It occurs to me
that these blogs and my reaction to my brother’s death reflect on the character
of God. That I am painting an inaccurate picture of the Almighty with my words.
That right now – I’m effectively, perpetuating a myth.
In the Old Testament, God often acts angrily and is changeable in character. In
the Gospels, Christ is rarely angry and his actions are full of love and mercy.
However, in the Book of Revelation, God seems to regress and is back to being capricious
again (and doing angry, violent things).
But if God's anger
has been fully satisfied by the past events at Calvary, then why do so many
Christians talk about God's coming wrath?
I'm increasingly thinking that the gospel is not good news if God really
is nurturing an inner, seething wrath. It is only good news if God really is unconditional
Love and not prone to the acts of anger detailed in the Book of Revelation and
too much of the Old Testament. I had always maintained that Christ is, as he
said, the image and character of God – and that he acted in a kind and
loving way, unless you want to caricature him. That this is one of the
evidences that God is good.
I think it must be a test. A test as to which god you believe in. And I
am so tired of tests…
And what does incessant testing say of the character of God anyway?
I'm starting to hope that God really is unconditional Love.
But if that is true, then I don't think God would get angry for people
going around saying he is an angry God either. He would just find it extremely
irritating, wouldn’t he?
The good news of the gospel is supposed to be that God so loved the
world that whoever believes in him will not perish but will have everlasting
life. There is a condition there, but, when push comes to shove, the only
condition is to believe.
If God is not Love then this is simply not good news. Because a
perpetually angry God is one of our worst fears, isn't it? It’s one of the
fears which we need saving from.
What I have found is that a lot of Christians go around saying, “Yes,
God is Love, but he is also just”. Which is fine, and I go along with that.
But then they go ahead and talk about how that aspect of justice within his
character is also a good reason for God to be so relentlessly angry with so
many. As if he is nursing an inner wrath which can never be placated (never
mind satisfied). When questioned further on this they often say, “I don't
think you understand how incredibly ‘evil’ sin is and how it MUST be punished
by a just God” (leading many non-Christians to reply, “I think ‘sin’
must just be everything that God doesn't like…”.)
I have the same fears that the Almighty is less than loving, and I’ve
expressed them here. But I don't think I go so far as to say that any portrayal
of an angry God is, in fact, the real gospel. Even though, I guess, I am guilty
of perpetuating the same myth (should it be a myth) – of an angry,
unreasonable, unkind god. It is just that the evidence from life for this is so
persuasive… and, incidentally, from much of the Bible. Brothers dying before
their time do not help. Unanswered prayers do not help.
Yet a wrathful God is a bit of a deal-breaker for me.
I'm not seeking another 'violent no-one', no matter how powerful they
are. Sure, I can, at times, be deferential to those with power (and anger) on
this earth – but must I also obey powerful spiritual entities?
I think I want to know the truth.
Of course, if I go along with this hope that the Almighty is unconditional
Love then I have to recognise that it is this character who I am so angry with
because of my brother’s death. And if that is true – how would this character
react to me and you?
Let me guess…
Angrily?
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