If God is love, shouldn't He be against war? That's a good question, and an important one to answer. Imagine you're a daycare teacher with a room full of children.
You have grown quite attached to all of your kids and they all have a place in your heart. Most of them get along fine, but others don't seem to be able to play nice with others. These few misbehaving children are hurting other children, taking their toys, hitting them, calling names, spitting, and biting.
Would it be fair to the well-behaved kids to keep the bad kids around? No. You'd at least send them to another room or put them in time-out.
In the stories of the Old Testament, God isn't dealing with kids who couldn't play nice. He was dealing with adults who would steal and murder the Israelites. They were vicious and cruel to God's people. In many cases, the Israelites suffered through their attacks for a long time before God stepped in and put a stop to it. (See Exodus 34:7.)
So these acts of war were actually judgments of God against wicked men. The people who died in those wars, the ones fighting against Israel, had made their decisions. They had rejected God, so God brought judgment upon them. The big picture is, God has to deal with the wicked in order to preserve the righteous.
It is true that all human beings are God's children, but that doesn't save us in the end. Those who reject God's authority will have to die so that those who accept God's authority can live without fear and without pain. The ultimate judgment comes at the end, when all the wicked will be gone.
The destruction of the wicked, a seemingly strange act by a loving God, is actually a loving act for both parties. In fact, Isaiah calls God's retribution on the wicked God's "strange work," because God is, by nature, merciful, gracious, and long-suffering (Isaiah 28:21).
By destroying the wicked, God prevents them from living a life in which they would be miserable under His rule. By destroying the wicked, God saves the righteous too. With nobody wicked around, we can fully enjoy the peace of paradise with no fear.
Love is a two-sided coin: on one side is mercy. He gives the righteous mercy because they have repented of their sins and decided to follow God. The righteous benefit from God's mercy in that they are allowed to live forever in paradise.
The other side of the coin of love is justice. He metes out justice to the wicked because they have decided they don't want to live in God's kingdom. The righteous also benefit from God's justice, in that they will not have to suffer their cruelties. Pastor Doug
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Keith Alarcon
Wednesday, October 13, 2010 10:00 AM
TO Gerald's questions, Romans 15:30 And why stand we in jeopardy every hour? 31 I protest by your rejoicing which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily. My betheren sometimes we look around and see good people and sometimes feel bad about our selves struggling with something that seems impossible to overcome, well bless the Lord I have learned something very important, We are not perfect but strive unto perfection, dont fight with your sins and try by your own strength to over come sin, If we are to overcome let it be by the power of Christs love and mercy. I hope this helps, I had an issue with a certain sin myself and I realize I simply claimed to believe Christ but i did not fully, You see I had to understand that all my deeds are done in his sight, and thats what caught my attention. If you love someone would you do things that hurt him her in their sight? secondly can you Hide from God? Then I Realized whenever I was faced with temptation I had to remember that I love him and run to him for help each and everytime i was in trouble of that particular sin. I would say "Lord help me here and now, I love you help me to overcome" and then I had to believe this was done, and I said "Thank You Lord" then I would simply remember his will and make sure that I have obeyed. later on in the night I would feel so happy that he I had done the right thing in his sight, in other wards I simply try to seek his approval. Ephesians 5:10 (King James Version) 10Proving what is acceptable unto the Lord. The NIV Version says Ephesians 5:10 (New International Version)10and find out what pleases the Lord. This is what a true Christian enjoys, and if you have joy in serving Christ then the Joy of the Lord will be your strenght Nehemiah 8:10. God bless you he never forsakes those who seek to please him. :)
Keith
Wednesday, October 06, 2010 5:25 PM
Darcy- I have two children. Before my children were ever concieved, i knew that they would disobey, get into trouble, make messes, get hurt, and even occasionally get on my nerves. I chose to have them anyway. I love my children, and although i want them to obey, I will still love them if they don't. God created Lucifer, Lucifer's Angels, and the entire human race knowing that they would fall. That doesn't take away from the fact that He still loves His creation, and gives them the opportunity to choose. God could have easily created robots; incapable of choosing wrong, but instead He created intellegent beings that have the ability to make their own choices. We have a severe word in the English language for forced love. It's called "Rape." I'm glad that God made me with the ability to choose between good and evil, because it makes my love for Him real, and it helps me know that God's love for me is real.
sara
Monday, October 04, 2010 6:07 PM
wow marco i've never thought about it that way ! where did you learn all of this or did you just figured it out??
