Does God send people to hell?

What makes heaven a place of bliss? It is the delight we will experience in God and by being in His presence. But if we do not delight in Him and His presence now, what makes us think we will in ¹eternity?

It is not as if a switch suddenly flips on, filling us with delight the moment we stand before Him, after a lifetime spent with that switch turned off.  

For those who wanted nothing to do with God—and even despised Him—all their lives, being in His presence will not be a delight. It will be a shock, fearfully dreadful. This will be especially true when they realize that God gave ²clear indication of His desire for a loving relationship with them and did everything necessary to extend His love, yet they rejected both it and Him by rejecting Christ.

Requiring someone who spent a lifetime rejecting God to remain in His presence would be a greater hell than hell itself.

Imagine living in a house with someone you distrusted, ignored, and avoided all your life; not exactly my idea of fun. And not because your assessment was correct but because you believed it was and refused to believe otherwise. 

So how have we rejected God?

We reject Him when we live our lives as if He does not matter, even though all we are and all we have is a gift from Him—when, in effect, we simply couldn’t care less about Him. If we thought of Him at all, it was only briefly in our most ³desperate moments, and even then not for the purpose of knowing Him, but merely in order to find relief from our suffering.

If God does not matter to us and we avoid Him now, He will not force Himself upon us. Instead, He will honor our wish to live without Him.

The reality is that God does not send people to hell. They choose it themselves, day by day, by living as if God is insignificant or does not exist at all—when the truth is ⁴exactly the opposite.

To live this way is to live a lie. It runs contrary to who God is, to who we were created to be, to our very design, and to God’s loving desire for us.

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Footnotes:

¹The more we come to delight in God in this life the more we will delight in Him throughout eternity. The reward of our faithfulness to God in this life is God himself. 

https://thotsaboutgod.blogspot.com/2024/04/the-necessity-of-dependence.html

²By sending His Son and by giving us all the blessings of creation.

³But this usually passes quickly because He didn't give us the relief we demanded on our terms.

⁴Every good thing that we have and are comes from God. Nothing that is would be if there was not God. God is the source of life, love, and all things. 

Every breath we take or receive?

All of life - our own and the planets' - requires energy to operate.

Some of the main sources of energy are the sun, wind (air), fire, electricity, magnetism, atoms, water, food (for our personal energy) etc. Without these, there is no energy or life, much less the pleasures or conveniences of life.

But more importantly is understanding that we are not the cause of any of these. Yet we have regular use of virtually all of them. They are always available for our use and benefit. And this gets to the heart of our true condition. 

Are we the cause of these or the means by which they exist? If not, then ²who or what is? Since there is no life without these, wouldn't it be important to understand and acknowledge this and be grateful to the ²provider of them?

Are we grateful for these resources, or do we take them for granted because they are always available or accessible? 

Do we assume they are ours to use whenever want or see fit? Do we demand to have them when they are not available and become angry if we are cut off from them or vise versa?

Because we always have use of or access to these, we live life as if we ¹always will. But will we?

Why do we approach life this way? 

If we take these resources for granted, this is due to not recognizing that all we are and have are gifts i.e., they are available to us because something or ²someone other than us provides and sustains them (and could rightfully and easily not provide them but only continues to because of love). If we truly understood and believed that everything is a gift - vs a right - we would wake up every day grateful for all we are and have down to our very breath. But most don't. Many whine and complain about what they don't have.

Most assume all we have is rightfully ours. They are not gifts on loan but the fruit of time plus chance and ours to use as I see fit. They may even get upset if you suggest otherwise.

And if we lose these blessings of life, we get angry and even bitter as if it's our right to have them. And if others have greater access to or use of them, we become envious.

To pray before we eat and say "thank you for the bounty we are about to receive" should be our approach to all of life. When we wake up, we should ³thank God for the very breath we take in and for the use and enjoyment of everything else we depend on to sustain our life. And also grateful for our 5 senses that allow us to take in and experience all the good things around us, instead of being angry if we lose them.

Why? We are not the cause or the one who maintains these things, but simply the recipients and beneficiaries. We should be grateful!

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Footnotes:

¹which is why death is such a shock and blow to us. We simply take life for granted until we or someone else no longer has it.

The fact that death is such a shock indicates how much we take all we are and have for granted. Life is not a given but a gift which is owned, controlled, and maintained ultimately by someone else, not us. We may be able to manipulate things to go the way we want, but only to a limited degree -  never fully. We are ultimately not in charge and dependent on these for our very existence. 

