Two Sides of the Same God

“TWO SIDES OF THE SAME GOD!"

1 JOHN 4:8; HEBREWS 12:29

INTRO: God is personally interested in every individual. There is not one who

can say, "God doesn't care!” Over and over in the SCRIPTURES we

see that God loves mankind! John 3:16 says, "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." 1 Timothy 2:4 says,

"Who will have all to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the

truth." We love to preach, teach, and sing about the love of God! And

it is wonderful! But we must not forget about God's justice!

His love is shown to us as we read in 1 John 4:8—“...God is love.”

But His justice is shown to us as we read in Hebrews 12:29, "…our

God is a consuming fire.” I'd like to speak today on, "Two Sides Of

The Same God!" Charles H. Spurgeon said, "We love to play on the

silver trumpets of grace rather than on the ram's horn of justice"

(Albert M. Wells, Jr. Inspiring Quotations-Contemporary & Classical. p.

80). It's true that our God is a compassionate God; that is His very

nature! But He is also a just God! Isaiah 30:18 says, "...For the

LORD is a God of judgment: blessed are all they that wait for him." A.T.

Pierson said, "God's anger is not a passion but a principle-the eternal

hatred of wrong, which corresponds with the eternal love of right,

which is only another aspect of love." (Albert M. Wells, Jr. Inspiring

Quotations-Contemporary & Classical. p. 80). God because of His

holiness cannot stand wickedness, it is an abomination to Him. But

at the same time, God loves mankind! So God's character is such

that He loves the sinner and hates the sin!

I want us today to look at these two sides God's character-God's love

and God's justice!

(1) GOD'S LOVE

1 John 4:8b—“...God is love"

A. HIS LOVE EXPRESSED. This verse indicates that love is not simply a

quality which God possesses, but love is that which He is by His very

nature! God's love is clearly seen in that He sent His only begotten Son into

the world to die on the Cross for our sins! 1 John 4:9-10—“In this was

manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only

begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love,

not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the

propitiation for our sins.” Ephesians 2:4-5 tells us—“ But God, who is rich in

mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in

sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, by (grace ye are saved;)”.

B. HIS LOVE EXAMINED. God's love is:

Þ UNINFLUENCED. There is nothing inherent in man to merit the love of God! Nothing within us to attract or prompt His love! Friends, there is nothing I can do or fail to do that will make God love me any more or less! The Lord told Israel in Deuteronomy 7:7-8a—“The LORD did not set his love upon you, nor choose you, because ye were more in number than any people; for ye were the fewest of all people: But because the LORD loved you…”. God has loved mankind from everlasting, so nothing in us can cause Him to love or hate us! He loves us "according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began". He loved us first! (1 John 4:19). God didn't love us because we love Him, but He loved us when we hated Him! (Romans 5:8; Colossians 1:21).

Þ ETERNAL. This is a necessity! God Himself is eternal, and God Is love; therefore, as God Himself had no beginning, His love had none! (Arthur W. Pink. The Attributes of God. p. 78). (Jeremiah 31:3). What a glorious thought to know that God loved us, His people before heaven and earth were called into existence, that He had set His heart upon us from all eternity. (Arthur W. Pink. The Attributes of God. pp. 78-79). Ephesians 1:4-5 tells us—“According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.”

Þ SOVEREIGN. God is a sovereign God. He has to answer to no one. He is a law unto Himself, acting always according to His pleasure. (Arthur W. Pink. The Attributes of God. p. 79). God is sovereign, He does as He pleases, and God is love, then it follows that God loves who He pleases! The Psalmist said in Psalm 135:6—“ Whatsoever the LORD pleased, that did he in heaven, and in earth, in the seas, and all deep places.” God loves whom He pleases! Who does God love? (John 3:16).

Þ INFINITE. God’s love has no limits! Someone has said, “God's love is as a stream that never freezes, a fountain that never runs dry, and a sun which never sets." (Henry G. Bosch. Our Daily Bread. Volume 38. Number 5. August 27, 1993). God’s love is SO transcendent that it passes our knowledge! Paul wrote in Ephesians 3:19—“To know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge...". God’s love surpasses all knowledge! It has no limits! It has now laws! John Brine said in 1743, "No tongue can fully express the infinitude of God's Love. The extensive ideas that a finite mind can frame about Divine love are infinitely below its true nature. The heaven is not so far above the earth as the goodness of God is beyond the most raised conceptions which we are able to form of it. It is an ocean which swells higher than all the mountains of opposition to it. It is a fountain which flows all necessary good to all who are interested in it." (Arthur W. Pink. The Attributes of God. p. 80).

Þ IMMUTABLE. Malachi 3:6 says, "I am the LORD, I change not". Because God doesn't change neither does His love! God’s love is a gift which never changes! (James 1:17). Because He is immutable and His love is immutable we can have security, peace, and assurance in our lives! In Romans 8:35-39 Paul wrote—“Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 1:12b—“For I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.” Friends, what assurance it brings and what peace it gives to know that God is immutable and therefore His love doesn’t change! Listen to what someone has written:

ILLUS: I Know

What wonderful Blessings overflow,

When we can truly say "I Know!"

