- Oct 7, 2011
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Of course. No one is arguing that God isn't seeking the salvation of all people. Both temporal and eternal.God is love - that's the nature that *I*, personally, see as overriding in Scripture. If something doesn't fit in that framework - then it can't be true of God.
In Matthew 23:37, we see that God desires to protect Jerusalem, but they "won't let Him":
Jesus Grieves over Jerusalem
37 “O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me.
As a result, death and destruction will come upon Jerusalem. The text is clear that God is trying to deliver and protect His people from the destruction, but they [not all] would not listen to His warnings and were not willing to come to Him. And so, death would come, not from God, but from the armies that would sweep in and leave not one stone standing upon another.
Isaiah 35:4
Say to those who are of a fearful heart, “Be strong, fear not! Behold, your God will come with vengeance, with the recompense of God. He will come and save you.”In Isaiah 35:4, the coming of the Lord is both in vengeance (wrath) and in salvation (redemption). What this means is that both wrath and salvation would come to Israel at the same time, meaning through the same event.
95% of "the judgment of God" happens as a natural effect of sin. The reason it's considered the "judgment of God" is because God made his creation like that. To have natural effects good or bad. It's called the law of nature and natures God. But see the issue here is he could intervene and stop all the death and destruction. But his love, his agape, his good will, his wisdom prevents him from doing so unless certain conditions are met.
Love, agape, good will is a motive its not a feeling. It guides actions. For instance. Love, agape, good will for both God and man may, depending on the circumstances, forgive and restore a en-slaver of woman and children who sells them for sex. Love, agape, good will may also, depending on the circumstances, immediately and with great prejudice execute such and individual.
I realize this is a dichotomy to today's pop culture definition of love. But it's not in any way shape or form a dichotomy of what the definition of agape, which is the word getting translated into the word love. The word means good will. It does not mean what pop culture America calls love. It's willing the good. Mercy may be whats best for the en-slaver of woman and children under certain circumstances. It may in the long run further the interests of heaven and the cause of Christ which is what is best for us. But under other circumstance "vengeance," or the administration of justice may in the long run be what is best for heavens interests and mans. Both can be done with the same motive, agape, good will , love.
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