God's Unchanging Nature: Love and Justice Intertwined

 

Summary

In exploring the nature of God, we often grapple with the perception of inconsistency between the Old and New Testaments. The ancient Greek gods were known for their capriciousness, leaving humans uncertain of their disposition. In contrast, the God of the Bible is consistent, as affirmed in Hebrews 13:8 and Psalm 119, which speak of His unchanging nature and enduring faithfulness. This consistency is crucial to the Christian faith, yet many struggle to reconcile the depictions of God in the Old and New Testaments. The Old Testament is often seen as portraying a wrathful God, while the New Testament emphasizes love and grace. However, this dichotomy is misleading.

The Old Testament reveals a God who is patient and merciful, as seen in His dealings with the Amalekites and the city of Nineveh. God’s judgment is not impulsive but measured, allowing time for repentance. Jonah’s story illustrates God’s reluctance to bring calamity, highlighting His grace and compassion. Similarly, the New Testament, while showcasing Jesus’ love and mercy, also contains His teachings on judgment and hell, underscoring the continuity of God’s character.

The intertwining of love and judgment is not contradictory but complementary. Love without judgment would imply indifference to injustice. The desire for justice is innate in us, as seen in societal movements against racism and abuse. God’s judgment is an expression of His love, ensuring that evil does not prevail. The Bible’s narrative is one of God’s love and justice culminating at the cross, where Jesus embodies both. His sacrifice addresses the wrongs of humanity while offering redemption.

The delay in divine judgment, as explained in 2 Peter 3:8, is an act of patience, allowing time for repentance. God’s ultimate desire is for all to embrace the salvation offered through Jesus. This understanding transforms our view of God, revealing a profound beauty in His character—a God who deeply cares about justice and our suffering, and who offers a path to reconciliation.

Key Takeaways:

- God's consistency is foundational to the Christian faith, contrasting with the capriciousness of ancient deities. His unchanging nature is a source of assurance, as seen in scriptures like Hebrews 13:8 and Psalm 119. This consistency is vital for understanding His character across both Testaments. [00:59]

- The Old Testament reveals a God of patience and mercy, as demonstrated in His dealings with the Amalekites and Nineveh. These stories highlight God's reluctance to bring judgment without offering a chance for repentance, showcasing His grace. [02:01]

- Jesus' teachings in the New Testament emphasize both love and judgment, illustrating the continuity of God's character. His discussions on hell and sin reveal that love and judgment are not opposites but integral aspects of God's nature. [03:25]

- Love and judgment are intertwined, with judgment being an expression of love. Our innate desire for justice reflects God's character, as He cares deeply about righting wrongs and addressing evil. This understanding aligns with societal movements for justice. [05:47]

- The delay in divine judgment is an act of patience, allowing time for repentance. God's ultimate desire is for all to embrace salvation through Jesus, highlighting His love and justice as beautifully intertwined at the cross. [08:25]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:16] - Consistency in God's Character
- [00:59] - Biblical Affirmation of God's Consistency
- [01:26] - Reconciling Old and New Testament Views
- [01:50] - Grace in the Old Testament
- [02:25] - Jonah and God's Reluctance to Judge
- [03:13] - Jesus' Teachings on Judgment
- [03:37] - Love and Judgment Intertwined
- [04:17] - Personal Struggle with Justice
- [05:05] - The Necessity of Divine Justice
- [06:00] - Societal Movements and God's Justice
- [06:48] - God's Deep Care for Justice
- [07:13] - Love and Judgment in God's Character
- [07:51] - The Cross: Culmination of Love and Justice
- [08:25] - Patience and the Delay of Judgment

Study Guide

### Bible Study Discussion Guide

#### Bible Reading
1. Hebrews 13:8 - "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."
2. Psalm 119:90 - "Your faithfulness continues through all generations; you established the earth, and it endures."
3. 2 Peter 3:8-9 - "But do not forget this one thing, dear friends: With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day. The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance."

