Wrathful God vs Loving God
January 9, 2022
Springcreek Church | Senior Pastor Keith Stewart
#areasonablefaith #wrath #love #God
You make a decision to read the Bible so you begin with the very first book. As you begin reading, you find out fairly quickly about God destroying the earth with a flood. Not long after that, He commanded the annihilation of Sodom and Gomorrah. Then you read about the 10 plagues that fell on Egypt. You also discover, if you lived back then, you didn’t want to be a Canaanite or an Amalekite because God doesn’t seem to be all that fond of them either. So the more you read, the harder it gets for you to understand how the God of the Old Testament is the same loving Father that we learn about in the New Testament. That’s the dilemma we’re looking at this weekend because it’s a major obstacle to faith in the lives of many skeptics and seekers alike. Join us online or in-person at Springcreek Church for what’s sure to be a life-changing message.
Series: A Reasonable Faith
“Questions – I’ve had a lot of them. But in the church where I grew up, when I asked about things that didn’t make sense to me, I was told ‘just believe.’ I’m sorry but that answer never satisfied me. Belief is not a leap in the dark or a denial of our rationality as human beings. Christianity is a reasonable faith. Join us in this new series, A Reasonable Faith, as we explore some of Christianity’s toughest questions.” — Pastor Keith Stewart
1. In this message, Pastor Keith builds the case that specific Divine judgment in the Bible always follows a predictable pattern, announced by God or his prophets in advance, always directed toward a specific act of rebellion against God, a plea to repent to avert the judgment and there is always a way of escape. If it does not fit that pattern, then it’s not a judgment from God. Have you ever heard pastors or Christian leaders describe a national calamity or natural disaster as an act of God’s judgment? What affect does it have on people listening to such proclamations? Why and how does this thinking bring reproach upon Christ and his followers?
2. The plagues that fell on Egypt are one of the most explicit descriptions of Divine judgment anywhere in Scripture. In it, a pattern is laid out that is followed in every other judgment including the book of Revelation. What did you learn about judgment in the example of the 10 plagues or the other judgments Pastor Keith shared (the flood or conquest of Canaan)? In what ways were you challenged in your thinking? Why is there always a righteous remnant (some individual or group who is spared)?
3. Ultimately, whether you’re talking about atheism (no belief in God) or agnosticism (uncertainty about God), everyone must make a choice to believe on the basis of what they know and not what they don’t. Real faith is not about having all your questions answered but about having a reasonable faith. In other words, having enough of your questions answered that you lean in the direction of what you know instead of holding back because of what don’t know. How has this applied in your own life? What was the tipping point for you that made you trust Christ? And if you haven’t made a decision to follow Christ, what is the issue or issues that are holding you back?Download and use the SPRINGCREEK CHURCH APP for interactive message notes, online giving, events, and so much more! Get all the info you need at your fingertips!
