Wednesday, March 13, 2024

Answering Objections to the Gospel of Grace: God is angry with and will punish believers who sins.

For the Law was given through Moses, but grace [the unearned, undeserved favor of God] and truth came through Jesus Christ. John 1:17 AMP

 Throughout the last one hundred years God has been restoring truth to the Body of Christ. These truths are verifiable by examining the Word of God. Even though truth is restored certain traditional religious-minded ones will reject the truth if it contradicts their tradition.

 Recently I came across a concise list of objections to the Gospel of Grace. With such a detailed list, a detailed response seemed the best way to address these objections. I have already responded to the objections concerning 1 John 1 and confessions of sins to receive forgiveness. 

 In the last study, I responded to the objection that all Grace teaching does is focus on Paul. That Radical Grace teaching simply ignores the rest of the Bible, as if the rest of the Bible contradicts and disagrees with Paul. Today I want to respond to the objection of the Grace message that we miss it because we teach that God isn't angry with believers when they mess up. That God won't punish believers who sin too much.

 This concept of the angry God who punishes His own is a deeply rooted stronghold in the minds of tradition-ruled believers. Why? Guilt over their own transgressions and sins. Guilt means they are guilty and recompense must be made in some way or fashion for their wrongs. It's either their own guilt or condemnation they project on others whom they deem guilty of too much sinning. 

 Does God get angry with believers? Does God punish us when we sin? These are valid questions that beg an answer. Many believers have lived with guilt and shame over their sins and transgressions. Many look at the circumstances of their life and conclude God must be punishing them for some sin they have committed.

 Let's address this objection to the Gospel of Grace. Does God get angry with us and even punish us when we sin? In addressing this objection, let's examine facts about our Father in Heaven. 

 Let's look at the character of our Father in Heaven. Let's look at what was accomplished on the Cross. Let's respond using the light of the New Covenant.

 The first fact we must consider is that God our Father has accepted the final sacrifice of Jesus Christ. The Father has fully accepted Christ's sacrifice and no other is needed. Jesus was enough.

 whereas Christ, having offered the one sacrifice [the all-sufficient sacrifice of Himself] for sins for all time, sat down [signifying the completion of atonement for sin] at the right hand of God [the position of honor], Hebrews 10:12 AMP

 God the Father has fully accepted the perfect once-for-all sacrifice of Christ Jesus for sins. He isn't unsatisfied with Jesus' sacrifice. He isn't looking for our sacrifices for our sins. Where there is a once for all sacrifice for sins offered there will be no other sacrifice accepted. The Father is satisfied with Jesus!  

 The next fact about our Father is that He isn't counting our sins against us. In other words, the Father isn't charging our sins to our accounts. Thanks to the shed blood we are free!

Even David describes the blessedness of the man to whom God credits righteousness without works: 7 “Blessed are those  whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered; 8  blessed is the man  to whom the Lord shall not impute sin.” Romans 4:6-8 MEV

 The next fact about the Father is that in the New Covenant, the Father isn't remembering our sins. He declared under the New, our sins and iniquities He remembers no more. He said He doesn't remember them and neither should we.

 then he says, · “Their sins and · their lawless acts I will never again remember.” Hebrews 10:17 MOUNCE

 God declared He would never again remember our sins. If He doesn't remember them who are we to bring them up? If He said He will never remember them who then can bring a charge to God's Righteous and forgiven children?

 The last fact about our Father is that He said He would never be angry with us again. Grace teachers didn't say it He did. He cannot lie.

“For this is like the days of Noah to Me, When I swore that the waters of Noah Would not flood the earth again; So I have sworn that I will not be angry with you Nor rebuke you. Isaiah 54:9 NASB

 We have looked at several truths concerning redemption and the facts about our Father concerning sins. God is a Good Father. He is not an angry harsh taskmaster. 

 For God to be angry with us because of our sins, would mean He has not fully accepted the once-for-all all sacrifice for sins. He is still counting believer's sins against them. He still remembers our sins. In essence, He would be nullifying the New Covenant. The Good News of Grace is that He is fully pleased with Jesus and will never do that.

  Jesus took the full punishment of all our sins in His body when He suffered on the cross. The wages of sin is death, and Jesus died for our sins. He bore all our sins. He didn't bear just the sins we committed before we got saved, He bore them all. Therefore God isn't holding them against us ever again.

 God is angry with and punishes believers who sin? What about Jesus? Why is God punishing us when Jesus took all the punishment for us? This concept is so absurd and reveals a clear misunderstanding and ignorance concerning the New Covenant. 

 To some religious-minded ones, the New Covenant simply means we don't sacrifice sheep or goats any longer. God still judges, condemns, and is angry with His people for their failures. The cross didn't change anything, especially how God addresses our sins and shortcomings. 

 Thanks be to God Jesus paid the highest price. God is satisfied with Jesus' once for all sacrifice and is not remembering our sins. He is not counting them against us any longer. In fact, because of Jesus, we can always have boldness concerning the day of judgment. 

 And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world.

18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 1 John 4:17-18 NLT

 In summation, is God angry with Christians? Is God punishing them? Based upon the precepts of the New Covenant, Jesus' once-for sacrifice, the perfect Blood of Jesus shed, and the Word of promise from God Himself the answer is clearly no! God is not remembering your sins or mine. We can run to our Father whenever we miss it because His love is always there for us. 



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