The Goodness & Severity of God

The Goodness & Severity of God “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God” (Romans 11:22)

Myths • God cannot do evil • Satan is a supernatural being opposed to God, doing evil • Believing in Jesus gives automatic entrance into paradise • God will allow men to do as they please forever

Programme • God creates evil as well as good • Examples of God using Evil • war • famine • men • Satan • God’s Justice • Judgement to come • What this means to you and I

God Creates Evil as well as good • Many Churches around teach that God is Good, but choose to forget that God does evil also “I form the light, and create darkness: I make peace, and create evil: I the LORD do all these things.” (Isaiah 45:7) • What does God mean by evil?

God using war Jeremiah 21 • 5 And I (God) myself will fight against you with an outstretched hand and with a strong arm, even in anger, and in fury, and in great wrath. • 6 And I will smite the inhabitants of this city, both man and beast: they shall die of a great pestilence.

God using famine 2 Samuel 21 1 Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his house of blood, because he slew the Gibeonites.

God using evil men Daniel 5 21 And he was driven from the sons of men; and his heart was made like the beasts, and his dwelling was with the wild asses: they fed him with grass like oxen, and his body was wet with the dew of heaven; till he knew that the most high God ruled in the kingdom of men, and that he appointeth over it whomsoever he will.

God using men - Example Hitler • God’s people (the Jews) disobeyed Him • Their punishment was removal from their homeland (Palestine) • In AD 70 the Roman Armies took Jerusalem • God decreed that He would bring His people back to their land • The terror of men like Hitler is bringing them back

SATAN • SATAN is a Greek Word : ‘Diabolos’ • Simply meaning ‘An Adversary’ “Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood he (Jesus) also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” Hebrews 2:14

Four Absurdities of the Orthodox View • Why partake of “flesh and blood” to destroy the orthodox Devil? • Could the orthodox Devil conceivably be destroyed by Jesus’ submission to death? • The Devil should then be dead, but is reported more active! • God visits man with death because of sin, and not because of the Devil.

God using famine 2 Samuel 21 1 Then there was a famine in the days of David three years, year after year; and David enquired of the LORD. And the LORD answered, It is for Saul, and for his house of blood, because he slew the Gibeonites. • (God visited Israel because of Saul’s Sin)

Satan • An obedient angel - “the angel of the LORD stood in the way as Satan against him.” (Numbers .22:22) • Hadad the Edomite - “The LORD stirred up Satan unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite” (1 Kings 11:14) • Peter - “Jesus turned, and said unto Peter, Get thee behind me Satan” (Matthew 16:23)

God & Satan “The anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel and he moved David against them to say, Go number Israel and Judah” (2 Samuel 24:1) “Satan stood up against Israel, and provoked David to number Israel” (1 Chronicles 21:1)

God’s Justice “Behold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness, if thou continue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” (Romans 11:22) • God judges between good and evil • God is good to those who are good • God punishes those who are evil

The Judgement to Come Luke 12: 47 And that servant, which knew his lord's will, and prepared not himself, neither did according to his will, shall be beaten with many stripes. 48 But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.

Knowledge - Basis of Responsibility Knowledge of the Truth, whether believed or rejected, makes us responsible to God for actions done. “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin” (James 4:17)

“For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10) Not all who have ever lived (for some will not rise, Isa.26:14; Psa.49:14-20) but ‘all’ of those to whom he wrote this epistle, I.e., those sanctified in Christ, called to be saints (cp. 1 Cor 1:2; 2 Cor.1:1) The Judgement Seat

“For we must all appear before the judgement seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Corinthians 5:10) “Phaneroo” - ‘to make manifest, publically reveal, I.e., “to be revealed in our true character” “Bema” - this word is applied to the tribunal of a Roman Magistrate (Jn. 19:13; Acts 25:6, 10, 17) The Judgement Seat

What’s this mean to me? • If we know what is right, and don’t do it we will be punished • If we know that something is wrong and still do it then we will be punished • If we know that we should be baptised, and don’t get baptised then we will suffer the consequences • God will not allow the evil in this world unpunished

Eternal Life Health Happiness Contentment Purpose A home Clothing Food Love Joy Peace Warmth Tranquility Friends Direction Care Some of the blessings God has promised to them that obey Him

It is by Grace that you are saved By reading His Word By continuing in Prayer By Obeying His Commands By being baptized - the first act of obedience By seeking forgiveness where we fail By looking for ways to improve ourselves By helping others find their way How we can obtain Gods Blessings

The Goodness & Severity of God