by jimwalton » Wed Apr 19, 2017 12:22 pm
No need to apologize. I don’t mind your questions. I think it’s been a good conversation.
“Is it OK for someone to be mad at God?” I would say yes, but I would also guess that some Christians might disagree with me. I think we have good evidence that there were times David was mad at God (Ps. 10; Ps. 22.1-2; Ps. 74). Habakkuk seems pretty angry at God (Hab. 1.2-4, 12-17). I know that when I was going through my very difficult time, I was extremely angry at God, and I told him so, many times. But I look at it this way: He knows what I’m thinking anyway; I might at well say it. It’s not like if I keep it to myself He doesn’t know about it. I want to be honest in my relationship with God, and when I’m angry, there’s no reason to hide it.
“How does one get past that?” I just be honest with God, and I keep seeking Him. Eventually I had moments of insight where I came to resolution and understanding about things, but it took a long time. Despite my anger, I didn’t turn away from Him, but kept seeking and trying to learn. God honored that, and gave me understanding (after several years; it’s not like it was fast or easy).
“What does God do during that time? Wait?” For some of it He let me suffer even more, which made me even more angry. For some of it He taught me things. He let me struggle through it; He didn’t just pop answers on me. It was a real struggle. But the growth came from the struggle, not from easy and fast answers. I only learned deeply because I sought deeply and was challenged deeply.
“Does God get mad ever? God has wrath that is described as anger, but His wrath is an expression of his holiness against sin, not an emotional response to personal hurt. Even though sometimes the Bible uses the word anger in describing God, it’s very different from our notions of anger. God gets angry when sin is destroying what is good and interfering with what should happen in society and in people’s heart.
“What is righteous anger?” Jesus’ action of turning over the tables of the moneychangers is usually described as righteous anger. It’s anger that isn’t an emotional reflex but an action of a righteous God against that which is unholy. Jesus was taking action against the desecration of the Temple. He was acting prophetically, that God is judging the false religion that Judaism had turned into, that He was symbolically purging the people of their sin, and acting to restore and redeem His people. These will all find their fulfillment at the cross.
Another text where it is said Jesus was angry is Mark 3.5. You’ll notice he was angry because their hearts were so spiritually hard: “He was deeply distressed at their stubborn hearts.” Anyone should be angry when he is trying to do something noble, right, and healing, and he just gets condemned for it by religious people. He was angry because they were not only insensitive to the purposes of God, but working against God. It was sheer hypocrisy and blatant rebellion against God, coming from the religious leaders, of all people. This is what God will judge, and Jesus was letting them know that.
“I thought being angry was bad and a sin.” It can be, but not necessarily. In Ephesians 4.26, Paul writes, “In your anger do not sin.” So it’s possible to be angry and not sin; Paul warns us against the anger that is sin. Anger is mostly a self-centered spark, wanting things to go your way, for your convenience, and your comfort. Anything that imposes on you gets blasted with anger. instead, you have to yield your rights to God. Dedicate all that you are and have (opinions, will, values, time, privacy, money, knowledge, future, health, reputation, activities) to the Lord. Ask God to redirect your will, refocus your emotions, and transform your thoughts. If you are dedicated to God, your expressions of anger aren’t just wounded pride, but expressions of God’s holiness.Sarah Sumner says, "Sinful anger doesn’t trust God, while godly anger does. Sinful anger is prideful, while godly anger flows from humility. Sinful anger participates in evil, while godly anger abhors evil. But the main difference is that godly anger is loving. It’s not about feeling self-righteous." Think about gasoline. Pour a pool of gas on the ground and light a match, and you have an uncontrolled burst and a raging fire. But put the same gas in an engine, and apply the right spark at the right time, and the engine springs to life and accomplishes good. The anger in you gives you great power, but uncontrolled, it will destroy you.
“God’s love is different from our love, right?” In ways yes, in ways no. Our love is like God’s, but His is more pure and always righteous. Our love gets mixed in with selfishness, but God’s doesn’t. Our love is sometimes compromising, but God’s isn’t.
“How does God love everyone the same?” I’m not sure He does. There are verses like Romans 9.13 that show us that, though God loves every individual (Jn. 3.16), His love for people can be different. He loves us all so much He wants us all to be saved (Rom. 5.8), but those who come to Him are particular objects of His affection (Heb. 12.6; Rev. 1.5).
“What happens to people who walk away from the faith for good?” Great question. I believe that once a person is truly saved, they will always be saved. They are eternally secure. They may stray, and have periods of rebellion, but they will return to the Lord and be saved, because they were always His. But there are also plenty of people out there who are not really followers of God (Mt. 7.21-23). These and those like them (Mt. 13.20-22) are not really saved, and if they fall away, they lose the salvation they never really had in the first place. Look at 2 Tim. 2.11-13. The faithless will be restored, but those who disown Christ will be disowned. And those who leave have an extra difficult time returning (Heb. 6.4-6). God will not accept those into heaven who have rebelled against Him and disowned Him; those who reject God will be rejected by Him. A person’s salvation is not "fire insurance,” where once they have made a decision for God they can do whatever they wish, blaspheme God, disown Him, sin like mad, and still expect to stroll into heaven with people cheering them on. No way. Blasphemy like that is unforgivable (Mt. 12.31). But those who struggle, who have periods of faithlessness, who sin—as long as they are still children of the Father—will by no means be cast out, but God will bring them to Himself (Phil. 1.6). It’s one thing to struggle, another thing to renounce.
Feel free to ask as many questions as you have.