Rest assure that God the Father is love, and loves you. But part of love is being just- He is also a Judge and a King. We are supposed to fear to disobey God, but the Bible says perfect love drives out fear. In other words, if you love God perfectly you have nothing to fear. He is not hoping that people will fail so that He can smite them, He is hoping for all to come to repentance so that He doesn't have to smite them with His righteous judgement.
He didn't have His Son die for nothing. He is angry with those who don't take advantage of it- wouldnt you be? Let's say the whole world caught a disease, and the only antidote requires the torture and death of your only son. And many people were on tv saying they won't take the cure, and laughed at your son. Wouldn't you be angry them? Absolutely! But would you be angry at those who didn't let your son die in vain? Who with tears of gratitude gladly accepted your sacrifice? Of course not- that was the whole purpose. Would you wish to smite them for showing signs of the disease as they heal? No- you sacrificed your son to cure them, why dishonor your son's efforts to by not having what he did work? That is counter-productive.
On our part we need to fear to disobey God- because that keeps us from the disease of sin. On His part He is hoping you make it to be with Him forever- to love you forever. But He needs you to have that fear of God as a tool to help you make it There.
He didn't have His Son die for nothing. He is angry with those who don't take advantage of it- wouldnt you be? Let's say the whole world caught a disease, and the only antidote requires the torture and death of your only son. And many people were on tv saying they won't take the cure, and laughed at your son. Wouldn't you be angry them? Absolutely! But would you be angry at those who didn't let your son die in vain? Who with tears of gratitude gladly accepted your sacrifice? Of course not- that was the whole purpose. Would you wish to smite them for showing signs of the disease as they heal? No- you sacrificed your son to cure them, why dishonor your son's efforts to by not having what he did work? That is counter-productive.
On our part we need to fear to disobey God- because that keeps us from the disease of sin. On His part He is hoping you make it to be with Him forever- to love you forever. But He needs you to have that fear of God as a tool to help you make it There.
Your statement is very legalistic and works orientated, to think that our perfect love of God is what casts away fear. Its about His love, what He did for us, and His plan of reconciliation that gives us an eternal salvation. Its about Jesus, His death and resurrection, and that God loves us. It is through faith by grace.
BenFTW, I can't help but wonder about your response to OneFaith. I'm questioning it because I generally read your posts carefully and learn from them. At first glance, however, I don't think I agree with this response. I mean, Jesus specifically said that the most important commandment was to "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength." (Mark 12:30). So how can that be works? It seems to me that works would naturally flow from loving God with all your heart, soul and mind. Not that the loving itself is works.
Enlighten me!