Paradox wk2 - LOVE HATE GOD

Dr. Kent Leinberger — My very dear brothers and sisters in Christ, I apologize for missing the Sundays since Easter. I’ve had a serious flare-up with my low back, neck, and right shoulder that has prevented me from being able to drive because of my concern for other individuals on the streets and highways.

On the other hand, I want to comment on the topic listed above. To the point, our God is, most emphatically, a loving Father to all of his children. Yes, it is very true that the same God described in the Old Testament is the very same God of the New Testament. He is righteous and requires individuals to place their faith, as the writer of Hebrews attests, in His promises. There will be a final Judgement. The only ones that will enter into the New Jerusalem that He will establish on an entirely reconstructed New Earth are those who by faith have either been credited with faith during Old Testament times, or who have trusted in His son Jesus Christ during New Testament times. Specifically, God is a righteous God and He is not tolerant of Sin. The presence of sin requires our righteous God to render judgement and this presents absolutely no paradox at all.

If He is the same, then why the difference?
If God is unchanging than why does He seem to change?

My God is perfect in love, mercy and grace. My God is also perfect in justice. God did not turn his back on us, we turned away from Him. It was God, who by sending his only son to die in our place, restored our relationship with him. It is only through God’s sacrifice that we will spend eternity with Him in heaven. God wants none to parish, but for all to come to him. In spite of this, much of the world still turns away from God. Thousands of Christians are killed in north Africa, Christianity is outlawed in other places. The book of Revelation tells of the future great battle between God and
Satan. God will utterly destroy Satan, his demons and all who have turned away from Him. Yet during this time of the great Tribulation God is still reaching out to save those who would turn.
Rev. 11 tells of the two witnesses preaching for 3 1\2 years. Rev. 14 talkes about the 144,000
witnesses or evangelists. Rev 14: 6-7 says “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people”. God wants all to be saved. If God is perfect in love then he must also be pefect in justice. God has made salvation available to all. It is up to us accept or reject it.

Steve Whelchel

Is the glass half-empty or half-full? Does God send people to Hell or does He rescue us from it?

As I see it, the problems of sin - Hell, suffering, the evil of this world - are consequences of our (mankind’s) choice to disobey God. And before you go blaming Adam and Eve, take a quick inventory of how you have personally offended God on a regular basis. We shake our fists, reject His truths, and put to death His Son. Even with understanding that the things He tells us to do are for our own good and the good of others, we’re still rebels. We, I, intentionally choose to disobey Him. So, my question is: if God really is holy and righteous - like we sing about and like we read about in the Bible - then how can He stand us? How can a perfect God put up with our rebellious and self-centered natures? We deserve to be separated from Him forever.

But that’s not what we get. God’s love looks beyond what we deserve. He provided a way out, and really, this is nothing new. The Old Testament shows many examples of God rescuing people from certain death and even His own judgments. He rescued Noah and his family from the Flood, Lot and his daughters from Sodom and Gomorrah, Rahab from the destruction of Jerico, and the Israelites from slavery in Egypt, from Pharoah at the Red Sea and from their own sinfulness numerous times.

Romans 3 puts the problem this way: “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (verse 23).” But it goes on to say, “The God-setting-things-right that we read about has become Jesus-setting-things-right for us. And not only for us, but for everyone who believes in him. For there is no difference between us and them in this. Since we’ve compiled this long and sorry record as sinners (both us and them) and proved that we are utterly incapable of living the glorious lives God wills for us, God did it for us. Out of sheer generosity he put us in right standing with himself. A pure gift. He got us out of the mess we’re in and restored us to where he always wanted us to be. And he did it by the means of Jesus Christ.”

Ginny W.

Dr. Kent Leinberger These comments were forwarded to me by my very dear Christian friend of at least 30 years. I truly believe that thay are worth serious consideration by all Journey Church members:

_Why Go To Church?_

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• If you’re spiritually alive, you’re going to love this! If you’re spiritually dead, you won’t want to read it. If you’re spiritually curious, there is still hope! *

• Why Go To Church?*

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• A Church goer wrote a letter to the editor of a newspaper and complained that it made no sense to go to church every Sunday.(or Saturday) ‘I’ve gone for 30 years now,’ he wrote, ‘and in that time I have heard something like 3,000 sermons. But for the life of me, I can’t remember a single one of them. So, I think I’m wasting my time and the pastors are wasting theirs by giving sermons at all.’ *

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• This started a real controversy in the ‘Letters to the Editor’ column, much to the delight of the editor. It went on for weeks until someone wrote this clincher: *

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• ‘I’ve been married for 30 years now. In that time my wife has cooked some 32,000 meals. But, for the life of me, I cannot recall the entire menu for a single one of those meals But I do know this.. They all nourished me and gave me the strength I needed to do my work. If my wife had not given me these meals, I would be physically dead today. Likewise, if I had not gone to church for nourishment, I would be spiritually dead today!’ When you are DOWN to nothing… God is UP to something! Faith sees the invisible, believes the incredible and receives the impossible! Thank God for our physical AND our spiritual nourishment! *

• All right, now that you’re done reading, if you’re of a mind, send it on! I think everyone should read this! ‘When Satan is knocking at your door, simply say, ‘Jesus, could you get that for me?*