As Keller points out, many people have an adverse reaction to the idea that God judges people. Such an understanding of God seems to contradict the idea that God loves everyone and leads inevitably to human violence in the name of God.
Keller responds to these objections with two quotes:
"Think how we feel when we someone we love ravaged by unwise actions or relationships. Do we respond with benign tolerance as we might toward strangers? Far from it...Anger isn't the opposite of love. Hate is, and the final form of hate is indifference...God's wrath is not a cranky explosion, but his settled opposition to the cancer...which is eating out the insides of the human race he loves with his whole being."
~ B. Pippert
"If God were not angry at injustice and deception and did not make a final end to violence--that God would not be worthy of worship...The only means of prohibiting all recourse to violence by ourselves is to insist that violence is legitimate only when it comes from God...My thesis that the practice of non-violence requires a believe in divine vengeance will be unpopular with many...in the West...[But] it takes the quiet of a suburban home for the birth of the thesis that human non-violence [results from the belief in] God's refusal to judge. In a sun-scorched land, soaked in the blood of the innocent, it will invariably die...[with] other pleasant captivities of the liberal mind."
~ M. Volf
Do you agree? Especially with Volf's claim in the sentence (in bold) above?
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The idea that God must be angry at injustice and deception is denying God His complete and total divinity, omnipotence, omniscience, and wisdom. To say such a God who does not get angry is not worthy of worship is short-sighted.
God created us with perfect understanding and foresight. He knows we are human because He made us human, with all our flaws, fears, weaknesses, strengths, needs, and hopes. Anger represents an emotion that is taken aback by an action or lack of action. Anger is a human emotion that is spurred on by fear, disbelief, and sometimes hopelessness or frustration. God is greater than that. He knows we will do wrong. He knows we will be cruel at times, that we will be selfish and self-centered. That we will be callous and cold to one another. This does not arouse anger in God, however. He is not surprised or frustrated by our actions.
Certainly God does not condone cruelty but desires us to choose, with our free will, to be loving, just, and compassionate. And I believe God will confront us when we cross into Eternity, giving us the chance to see our great ills and to know how poorly we treated one another. It is then, when we have judged ourselves and repented by the light and clarity of God's Truth, that we will be reunited with our Creator in perfect love.
This has nothing to do with "pleasant captivities of the liberal mind." This has to do with the great nature of God who created all with divine intent, purpose, and love.
God does not inflict violence upon His children. He has put us here to learn, to live, to love, to struggle, to grow. Any violence that occurs, outside that of natural disasters, comes from the human heart, not the Divine Heart.
Before someone thinks I'm suggesting God only intervenes in our lives when our lives are done, let me add that God is here, now, to guide us, correct us, comfort, and teach us if we look to Him. His loving hand in our lives is as close as our next breath if we humbly open to His presence and seek to love Him and to love one another with active compassion - in other words, to help make true the saying, "Thy Will be done."
Elizabeth, thanks for such a powerful reflection on of God's omnipotence, love, and care in our lives now and in the future.
I agree with you that a notion of God getting "angry" may not be the best way of putting things. The use of this word anthropomorphisizes God and reminds us of tyrants, parents, siblings, and friends who throw tantrums and act violently when they don't get what they want.
Perhaps God's anger, however, is different from human anger. So much so, that we should not use this word. =)
You use the word "confront." Could we say that God will one day "judge" evil and carry out justice (which might look different than most of us want it to) and that God "reacts" against evil when it is perpetrated today?
Also, I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on the first quote by Pippert on God's anger not being a "cranky explosion" but a "settled opposition" and actually result of his love for us.
Thanks for your comment(s) and for joining us in our conversation!
I do understand why people use the word “anger” when attempting to define or grasp God’s rejection of evil. As humans we have and will always have limited abilities to speak or write about God because there, truly, are no words that measure up. In this case, “anger” does not fit the Perfect Understanding, Divine Intent, and Pure Godly Love of our Creator. God created us to be human, knowing we would fall short at times and rise up at times. Some will fall farther and harder, but we all fall. We will do good and we will do wrong. He created us as humans, humans he would love and cherish even in our flailings and selfish shortsightedness. He created us for two purposes – for His glory and so that His love might be expressed and shared. (I know that many Calvinists believe humans are by nature “totally depraved” and that we were created solely for God’s glory; I don’t agree.)
