Posted: Thursday, August 25, 2011 5:26 pm

The Messenger, August 25, 2011 The Goodness and the Severity of God By FRANK DALTON Special to The Messenger Have you ever pondered the severity of God? If you are like most people, including myself, I had much rather think about God’s goodness. Thinking of God’s goodness alone makes us feel so much better and keeps us comfortable. How many times have you heard someone say, “My God is a God of love?” The God of scripture is a God of love, grace and mercy, but He also hates sin, will judge the unrighteous and will discipline His children. In this postmodern world, personal feelings and opinions have become the culture’s guiding force, rather than Holy Scripture. “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God,” writes Paul in Romans 11:22 (KJV). This verse forces the Bible-believing Christian to take note of both sides of God’s character. In his book “Knowing God,” J.I. Packer introduces the God of scripture. God, who is the only true and living God, reveals Himself as both good and severe. As Dr. Packer points out, both attributes must be acknowledged together if God is to be truly known. People say they believe in God but have no idea who God actually is. Packer says there is a “fantastic hodgepodge of fancies about God.” How have Christians become so confused in their understanding of God? Packer outlines some of the main answers to this question. The most obvious reason is that people have stopped studying God’s word and rely upon their own thoughts and feelings to form their conclusions about God. Many people are taught and believe that God’s Word is a work of man and is based upon man’s experiences and feelings; therefore, it is full of opinions and contradiction. This leads to Dr. Packer’s second reason for our confusion about God, which is that modern people think of all religions as equal and equivalent. They take ideas from pagan thought, as well as Christian thought, to form their beliefs. This is how political correctness has become so rampant in our society and thus has led many people to say “all roads lead to Rome,” or to God. Therefore, we don’t offend anyone with our dogmatic doctrine. Third, people have ceased to recognize their own sinfulness and, therefore, don’t fully recognize their desperate need of forgiveness of their sin. “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” Romans 3:23. The substance of Christianity is faith in the forgiveness of sins through the redeeming work of Christ, and Christ alone, on the cross. The fourth reason for this confusion is that people today are in the habit of disassociating the thought of God’s goodness from that of His severity. The word severity as Paul uses it in Romans 11:22 literally means “cutting off.” Paul is saying that because Israel had spurned God’s goodness, by rejecting Jesus as their Messiah, God was cutting them off. Because they had not believed the gospel of Jesus Christ, God was breaking them off the olive tree in which they were natural branches. The principle which Paul is applying here is that behind every display of divine goodness stands a threat of severity of judgment if that goodness is spurned. Our response should be to learn to appreciate God’s goodness by counting our blessings. Thank God for His patience in how He has borne with you, when so much in your life is unworthy of Him. And we must learn to be thankful for his discipline because all things come from Him, and you have tasted His goodness every day of life. Most importantly we must remember, “This God — His way is perfect, the word of the Lord proves true; He is a shield for all those who take refuge in Him.” Psalm 18:30 ——— Editor’s note: Frank Dalton and his family attend Grace Presbyterian Church (PCA) on the square in Troy.