In my own words: As I was praying this morning I was thinking about and praising God for how God’s attributes are never sometimes on and sometimes off, even though I don’t completely understand it. When I thought of Old Testament passages it didn’t always seem like God’s righteousness (results of which are judgment and wrath) was accompanied by His love. It worthwhile to note that God’s judgment and wrath are not found only in the OT, but that’s my natural thought about where they are displayed.
Continuing with the thought above…God’s love is not diminished by His other attributes nor His other attributes by His love. One of the verses from my devotion this morning demonstrates this: “Woe to them, because they have strayed from me! Destruction to them, because they have rebelled against me! I long to redeem them but they speak lies against me.” (Hosea 7:13 NIV) I didn’t even pick up on it when I read through the passage (vv. 8-16 was today’s reading) the first time. But here is God pronouncing destruction, yet what does He say? He says, “I long to redeem them…”
In my own life, I fear God’s chastening for my sin (1 Cor. 11:32; Heb. 12:7-10). I do not want to regard iniquity in my heart and disrupt or sever my communion with God. I desire to be conformed to the image of Christ and not only seek to confess my sin, but ask for God’s help in not doing it again. But my natural man recoils from the idea of chastening for my sin. I would interpret suffering those consequences as proof that the sin was my fault (which in reality it is; sin is always the result of a willful choice). I also don’t like the idea of enduring consequences for my sin. I want a happy, successful, care-free life after all. I don’t think those adjectives would characterize Christ’s life: happy, successful, care-free. Jesus accomplished in obedience what was set out from eternity past for Him to accomplish, but that is different from our view of success today. Happiness is determined by our external circumstances, not an internal joy irrespective of external circumstances. How can a Christian be care-free? In one sense I guess we are because God has provided all that we need. Further, our flesh has been crucified and along with its worldly desires. But enduring chastening for my sin doesn’t equate with my idea of care-free. By care-free I mean unhindered to pursue my own agenda. In that regard, the follower of Christ is not care-free; our agenda was crucified with Christ.
But I can trust God that when He chastens me, He does so because He loves me. And I can trust God that in His chastening He will be conforming me to the image of Jesus Christ, my savior and king. I can trust God that even as His righteousness is being displayed, His mercifulness, graciousness and love are on display as well. The Lord my God, in Whom there is no shadow of turning (James 1:17), is my God. In Him I have life now and life eternal. He is my inheritance.
“It is a trustworthy statement, deserving full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into world to save sinners, among whom I am foremost of all.” The Apostle Paul writing to Timothy in 1 Timothy 1:15 (NASB).
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