God knows our individual make-ups, down to our very electrons and neutrons. He knows how our minds and our emotions were fashioned. He knows some of us are more timid while others are bolder. He knows some of us have faced abuse at the hands of others and so may become doubtful and bitter. He knows some of us grew up in loving homes while others did not. He knows some of us have physical disabilities, emotional disabilities, or neurological disabilities. He knows exactly why we act as we do. This does not mean He approves of cruelty or callousness; it means He understands and will help us if we turn to Him. And it means that those of us who are less afflicted must, if we truly love God, reach other to help our brothers and sisters. We must be strong and faithful and loving in His name and do what we can to make the lives of others better. How do we truly show our love for God? By sharing that love with His other children.
The word “judge” might be used when conceiving of the time when each of us meet God face to face. But I believe it will be more a case of God, in His perfect understanding of our misdeeds and His love for us in spite of them, holding a mirror to our hearts and souls so we will see what He has seen. In that most profound, powerful, and precious moment we will judge ourselves and repent. This is our final lesson.
As to “justice,” what is Divine justice? Again, this is a word that, while basically having a positive definition, carries a lot of human baggage. Often the concept of punishment is drawn into the mix when considering “justice.” Some believe God’s justice must include the specter of Hell – a place where those who could not or would not conform to certain teachings will writhe in eternal misery and suffering. Some believe God’s justice includes eternal separation from God of those who fell short – a cold, desolate, empty eternity. I don’t believe either of these. I believe everything God does results from His love for us and His love does not include the need to forever torture or reject any of His children. Yes, we fall short. Yes, will do wrong. Yes, we cause pain. But God loves each of us as if we were the only human being on Earth. And in that Perfect Love, He will help us into redemption and we will be united with Him forever.
Words are powerful. If you say the word “mother” to someone who was raised by a caring woman, this person’s first reaction will likely be a warm and pleasant one. If you say the word “mother” to someone who was raised by a brutal, violent, self-centered tyrant, that person will have quite a different emotional reaction. Words such as “justice,” “anger,” “judgment,” “religion,” “evil,” and even “God” spark intimate, personal interpretations regardless of what a dictionary, teacher, or theologian might say.
I don’t believe God is a respecter of nations, or peoples, or tribes. God does not elevate us due to the generous actions of our fellow countrymen or cast us down due to the selfish actions of those same countrymen. We are responsible and accountable to God as individuals.
I don’t believe God reacts against wrongdoings in the way some others believe. I don’t believe God sends floods or famine or tsunamis. I don’t believe God bolsters one army or hobbles another, or that He kills a people and leaves another untouched. I do believe God moves against evil in the world. He does so by inspiring us to act with courage, conviction, and love. In loving God and loving each other as ourselves, we are inspired by Him to write letters against oppression, to stand up against abuse, to feed the hungry, clothe the naked, speak out against unfairness and oppression, help a neighbor, comfort the isolated and alientated.
Is God’s anger a “settled opposition” to human wrongdoings? “Settled opposition” may be a good description of how God views the ills we bring onto ourselves, each other, and our world. However, I don’t think “settled opposition” should be used as a synonym or definition for “God’s wrath” or “God’s anger.” Because, again, the human definition of “wrath” and “anger” will always come into play and will suggest to many – I would venture to say most – that God is that tyrant, that iron-fisted monarch, that furious, insecure father who must rule by instilling fear. Divine love does not require Divine vengeance but Divine understanding and revelation. Love is the gift of God’s heart. Vengeance is the need of the human heart.
Sorry to go on for so long here! :)
Elizabeth, there's no need to apologize here! Thanks again for drawing out the important nuances in our use of words and the way our personal histories influence the way we interpret them.
I think we're in agreement about the dangers of attributing the human emotion of "anger" to the divine.
With this said, I had a further question about statement/description of the end of time. Your write (very eloquently, by the way!), "In that most profound, powerful, and precious moment we will judge ourselves and repent. This is our final lesson."
I think you are in pretty good company with this description. (I think Dostoevsky held a similar position, right?)
Do you think it would be possible for a person to have all this revealed to them--God's love, their misdeeds, etc.--and still refuse to repent?
If so, what would God do with them?