#### Observation Questions
1. How does the sermon describe the difference between the ancient Greek gods and the God of the Bible in terms of consistency? [00:16]
2. What examples from the Old Testament are given to illustrate God's patience and mercy? [02:01]
3. According to the sermon, how does Jesus' teaching in the New Testament reflect both love and judgment? [03:13]
4. What societal movements are mentioned in the sermon as reflecting our innate desire for justice? [06:00]

#### Interpretation Questions
1. How does the sermon explain the relationship between God's love and judgment? Why are they not considered contradictory? [05:47]
2. In what ways does the sermon suggest that God's delay in judgment is an act of patience? How does this relate to 2 Peter 3:8-9? [08:25]
3. How does the sermon use the story of Jonah to illustrate God's character? What does this reveal about God's approach to judgment and mercy? [02:36]
4. How does the sermon suggest that understanding God's consistency can transform our view of Him? [01:14]

#### Application Questions
1. Reflect on a time when you felt God was being inconsistent in your life. How does the sermon challenge that perception? [01:26]
2. How can you reconcile the idea of a loving God with the concept of divine judgment in your personal faith journey? [04:05]
3. Think of a situation where you have witnessed or experienced injustice. How does the sermon encourage you to view God's role in addressing that injustice? [05:21]
4. In what ways can you demonstrate both love and a desire for justice in your daily interactions with others? [06:00]
5. How does the sermon encourage you to view God's patience in your own life? Are there areas where you need to embrace this patience more fully? [08:25]
6. Consider the societal movements mentioned in the sermon. How can you actively participate in promoting justice in your community? [06:24]
7. Reflect on the cross as the culmination of God's love and justice. How does this understanding impact your relationship with Jesus? [07:51]

Devotional

Day 1: God's Unchanging Nature as Our Foundation
God's consistency is a cornerstone of the Christian faith, providing assurance and stability in a world often marked by change and uncertainty. Unlike the capricious nature of ancient deities, the God of the Bible is steadfast, as affirmed in Hebrews 13:8 and Psalm 119. This unchanging nature is crucial for understanding His character across both the Old and New Testaments. The perception of inconsistency between the Testaments often arises from a misunderstanding of God's nature. In reality, His character remains constant, offering a foundation upon which believers can build their faith. [00:59]

"Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change." (James 1:17, ESV)

Reflection: In what areas of your life do you need to rely more on God's unchanging nature for stability and assurance today?


Day 2: Grace and Patience in the Old Testament
The Old Testament often portrays God as wrathful, yet it also reveals His patience and mercy. Stories like those of the Amalekites and Nineveh demonstrate God's reluctance to bring judgment without offering a chance for repentance. Jonah's story, in particular, highlights God's grace and compassion, showing that His judgment is not impulsive but measured. This understanding challenges the misconception of a dichotomy between the Testaments, revealing a God who is consistently gracious and patient. [02:01]

"The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance." (2 Peter 3:9, ESV)

Reflection: How can you emulate God's patience and grace in your interactions with others today, especially those who may have wronged you?


Day 3: Love and Judgment in Jesus' Teachings
Jesus' teachings in the New Testament emphasize both love and judgment, illustrating the continuity of God's character. While Jesus is often associated with love and mercy, His discussions on hell and sin reveal that love and judgment are not opposites but integral aspects of God's nature. This intertwining of love and judgment ensures that justice is upheld, reflecting God's deep care for humanity and His desire to address evil. [03:25]

"For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil." (2 Corinthians 5:10, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways can you balance love and accountability in your relationships, ensuring that you uphold justice while extending grace?


Day 4: Justice as an Expression of Love
The intertwining of love and judgment is not contradictory but complementary. God's judgment is an expression of His love, ensuring that evil does not prevail. Our innate desire for justice reflects God's character, as He cares deeply about righting wrongs and addressing evil. This understanding aligns with societal movements for justice, highlighting the importance of divine justice in a world longing for righteousness. [05:47]

"He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?" (Micah 6:8, ESV)

Reflection: How can you actively participate in promoting justice in your community, reflecting God's love and righteousness?


