#ItSeemsToMe... The Bible makes two extraordinary statements about God.
Phil Miglioratti
" God is holy. "
Holiness means to be "set apart." In God's case, absolutely perfect in being and character, without fault or failure, Righteous in every motivation and judgement. Just in every response.
" God is love.”
God is revealed as loving, lovely, able-to-love, because love is the essence of God's being. Love is an attribute of God expressed in care for the creation and people who are created in God's image. God's love is released in mercy, truth, and grace (undeserved and merited forgiveness) to all who believe.
Being "wholly other" (set-apart) does not give God permission to circumvent love when responding to injustice, sin, or to evil. The grace of God requires both holiness and love in perfect balance.
Sadly, many Christians and Churches choose one or the other. Some are content to pursue justice without love; ignoring mercy, forgiveness, or healing. Law without grace. Others choose love but ignore the need for righteousness, repentance and redemption. Both become opposite wings that, rather than working in tandem, respond as opponents, often nullifying the benefits of both.
God is perfectly holy. But not merely holy.
God is always love. But never solely love.
What do you think?
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With thanks to John Armstrong…
Schaeffer adds, “Anything that an individual Christian or Christian group does that fails to show the simultaneous balance of the holiness of God and the love of God presents to a watching world not a demonstration of the God who exists but a caricature of the God who exists.”
Mark of the Christian, p. 21
FYInspiration . . .
Hello Roseland & West Pullman Ministry Leaders
City Co-Director - Chicago
CRU Inner City
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marc.henkel@cru.org