Because we do not regularly ponder or appreciate the gifts of life, it shows how resistant (rebellious) we are to seeing the true nature of things.

²Contrary to scientific consensus, I propose there is a Creator. This is a posture or position of faith. But so is a materialistic worldview, which requires more faith than believing in intelligent design i.e. the things we observe align more with the existence of a Designer than their happening by random chance. For more on this, click here. 

³like David, we should say, "...this is the day that the Lord has made. Let us rejoice and be glad in it. 

And like Job, when we experience loss,  we should say, "...the Lord gives, and the Lord takes away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." 

When we truly recognize these things, we will be full of gratitude every morning when we rise and take another breath. 

The absence of God's presence

The absence of God's presence is the essence of hell. ¹Hell is anywhere God's presence is not.

People live in ³rebellion to God every day. How? They do not acknowledge God as the Source of love and life (breath); the Creator and Sustainer of everything! 

Instead, they live as if God is irrelevant; that the blessings of life are their right to have and do with as they please, as if someone owed it to them; i.e., they are entitled to these blessings. And if they don't get what they believe they deserve, they become disillusioned, angry, or bitter. This is the approach to life many ²choose to take and live by daily.

And if they never come to the place where they acknowledge His relevance, value, and significance, they will continue on that same trajectory and path throughout their lives.

As a result, God will honor that choice throughout eternity as well. God doesn't send people to hell. They are already on that path unless and until they choose to put their trust in Him.

If the absence of God's presence is hell, then what is the fullness of God's presence? Bliss, paradise, a continual feast, i.e., heaven.

For a further discussion on why many are disillusioned with God, click here

For a discussion on the key to answered prayer, click here

For a discussion on whether hell is literal, click here. 

For a further discussion on how hell is a continuation of our current path, click here

For a discussion of whether we are rebels to God, click here.

For a discussion on whether God's wrath is reasonable, click here

For a discussion on how death and hell are totally defeated, click here 

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Footnotes:

¹this is not necessarily a specific location - though it may be. But it is a disposition or attitude of rebellious distrust (all distrust of God is rebellion to Him. It is asserting that God is a liar and not who He claims to be as all-loving, wise, powerful, and everywhere present). 

Objectively, God is everywhere present. Nothing functions or even exists without Him. But if we willfully turn away from God, then for us, God does not exist and is not present. God is not dead, but to us He is.

In the story of Lazarus and the rich man, notice the rich man did not regret his rejection of God, nor did he resent God for his being in his present state or desire to turn to Him even in his torment. He only wanted water to relieve his thirst - he only wanted a gift from God - not God Himself.

Is this not also true of humanity in general when we go through great pain? God is not our end, but the means to another end...relief. This is often the reason we pray. We don't want God; we only want comfort through the gifts (blessings) of God.

"...You do not have, because you do not ask. You ask and do not receive, because you ask wrongly, to spend it on your passions." - Jas 4:2b-3 ESV

Luke 16:23-26, 28, 30-31 ESV

"...and in Hades, being in torment, he (the previously rich man) lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham far off and Lazarus at his side. And he called out, ‘Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus to dip the end of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am in anguish in this flame.’ But Abraham said, ‘Child, remember that you in your lifetime received your good things, and Lazarus in like manner bad things; but now he is comforted here, and you are in anguish.

And besides all this, between us and you a great chasm has been fixed, in order that those who would pass from here to you may not be able, and none may cross from there to us.’ for I have five brothers—so that he may warn them, lest they also come into this place of torment.’

And he said, ‘No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent.’ He said to him, ‘If they do not hear Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be convinced if someone should rise from the dead.’”

²this choice is laid out in Rom 1:18-23 (emphasis added).

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness (i.e., which springs forth from rebellious distrust of God) suppress the truth. 

For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. 

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse. 

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God (He is irrelevant) or give thanks to him (their choice), but they became futile in their thinking (they thought they could make life work on their terms, not God's terms i.e. they thought they could be their own god, like Adam and Eve) and their foolish hearts were darkened. 

Claiming to be wise, they became fools, and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images (their choice) resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things." 

³The following passage lays out the nature of our rebellion. These are comments made to Job by Elihu in Job 35:6-16. The fourth and only "friend" of Job whom God did not rebuke, unlike the other 3, suggesting that his comments to Job were on point.

Elihu talking to Job:

"If you have sinned, what do you accomplish against him (God)? And if your transgressions are multiplied (many), what do you do to him? If you are righteous, what do you give to him? Or what does he receive from your hand? (This is also quoted by Paul in Rom 11:35). Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself, and your righteousness a son of man - i.e., your bad or good deeds affect only men, not God.

