Did GOD have to make Way for us?

A month or so ago I was confronted with that very question, “Did GOD have to make a Way for people to escape the consequences/penalty that HE set up because of sin?” So basically GOD created us, HE created us cable of sin (though HE did not make us sin) and knew we would sin. The question I was asked was did HE have to then make a way for us to be saved from the consequences of the first sin by humans, and from our own sin or could HE have just left us to ourselves and to the consequences/penalty which would have been a physical and spiritual death and eternal separation from HIM?

I immediately said “YES”, HE did have to  make a way!! He could not leave us and forsake us, based on the fact that HE is LOVE. I was told “yes, but HE is also JUST. It was explained that being just was being loving. I was told that since HE was just, HE had to have a consequence for sin and HE could also have left us to face that consequence alone and HE still would have been loving. I completely disagreed with that idea. I left that conversation and did a whole lot of digging in the word, seeking GOD and pondering this question.

It helps me to put my thoughts on paper so to speak, so like I have done with different subjects throughout the years I am going to share my thoughts on this subject right here on my blog.

I want to start by looking at the definitions of Love and Just.

• Agapao is the original greek word for LOVE as in John 3:16… “For GOD so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever
  believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life.
• agapaó: to love. I love, wish well to, take pleasure in, long for; denotes the love of reason, esteem.
• Agape is the original greek word for LOVE as in 1 John 4:16 … We have come to know and have believed the love which God has for us. GOD is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him.
• agapé: love, goodwill, benevolence, good will, esteem;..
• bbenevolence:  disposition to do good. an act of kindness.  a generous gift. Synonyms: favor, boon, courtesy, grace, indulgence, kindness, mercy, service, turn
• So GOD would be benevolent:  marked by or disposed to doing good. Synonyms: beneficent, humane, benignant, compassionate, good-hearted, kind, kindhearted, kindly, softhearted, sympathetic, tender, tenderhearted, warmhearted.
• Webster definition of Love: strong affection for another arising out of kinship or personal ties.  affection based on admiration, benevolence, or common interests. an assurance of affection. warm attachment, enthusiasm, or devotion. unselfish loyal and benevolent concern for the good of another: as the fatherly concern of God for humankind. brotherly concern for others. a person’s adoration of God. Synonyms: affection, attachment, devotedness, devotion, fondness, passion.

I could not find a verse that came right out and said “GOD is just” but I found several that said “GOD is righteous” and righteous is part of the definition of just.

• Tsaddiq is the Original Hebrew word for Righteous as in… Psalm 7:11 God is a righteous judge, And a God who has indignation every day and in Ezra 9:15 “O LORD God of Israel, You are righteous, for we have been left an escaped remnant, as it is this day; behold, we are before You in our guilt, for no one  can stand before You because of this.”
• tsaddiq: just, righteous
• Websters definition of Just: having a basis in or conforming to fact or reason : reasonable. faithful to an original. conforming to a standard of correctness : proper.  acting or being in conformity with what is morally upright or good : righteous being what is merited : deserved. legally correct : lawful.  Synonyms: competent, condign, deserved, due, fair, justified, merited, right, rightful, warranted

So in taking into consideration these definitions, what we are told about GOD from Genesis to Revelations, and considering a lot more specific scriptures than mentioned above, I will still stand by my belief that since GOD is love, HE therefore couldn’t go against himself, and the end result means HE had to make a Way for us!! The only stipulation is that HE has offered the way to people (His creation) but just as HE doesn’t make us sin, HE doesn’t make us accept the way HE has offered.

Of course what we also see in the word is Yes, GOD is just, so I completely understand why there had to be a consequence or penalty for sin but because HE is LOVE; which means HE is full of compassion, grace, mercy, sympathy and kindness. HE made a way by sending HIS son JESUS to pay the penalty that HE knew we could never have paid ourselves. Therefore because of this way, we can be in relationship with HIM, which is what HE wants from the people HE has created. I know HE wants this relationship because part of loving is to be soft-hearted, attached, devoted towards those you love, and desiring good for those you love!

SO did GOD have to make Way for us? I say YES, YES, and YES!!!!

The point is that we can not seperate one aspect of GOD’s nature from the others. We have to take HIS whole nature into account as we look at scripture!

Here is a wonderful post on The Righteous Judgment of God. The following is just a wee little bit of it! “****……..God must always act justly and graciously. He can’t decide to forget about his compassion anymore than he can forget his justice. He is always guided by a sweet mixture of the two. All men will stand before the same compassionate and just judge. Each will be judged by the perfect mixture of those righteous attributes of our God. This is why the judgment we will all face is a “righteous judgment.”****God cannot forget to be gracious! He cannot even decide to be unmerciful! In the same way his mercy is always mixed with justice, his justice is always tempered by mercy.****~~Posted by Christopher C. Chapman (for complete article see link http://christopherchapmanblog.wordpress.com/2012/03/20/the-righteous-judgment-of-god/ )

Advertisements