God is a God of infinite love, not a punishing and vengeful God

How do you see God, do you see him as a punishing and vengeful God or a God of infinite love?  If you see him as a  punishing and vengeful God, then you don’t know him, for love casts out fear as seen in the following passage. 1 John 4:18 . Numbers 6:25.  Don’t listen to anyone who distorts the true image of a loving and merciful God, for he has great plans for our welfare.  See also Jeremiah 29:11 and Isaiah 41:10

 I believe that people are confused with the word “the fear of God” in the Bible.  That doesn’t mean to be frightened of God, but I believe that it means to have a true reverence for God and to seek to do his will and to fear hurting him because you love him.

I believe that when we are true Christians that God only disciplines us in love by gently showing us where we have gone wrong, but He doesn’t punish us, but instead he cries with us when the evil one causes us heartache and pain.  Jesus Christ taught us how loving His Father is and so I believe in a merciful, loving God portrayed by Jesus Christ.  See how God shows compassion and mercy and instead of punishing the prodigal son he rushes over to him and kisses him,  see: Luke 15:11-32.  See also Psalm 145:8 

When we love Jesus and want to do His Will, we have His protection because we belong to Him, and He brings us up as God’s children and treats them with gentleness.  Surely when you raise children and they listen to you, you don’t treat them the same way as you treat rebellious children, and it is the same with God.  The following passage shows how Jesus defended the woman who committed adultery and forgave her, and He shows us what a gentle and forgiving and merciful God we have as seen in John 7:53-8:11. God looks for even one lost sheep.  Everyone matters to him.  See Luke 15:1-10

Jesus showed us how we shouldn’t worry but trust God as seen in Matthew 6:25-34.

See how God wants to give us good gifts in Matthew 7:11

I believe that it is love that purifies us. Those people, who adore Jesus, don’t want to offend Him by sinning against him. We should all be grateful to him for suffering during the whole of His Passion and for dying on the Cross for us. Whoever truly adores Jesus and is really grateful for what he did for them, Jesus brings them to a higher level, and gives them the grace not to sin, but instead Jesus helps them to give God praise and adoration.  Don’t fear God, but instead just know that He is holding you by the hand. You need to seek a personal intimate friendship with the God of love. You won’t have it if you are afraid of him. See Psalm 46:1.

We have a God who loves us so much that He went to extremes to save us from hell by sacrificing his only perfect Son for us. How do you think that felt?  Would you sacrifice your child for anyone? Yet God did that for us. See John 3:16.

Jesus knew from the beginning of time how He would suffer and He could have changed His mind at any moment and called a legion of angels to help Him, but He didn’t do that, but went ahead with dying on the Cross for us.  Imagine how that must have felt for him knowing that he had the power to stop the agony he was going through by letting himself get arrested for love of his Father and for us, and dying an agonizing death on the Cross after having been tortured so much!

See Luke 22: 1-24: 53, John 14: 6, John 26, Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53.

Whenever you have any fears or doubts, remember what it cost both God the Father and Jesus his Son to make that sacrifice, and always trust the Lord with all your heart, soul, mind and strength.  Jesus doesn’t judge us when we sin, but it breaks his heart when we do so, and yet he carries on loving us.  Don’t ever believe anyone who distorts the true picture of a loving God to a punishing, brutal, and vengeful God, as it puts a barrier between you and God, for Jesus showed us the real God.  Jesus said “I am” which means that He never changes and is always the same God, but people before didn’t see Him that way because they didn’t truly know God.  It is only when our relationship has been restored through Christ and when we have a deep relationship with Him that we can see God through Jesus’ eyes, and it makes all the difference in the world.

Other passages on God’s love are seen in Isaiah 49:15-16, Zephaniah 3:17 and Psalm 36:7 

How do you see God?  Ask God to reveal himself to you.  May Jesus Christ lead you to God the Father and may He wrap his arms of love around you and cover you with his Precious Blood and place all his angels around you to protect you.

Written by Marie-Helene and Dominic Bradshaw

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