Whatever is good and perfect is a gift coming down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. James 1:17 NLT
God is a Good Father. He has revealed Himself as the Father of Lights. In Him, there exists no darkness at all. He is not the author or orchestrator of death, disaster, or destruction. He is the author of Abundant Life.
Does it matter whether we receive and understand this truth? Absolutely. If we want our faith to grow strong and steadfast, we must know the character of the One who makes the promise. Trust is built on knowing the heart behind the words. If we are to confidently trust a Savior who offers eternal life through simple belief, we must be fully convinced of the goodness and integrity of the One who offered it.
As important as those things are, there is another reason we must know the character of God. We are told to emulate, to be like God throughout the Word. We have sayings like;
What would Jesus do?
If we think of Jesus and the Father and the Spirit as harsh taskmasters who are quick to punish, point out our sins and shortcomings, and separate themselves from us, how will we treat others?
When men believe they serve a cruel God, they themselves will become cruel. If they see God as angry, obsessed with rules, and determined to make them do what they dread simply to prove His power, it will shape their hearts into the same harsh image. A distorted view of God always produces a distorted life.
The Lens of the Heart
The way we perceive God becomes the lens through which we see everything else.
If we believe God is unpredictable, harsh, and ready to lash out, we will approach life with fear, suspicion, and anxiety.
We will struggle to rest, to trust, or to live with joy — because deep down, we will always be bracing ourselves for the next blow.
But if we see Him as the Father of Lights, the One who is pure goodness with no shadow of turning, our hearts can finally exhale.
We can live freely, joyfully, and fearlessly, rooted in the unwavering love of a perfect Father.
"God is light, and in Him is no darkness at all." (1 John 1:5)
Religious Fear Produces Religious Cruelty
Many believers today, though sincere, have been taught to fear God in the wrong way.
Not with a holy awe for His majesty and grace, but with a terror of punishment and rejection.
This false fear hardens hearts. It produces believers who are more judgmental than joyful, more condemning than compassionate.
The truth is, a cruel view of God creates cruel men.
If you believe God is constantly displeased with you, you will live displeased with yourself and others.
You will feel justified in being critical, harsh, and unkind because you think that's how God is.
This isn't holiness. It's hurt wearing a religious mask.
"There is no fear in love. But perfect love drives out fear, because fear has to do with punishment." (1 John 4:18)
The Father of Lights
Our God is not two-faced. He is not sometimes good and sometimes cruel.
He is the same yesterday, today, and forever — good, faithful, merciful, and kind.
He corrects His children, yes — but He corrects by reminding us who we are in Christ, not by crushing us with calamity.
He leads by love, not by fear. He builds up — He doesn’t tear down.
Beloved, reject every image of God that is less beautiful than Jesus.
Reject the religious lie that portrays the Father as cruel, calculating, and condemning.
Embrace the radiant truth that your Father is the Father of Lights — and in Him, there is no darkness at all.
You were created to reflect the One you behold.
Behold His goodness — and you will shine.
Religious traditions' distortion of God has created the image of a cruel God. This cruel image causes the thinking of the religious mind to be programmed to condemnation, shame, and guilt. We direct this first toward ourselves, and afterwards to others around us.
This makes us forget who the Father is. We forget that we cannot come to God based on our merits. We forget that it was only the shed blood of Jesus that makes us worthy.
Summarizing, why must we know and understand how good God truly is? Because everything in the Christian life rests upon this truth. His goodness and His grace are not side notes—they are the very foundation! The entire Christian life rises or falls on this revelation. His goodness is the anchor of our faith, and His grace is the melody of the Gospel—without them, there is no true Christianity, only cold religion.
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