Why does God love man?

Allow me to start this article by pointing out that God’s love is universal. God loves the whole world, and Christ came for everyone (John 3:16). This is very important for us to understand. When we focus on the “all,” we are forced to think about the “kinds” of people that includes. Since God loves the world, that means He loves everyone, no matter who they are.

We all know that terrible crimes take place in this world. Nothing sickens me more than hearing about human trafficking. Children are abducted and forced into all sorts of immoral activities. Moreover, there are senseless killings daily. Sadly, the list goes on (Gal. 5:19-21).

If God knows about the terrible things that happen on the earthy, why does He still love everyone? Before we answer this, we should consider the issue from a few perspectives. How would you look at someone who brutally hurt a loved one of yours? Would it not be hard to look at this person without seeing only the evil? Yet our God loves each and every person in this world, no matter what they have done. So again, why does He love us all?

Wrong reasons God loves everyone

God does not see their sins. This is not true. We are told that God sent His Son for the ungodly (Rom. 5:6-8).  Sin is what separates us from our Father (Isa. 59:1-2). Our transgressions have immediate consequences (Rom. 6:23). Our Creator sees the sins of this world and has done so since the beginning (Gen. 5:5). This false concept causes people to misunderstand God’s love.

God does not see sin as being “that bad”.  It is ludicrous to think that God would minimize the severity of sin in order to love us. How many would send their sinless, only son to die for the ungodly (Heb. 9:28). Our Father did it because there was a high price to be paid for sin, and we could not do for ourselves.

God is a God of love and not wrath. Some people think that our Father cannot be a God of love and wrath at the same time. We are told He is love (I John 4:8). We should also consider Paul’s warning: “Because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the sons of disobedience,” (Col. 3:6). God loves all of mankind, but we will also be held accountable for our sins.

Proper reasons God loves everyone

We are His creation. In the beginning God made everything, including man (Gen. 2:7, 21-22). When He created man, it was good (Gen. 1:31). Man was not born sin-stained – that happened when man decided to break God’s law (Rom. 5:12). We are fearfully and wonderfully made because God made us (Psa. 139:14).

We were created in His image.  Our bodies are amazingly complex, but it is even more impressive that we have souls. Our God is Spirit (John 4:24). Because we were created in His image (Gen. 1:26), we have the same spirit-like quality, meaning we each have a soul (Matt. 10:28). Our God knows the true value of souls. Jesus taught that a soul is worth more than all the wealth in the world (Matt. 16:26).

We all possess the ability to love Him in return. God expects us to love Him because He loved us first. This would not be a logical expectation if we were not capable of doing it (I John 4:19). Learning about our God and Creator will motivate us to love Him. Most people will not do this, but it does not mean they lack the ability.

Let us not ever be mistaken – God loves everyone. However, that love does not overlook transgression. Let’s love God and serve Him.

                                                                                               Chuck

Are gender roles relative to culture?

As you read through the scriptures, you might wonder what God thinks of women. In truth, we do not have to guess – we can read His word and know exactly how he feels about men and women. God created both the man and the woman (Gen. 1:27).  It was Adam that named his wife Eve, since she is the mother of all the living (Gen. 2:20).  What else does God’s word say about women though?

I know when God created the genders, both were created good (Gen. 1:31). Nothing indicates that man was made smarter than woman or that she was to be some sort of slave to the man. However, the genders were obviously created with different characteristics. Women are known as the weaker vessel (I Pet. 3:7). Yes, you could find a specific woman that is physically stronger than a specific man, but this is an exception rather than a rule.

Women can give birth and nurse their children, whereas men cannot. Does this mean God loved women more or less than men? No – it means that God created a perfect mate for man and vice versa. God loves them both equally (John 3:16). We must remember that marriage does not exist in heaven (Mark 12:25). This means that man and woman both have something that makes them equally valuable to the Father. Each gender has a soul since they were created in His image (Gen. 1:26; Eccl. 12:7). 12:7). Our Lord proclaimed that every soul is worth more than all the wealth in the world (Matt. 16:26).  That goes for the soul of man and the soul of woman.

I say all of this to show that God does not “have anything against” women. By accepting that God created both genders, we must also accept that He created the genders with different roles in mind. These roles are God-defined and have NOTHING to do with culture. However, many people today argue that gender roles can change as cultures do. Specifically, some people argue that the gender roles outlined in the Bible were based on the culture of that time and are not commands of God. Let’s explore this line of thinking.

Who established the roles for men and women? Adam and Eve are indirectly responsible for these roles as they broke God’s law and sinned in the garden. The punishment was given in Genesis 3:16-19. The woman was told her pain would be multiplied at child birth and that her husband would rule over her. The man was told that the ground would be cursed and that he would work until he died by the sweat of his face. These consequences had nothing to do with the culture of that time. Instead, God told them what was expected. Additional instruction was given throughout Biblical history.

It is stated that the husband is the head of the wife and should love her as he loves himself (Eph. 5:23, 28). The wife is to love her husband and submit to Him (Eph. 5:22; Titus 2:4). These commands were not based upon cultural expectations of the day. Nor were these customs established by Paul that merely did not conflict with God’s law. Rather, they are part of God’s law. If these commands were culturally relative, then God’s authority would be severely limited.