You ask, "Do you think it would be possible for a person to have all this revealed to them--God's love, their misdeeds, etc.--and still refuse to repent?"
That's a very important question. And the answer is no. Face to Face, one to One, when encountering the Perfect Glory, Majesty, Power, Authority, Love, and Understanding of God there is no human who will not melt before Him; there is no soul that will not recognize the Truth and fall before Him in awe, adoration, repentance, love, and thankfulness.
To think a soul - facing God with all the earthly distractions stripped away - could and would refuse His gift of Love is to believe that either 1) God's is not as Glorious or Awesome as we might hope or that 2) God created some of His children so flawed that they do not have the capacity to recognize or accept His love. As hardened as we may be on earth, as much as some might ignore, forget, deny, or disclaim it, there is still, in every human soul, the Divine connection to our Creator. It is in us, just as our DNA from our parents is in us. And just as a person who has been drowning will reflexively, instinctively gasp and inhale the sweet air when lifted from the water, every soul will gasp and gratefully inhale the sweet Mercy of God when kneeling before Him.
Zane, I do want to thank you for your welcoming spirit. I realize I'm not in your book discussion group (I haven't even read the book!) nor of your church, but a search on God's Love brought me to your blog and I felt moved to respond. Thanks, and may God bless you. :)
Elizabeth, I agree with you on the fact that the question of if humans can resist/choose against God after revelation is central to this issue.
If human evil is ultimately the result of ignorance, active reaction against it by God would be inappropriate.
However, if human evil is the result of willful choice, then God should react against it!
I'm of the camp that thinks that while many human evils are caused by ignorance, willful acts of evil cannot be discounted.
And you are most welcome to join us at anytime and from anywhere! It seems that we are all on the same search. =)
If you haven't picked up Keller's book yet, I'd highly recommend it. He addresses a lot of the relevant issues, even if we don't always agree with his answers.
Zane, you said, "I'm of the camp that thinks that while many human evils are caused by ignorance, willful acts of evil cannot be discounted."
I don't disagree at all. Humans are very capable of willful acts of evil. Look at the most horrendous crimes inflicted by some upon others throughout history. Many of these crimes came about because a person or persons desired power above all. And then there are those of us who would never think to crush another people or instill to fear for our own benefit, yet on a day-to-day basis do small, thoughtless, selfish things that may wound another’s spirit.
We, God’s children, do cold and cruel things based on our training and upbringing (take the White Supremacists, for example, in how they indoctrinate their children), our emotional and mental construction (including chemical imbalances/mental and emotional illnesses or injuries), our senses of insecurity and needs to be heard, seen, or noticed, or abuses at the hands of others. And then there are people who intentionally inflict harm or intentionally refuse to help ("sins of commission" and "sins of omission") out of an apparent and sheer desire for power/money or revenge.
All actions of selfishness and cruelty are against God's will. It is not His will that we exterminate, torture, take advantage of, neglect, or abandon one another. And still, God knows each of us perfectly and intimately. He knows why we do everything we do. He knows why the woman with mental illness beats her child senseless. He knows why the man who was raised to hate other races does indeed hate and act out against other races. He knows why the person who seems to have everything, was never abused or diagnosed with a personality disorder, decides to cheat his company out of billions and leave employees without jobs or pensions. The biggest point is – God knows why everything happens. He knows the reasons people do awful things. He knows the minutest workings of our hearts and minds. We know some reasons people do things, but not every reason. We can’t share His knowledge in all things.
God put us on the earth with free will, to make choices that are good or bad. Some have less free will than others, however. The brain-damaged teenager is less able to make free choices than the one who has a clear, undamaged mind. The young Asian woman who was sold and kept as a sex slave may, if rescued, find it impossible to choose to trust and love men, and this may last her lifetime.
As I said earlier, I don’t believe God acts against evil in ways some people believe He does. I don’t believe God uses violence against His children who do evil. If He did, I believe He would have wiped Pol Pot, Stalin, Hitler, or Bin Laden away soon after – or even before – they began their inhuman campaigns. God is not a God of violence. Violence isn’t God’s solution to evil. He has another plan, one that some people cannot accept because it doesn’t match up with the human idea of justice. God’s plan of action is, and always will be, Love.
