According to broadcaster Pat Robertson, the United States risks God's wrath if it forces Israel to surrender part of Jerusalem to the Palestinians.'He that touches Jerusalem touches the apple of God's eye,' Robertson said on "The 700 Club," the daily religious news-and-talk television program he hosts from his Christian Broadcasting Network.
'And if we decide we're going to wrest East Jerusalem away from the Jews and give it over to the Palestinians, we're risking the wrath of God on this nation, and I think it's very dangerous,' Robertson said.
Christians say they believe that Jesus was punished for the sins of the world. Is God a just God if he punished his son for our sins, and then punishes humanity for the same sins?
5 comments:
Aside from the rights and wrongs of Robertson's stance on Israel, is it correct to question God's justice for punishing people for their sins because even though Jesus did take their punishment, surely one only benefits from that atonement through faith in Jesus. Thus God can justly condemn a sinner to hell when they don't accept the atonement that Jesus provided. Again, God's wrath is revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of people who suppress the truth by their unrighteousness even though Christ has taken God's wrath. However, humanity doesn't automatically benefit from Christ's death. In other words, we are only forgiven when we believe in Jesus for eternal life.
Does that make any sense?
Blessings,
Andrew
If we read the entire book of Romans, which is after all a letter to be read as a letter, it puts the couple of extracts in chapter 1 in context. I think Paul is building his argument that culminates in chapters 7 & 8. Humanity, all humanity is without hope apart from the sacrificial death of Jesus. I don't think punishment is ever on God's heart. The hymnwriter Augustus Toplady put it better than I, 'Payment he will not twice demand/First at my bleeding surety's hand/And then again at mine.'
And again the apostle John wrote, ‘There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment' (1 John 4:18).
If we see God as an angry God, we are at risk of assuming that he is like us, punishing those who are not like us or who behave in a way of which we do not approve. That way, we go through life always looking over our shoulders expecting him to jump on us from a great height. We find it difficult to trust him, and we focus on ourselves and our performance rather than on his grace, mercy and unconditional love.
Hi Adam,
I can see what you're saying but I'm still not sure that Christ's death is automatically efficacious for all humanity. It seems to be that Christ's death was a payment to God that is only benefited from through faith in Christ.
And although there is a very real danger is seeing God as an angry God as you point out, there is also, I think, a danger in seeing him as being softer than he really is. Like a good Father, God does love his children unconditionally. He does accept them unconditionally and they can never be removed from his family. However is it not also true, that he also disciplines his children? Sometimes we do incur his anger - not that he rejects us, but rather he wants to correct us.
God bless you,
Andrew
Perhaps it's a bit like the debate that's going on at the moment about the government's decision not to ban smacking children by parents. We need to distinguish between anger and discipline. Parents fail their children if they do not discipline them, but the children would be brutalised if they are beaten in anger.
It's a difficult topic. Steve Chalke got into serious difficulty with his peers when he tried to deal with it, but why not try this, I promise you I will. Jesus said,'But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all truth' (John 16:13). Let's ask him to show us the truth.
I agree with you that it's a difficult topic. Like you, I shall prayerfully seek God's guidance in thinking about this.
God bless you,
Andrew
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