Because of the multitude of oppressions, people cry out; they call for help because of the arm of the mighty (those stronger than us, who oppress us).

But none says, ‘Where is God my Maker, who gives songs in the night, who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the heavens?’ - i.e., there is no gratitude to God for all the gifts we receive or trust in God when we go through challenges. We don't want God. We only want relief from our pain by using all the gifts He gives and enjoy daily without giving Him thanks or acknowledging Him as the giver.

There they cry out, but he does not answer, because of the pride of evil men (who believe God is not there or is irrelevant, until we are suffering). Surely God does not hear an empty cry, nor does the Almighty regard it - Why? Because we don't really want God; we only want His blessings - the comfort and relief from pain His blessings bring us.

How much less when you say that you do not see him, that the case is before him, and you are waiting for him! - i.e. we demand He respond the way we think He should when we are in pain - but our complaining does not impress God or cause Him to respond. 

When we approach God this way, we will always be waiting for a response, because He will not respond to our arrogant demands. Only He is God, and best knows what we need, not us. Humility is more important then relief.

And now, because his anger does not punish, and he does not take much note of transgression - i.e., because God has not dropped the hammer on Job for his complaining and demands - Job opens his mouth in empty talk; he multiplies words without knowledge.”

To Job's credit, at the end he responded correctly...

Job 42:1-6

Then Job answered the Lord and said: 

“I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted.  ‘Who is this that hides counsel without knowledge?’ Therefore I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. ‘Hear, and I will speak; I will question you, and you make it known to me.’ I had heard of you by the hearing of the ear, but now my eye sees you; therefore I despise myself, and repent in dust and ashes - (I change my view of you and my attitude towards you).”

How are we able to admit our unfaithfulness

We can only acknowledge the depth of our brokenness to the extent that we recognize God's perfect acceptance, embrace, and love for us in and through Christ. 

If our understanding and trust in His total acceptance and love is incomplete, so will be our ¹ability to see and acknowledge our distrust of God, i.e., the essence of our sinful condition. 

And what is the full extent of God's acceptance and embrace of us? It is the same as His loving embrace of His Son, i.e., it is perfect-complete-total! 

"The glory that you have given me I have given to them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me." - Jesus, praying to His Father right before he's betrayed by Judas and crucified the next day - John 17:22-23 ESV

How much does the Father love the Son? However much that is, is how much he loves us!! i.e., it is the same as His love for His Son!!! It is equal to His love for Jesus!!! Total and infinite!! Selah (reflect on this and let it sink in. Ask God to reveal this to you more fully).

The only way to grasp this is to ask God to reveal this to you. Otherwise, you (we) will not see it.

Jesus- 

"All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him." - Matthew 11:27 ESV

The apostle Paul -

"For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named (i.e., bears His image) that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, may have strength (that comes to us through faith) to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God." - Eph 3:14-19 ESV

For a closer look at the above passage, click here. You may wish to bookmark it to read later after you are done with this article.

Why does God love us this way?

Because...

1. We are like God - i.e. in His image - and if we are in Christ, we are His beloved child, not unlike Christ, who is in the image of God and His only begotten Son. 

2. Christ lived a life of perfect faithfulness to His Father - the life that God designed and intended us to ²live (but failed to live and still fail now). He lived His life to honor His Father but also to honor (share His glory with) us. 

Through our faith in Christ, God credits Christ's perfectly righteous life to us as if we lived it. In Christ we are now perfect in the eyes of God. We will never be more acceptable or embraced by God than we are right now! 

Do you believe this? Paul in his letter to the church in Rome says to ³"reckon" (consider) it so.

And we won't experience the depth of God's love until we ⁴acknowledge the depth of our distrust in Him i.e., our lack of faith in this infinite provision.

And we won't admit that distrust until we grasp (by faith) His total acceptance and loving embrace of us. 

These go hand in hand. We must see both to fully know and partake of God in the fullness of His love. 

We must acknowledge our distrust of God and turn from it, so we might more clearly and fully see "...the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God."

For a fuller discussion of the love the Father and Son have for each other, click here

For a fuller discussion on why God values us as bearers of His image, click here

For a fuller discussion of Christ being the only begotten Son, click here. 

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Footnotes:

¹We will only admit the extent of our brokenness to others (and ourselves) to the extent we believe we will still be accepted and not rejected when we do. 