I know in whom I have believed.

I know the One I have received.

I know His blood avails for me.

I know that I was blind, but see.

I know that my redeemer lives.

I know the gift He freely gives.

I know He'll keep me to the end.

I know He is my Faithful Friend.

I know He's coming in the sky.

I know the time is drawing nigh.

--- R. E. Neighbour

(Bible Illustrator For Windows. Version 3.0f.

Þ HOLY. God's love is regulated by principle not passion or sentiment! His love never conflicts with His righteousness! His love will never wink at sin, but His righteousness will prevail!

Þ GRACIOUS. The word “gracious” means “having or showing kindness…full of compassion, merciful.” (Funk & Wagnall’s Standard Desk Dictionary. Volume 1, A-M. p. 277). Psalm 100:5 tells us, “For the LORD is good; his mercy is everlasting; and his truth endureth to all generations.” In Psalm 103:8 we read—“The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and plenteous in mercy.” And in Psalm 145:8 the psalmist declares—“The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy.” Friends, the love and favor of God cannot be separated! Calvary is the supreme demonstration of Divine love! (John 15:13). (Ephesians 2:8-9). We are saved because of His love and favor. We are sustained by His love and favor. And we are secure because of His love and favor!

We have HOPE today because of God’s love but let us also see another side to our Almighty God…

(2) GOD'S JUSTICE

HEBREWS 12:29—“For our God is a consuming fire”

A. THE REALITY OF GOD’S JUSTICE. Many times in the SCRIPTURE “fire”

is symbolic of judgment. In Daniel 7:9, it says of God's throne: "His throne

was like a fiery flame...". And in 2 Thessalonians 1:8, it says He will come

with "flaming fire..." to judge those who reject His Son and His offering for

sin. Although God is absolutely holy and unfailing in His love, yet in His

dealings with us, He is perfectly just and righteous. (Herbert Lockyer. All

The Doctrine of The Bible. p. 32). Psalm 145:17 tells us—“The LORD is

righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.” This includes His

justice. Psalm 9:8 tells us—“ And he shall judge the world in

righteousness, he shall minister judgment to the people in uprightness.”

B. THE REVEALING OF GOD’S JUSTICE. There are more references in the

Scriptures to the anger, fury, and wrath of God, than there are to His love

and tenderness. (Arthur W. Pink. The Attributes of God. p. 82). Our God is

a holy God which hates sin (Psalm 7:11—“God judgeth the righteous, and

God is angry with the wicked every day.”) and sin cannot go unpunished!

Since God's justice is based upon His love and holiness, then He always

does what is right! God loves mankind, but some day He will mete out His

justice on all who rebel against His Word! Jesus said in John 12:48—“He

that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the

word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day.” Monty

Ledford has aptly pointed out: “There is a hard and terrifying side of God

which is as much a part of the BIBLE as His gentleness and kindness. We

dare not neglect it because we can't fit it into our theology. Above all we

dare not misrepresent the Character of God to those who must one day

meet Him face to face." (Bible Illustrator For Windows. Version 3.0f.

God's justice:

Þ GOD WILL JUDGE ALL MEN! (Hebrews 9:27). AII men will one day stand before Almighty God! I will stand before God! You will stand before God! Every person who has ever lived or who will ever live on this earth will one day stand before Almighty God! There are three things that all of us have to do:

1.) You have to be born, you cannot be unborn

2.) You have to die, (unless Jesus comes soon)

3.) And you have to stand before God and be Judged.

- Billy Graham

Yes, all must face the judgment of God. If saved at:

1) The Judgment Seat Of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10; 1

Corinthians 3:11-15). Here our works will be examined, not our

Salvation!

If lost at

2) The Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11-15).

ILLUS: Some years ago a man driving down the streets of one of

the great cities lost control of his horses and was in

danger of being dashed to death. Suddenly, there sprang

out into the streets a man who, seizing the horses by the

bit, stopped them in their mad career and saved the

driver's life.

By a singular coincidence, years afterwards the man

whose life was saved was on trial before the one who had

stopped the horses, who sat in the judge's chair. The trial

was ended; the lawyers had made the plea and the jury

had returned with its verdict, when the judge said, "Have

you anything to say why sentence should not be

pronounced upon you?" Then, rising, trembling with great

emotion, he said: "Judge, don't you remember me?" And

the judge said once again, "Have you anything to say why

sentence should not be pronounced?" And then he said,

"Why, Judge, I am the man you saved; have mercy, have

mercy. And with a look full of pity, his honor replied, "I do

remember you and I am very sorry for you, but then I was

your saviour, and today I am your judge;" and the

sentence of death was passed.

Today our Saviour stands waiting to be merciful. With

tears in his eyes he stands knocking again and again at

the door of our hearts. But one day the picture will

change, and he will be our judge to say, "Depart, for I

never knew you." God save us from that day. -- J. W. C.

By J. Wilbur Chapan, "Present Day Parables." (Bible