Day 5: Patience and the Delay of Judgment
The delay in divine judgment is an act of patience, allowing time for repentance. God's ultimate desire is for all to embrace salvation through Jesus, highlighting His love and justice as beautifully intertwined at the cross. This understanding transforms our view of God, revealing a profound beauty in His character—a God who deeply cares about justice and our suffering, and who offers a path to reconciliation. [08:25]

"The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever." (Psalm 103:8-9, ESV)

Reflection: Is there someone in your life who needs to hear about God's patience and offer of salvation? How can you share this message with them today?

Quotes

Christianity affirms that intuition that actually God should be consistent are we read in uh in the New Testament it says of Jesus Christ that in Hebrews chapter 13 verse 8 that Jesus the same yesterday today and forever we read in Psalm 119 that God's faithfulness endures throughout all generations and so it's actually fundamentally important to the Christian faith that that God is consistent within his character. [00:57:00]

When you look at the Old Testament we also see this radically grace-filled picture of the god of the Old Testament so for example people often will point to Warfare passages in the Old Testament where God is judging people but they'll Overlook statements like God saying actually I'm not gonna act yet because the sin of the amalekites has not yet reached its full measure and we're told the gold rate's 400 years to judge a culture for their corruption. [01:42:18]

You look at the prophet Jonah and and God sends him to judge the city of Nineveh but and they are known throughout the ancient world for committing the most horrendous atrocities and Jonah does not want to go because he gets that he preaches his message and then the people repent and we're told that God relents and says he's not going to judge them. [02:20:52]

Jesus he's full of grace and truth and compassion and mercy but Jesus is also the person who talks more than anybody else in the Bible about hell you know he's the one who's talking about judgment he's the one who says it's better for you to pluck out your own eye if it causes you to sin then have your whole body thrown into hell. [03:10:92]

What we see through the Bible is this thread of God's judgment and his love running right through from the old to the New Testament and they are woven so intricately together so I guess the maybe the deeper question for us here is is that inconsistent is it inconsistent to be a God who is both judged and a God who is love. [03:43:14]

I think a lot of us think God if you're really loving you wouldn't judge me, I actually used to struggle with this same question I I used to think well you know if God is so loving why can't he just forgive everybody after all isn't that what we're all taught in Sunday school why can't God just practice what he preaches. [04:11:64]

If I cannot stand to see somebody I love this much be be wronged in this way then how much more must the God who loves every single one of us more than we can possibly imagine how angry must he be for the ways that we abuse and dehumanize and hurt one another in this world. [05:27:12]

We think of love and judgment as opposites but actually the two they go hand in hand if God didn't judge it would actually be like he was saying he didn't love he didn't really care and and I think it's interesting today because we're in a generation where we care deeply about Justice. [05:46:62]

We look at those things today and we celebrate people who are fighting for justice and yet we look back at the Old Testament and we protest a God who actually is is judging people because he cares deeply about Justice too but when you look at those those acts of warfare in the Old Testament could it perhaps be because God cares so deeply. [06:29:10]

When you start to see love and judgment as as not opposed but as fundamental to the very character of God then suddenly the Bible makes this profoundly beautiful sense rather than being embarrassed about these passages we can say wow good you're actually more beautiful than I thought because you care deeply about these things. [07:06:78]

What we have in the Bible is the love of God and the Judgment of God running in these threads in in this way that a story is moving forward of God coming closer and closer until finally what we see in Jesus At The Cross is the culmination of love and Justice on display in this profound way. [07:36:24]

Two Peter 3 8 it talks about it it says actually God isn't slow in keeping his promises there will be a judgment day but he's patient with you because he cannot stand for anybody to perish but he wants everyone to come to eternal life so judgment is coming but it's delayed to give everyone that chance. [08:23:52]

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Transcript
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