Let’s say one morning Dan (no one in particular) opens his Bible and reads 1 John 4:8. It says that God is love. He feels pretty good about this, closes his Bible, and goes throughout his day. The next morning Dan happens to read Hebrews 10:31. It’s confusing and he’s kind confused now. It says, “It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.”
The explanation? God happens to be the greatest Father there is. A good Father is going to spend time with his boy. He’s going to throw the ball with him in the yard, he’ll go fishing with him, he’s going to listen to him, he’s going to hug him, and he’ll verbally express the love he has for that boy.
Imagine the next day that the same little boy says a swear word for the very first time. What is that good father going to do? He’s going to spank the kid! Not out of hate, but out of love. He still loves his I son, and he spanks his son out of love. That child is going to cry and have a healthy fear of his dad. He still loves his dad. Maybe he’s not feeling it in the moment that he’s on the ground in a puddle of tears trying to pull his pants up, but he loves his dad.
There is no doubt that God loves us, and this thread runs through all of scripture. God made the earth, gave His son, and created Heaven and a way to get there. He loves us, but do we realize what He can do to us?
You do not want to be found guilty in sin when the trumpet sounds and those clouds roll back. This would be a terrifying thing. Yes, God is love. He’s perfect, He’s just, and He doesn’t want anybody to be lost (Jn. 3.16).
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