As men, some of us may tend to think of God as one-dimensional. For example, some of us may see Him as an angry God who just waits to bring storms into our lives when we do something wrong. For others, He is all love, no matter what we do, and His Love will cover our mistakes and sins so much so that even if we reject Him, He will never abandon us. For others, He is a giving God. When we want or need something, whether it be money, health, or friends, we pray for it and wait for Him to answer. For others, He’s a just God who, like a judge in a courtroom, judges us according to how we’ve disobeyed His Word and will punish us in both this life and the life to come. For others, He is a merciful God whose mercy covers everything we do, even the worst of sins.
While each view of God mentioned above may reflect certain aspects of His nature, we need to start with His love and His desire for His creation—us! In His goodness, He created man (and woman). He not only created us and gave us breath, but He also promised to guide, provide for, and prosper us as long as we abide in Him. Abide simply means that as His creation, we honor Him by listening to His voice through His Word, spending time in prayer, and allowing the Holy Spirit to guide us.
Why should we do this? Because He created us to stay close to Him and walk with Him so we don’t fall outside of His will and blessings. We’re much like a car that needs gas or charging, but also maintenance, cleaning, and general upkeep by its owner. Without the proper maintenance and enough gas or electric charge, the car won’t get you anywhere, and over time, it will fail to be of any use. Eventually, you will get rid of it and possibly even destroy it.
As man considers the qualities of God’s character—love, mercy, justice, provisions, and longsuffering, among others—we must consider the creation of man. We as men were not created by God to live a life separated from Him. No! One of the main reasons He created us was His desire to have a relationship with us. And because we are His creation, He knows how to take care of us. His guidance, provision, correction, mercy, goodness, and, yes, even judgment all reflect His love for humanity. He created us in love, and He desires to have a relationship with those whom He created. As part of our relationship with Him, He wants to provide and guide us and bless us. And when we start to drift away from His will and plan for our lives, His love even corrects us!
Proverbs 3:11-12
My son, do not despise the Lord’s discipline, and do not resent his rebuke, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, as a father the son he delights in.
Like all good fathers, God wants a relationship with His children, and He provides protection, guidance, and provision. Unfortunately, all too often, we don’t consider the fullness of His character, which includes His justice.
If we fail to place our faith in Jesus as Lord and fail to live according to God’s Word, we will spend eternity in HELL! Does God send anyone to Hell?
No, people go to Hell because they reject God’s free gift of salvation made possible by Jesus’ death on a cross when He took the penalty for our sins. When we reject this gift, we are demanding God’s justice in the form of eternal punishment, and we will live life as we please, according to our sinful nature.
Romans 1:24
Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.
As His creation, we can’t pick and choose what we want God to be. He is Who he is! He is not only HOLY, but He is the Majesty of the heavens and all the earth. As His creation, we must not fail to see the full character of the Most High! In His goodness, He created man. Unlike the rest of His creation, He gave men and women a soul.
Genesis 1:26
Then God said, “Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.”
Because we’re His creation, He desires to have a relationship with us.
John 17:3
Now this is eternal life: that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom you have sent.
We are not like any other part of His creation, such as clouds in the sky that He orders into submission by moving them and causing them to rain and create cover.
Job 37:11-13
He loads the clouds with moisture; He scatters his lightning through them. At His direction, they swirl around over the face of the whole earth to do whatever He commands them. He brings the clouds to punish people, or to water his earth and show his love.
No, as human beings, we have free will—free will to surrender to Him and His plan, or to reject Him and live as we desire.
Deuteronomy 30:19-20
This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live and that you may love the Lord your God, listen to his voice, and hold fast to him. For the Lord is your life, and he will give you many years in the land he swore to give to your fathers, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
While free will is a blessing to those who choose to honor Him, it becomes a curse for those who reject the very God Who created them. Simply, the created reject the Creator when they live for His creations—and earthly pleasures—rather than God himself.
Romans 1:25
They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator—who is forever praised. Amen.
But even when we stray from Him, we still have the opportunity to repent of our sins and be in relationship with Him once again. He shows us mercy because of His love for us. His mercy is part of His character, and He patiently waits for His children to return to Him. Because we are the sheep of the Good Shepherd, He will only let us walk in the wilderness for so long before He corrects us. Is correction bad? No! Because God’s correction brings us back to Him.
Hebrews 12:7
Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?
The fear of correction from God is actually healthy because it leads us to live closer to Him. And, lastly, let us not forget about the justice of God. In His goodness, He sets forward His justice! Is justice to be feared? Yes, but it’s the goodness of God that tells of His justice! God desires that none of His children would perish.
2 Peter 3:9
The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.
He created us for good works. He guides us in the good works He prepared for us before we were even created.
Ephesians 2:10
For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
He even brings about the provision and the blessings that come with our good works.
2 Corinthians 9:8
And God is able to bless you abundantly, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
But when we as men reject the very One who created us, we can stand in expectation of His judgment.
John 12:48
There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words; the very words I have spoken will condemn them at the last day.
The good news is that we don’t have to suffer eternal punishment if we put our hope and faith in Jesus Christ, with Whom we can spend all of eternity in Heaven! So how can we unpack such a great gift? We, as His children, are to abide in Him and give Him thanks for His majestic character, because in Him, we have a bounty of blessings!
Have a great weekend,
Stephen L. Thomas