Marcos
Sunday, October 03, 2010 10:47 AM
Darcy... God has never killed anyone tempted by Satan. Jesus was tempted by Satan as well and yet He was God. What God did was put to sleep all those who had made the conscious and deliberate choice to follow Satan. Why did He do that? Well, its actually pretty simple. While we tend to focus on wars between humans there is actually a war going on behind the scenes between Jesus and Satan. Satan is trying to exterminate our race, but Jesus is trying to save it. In order for Him to do that He would have to come and die for us and Israel was the nation that He would come through. Satan was doing everything he could to destroy Israel so that he could stop Jesus from ever coming into this world to save you and me. All those people whom were killed in battle had the opportunity to join Israel and not be killed. The ppl killed at the flood had 120 yrs to join Noah and his fam. When Israel left Egypt, there was a group of Egyptians that joined them and God accepted them. Rahab was in Jericho and yet she joined Israel and lived. God has never pronounced judgment without extending an invitation to life. The problem is we humans keep making the same choice Adam and Eve made by choosing death rather than life. Jesus is life and you cannot separate the two.
Darcy
Friday, October 01, 2010 11:49 PM
"Imagine if God had zapped Lucifer and Lucifer's followers? How many more angels would have turned aganist God, been mortified that a loving God could destroy Lucifer and 1/3 of their fellow angels? Rebellion was new in Heaven, it had just developed. No one knew the effects of this new feeling. They would definitely have questioned God's actions." - Iva In this case, God is a hypocrite. He won't get rid of Satan, the cause of all sin, but kills the people who are tempted by Satan? That's like medicine that disguises the symptoms, but never gets rid of the cause. With that argument, people have a right to question God's actions and be mortified that he has punished/killed millions of people. It's no wonder people have "turned against God"...he makes no sense.
Corey Ferrell
Friday, October 01, 2010 4:23 PM
Sadly Mr. Doug, war isn't so black and white. It never is. You raise the Israelites and put them on this pedestal. Like they behaved totally in god's favor. You, Mr. Doug have a frail understanding of human nature in war. I bet you believe that the current war in Iraq and Afghanistan is for freedom, don't you?
aye
Thursday, September 30, 2010 8:56 AM
"So these acts of war were actually judgments of God against wicked men. The people who died in those wars, the ones fighting against Israel, had made their decisions. They had rejected God, so God brought judgment upon them. The big picture is, God has to deal with the wicked in order to preserve the righteous. " I don't know if Pastor Doug has a Bible text to support this opinion. He might be right. But for me God's "acts of war" are included in the "mind boggling" category of Bible stories that no matter how we try to answer it, we still come up with more questions. Remember the story of Pharaoh or Herod killing innocent babies? Why diid God allow it but saved Moses or Jesus? But who can understand God? Whatever is revealed to us about Him is not enough for us to understand His ways. He told us that His thoughts and ways are not the same us ours. He said He is love, He is merciful, He is full of grace, He is just, He is patient, etc., and BY FAITH I BELIEVE HIM. I MAY NEVER UNDERSTAND WHY HE DOES WHAT HE DOES, BUT I BELEIVE THAT HE IS WHAT HE SAYS HE IS.
Anson14
Saturday, September 25, 2010 2:05 PM
I agree on some points but the people before the flood did know what they where doing. They deserved it and GOD gave them a chance and they blew it.
Iva
Saturday, September 25, 2010 9:16 AM
To Jerry st peter- God had a very good reason for not destroying Satan. In Heaven, Lucifer (Satan) was so cunning that he turned 1/3 of God's angels against God. God's love and His law were on the line. Imagine if God had zapped Lucifer and Lucifer's followers? How many more angels would have turned aganist God, been mortified that a loving God could destroy Lucifer and 1/3 of their fellow angels? Rebellion was new in Heaven, it had just developed. No one knew the effects of this new feeling. They would definitely have questioned God's actions. God had a dilemma: how could He destroy these evil angels and at the same time portray a loving Creator? So, ultimately God's law of love is on trial right now. Satan (Lucifer) and his followers were expelled from Heaven. Heaven, earth and all the worlds are watching. Satan is burying himself, and one day the trial will be over. Angels and all of Creation will know the truth: God will be just in destroying Satan and all evil. Yes, the snake was in the garden. But Adam and Eve were given instructions not to touch. They should have listened and chosen God.
