A Misunderstanding of LOVE and JUSTICE…Spiritualizing away the JUDGMENTS… Is it possible that maybe we are misunderstanding what love really is? There is a teaching that says it is contrary to God’s love to destroy/kill the sinner. Where does this come from?
““Satan deceives many with the plausible theory that GOD”S LOVE for His people is so great that He will excuse sin in them; He represents that while THE THREATENINGS of God’s word are to serve a certain purpose in His moral government, they are never to be LITERALLY FULFILLED.” (Patriarchs and Prophets, p.522)
“GOD”S LOVE is represented in our day as being of such **a character as would forbid His destroying the sinner.** Men reason from their own low standard of right and justice….
The plea may be made that A LOVING FATHER would not see His children suffering the punishment of God by fire while He had the power to relieve them. But God would, for the good of His subjects and for their safety, punish the transgressor. God does not work on the plan of man. He can do INFINITE JUSTICE that man has no right to do before his fellow man. Noah would have displeased God to have drowned one of the scoffers and mockers that harassed him, but God drowned the vast world. Lot would have had no right to inflict punishment on his sons-in-law, but God would do it in STRICT JUSTICE.
Who will say God will not do what He says He will do?”—Ellen White Manuscript Releases 12:207-209;
Men reason from their own low standard of right and justice. They see right as wrong, and justice as injustice, and they term his judgments as unrighteous. Spiritualism And Satan’s attack God’s JUSTICE with ELOQUENT PORTRAYALS OF LOVE such as “God is so loving that He won’t DESTROY.”
“It is true that spiritualism is now changing its form and, veiling some of its more objectionable features, is assuming
558
a Christian guise. But its utterances from the platform and the press have been before the public for many years, and in these its real character stands revealed. These teachings cannot be denied or hidden. { GC 557.2}
Even in its present form, so far from being more worthy of toleration than formerly, it is really a more dangerous, because a more subtle, deception. While it formerly denounced Christ and the Bible, it now professes to accept both. But the Bible is interpreted in a manner that is pleasing to the unrenewed heart, while its solemn and vital truths are made of no effect. LOVE is dwelt upon as the chief attribute of God, but it is degraded to a weak sentimentalism, making little distinction between good and evil. GOD’S JUSTICE, His denunciations of sin, the requirements of His holy law, are all kept out of sight. The people are taught to regard the Decalogue as a dead letter. Pleasing, bewitching fables captivate the senses and lead men to reject the Bible as the foundation of their faith. Christ is as verily denied as before; but Satan has so blinded the eyes of the people that the deception is not discerned.” { Great Controversy 557, 8}
So they are degrading love by this teaching. Satan and spiritualism are attacking God’s justice and His word claiming a better understanding of LOVE.
“The prince of darkness, who has so long bent the powers of his mastermind to the work of deception, … he presents spiritualism in its more refined and intellectual aspects, and thus succeeds in drawing many into his snare. … He appeals to the reason by the presentation of elevating themes; he delights the fancy with enrapturing scenes; and he enlists the affections by his ELOQUENT PORTRAYALS OF LOVE and charity. He excites the imagination to lofty flights, leading men to take so great pride in their own wisdom that in their hearts they despise the Eternal One. That mighty being who could take the world’s Redeemer to an exceedingly high mountain and bring before Him all the kingdoms of the earth and the glory of them, will present his temptations to men in a manner to pervert the senses of all who are not shielded by divine power.” { Great Controversy Page 553, 4}
So what happens to the 100’s of scriptures that show He does destroy at this point? GONE… It looks good to the eyes to many. And the fruit may even taste good. But its a misrepresentation of God. Its not the God of the Bible. Its the god of this world gathering his forces for the great battle. (Revelation 16:12-14)
“As already shown, the theory which forms the very foundation of spiritualism is at war with the plainest statements of Scripture.” (Great Controversy 556)
God commanded His people to destroy in the Old Testament. many are saying this is contrary to His character. Regarding the Levites who were commanded to destroy the unrepentant rebels in the story of the golden calf we read this:
“Those who performed this terrible work of judgment (Not murder) were acting by divine authority, executing the sentence of the King of heaven. Men are to beware how they, in their human blindness, judge and condemn their fellow men; but when God commands them to execute His sentence upon iniquity, He is to be obeyed. Those who performed this painful act, thus manifested their abhorrence of rebellion and idolatry, and consecrated themselves more fully to the service of the true God. The Lord honored their FAITHFULNESS by bestowing special distinction upon the tribe of Levi.” (EGW PP 323)
She continues…
“Had their life been spared, the same spirit that led them to rebel against God would have been manifested in hatred and strife among themselves, and they would eventually have destroyed one another. It was in love to the world, in love to Israel, and even to the transgressors, that crime was punished with swift and terrible severity.” (PP 323)
Love is the fruit of the spirit. And it was even love to the ones who were killed. The everlasting love. A loss for God. God doesn’t desire to do it. But we are told that God will do what He says.
Hath God really said “I WILL DESTROY”? We need only to do a short word search in scripture to see the truth in this matter. It is not a matter of a Loving God vs a Destructive God. God does not desire to destroy. His hand is forced.
“To our merciful God the act of punishment is a strange act. “As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live.” Ezekiel 33:11. The Lord is “merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, … forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.” Yet He will “by no means clear the guilty.” Exodus 34:6, 7. While He does not delight in vengeance, He will execute judgment upon the transgressors of His law. He is forced to do this, to preserve the inhabitants of the earth from utter depravity and ruin. In order to save some He must cut off those who have become hardened in sin” {Ellen White Patriarchs and Prophets Page 628)
