In earlier blogs, I have been discussing the question of God's existence and claiming that it is possible to know that God does exist and even to know God. I also asked such questions as:
If such a being exists, can we know? (Yes)
How can we know? (Logic demands it– Necessary Being)
Has this God communicated to us in any way? (Yes- God's word the Bible)
Did this Being leave any signs or hints that it exists, like a painter signing his art? (Yes - creation)
Has this Being interacted with us-- or anyone at all ---in any way? (Yes - His word, the gospel, the incarnation)
We may also ask questions such as, “If such a being exists, is it good?
Is it benevolent towards lesser creatures or pay any attention at all?
Does this God set things in motion and then move onto something else, leaving us to our own decisions? (No) Can we get its attention and perhaps win awards or favors? Or the opposite? That is, incur God's disfavor or wrath?
I suggest that you read the series in order and that you should start here:
We have demonstrated that God communicates with us through His word and that the Bible is the only word of God and a trustworthy source for truth.
In this blog, we want to answer the question that was asked earlier: Can we incur God disfavor or wrath? Since an omnipotent God does exist, we should know what He is communicating, what His desires are, if any, and if we can fall into disfavor in any way. I would think that is vitally important to know!
In the first few chapters of Genesis, the Bible tells us that God created the world and put man in it. He created a complex and beautiful world with stars above, abundant life of great diversity, majestic trees and delicious foods to eat. He gave us work to give us purpose and meaning. He even gave Adam a “helper suitable for him” and he said it was all “very good”. He placed man in a garden, a special place, with all of his needs met and God Himself walked with man daily. He placed man to rule over all to rule over all it with wisdom. There was no death, sickness, or sorrow. God, it seems, was very generous and loving in His abundant gifts to man. (Genesis 1-2) God had only one rule and stipulation: Do not eat of the one tree in the garden. (Gen. 2:15-17). God is good, generous, just, holy, righteous, perfect in wisdom, all-powerful, and gracious. It is completely foolish, illogical and unwise to disobey the Creator God. However, both Satan and Adam disobeyed God to the utter ruin of us all. Disobeying such a perfect Being who is the creator of all things and through whom “we live and move and have our being” (Acts 17:24) was a horrendous crime and worthy of His wrath and disfavor. The payment for that disobedience is death and eternal damnation. (Gen. 3) We are not autonomous as much as we desire to be: we either serve the True and Living God or the devil. To desire be autonomous is to desire to be our own god, to want to be be god ourselves, which is completely foolish and idolatrous. We do not even desire to serve or have a relationship with this perfect and good being that is God. In Exodus, God also gave us a set of laws (i.e. The Ten Commandments, Exodus 20) to guide us in how to live more godly lives. However, most of us do not even know the commandments of God or even have an interest in serving or pleasing God.
Over and over again throughout history, God has demonstrated that we all live ignoring God, disobeying God and even hating the One who created us. God in his graciousness and mercy, has delayed the final judgment, but it is abundantly clear to any that take the time to understand that we definitely have incurred God's disfavor and His wrath and deserve His perfect justice and judgment.
So, being under the perfectly righteous pending judgment of God, are we forever doomed, helpless to change our sentence? Will we continue to suffer with disease, disaster, division, death and damnation? Can we do something that will make up the wrongs? Can we plead our case? Is there an advocate that will speak on our behalf? Or is there a hope of pardon or leniency?
We will discuss that in our next blog.
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.
Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen. Romans 1:18–25 (ESV)
Repent or Perish
There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And [Jesus] answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Luke 13:1–5 (ESV)
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