Did God punish sin because He was angry and demanded payment or was it because He is holy and wants a relationship with us? He cannot have relationship with us without reconciliation. I have always thought that He demanded a ransom for sin and needed to punish man for sinning. The sentence He gave Adam for sin was death, which I understand to mean separation from God. Was the separation from Him not our punishment? Then, we are left with the fact that we are not capable of atoning for our sin. God provided a way for us to be reconciled to him. He would send his son to live a life worthy of the reward we lost in the fall and pay for our sins by His death on the cross. So far, I understand the atonement. I guess what I am struggling with is His motive. God certainly did not have to provide a means for our redemption. That was not promised to Adam before he sinned. He could have just let man go about his business and live separated from Him for eternity. That would have paid for our sin. So, why would he provide a way? It does not seem logical that He chose to do so because he was angry with man. That is absurd. Therefore, I am left to conclude that He did it because He loves us and wants a relationship with us. Why then, is the atonement described as satisfying the demand of God’s wrath? God cannot have a relationship with us because we choose to live a life separated from Him. Here is what I understand all evil and sin to be: We don’t trust that He is good. We want the knowledge of good and evil so we can decide for ourselves if He is good. We do not believe Him. And that is where we are left without grace, which as I understand it is his choice to provide a means to have a relationship with us. My theology may be off here. Why do people always reference Calvin on these issues instead of scripture?
What I am really asking, is this: Is God mad at us? Has he ever been? Do the words wrath and anger carry the same meaning now as they did when the Bible was penned?
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Yes, I believe that God is angry with us today, just as much as in the Bible. Not sure why it would change. People have not gotten less sinful, have they? There are many, many verses about the wrath of God, so I don't have to just go to Calvin. :) Anger and love are not opposites. I'm sure you are angry with your children many times, but still love them desperately.
ReplyDeleteBut, the wrath of God was satisfied at the cross.
ReplyDeleteFor God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ. He died for us so that, whether we are awake or asleep, we may live together with him.
ReplyDelete1 Thes 5:9,10
Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!
Romans 5:9,10