Ask the average Christian to describe the God of our faith, and the answer will most likely be “God is Love.” And even though that answer is true, it falls far short of being complete. If a bridge only spans halfway across the river, the structure is still called a bridge; but one would be a fool to try driving across a raging river on it. Christians today are trying to navigate over the turbulent waters of life with an incomplete understanding of the God who spans the entire gap. Yes, God is love, but He is also a holy God of wrath – and much more! Romans 13:8-10 clarifies this principle,
“Owe no one anything, except to love each other, for the one who loves another has fulfilled the law. For the commandments, ‘You shall not commit adultery, You shall not murder, You shall not steal, You shall not covet,’ and any other commandment, are summed up in this word: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law.
Defining Biblical Love
Common Grace is God’s “love” given freely and unconditionally to all mankind. In this way, God “loves” all of mankind in a manner that is not eternal, but temporal, and contained within a person’s lifetime only. In other words, God has bestowed His graciousness on all people in all parts of the earth at all times while alive on the earth. For example, “The Lord is good to all; he has compassion on all he has made” (Psalm 145:9). Jesus said God causes “his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45).
In contrast to the love expressed in God’s Common Grace is Agape Love—God’s eternal love that is only available to those who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, surrendering their hearts and lives to Him. (Hebrews 9:9, 12, 14; 1 John 1:7) This love, in practical terms, is self-sacrificial to the point of laying one’s life down for another. Thus, Agape love is costly yet yields indescribable blessings.
This EVERLASTING love only exists between God and His saved ones. Agape love, then, is eternal, gracious, sacrificial, unmerited, undeserved and limitless. Agape love is a matter of will,[i] rather than emotion. Agape love is not a feeling, but is rather action-oriented and requires an active response of repentance and life-commitment from God’s children.
Life Without Law
Today’s salvation messages often contain the word sin in the invitation. However, it appears that most unbelievers, and indeed, many who profess to believe in Christ today, do not understand the term sin. Yet without a deep understanding of the holiness of God to shed light upon one’s own guilt of rebellion against the holy Law of God, it is impossible to comprehend what it means to receive His gift of love. Without darkness, one can never appreciate the light. Thus, we need to clearly define the meaning of this critical word sin.
In ancient Greek writings, the word sin (hamartia) often conveys the idea of “failing to hit the mark”—think of missing the bullseye in an archery tournament. Thus, biblically speaking, the simplest way to define “sin” is missing the mark of absolute perfection. “Sin” is also defined as lawlessness, and lawlessness demands justice. Therefore, if God displayed no wrath—required no retributive justice—towards lawlessness (sin), love would have no meaning.
Without God’s Law to define righteousness, there would be no difference between righteousness and sin, good and evil, heaven or hell. God’s wrath would be unnecessary, and the term love would certainly not mesh with our 21st century understanding of what such a critical word means in today’s world.
Why is this important? Because modern day evangelism often deems as saved those who merely repeat another’s prayer, thus, many walk away with a false assurance having been told they are now in the Father’s loving hands forever. However, Scripture is manifestly clear in this issue: the Holy Spirit saves and only God knows the heart (1 Cor. 3:6-7; 1 Samuel 16:7). Man can plant and water seeds, but it is the Holy Spirit who brings the increase (1 Corinthians 3:7).
No person other than the Holy Spirit can absolutely assure one that he is “born again” because “the heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked; who can know it?” (Jeremiah 17:9). When a half-truth is expressed as the whole truth, the result is untruth. Salvation messages calling for the repeating of another’s prayer culminating with the evangelist proclaiming the person “eternally saved” is not only unbiblical, it bridges on heresy. Who are we to pronounce such a declaration when only God can see inside the heart? The best gauge of a heart that belongs to Christ is the fruit that comes from one’s life. “By their fruits you will know them.” (Matthew 7:20)
Our God is a God of Balance. Teaching half a truth as if it’s the whole truth is like leaving the hearer with only one leg to walk on. When describing the character of God, His hatred of sin along with His love for those who repent and turn, must be made clear. The end result will hopefully yield disciples who love God, love and obey His Law, and love their neighbors as themselves.
This series is extracted from the book, “In Vain Do They Worship Me, Teaching as Doctrine the Commandments of Men—Ten Grave Errors Tossing the Church To and Fro.” by Roger Wheelock.
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Yes, but you are measuring a persons salvation by the fruit of their lives. The Bible clearly says in Romans 10:9 …”if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus Christ and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead you will be saved” That’s it period. Christianity, unfortunately is lived carnally by most Professing Christians. So if the measure of your salvation is if you walk in the spirit and display the fruit of the spirit, then you are saved, then very few I am sorry to say will make it. King Saul, who clearly went south in his relationship with God was told by Samuel, when he pulled up his spirit through witchcraft, that he Saul, would be with Samuel, the next day in paradise, dispite his very evil end. So God, who is just, like the Bible states, will reward a person with salvation if they truly believe. However if they believe and never live a godly life, the Bible is very clear, their lifes works will be burned, but they themselves will still be saved. 1 Cor 3:15 If it is burned up, the builder will suffer loss but yet will be saved—even though only as one escaping through the flames.” I see so many Christian telling each other who is saved and who is not saved because of their behavior. Like you say, they do not know their hearts, and many of those who genuinely accepted Jesus, but are not living in the spirit, ARE SAVED So be very careful with this post that you too, do not cause error with what you are saying in light of this comment. Blessings!