How to Save the Hypothetical Man
Part 2 of 3
Question 2: How is God a God of love if He condemns those who disobey Him?
First, pardon me if this seems disrespectful, but I believe questions like this are rooted in humanistic thought. The reason for this is it places prime importance on human interests and human values while ignoring the fact that God is…well…He’s God. It would be good at this time to recall that the serpent’s promise to Eve was that if she ate the Fruit, she would be her own god and would decide for herself what is good and evil (see
Genesis 3:5). In other words, Eve was promised after she ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil, she could do what she wanted and believe what she wanted without any consequence. At its very core, this promise was the exaltation of the human over the divine, which is humanism.
Before going further, we need to determine what is meant by “God’s love.” There are four different Greek words defined as “love” in our Bible. These are agape, phileo, storge, and eros. I would love to explain the differences between these words, but that is not the purpose of this study. Instead, I want to focus on the love God says He has as a Father for his children. No parent that genuinely loves their child would allow them to do everything they wished. Thus, a “good parent” will establish clear boundaries whereby their child can be kept from harm as well as find the opportunity to properly mature. These verses compare God’s love with the rules (commands) that a parent establishes to show their child what is and what is not acceptable.
Proverbs 3:11-12 My son, do not despise the LORD’s discipline or be weary of his reproof, [12] for the LORD reproves him whom he loves, as a father the son in whom he delights.
Proverbs 13:24 Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.
Hebrews 12:5-11 And have you forgotten the exhortation that addresses you as sons? “My son, do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him. [6] For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” [7] It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? [8] If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. [9] Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live? [10] For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. [11] For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.
These verses describe boundaries in which a child is safely confined by their father. And like a loving father to his child, God has established boundaries He expects His children to live within. Those who faithfully stay within these boundaries also find safety and opportunity to grow. The difference is, within God’s boundaries His children find safety from evil, and opportunity to spiritually grow into Christlikeness. Those who misunderstand God’s boundaries will either see them legalistically like a fortress that separates them from the impure sinners of the world. Or they will see them humanistically like a prison that restrains them from acting and believing as they wish.
Notice what the apostle Paul said about God’s commands in these next verses:
1 Timothy 1:3-12 As I urged you when I was going to Macedonia, remain at Ephesus so that you may charge certain persons not to teach any different doctrine, [4] nor to devote themselves to myths and endless genealogies, which promote speculations rather than the stewardship from God that is by faith. [5] THE AIM OF OUR CHARGE IS LOVE that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. [6] Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, [7] desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions. [8] Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, [9] understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, [10] the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, [11] in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted. [12] I thank him who has given me strength, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he judged me faithful, appointing me to his service,
Did you notice he said, “The aim of our charge is ‘love’ that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (vs. 5). That means the goal of doctrine—at least doctrine inspired by God—is love. Paul further solidified this when he wrote:
Romans 13:8-10 Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. [9] For the commandments, “You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,” and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.” [10] Love does no wrong to a neighbor; THEREFORE LOVE IS THE FULFILLING OF THE LAW.
The entire focus of the Bible is on God’s plan for mankind, which was always to be implemented through Jesus Christ. This plan was in the mind the God before anything was created. The Bible correctly says “God loves us” because it also says “God ‘is’ love.” So, if you’re looking in a dictionary for the definition of love, it would be correct if it spoke of God. Thus, Jesus was God’s plan for mankind, and this plan was conceived and achieved all because of God’s love.
Several verses describe the degree of a believer’s obedience to God’s word as being the litmus test for their love of God. We see this in verses such as
Joshua 22:5;
Mark 12:30-31;
John 13:34,
John 14:31,
John 15:12-14;
Romans 13:9;
2 Corinthians 8:8;
1 John 3:23, 1 John 4:21;
2 John 1:5-6. God does not call men and women to obey Him because He enjoys being their Celestial authority—although, He is. No, God uses His commands to communicate the love He has for His people, and when a person faithfully keeps these commands, they show their trust and commitment back to Him. This is how a person is “saved by grace.” Only those who actively respond to God’s grace receive God’s grace. Grace is not static—it’s dynamic. Look at how Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionary defines biblical grace (uppercases added by me):
Quote:
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GRACE χάρις (G5485) graciousness (as gratifying), of MANNER or ACT (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and ITS REFLECTION IN THE LIFE; including gratitude): – acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace (-ious), joy liberality, pleasure, thank (-s, -worthy).
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From this, we see God’s grace is an action from God that receives a reciprocate action from its receiver. Thus, “grace” is not simply “unmerited favor,” but is instead an unmerited opportunity from God to allow a person to respond obediently to God’s will. This is why a believer’s love for God is not found in what they say about their commitment to Him, but instead is found in the action they take when asked to follow God’s will (see
Matthew 15:8;
1 John 5:1-3;
John 14:15). This same grace (opportunity) is what is presented in every biblical account where sinners are given the opportunity to receive the New Covenant’s salvation through repentance, baptism in Jesus’ name, and receiving the Holy Ghost (see
Acts 2:38-41,
Acts 8:12-17,
Acts 9:17-18,
Acts 22:16,
Acts 10:44-48,
Acts 16:30-33,
Acts 18:8,
Acts 19:1-6). In these verses, we can see some who obeyed God’s command and received salvation, and we see some who refused this same opportunity and were thus lost. Same grace offered to each—with different responses and different outcomes depending on the individual’s action. So, if a person responds negatively to the gospel, this is not because God rejecting that person, but rather it is that person rejecting God.
So, God instructing Adam not to eat the fruit of the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil was a command based on love. After Adam and Eve disobeyed, God sending them away from the Tree of Life was love. God giving His Law (“Law” actually means “teachings”) to His children was an act of love. God sending His prophets to warn His people of impending judgment for their continual sinning was an act of love. God sending His people into exile to lead them to repentance for their sins was an act of God’s love. God’s only begotten Son dying for man’s sins—even while they were yet sinners—was an act of love. God forever destroying His Old Covenant to fully establish His New Covenant was an act of love. In all these examples, and in many more, we see God’s goal was to lead the people “not into temptation,” but to “deliver” them “from evil”, which is again—an act of love (see
Matthew 6:13). From this we see the question isn’t, “How is God a God of love if He condemns those who disobey Him?” but rather we should ask, how can men and women choose to live a life of willful disobedience against such a loving God? And since a person’s obedience to God’s commands equates to their love of God, ask yourself this—what does their disobedience equate to?