July 17, 2013

John 3:36

He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.

Encouraging Words...

What do you do with a verse like this when most of your Christian life you are taught that God is wrathful and judging and that we are all condemned to hell unless we receive Christ, then you learn that the early church fathers taught that God is love and does everything in love? This verse seems to point to God as angry and wrathful not loving. It takes a lot more study and research to understand this and I am still wrapping my head around it. As Orthodox Christians we still acknowledge that there will be a final judgment by God. So much so that in every liturgy we pray, "For a good defense before the dread Judgment Seat of Christ, let us pray to the Lord: Lord have mercy." The encouraging words here are that God loves us, His creation, so much that He has given us the means by which we can stand before that last judgment seat blameless and exonerated. It is His only Son who gave up His life for mankind and provides us the means to be children of God. And God did not stop there. He also placed in our being, and in all nature around us, all of the indicators that we need to point us to His Son. So who am I to say how that judgment plays out. That is up to God and it is a mystery. Glory be to God.