The Big Fat Lie that God is Angry
A lot of us get this all mixed up, thinking Christianity is a bunch of rules. And they miss it entirely.
So let’s clear the air. Tomorrow, we’ll dive into how salvation really does work. (Spoiler alert… it’s the most beautiful love story ever told about a Faithful Husband and a wayward Bride.)
But today, let’s remove any rubbish thinking about and find out how salvation does NOT work.
God in the hands of angry sinners
Repeatedly before Jesus breathed his last, many mocked him.
Three times, we read that leaders, soldiers, and criminals mocked him, saying, “If you saved others, why can’t you save yourself!? If you’re really Messiah, you could save yourself too!”
Oh, he could have. He chose the cross.
I recently heard this said and it will stick with me for life:
Salvation was never ever about “sinners in the hands of angry God.”
Salvation is always about God putting himself in the hands of angry sinners.
Jesus. What a beautiful God-man who traded his innocent life to save those who he loves unconditionally.
The big fat lie
There’s a common belief that God is angry and ready to smite us because we broke his rules…
(Who do you think wants you to believe that one? Maybe the accuser? Maybe the one who does everything he can to keep you out of a healthy loving freeing relationship with God?)
The belief that God is angry and out to get you is religious lie from the pit of hell. Many teach this “education” in the universities, the seminaries, and even the pulpit.
This is a highly propagated lie that accuses God: “Why would you want to spend all your days with a God like that forever. And also if you do, let me give you impossible hoops to jump through, checklists, expectations, and behavior modifications to get you in.
This is vomit.
The Good Beautiful Truth
But the truth is that God is love and patient and kind:
“God is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love.”
The truth is also this. God gave up himself and his everything because He loves us:
God loved the people of this world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who has faith in him will have eternal life and never really die.
Jesus didn’t come to condemn the world! That was already a done deal. Jesus came to set us free from condemnation and fear and shame. Jesus came to save us and make us pure hearted once again:
17 God did not send his Son into the world to condemn its people. He sent him to save them!
18 No one who has faith in God’s Son will be condemned. But everyone who doesn’t have faith in him has already been condemned for not having faith in God’s only Son.
A prayer
If you’ve believed God is angry with you and out to smite you, this is your invitation today to let that lie go.
I renounce the lie that you are a hard man. I renounce the false belief that you are uncaring and unkind, out to condemn me. Forgive me, Father. Help me learn and experience your true heart for me. Help me come to know and believe the love of the Father for me. I put my faith in Jesus and His unconditional love for me. I want a healthy relationship with you.
In Jesus’ name, amen
