as the “I am horrible” verses. Of course we are all sinners (Romans 6:23, 3:23 etc…) saved by grace. We are also seated in high places, forgiven, priest and priestesses and so on…
What if my 4 daughters met me everyday after work at my front door and just groveled at my feet saying how unworthy they were and how lucky they were that I came home (because “I DIDN’T HAVE TO” but I did anyway). This is not how a father wants his children to see him. I want my kids to know they are loved, they are priestesses and they are precious. I think the God of the universe is like this as well.
Lets not just fixate on this type of thinking as quoted, “The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked; his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes, than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours.” Ouch.
Remember this Who you are in Christ and this is how He thinks of you.
Remember that the deepest truth about you is that you are made in the image of God NOT that you are a sinner.
Hope this helps.
We know that God limited Himself and came in human form as a sacrifice to reconcile ourselves back to Him. But we hear it conveyed to us something like this, “God SHOULD’NT have come BUT He did anyway.” Or, “All we deserve is death! God had every right to just let us sit there and die BUT He came anyway.”
True. He came because we messed it up. Is it really the mindset of God that we are just so horrible and He is just so Holy that He just throws His hands in the air and says, “Geeze! What a bunch of idiots. I don’t want to come but I guess I should.”
When we say things like, “He SHOULD”NT have…” it almost sounds like He was very reluctant to do what He did. The exact opposite is true. I think He was very very willing to come. Very willing to hand His life over and go though extreme torture and death to bring us (God and man) back together.
When we talk like this it gives people the picture of a harsh father figure having to step in and do what needs to be done with no emotion.
I believe that God agonized over our sin (Genesis 6:6). I believe that he is saddened at our choice to reject Him (John 1:10-11). I believe that He has been in a continual sate of grief over our sin.
The picture I see of Jesus is carefully guiding us and lovingly sacrificing Himself for the sake of our (God and man) relationship. Not that of a fed up father that says in an aggravated voice, “Get out of the way! I’ll DO IT!!.”
The Bible paints a portrait of a God that is so frustrated with sin and the separation that it brings that He decides to step into the world. Not as a the mighty POWERFUL “get out of my way or I’ll destroy you” God. Rather He comes as the most helpless defenseless form you can imagine.
A new born baby.
And it doesn’t stop there at the birth.
He lets His own creation raise Him, teach Him and counsel Him. Lives in a small town in Israel. Make s meager living as a carpenter (I assume it was meager). And at age 30 decides to start His public ministry. Not where you would expect I might add. He doesn’t head straight to the Religious epicenter of Jerusalem. No. He heads to small towns in the north Galilee region. And in these small towns and villages He preforms great miracles. He astounds the crowds. And when He is finished He often says, “Do not tell anyone what you just saw.”
Then the betrayal.
His own creation abandoned Him, rejects Him, runs from Him, turns Him over to the Romans. Then His creation, beats Him, mocks Him and crucifies Him. Even while He is on the cross He is insulted and ridiculed and mocked. Then He dies and is resurrected. Then He turns around and uses that same act of cruelty as our forgiveness. This is humility. This is not the action of a frustrated and fed up father that reluctantly steps in because HE HAS TO.
The Bible also says this about us Who you are in Christ so lets meditate on these as well as the “I am horrible” verses. Of course we are all sinners (Romans 6:23, 3:23 etc…) saved by grace. We are also seated in high places, forgiven, priest and priestesses and so on…
What if my 4 daughters met me everyday after work at my front door and just groveled at my feet saying how unworthy they were and how lucky they were that I came home (because “I DIDN’T HAVE TO” but I did anyway). This is not how a father wants his children to see him. I want my kids to know they are loved, they are priestesses and they are precious. I think the God of the universe is like this as well.
Lets not just fixate on this type of thinking as quoted, “The God that holds you over the pit of hell, much as one holds a spider, or some loathsome insect over the fire, abhors you, and is dreadfully provoked; his wrath towards you burns like fire; he looks upon you as worthy of nothing else, but to be cast into the fire; he is of purer eyes than to bear to have you in his sight; you are ten thousand times more abominable in his eyes, than the most hateful venomous serpent is in ours.” Ouch.
Remember this Who you are in Christ and this is how He thinks of you.
Remember that the deepest truth about you is that you are made in the image of God NOT that you are a sinner.
Hope this helps.
