God is Love; God is Just

He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. I John 4:8 (KJV) emphasis mine

If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. I John 1:9 (KJV) emphasis mine

 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil….. He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him. John 3:16-19, 36 (KJV)

God is love. God is good. God is righteous. God is just. He reaches out to all to help, save, and do good for them. God wants the best for everyone. He is good and only good. He loves all and did everything possible to bless us by sending Jesus.

God is the same always- in the Old and New Testaments. He’s just dealt with people a little differently based on sin, the law, etc. In the Old Testament, judgment seemed to come quicker because God always judges sin. Jesus took our judgment, so in the New Testament it is handled differently because God honors His Son’s sacrifice. Yet, God judged sin in the church when Ananias and Sapphira lied (Acts 5). God’s love gave them opportunity to come clean and repent, but they did not. God had to judge the sin so it did not spread in the church. God’s love could be perfectly demonstrated through Jesus because Jesus was completely yielded to the Father. The more we are yielded to the Father, the more we will see God’s love. God works through yielded and clean vessels.

For I have not shunned to declare unto you all the counsel of God. Acts 20:27 (KJV)

All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, thoroughly furnished unto all good works. II Timothy 3:16-17 (KJV)

Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth. II Timothy 2:15 (KJV)

Some people have difficulty balancing the justice of God with His love. When deciding what’s true or not, one must take all Scripture on a subject into account. This helps us to rightly divide the Word of truth. We take all Scripture to give us a balanced approach and get the right interpretation. When we pull the text out of context, we won’t get the true meaning of the Scripture.

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning. James 1:17 (KJV)

We must know God’s character and all His attributes through His Word. As we do, we will be able to know what is true about God and what is not. God is good and doeth only good. Yet, God is just and does only what’s right. God does what is right to make things right. He does it out of love; for our good. We can see the nature of God through Jesus. Jesus rebuked religious people for their hypocrisy thus we see God’s justice. Jesus healed broken people, thus we see God’s love.

God’s wrath abides on sinners, but Jesus took that wrath on Himself. So when we accept Christ and His finished works, we will escape God’s judgment. And because God is love, the judgment that should have been exacted on us was exacted on Another. God has left the choice up to us- His love or His judgment.