Jesus Loves You – But Not Your Sin

God is many things. Most notably, we know Him as our Creator and Savior, our Healer and Redeemer. God is love. He is just. He is patient and full of grace and mercy. Yes, God is a good God. So much so that we refer to Him as Our Father. He cares for us endlessly and only wants the best for us.

But like a Father, God has rules. Laws – commandments, actually. And He expects us to obey them like any parent would desire of their child. But when any parent sees their child is being disruptive or disobedient, they realize that discipline must take place. God is love. God is just. And God does bring judgment.

God Brings Judgment for a Reason

Scripture tells us to remember both the wonders God has done as well as His judgments. (1 Chronicles 16:12, Psalm 105:5) We all like to claim His promises, reminding Him of the miracles He once performed and how He can perform them again in our own lives. But how often do we remind ourselves of His judgments? Of the repercussions of our actions? History repeats itself, does it not?

The problem is, we don’t like correction. We don’t want to be disciplined. We are so quick to defend ourselves the moment someone even suggests that we are wrong. Sin? What’s sin?

This is a day and age of a selfish “feel good” society. “Do what makes you happy!” – even if the Bible speaks against it. “Get rid of the uncomfortable!” – even though God works through the uncomfortable. And slowly (or quickly, rather), we are becoming more and more desensitized to conviction and ignorant of judgment.

While we do need to understand who we are in Christ (loved, blessed, healed, etc) , we need not put ourselves on an egotistical pedestal of self-love while God tells us to love others first. We need not think the Word of God progresses as times change when the Word of God tells us He is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Sin is sin, and we are sinners.

Yes, we are saved. But our salvation is not a one-time event that allows us to go back into the world the same way we came. There is a reason His mercies are new every morning – we need it!

God Has Conditions

God has conditions. And He makes these stipulations clear: you live for Him, and you will be rewarded; you live in sin, and you will be punished.

We saw a perfect example of this in the scripture that was carelessly thrown around all of 2020. Using 2 Chronicles 7:14, we prayed for God to heal our land. He said He would, didn’t He? Didn’t He promise to heal? Or did He give a condition: “IF My people will humble themselves, pray, seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will heal their land.” Which one of us did these things? Instead, we have sunken into our wicked ways more than ever.

Another example of His conditions: When an angel of the Lord tried to kill Balaam. But didn’t God tell Balaam he could go? No, God gave the condition that “IF” the men came to get him, he could go. Balaam left on his own accord. And we are no different in choosing our own will over God’s.

Of course, let’s not forget the very first example of His conditions: Adam and Eve. “IF you eat of that tree, you will die.” We still blame Adam and Eve for the fate of the world, but look at us now. God is still giving us options, and we are still choosing sin.

Sickly Sweet Gospel

We claim the message of grace and love so much that we forget who God really is. We forget that sin does exist and that there are consequences for it. We forget that God gets angry. As shown in Isaiah 1, the children of God simply had not a clue who He was. What a terrifying place to be!

II Timothy warns of this, saying that in the last days, there will be people “having a form of godliness but denying its power.” We are a “spiritual” people who completely ignore Who the real power and authority is. (II Timothy 3:5)

The Bible tells us of a time when men will flock to what they want to hear, to what pleases them and makes them feel good. It cautions us that the last days will be filled with people who are lovers of themselves, choosing pleasure over God, people who have no self-control because they have ignored the fact that sin and consequences exist. (II Timothy 4:3 & 3:1-4)

 ^“If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.”  – 1 John 1:6

I am not here today to name sins, nor am I here to judge. I have my own sins to deal with, and you have a Bible for your own reference. I am here to remind you to check yourself. No one is perfect. Not one is righteous. This does not mean we are inadequate. This means we ALL need to examine ourselves for what shouldn’t be there.

God Brings Judgment

As I said before, a parent wants nothing but the best for their child. But when their child continually goes against their rules, that child must be disciplined. Isaiah 1 gives us the perfect example of God having to bring judgment to His own children. In this particular chapter, God makes it clear that He has had enough. Now, stick around long enough, and you will also see His love and long-suffering in the end – but also His conditions!

Upon reading this chapter, I want you to put yourself, as a child of God, in the place of Judah. I’m not talking about condemning yourself. I’m talking about conviction. Condemnation tears you down. Conviction produces growth.

Ask God to reveal to you what sins are in your life that shouldn’t be. You may immediately know what your sins are. I could almost guarantee something came to your mind instantly. And more than likely, there are things hidden away that you have justified as no longer being an issue. Either way, ask God to show you. Ask Him to break your heart for what breaks His. We can no longer ignore the truth.