LOVE AND PUNISHMENT -- Monday:
Some, not understanding the nature of God, ask "If God is love, why does He punish sinners?" "Why did He require the Israelites to kill whole groups of people, including children?" "Why does He allow tragedies to happen?" The questions are endless. In our day, due to the high level of Scriptural illiteracy, they are being asked more and more, and are even the source of much unbelief and rejection of Jesus.
First, God owes us no explanation for what he does. As it is written, "Why do you contend with Him? For He does not give an accounting of any of His words" (Job 33:13, NKJV). Notwithstanding that circumstance, this matter is addressed in Scripture, and we do well to give attention to it.
"God is love" (1 John 4:8), but He is not ONLY love. He is also righteous and holy. That makes Him incompatible with sin, which cannot remain in His presence. In their sin, sinners have rejected God, and said they do not want to be with Him. They are therefore deserving of punishment, like someone who breaks the law which has been plainly stated.
God has no alternative but to punish those who insist on remaining in sin -- just like the law of gravity has no alternative, so to speak, but to let those who jump from tall buildings fall to the ground to their own harm. God's love, in this case, is not the issue, but man's disobedience.
In the case of little children, caught up in the judgments of God (the flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, and the destruction of Jerusalem, as well as the wars of Israel), one must remember this world is not the only world. Viewed from a higher vantage point, those children were delivered from this world into the a better one. Also, God is not unmindful of children, as confirmed in His consideration of Nineveh. That wicked city had 120,000 children could not (not did not) "discern between their right hand and their left hand" (Jonah 4:11). It is not wise to go beyond these general observations in this matter, for God does not provide extensive explanations of such things. Suffice it to say, there are tremendous penalties associated with sin.
But this is not all there is to the matter. God does not prefer to punish sinners, He has provided a way for them to be forgiven of their sin and removed from its dominion over them. That is what Jesus Christ is all about. God sent Him into the world to provide a way out of His punishment.
Here is how the Jesus said it. "For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God" (John 3:17-18).
It would be wrong for God to allow sinners to get by with breaking His Law and refusing His Savior. It would also be wrong for God to reject those who receive His Savior and keep His word.
As for questioning why God punishes the wicked, it would be just as right to ask the question, "God is righteous. why did He provide a Savior?" as to ask, "God is love. Why does He punish sinners." If man has fallen, and done so deliberately, why should God recover Him? It is because that is the way God is. It is His nature to do so. Who God IS accounts for both punishment and salvation.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, I thank You for being both just and merciful, both holy and gracious. I rejoice that Your great salvation keeps all of these traits in tact for the salvation of such as myself.