Some people argue that when Paul wrote to Titus, he said women were expected to be the keepers of the home (Titus 2:5) due only to cultural expectations.  If the text of Titus 2:1-5 is relative to the culture of the time, then why just focus on verse about the keeper of the home? Paul stated that older women are to admonish the younger women, to love their husbands, love their children, be discreet, chaste, etc. Should we treat all these things as being culturally relative and toss them aside over time?

Some people advocate for the role of the woman to be changed and still insist that they want to follow the Lord. It is impossible stay consistent if we begin picking and choosing which Bible verses are universal and which ones are culturally relevant (and thus can be ignored). Is it a cultural thing for preachers to be men (I Cor. 14:34)? Is it a cultural thing for elders and deacons to be men (I Tim. 3:1-13)?  Was it a cultural thing that Jesus chose men to be His apostles?  This whole line of thinking does nothing more than discredit the authority of our Lord.

The apostle Paul refutes this idea of cultural relativism by example. Paul wrote by inspiration in the first century that women in his day had a specific role based on what happened in the garden of Eden several thousand years earlier. The culture Paul references was different from his own, yet his argument shows that the differences are not relevant. “And I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man, but to be in silence. For Adam was formed first, then Eve. And Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression. Nevertheless she will be saved in childbearing if they continue in faith, love, and holiness, with self-control,” (I Tim. 2:12-15).  Why would someone pluck out one aspect of this and make it cultural?

Christian women are admonished to defend their faith by giving a reason for the hope that is in them (I Pet. 3:15). They are to teach to help people see the truth (Heb. 5:12-14; Acts 18:24-26). Let us not forget the duty to teach other women (Titus 2:3-4). Having women live in subjection to their husbands, being the keeper of the home and restricting them from preaching when men are present are all God-given commands. And let us not forget that being a keeper of the home does not mean that the woman cannot also work outside the home. Read the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31 and notice how much work she did outside the home.

Women are clearly not second class citizens in the kingdom of God. Galatians 3:28 makes this perfectly clear by teaching that all are one in Christ. As the Roman brethren were told, it is not our place to question God (Rom. 9:21). God has His reasons for defining gender roles. If we do not meet those obligations for any reason, we are living contrary to His law and are thus in sin.

                                                                                                                                                                                                                             Chuck

That is not what I asked

Have you noticed how; when you ask someone a question, they often answer a different one? For example, this often happens when you ask people, “Are you going to heaven?” Many people give a response but do not truly answer the question. As you read this article, ask yourself if you are guilty of answering the wrong question.

When I ask you, “Are you going to heaven?” I am not asking you…

Do you want to go to heaven?

Although this is a good question, desiring to go somewhere and knowing whether you are going somewhere are very different. Some have concluded that they are going to heaven based upon their desire. We know this is true because of what Jesus said will happen in the last day. In Matthew 7:21-23, Christ speaks of the many who will think they are going to heaven merely because they want to go there. Let me be clear – it is good to desire to go to heaven! God’s word tells us of the requirements to actually get there though. Desire does not answer the question, “Are you going to heaven?”

Does God want you to go to heaven?

No Christian should doubt whether our heavenly Father wants us to go to heaven. He sent His Son to die on the cross so that we all might be saved (John 3:16). We are even told that our God does not want anyone to perish (II Pet. 3:9). However, we are not guaranteed to go to heaven just because our Creator wants us to go. It is true that God desires for us to join Him in heaven and thus made it accessible to us, but this does not answer the question, “Are you going to heaven?”

Do others say you are going to heaven?

Many religious people have been misled and now have a false hope of heaven. They believe they are going to heaven because of what their preacher said or because of what their family and friends told them. They are not considering what God has said about the matter. This is like when Eve was told in the garden that she would not die for disobedience when God clearly said she would (Gen. 3:4). Those who think they can blame the preacher or family member who taught error need to remember what Jesus said - when the blind lead the blind, both will fall into the ditch (Matt. 15:14).  The teachings of men do not answer the question, “Are you going to heaven?”

Do you feel like you are going?

It is sad when people are taught that they cannot know whether they are going to heaven. These people often express interest in heaven but only say that they hope to get there. Jesus came to the earth to give us a peace that surpasses all understanding (Phil. 4:7). We already discussed how people can have false assurance of heaven, but this does not mean that we cannot know. God’s standards are clear, and we should remember this when asked “Are you going to heaven?”

We can know if we are going to heaven

The fact that we can know whether we are going to heaven means we can also know when we are not going. By looking to the true path described in God’s word, we can know with certainty whether we are on track to go to heaven and can take appropriate action (Matt. 7:13-14). Notice Paul’s confidence: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but to all who have loved His appearing.” (II Tim. 4:7-8).   

Paul’s confidence does not stem from pride or love of self – it stems from confidence in our Lord. All of us are in a fight and a race that we can win, but we need to keep the faith like Paul. May we examine ourselves (II Cor. 13:5) and make sure we have a proper assurance that we are going to heaven.                                                                                      

 Chuck