SAPATE NOVEMA 26, 2023
God is No Sadist
‘Oku ‘Ikai Fa’ufa’u kovi ‘a e ‘Otua ki he tangata (tapu mo Ia)
EZEKIEL 18:23
"HAVE I ANY PLEASURE IN THE DEATH OF THE WICKED, DECLARES THE LORD GOD, AND NOT RATHER THAT HE SHOULD TURN FROM HIS WAY AND LIVE?"
‘ISIKELI 18:23
He ‘oku ou momo‘i manako ki he pekia ‘a e angahala?–ko ‘Ātonai Sihova ia mei he Ta‘ehāmai–kaekehe ke ne tafoki mei hono ngaahi ‘alunga, ‘o mo‘ui.
Critics of the Bible often use the moth-eaten cliché that the God of the OT is a sadist. He gets off on hurting people. He finds great pleasure in human slaughter. Anyone who's taken the time to read the Scriptures discovers this supposed "sadistic God" is nothing but a strawman. He doesn't exist. What we do find, however, is a God who is "merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness" (Exod. 34:6). He takes absolutely no "chafatz ['pleasure'] in the death of the wicked" (cf. 18:32; 33:11). He wants them to repent and believe! The Lord "does not retain his anger forever, because he"-in this lyrical phrase-"chafatz in chesed," he “delights in steadfast love”, as Micah says (7:8).
The Messiah, in the psalms, says to his Father, "I chafatz ['delight'] to do your will, O my God" (40:8; Heb. 10:7). What is the will of the Father? That all people might be reconciled to him, all iniquity atoned for, all humanity justified, "the LORD was pleased [chafatz] to crush" his Son and raise him back to life (Isa. 53:10 NASB). God's pleasure is always to save, enliven, forgive.
Grants us hearts that delight in you, heavenly Father, even as you delight in us.
No comments:
Post a Comment