Donna
Friday, September 24, 2010 3:25 PM
Edmond: Even if they don't know God and part of the problem why they don't know God as Sara said is because we as Christian are not doing what we were commissioned to do. Further more the Lord said that the Gospel will be preach throughout the world and if we don't want do spread this wonderful gospel God is going to get people to do it for Him. It is our choice what we do with the offer God gives us. Right now the weeds and the wheats are growing together but the great shaking will take place. Is our faith in God grounded (that the anchor will hold)? or would we shake out?
Pat Curry
Thursday, September 23, 2010 11:31 PM
People will only be judged by the light (knowledge) they have, but if they deliberately reject knowledge, that will not be a good thing. Jesus said, If you reject knowledge, I will reject you! Hosea 4:6 He will not force Himself on anyone. Also, the Bible says the Gospel will be preached to ALL the world, and THEN the end will come. Matthew 24:14
sara
Tuesday, September 21, 2010 6:03 PM
jerry st peter- thats a very good question but you have to remember that God is love and He wants us to follow Him but He wants us to follow Him by choice, by love and He would be a tyrant if He made our minds so we couldn`t choose to do wrong. God's way are mysterious and complicated to us but if satan didn't exist we wouldn't have any other choice than to follow God so yes we will be tempted and we'll endure but we have to remember that if we choose Him we will have the final victory in Christ and live happily ever after
tom
Friday, September 17, 2010 4:33 AM
Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse, 21 because, although they knew God, they did not glorify Him as God, nor were thankful, but became futile in their thoughts, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Revelation 14:6 Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people— 7 saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.”
Gerard
Friday, September 17, 2010 3:22 AM
hi, how can I have power over my mind and emotion if temptation over flesh is at hand? I've been in this situation for a while now and i realize it's not good especially if it is within a relationship.
jerry st peter
Thursday, September 16, 2010 8:12 PM
My question is why did God allow Lucifer to live and one third of the angels who rebelled with him. It does not make sense to me to allow Satan and all the wicked angels to live while at the same time destroying wicked humans. Is not Satan responsible for humans becoming evil in the 1st place??? If i have cancer/ compare to Satan, and go to a Doctor the first thing he will advise is to radiate , chemo, or surgery to remove it. Without the snake in the Garden of Eden Eve would not have sinned in the first place? Thank You.
Juan dela Cruz
Thursday, September 16, 2010 6:15 PM
@edmund the context of the article is judgment for those wicked (turned against God) in the old testament, and God is just. We can say that those who didn't know Jesus yet is out of the context of this article but those people are judge according to what they already know
Cami
Thursday, September 16, 2010 12:27 PM
Thank You LORD for your Love and Merci
ericka
Thursday, September 16, 2010 11:23 AM
its quite possible that they had the chance too though. and if you deliberatly and purposly turn away from God's word, then its pretty much a done game. the good part is that God knows the true, complete and honest intent of the heart. He knows those who truly love God, follow Him and honor Him, but yet dont "attend church" or something. He also knows the true intentions of those who faithfully attend church, but do it for the "status" or the "popularity" or something. He knows the difference, even if its impossible for us to. trust Him. He knows the way. He knows the truth. He knows the inner heart.
Breon
Tuesday, September 14, 2010 5:44 PM
Beautyful response
sara
Sunday, September 12, 2010 5:52 PM
edmund-I think it's kind of our faults as christians that they didn't receive the word because we didn't properly share it and God can separate the good people's heart from the wicked ones. In the story of sodom and gomohrre, God spared all the good ones which were only lot's family in the story of the flood too. He knows us all personally even though we may live in a wicked environnement
edmund hasibuan
Friday, September 10, 2010 7:01 AM
but how if they haven't heard 'bout jesus yet
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