If God is Love....

It has come to thought at times when I think about all the people who have never heard the word of God that How could God throw these people into hell without them being aware of the fact that they are going there? To me it seems that God is reasonable and has planned out the fate of each person. I know that not everyone will be going to heaven, but it still bothers me at times to think that most people will not see His face and be cast forever into eternal punishment in hell for their sins unaware. I guess that's anybody's misunderstanding of God's love for His creation. It looks like there is a paradox because God has an agape unconditional love for mankind. Let me share with you my thoughts after meditating on the book of Job. I hope this will give you comfort in the times of frustration in the issue of guilt and the pleasures in fantasy of a life without God that may be conjured up in your mind when you think about letting go of your faith. My first note to make is you will never escape the feeling of guilt by escaping the thought of a living personal God.

What comforts me is that the only answer for guilt is in the Bible. The Bible gives the most adequate answer for our guilt and the only reason why we have guilt in the first place. The Bible says God gave us a conscience and we are all aware of that--that is a given--we just know there is right and wrong. We know what is right and wrong but we also like to make our own rules to what is right and wrong. In this act we make ourselves to be our own god. We hold onto our integrity like Job did so sure that we don't deserve any judgement from God even as His people. But the Bible says different. It says that even God gives grace to the wicked and chastisement to his own people. Also God is the one who made the cosmos and the earth and everything in it. He was there in the beginning and knows everything about the universe and all of existence. Who is man to make himself like God and judge what is fair--what is right and wrong? For man judges with his eyes. Man looks at the world through the lens of his eyes and misinterprets good judgement. God does not show partiality with man but delivers judgement to all and gives grace to all. He wishes all to be saved and shows his love for both the wicked and His adopted children through Christ. This doesn't necessarily mean he will save all but he loves all men equally and judges all men equally.

Listen to Elihu as he rebukes Job's three friends with these words in chapter 32:

21 I will not show partiality to any man
or use flattery toward any person.
22 For I do not know how to flatter,
else my Maker would soon take me away. 

As of all time the world has always put success as having a good education, lots of money, and an executive position. The Royals are venerated, CEO's are revered, and celebrities are idolized. Society teaches even the righteous in Christ that they must be successful and this idea gets mixed and mingled into our religious thoughts. We may contend to the idea that what we do is rewardable on earth and deserving of only good things such as a happy life, a good income, or a full stomach, and no more sorrow. We forget that in his fallen world we will endure suffering and pain and all the consequences of the fallen nature of this planet. We as human beings will undergo strife, pain, suffering, guilt, pleasure, joy, the ups and downs of a fallen world. We must not judge ourselves to be better, although we are in a sense a special election by God, we are to see no partiality with the rest of mankind and see ourselves worthy of the same punishment.

Elihu further rebukes Job in chapter 33:

8 “Surely you have spoken in my ears,
and I have heard the sound of your words.
9 You say, ‘I am pure, without transgression;
I am clean, and there is no iniquity in me.
10 Behold, he finds occasions against me,
he counts me as his enemy,
11 he puts my feet in the stocks
and watches all my paths.’
12 “Behold, in this you are not right. I will answer you,
for God is greater than man.
13 Why do you contend against him,
saying, ‘He will answer none of man’s words’?
14 For God speaks in one way,
and in two, though man does not perceive it.
15 In a dream, in a vision of the night,
when deep sleep falls on men,
while they slumber on their beds,
16 then he opens the ears of men
and terrifies them with warnings,
17 that he may turn man aside from his deed
and conceal pride from a man;
18 he keeps back his soul from the pit,
his life from perishing by the sword.
19 “Man is also rebuked with pain on his bed
and with continual strife in his bones,
20 so that his life loathes bread,
and his appetite the choicest food.
21 His flesh is so wasted away that it cannot be seen,
and his bones that were not seen stick out.
22 His soul draws near the pit,
and his life to those who bring death.
23 If there be for him an angel,
a mediator, one of the thousand,
to declare to man what is right for him,
24 and he is merciful to him, and says,
‘Deliver him from going down into the pit;
I have found a ransom;
25 let his flesh become fresh with youth;
let him return to the days of his youthful vigour’;
26 then man prays to God, and he accepts him;
he sees his face with a shout of joy,
and he restores to man his righteousness.
27 He sings before men and says:
‘I sinned and perverted what was right,
and it was not repaid to me.
28 He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit,
and my life shall look upon the light.’
29 “Behold, God does all these things,
twice, three times, with a man,
30 to bring back his soul from the pit,
that he may be lighted with the light of life.

God gives no partiality to men.

Job 34

13 Who gave him charge over the earth,
and who laid on hima the whole world?
14 If he should set his heart to it
and gather to himself his spirit and his breath,
15 all flesh would perish together,
and man would return to dust.
16 “If you have understanding, hear this;
listen to what I say.
17 Shall one who hates justice govern?
Will you condemn him who is righteous and mighty,
18 who says to a king, ‘Worthless one,’
and to nobles, ‘Wicked man,’
19 who shows no partiality to princes,
nor regards the rich more than the poor,
for they are all the work of his hands?

If we look at the religions of the world we don't see an answer for guilt:

• In Islam even after all the prayers and supplications and good works there is still only a maybe you'll go to heaven. And their god goes against his own character by forgiving his people regardless of what he laid down by law.
• The Jews have rejected Jesus Christ as the coming Messiah.
• Buddhists try to ignore pain and suffering.
• Other pagan religions try to inflict themselves to show reverence to their gods so that their gods won't punish them and instead deliver them from their circumstances in hope of a better life next time or blessings in this one.

There is no answer except in Jesus Christ.

I hope you now see a reason to spread God's Good News of salvation in Jesus Christ and the need for a Saviour in this fallen world of pain, agony, and guilt. Be as God's people, see no partiality with all people and spread the Word. Even God's people need to hear His Good Word. Saved or not, you're still fallen and in need of His Word daily. For man does not live on bread alone but only the Word of God.