Dig a Little Deeper

  God's standard is perfection. This is known as righteousness. It's simply who he is. As 1 John 1:5 tells us, there is no darkness in him. He is wholly and completely righteous, and any rebellion against him is a rebellion against what is good.  Any resistance or failure to meet this standard opposes what is good and must ultimately be removed from his presence. The Universal Problem of Sin We fall short of those standards, and, as beings who have rebelled against him, must be cast from his presence. Everyone, without exception, has sinned and fallen short of God's righteous standard. God's justice, therefore, demands that our sins be punished. God's Righteousness Revealed Although the law showed us we could not live up to God's perfect standards, Romans 3 tells us that a way to be righteous before him has been revealed apart from the law. By putting our faith in Jesus Christ, God redeems us and gives us Christ's righteousness. Although man fell short, Jes...

  God created humanity inherently good, but our rebellion in the garden marked the beginning of our deserving of divine wrath. Despite the warning that sin would bring death, God, in his love for us, allowed a substitute to bear our sins' consequences. Genesis 3:21 reveals God's act of sacrificing an animal to cover the shame of our sin, postponing the consequence of death. Since then, we've depended on God's mercy to shield us from his wrath. However, humanity's descent into sin continued relentlessly. We pursued the desires of our flesh, often embracing teachings that encouraged our sinful inclinations. The Reality of God's Wrath God's wrath is not a mere emotional reaction; it is an objective reality rooted in his holiness. The cross is a powerful reminder of God's justice, his commitment to uphold righteousness, and the price required for our redemption. No Excuse God's wrath is revealed against all forms of ungodliness and unrighteousness. Human...

Emotions are incredibly complex. We experience a mix of emotions all at once, such as during a major life change. We can be excited, scared, and sad all at the same time.  While love itself is not an emotion, despite what many believe, it does draw out a wide range of the emotions from us. As a result, God's love is complex. He sees the pain in this world and is angry at the impact sin has here, and it is because of his love for us that leads to his anger against sin. In addition to God's love, he is also described as holy.  This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 1 John 1:5 There is no sin in him, and sin cannot stand in his presence. God is holy. And he is also just. Any crimes committed against his throne must be dealt with, otherwise he would not be a just God.  Because of his love, God wanted to share his goodness with man for eternity. But his holiness demands that sin be cast from his pres...