I believe God acts against evil by placing upon the hearts of those who love Him a burden of compassion so great that we must act on His behalf. He breaks our hearts when we see what is being done to our neighbors – those just down the street or on the other side of the world – and in this He asks as, “What will you do?” He uses Love to bring us to our knees first and then our feet, to step out, speak out, and act out when evil occurs. We are compelled to love one another and in doing so, combat evil. We are to shine lights on the darkness and to be bold and brave, to not only rescue the tortured but the torturer, as well. There is not a human being alive who, in spite of his or her conscious choice to do wrong, is not still human with a God-given thirst for Love.
Love may be expressed simply, with a hug or kind word or smile. It may be expressed in more complex ways – enacting laws that protect children from abusive parents, imprisoning or hospitalizing those who violent, daring to protest and demand human and civil rights be protected. It also may involve making sure conditions in prisons are not conducive to even more violence and that those in psychiatric hospitals receive the treatments they need.
There is much for love to accomplish. Evil will never be obliterated on earth, but in this is the great challenge God have given us – to reach out boldly with compassion and understanding and to do all we can to stop evil in its tracks. We’ll never figure it out completely, but it is a glorious assignment that takes more courage than any other task we could possibly have.
And what of those who will not listen, those who will not stop being cruel? First of all, it is not for us to hope they will be forever punished, in spite of any anger we might feel. We must know that every soul is precious to our Father. Even the most cruel person will meet God face-to-face one day. They will be most certainly be overcome with their wrongs when our Creator reveals them. They will know the great sufferings they caused and will fall before God and His irresistible Glory and be repentant.
I'll check out the Keller book. :)
Point of clarification: When I say imprisoning those who knowingly and willfully commit acts of violence is a loving act, I mean providing a place where society as a whole is protected from the offender and the offender will have an opportunity to be rehabilitated - if possible - in a safe environment.
When I say prison I don't mean a hell hole, nor do I mean a five star hotel. "Correction" facilities should be that, where one might be corrected and turned around without fear of being torn apart by others and/or without a lot of unnecessary amenities.
Granted, we'll always struggle with what to do with offenders. But it's in the struggle that we will, hopefully, grow as a society and do better.
Hey Elizabeth, Sorry it's taken a couple days to get back to you. For me, the concept of free-will (taking into consideration factors like ignorance, temperament, etc.) is central to what it means to be a human being.
As you point out, this is why we (hold people responsible/accountable for their actions.
I think our difference on this issue (despite our agreement on other issues) lies in the question of if humans can, with full knowledge, choose to reject God.
I think they can. Hence, if God is to respect human free-will, he, at the end of time, either will let evil exist forever, or put an end to it.
I do see we have a lot of points of agreement. During a human's lifetime free will plays a most important role. Some times we choose to be loving and kind; other times we chose to be cold and cruel.
However, there are three things I believe are inevitable to each and every human – three things we cannot control, three things that God has not placed under the umbrella of human free will. The first is that we will be born. The second is that we will die. The third is that we will face God at the moment of our death. In that moment, we will encounter His Greatness, Glory, and Authority, and Perfect, Irresistible Love. We will all fall before Him in acceptance, thankfulness, and complete repentance, knowing the Truth at last. This is that moment when God “puts an end to evil." He deals with us personally, one to one, alone with Him, for it is we alone who are responsible for our actions on earth. I believe it is God's will that all be reunited with Him. And I believe God's will shall be done.
I enjoyed our discussion. May God bless you, hold you, comfort, and keep you now and always.
Zane, this added comment isn't so much for you, as I know we disagree on this point, but more for me and whoever else might wonder about human free will and God's reconciliation with all His children.
Earlier I suggested that reconciliation does not fall under the umbrella of free will, much as birth and death do not. But last night I was struck my a new way of looking at it. It could be that at death, when we face God and His Glory, when we have our life review in God's presence and we all fall before Him in sorrow, repentance, and tender, fervent hope and love, it is not so much God taking our will from us and substituting His own, but that it is the one beautiful moment when our complete will and God's Will at last come together as one.
This circles back to my earlier post when I said, and deeply believe, that we are all created with the ability to know and love God and that when we face Him at last and see the Truth of God, we will desire Him most profoundly; we will reach out to Him and draw in His Love as one who is drowning will draw in the breath of life when pulled from the sea. He has made us that way.
Thanks Elizabeth. That is most beautifully put!
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