Pastor's Penpoint - "Don't Take The Bait" - July 2015

"Keep yourselves in the love of God ..." - Jude 1:21

The bible is a revelation of the fact that God is love. Many people misunderstand the attribute of God's nature which is love. "God is love" does not mean that everything is sweet, beautiful, and happy, and that God's love could not possibly allow punishment for sin.

Because God is righteous, for sin to be ignored would disqualify His righteousness. Would we ask God to deny His righteousness?

There are many voices on the wind. Certainly God's voice is there, through His Word and the Spirit calling each of us to repentance, challenging us to love unconditionally and to encouraging our evangelism to a world lost in sin.

There are, however, other voices. As mentioned in 1 Timothy 4:1: "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will abandon the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and doctrines of demons."

These voices will cause man to turn from God and follow society in pursuit of not being offensive. Folks, we can stand firm in our belief - and still not offend. We can proclaim the loving grace of the Father and the lifesaving death and resurrection of Jesus  Christ to the nations ... and we can do it with love.

When we preach justice, it is justice tempered with love. When we preach righteousness, it is righteousness founded on love. When we preach atonement (making amends), it is atonement planned by love, provided by love, given by love, finished by love, dedicated because of love. When we preach the resurrection of Christ, we are preaching the miracle of love. When we preach the return of Christ, we are preaching the fulfillment of love.

No matter what sin man has committed, or how terrible, dirty, or shameful it may be, God loves all His children, and prefers forgiveness and redemption over punishment and hate. The love of God is immeasurable, unmistakable, and unending!

So don't take the bait - and  be tempted to follow the crowd and react to the world. The voices of the world should be no surprise to Christians - it certainly is not a surprise to God. We are called to rise above the argument and share the light of Christ.

Keep yourselves in the love of God .... ~ Pastor Todd