He Is Love

"Hatred and godliness do not hold hands."

THE WAY OF the flesh is vengeance. The way of the Spirit is mercy. This applies to the present, to our “foes” (or those we perceive as foes), to the past – those who have gone on before, both good and evil, and to the future – what will take place. It applies to physical beings, men and women, and spiritual beings. But where there is condemning, where someone or something has not been given, or has not accepted, redemption and forgiveness, there is a price to pay. However, even that is seen through mercy. For one day, even those condemned will be relieved of their torment and all death and sorrow ended (Revelation 21:4).

“Nevertheless for thy great mercies' sake thou didst not utterly consume them, nor forsake them; for thou art a gracious and merciful God.” (Nehemiah 9:31)

We don’t wish for these things, consumed by our hatred. God wishes for even those who rebelled against Him, angelic hosts, now demonic beings, to not do as they do and receive what they must receive. We can’t think of this, in our human minds. But there is a greater compassion than we are aware of. Do these deserve hatred? They do, and they are hated. Some have done despicable things. But so have we. I have seen testimony of many saved from death at the edge of physical death.

One man, a drug dealer, had been shot and, at the edge of death, was urged by his mother to call on Jesus. He did and was given a moment in heaven which changed his human life on earth forever. “I will go back there,” he said. Of this, his friend, who had lived a similar lifestyle, said, “Dead he would be dead. But living, he’s living.” What powerful words. That young man lives physically because he lives spiritually. We adore this kind of testimony, to see a life changed. Yet, others we’d rather see consumed with our hatred.

But not God’s. He has no hatred in Him. Oh, legally speaking, He hates evil, but He is not swayed by emotions to rash decisions. He is love. It composes His entire being. He is love, so He loves completely and wholly everything and everyone He has created. He mourns defection and rebellion. The prophet Jeremiah cried out the Father’s sorrow over bereft Jerusalem. Its streets empty, walls razed, He wished for it to be restored and would restore it. But rebellion, but hatred fueling destructive actions, walks men and spirit beings out of the light into the darkness where there is no eternal life, no goodness of God’s nature and character. The devil, having created sin, for he was the first to sin, lost all he had been. We are given a picture of him as beautiful, as having authority, yet in choosing to exalt himself over the Almighty (a feat impossible to him), he lost all that he thought would catapult him higher. Even his form was gone, so he inhabited the serpent (Isaiah 14:13-16).

“It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.” (Lamentations 3:22)

Does God mourn demons? This is from the Spirit: “There are things men does not know of spiritual and I will not tell because men will not receive it and will disbelieve it. But He tempers all things with grace, darkness included.”

“But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.” (James 4:6)

I (Suzanne) continue. There are things I see, things I hear in the pulpit which grieve me. There are blessings in abundance as well. The same speaker may speak mistruth and glorious liberty in alternate breaths. I choose to celebrate what they’ve understood and shared correctly, from the Spirit, and to pray for them where they are needy. Name-calling has no place in the body of Christ. Hatred and godliness do not hold hands. We are commanded in 1 Thessalonians 5:13 to be at peace. I love the Remedy translation which says, “Instead, always choose to live in harmony with God’s design—the law of love—and be kind to everyone.” There is no exception to this rule. Be kind to the unruly, be kind to the soft-spoken, be kind to everyone, and walk led of the Spirit.

“This I say then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh.” (Galatians 5:16)

There are glorious levels of this, which are beyond our understanding, places only the Spirit can take us, and only if we are intimately connected with Him. But never will pride or arrogance or hatred, rebellion which the Scripture says is as witchcraft, get us there. I’d hate to see anyone miss the fullness of God in their life to pacify their offenses. One man said we should study the Word, hear the Word, and see ourselves. We should see our behavior, our actions and reactions, and not the other man’s. I agree. We should seek God for our own peace of heart so that what we feel first for “them” is love and compassion. I cannot encourage you to this higher. To go up in God in heavenly things requires letting go of ourselves, going “down” in humility. For in humbleness was Christ exalted (Philippians 2:8-9), and He is our example.

“Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with hearts of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Bear with one another and forgive any complaint you may have against someone else. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which is the bond of perfect unity.” (Colossians 3:12-14, BSB)

“And please, set healthy boundaries with the unruly (warn them of the consequences of allowing their feelings to overrule good judgment), buttress the overly sensitive, spend extra time helping the weak-willed, and be patient: healing doesn’t happen overnight.” (1 Thessalonians 5:14)

Image by Tung Lam from Pixabay


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Suzanne D. Williams, Author
www.suzannedwilliams.com
www.feelgoodromance.com