I’m still working my way through the book The Bruised Reed by Richard Sibbs (Click here to purchase it). Below I quote the first paragraph of the chapter which is also the title of the post. Then I’ll give a few thoughts.
Since Christ is thus comfortably set out to us, let us not believe Satan’s representations of Him. When we are troubled in conscious for our sins, Satan’s manner is then to present Christ to the afflicted soul as a most severe judge armed with justice against us. But then let us present Him to our souls as offered to our view by God himself, holding out a scepter of mercy, and spreading his arms to receive us.
Translation: We know that Jesus loves us unconditionally so don’t believe anything other than that about Him. When we feel guilty about something, Satan tries to get us to believe Jesus is angry with us and bent upon punishing us severely. But that is not the case! Even in our sin we must believe the truth about God that He has already mercifully forgiven us and He is running to us to take us in His arms.
Isaiah 42:3, “A bruised reed He will not break and a smoking flax he will not extinguish…”
When we are lovingly convicted by The Holy Spirit of our sin… we feel guilty. We want to bury our head in our hands and flee from God. We think God feels angry toward us. But the truth is that God once a person is saved, ALL their sin is forgiven! ALL OF IT! Past… present… and future!
That means that the sin we commited today is already forgiven. The sin we will commit tomorrow is already forgiven.
Consider 1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.”
God cannot be angry with His children when they sin! Why? Because on the cross God punished Jesus as if He committed our sin. After that, He placed the righteousness of Jesus on those cleansed by His blood so that there is no wrath toward us! All God’s wrath for our mistakes, faults, and sin was poured out on Jesus.
Satan wants us to believe a lie… that God is still angry and still has punishment stored up toward us. BUT THAT IS A LIE!
We are a bruised reed when we are broken over our sin. We are a smoking flax when we feel guilty. God looks on our fraility and lavishes His love and mercy upon us even though we have sinned.
Believe Christ… Not Satan!
Unfortunately church totally based itself on fear and Punishment. Speaking about love and then mentioning hell and torture is not logical for me.
Thank you for your comment! I’d like to address your last comment, “Speaking about love and then mentioning hell and torture is not logical for me.”
Greater love has no man than this, that they lay down their life for their friends. God showed the greatest act of love in history when His Son died to pay for the sin of others so that they wouldn’t have to be punished! And I agree… that is not logical to me. In fact… it amazes me!
For God not to punish evil is the most unloving act there is. Logic would suggest that God is both loving and just at the same time. He offers everyone forgiveness through faith in His son Jesus Christ. Yet at the same time God does not allow the sin and evil in people to go unpunished. Rather He punished His Son AS IF He committed their sin, and as a result declares them forgiven.
For example… if someone were to commit a grave sin against your closest loved one, it wouldn’t be just… fair… or right for that evil to go unpunished. It would not be good for your loved one… you… society… or that individual. For that reason it is universally recognized that sin & evil must be punished and that is why we have laws and consequences for breaking those laws. Thus when a person’s debt to society is paid the debt (At least ideally) is erased. The same is much more true with God!
God’s love and justice are perfectly met when sin is punished. It is punished either when a person believes in Christ’s death on the cross… OR when they themselves after rejecting God’s free offer of forgiveness is cast into hell.
No person has to spend eternity separated from God. They can listen to the message of love offered by God. The church does not base itself on fear and punishment, it is based on God’s loving sacrifice for sinners through His son’s death to forgive them.
People who reject the supreme act of love from God and ignore His offer of salvation in fact do deserve what God decrees as the consequence. But no one need suffer that if they will accept God’s loving offer of salvation!
Bless you!
Ron