Our beliefs about the character of God will shape our thinking around the Bible and about God\u2019s relationship with us and the world in which we live, and consequently how we respond to people and issues that affect our lives.<\/p>\n
Over the centuries, the prevailing view of God has been a judgemental super power who punishes people with eternal torment if they don’t accept Him or His Son, Jesus. This perspective was first developed by Augustine in the 5th Century, and reinforced during the Middle Ages and enacted during the Crusades. The theory goes like this: If I offend my neighbour who has little power over me, then the consequences are minimal, but if I offend the mortal King, he can have me killed. If I offend the immortal King of Kings, then the punishment must be eternal, because God’s power and justice and punishment are also eternal.<\/p>\n
What this view of God fails to understand is that God is focused on restoration, not retribution. The bible clearly tells us that Jesus is the best example of God, in action and attitude. Jesus exampled a God who cares for the outcast and marginalised, heals the hurting, seeks the lost and is always loving. Sadly, many Christians today continue to hold a schizophrenic understanding of God’s character, insisting that God is equally just, holy and loving, as if these are separate parts of God’s nature.<\/p>\n
In fact, God is totally and fundamentally loving, and God’s justice and holiness are products of God’s pure love. God’s justice is not a legal construct as we commonly think, but the setting right that which is wrong. The restoration of all that Sin has corrupted. God’s holiness is God’s purity. Purity of focus,\u00a0 purity of intent and love toward all of creation.<\/p>\n
How is it then that we continue to hold the view that God will punish people for eternity in a Hell that no human parent would ever think is appropriate for their disobedient children?<\/p>\n
Our understanding of the nature of God is critical to how we live. Accepting a punishing God, gives us permission to punish, ostracize, or ignore those who think and act differently from us. Knowing that God loves us unconditionally, regardless of what we do or say, inspires us to love others in the same way.<\/p>\n
Our world has more than enough examples of an unloving, unaccepting, vengeful, and punishing God from the very people who call themselves Christians. Is it any surprise that Christianity is not an attractive option to them. Let’s take time to assess the type of God we are exampling to the world and become more like true nature of God as seen in the example of Jesus.<\/p>\n
Content based on Big Questions<\/a>, Ch 4 – What is the nature of God?<\/p>\n\n\n