We all want to be fully seen but also fully accepted. But to be fully seen usually means we will be rejected because of our brokenness, except with God, who fully sees us and still totally embraces us, warts and all.  

²as well as died the death we should have died.

³ Rom 6:11

English Standard Version
So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Berean Standard Bible
So you too must count yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.

Berean Literal Bible
So also you⁺, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but living to God in Christ Jesus.

King James Bible
Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Rom 6:11 is not saying we are dead to the allure (temptation) of sin, but to its legal claim of condemnation on us. That claim is forever gone because our judgment was totally laid on Christ. Jesus paid it all!!! It is finished!!!

“Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow..." - Isa 1:18a ESV

must count - λογίζεσθε (logizesthe)
Verb - Present Imperative Middle or Passive - 2nd Person Plural
Strong's 3049: To reckon, count, charge with; reason, decide, conclude; think, suppose.

⁴the more we grasp how great our distrust of God is, the more we realize and appreciate how great his love must be to still love us in light of this distrust.

The devil is a prowling lion

"Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour." — 1 Peter 5:8 ESV

Lions are cunning and prowl around looking for victims. They also roar because they are hungry predators. Their drive is relentless and comes from the need to stay alive. They are parasites looking for a host and also predators, driven by emptiness and the need to fill it. Their primary drive is to fill their belly.

The above passage is simply saying, keep your eyes open and be aware that Satan is always looking to overtake and consume someone. His pursuit is relentless. And if you are not aware and prepared for his attacks, he will sneak up on you, catch you off guard and consume you.

What is a major way the devil works in today's culture and society? 

Through those in positions of power… "Influencers," if you will.

For example, if an outside influence can control U.S. lawmakers, it can control the U.S. laws made. Laws shape behavior and ultimately culture.

How can lawmakers be controlled?

Bribes, threats, personal enrichment and ambition.

All of these are used to influence or control any official within government who holds a position of power and influence, such as judges, governors, AGs, attorneys, administrators, etc.

Or those outside government, such as company presidents, CEOs, administrators, board directors or board members, heads of departments, educators, entertainers, reporters, athletes, i.e., those with highly specialized skills in their area of expertise, such as coders, programmers, ⁵AI developers etc. As well as ministers, priests, pastors, deacons, etc.

The greater someone's (or ⁵something's) influence, the greater the likelihood they (⁵it) will be approached and pursued and/or utilized for harm and advancement of their agenda.

Approached by whom? See footnote ³.

All that is necessary to control the direction of any person or institution—be it a company, a church, a news outlet, a high-profile athlete,¹ entertainer, technology, person or organization of influence—is to probe around and find the² individuals who take the bait when offered power or money or cave in when threatened, i.e., those who are most easily controlled and compromised. These are the ones without strong principles or character but instead are driven to secure for themselves (or protect) their own personal gain and not the benefit or gain of others, i.e., they are takers, not givers, and the weak link in the chain of any institution, business, or organization. Many, even most, in an organization can be good people, but if you lasso the head, you direct the body.

To say it another way, if you are a strategic person in an institution of influence, you are a fat target and most likely will be approached and potentially attacked and compromised, so be prepared. Satan has many ways to compromise feckless, weak, or naive humans. He studies, knows, and ⁵exploits human frailties—which is true of all of us if we are not anchored in God through Christ.

If someone is not principled or loyal to a higher good or higher value system beyond their own private gain—such as loving and honoring God and their fellow man or woman—you can almost assume they are compromised in some form or fashion, whether knowingly or unknowingly.

The reason these controllers—who seek to recruit others to their cause—hate committed followers of Jesus (or the principles of some philosophy or religion) is that these followers are least likely to be controlled by someone else and are deliberately and uncompromisingly loyal to another, e.g., God—in the case of followers of Christ.

What we are talking about in this article is not about skill set or abilities, etc. We're talking about the character of individuals. Individuals who can be equally as gifted (if not more gifted) as those who are principled and have character, i.e., you can't tell the difference between those with character or without character by abilities alone. We're talking about people who will use their abilities and position to lie, cheat, and steal to get what they seek instead of serving their fellow man and honoring their true Creator.

Globalists are relentless in their pursuit of power and control. They are master manipulators and power-hungry control freaks. Therefore, "... Be sober-minded; be watchful..."

Globalists relentlessly seek to influence and control anything or anyone to further their ends, whether someone willingly cooperates or not. This is why those who wish to remain free and loyal to their Creator must always be vigilant and prepared to resist and fight against globalist (satanic) control.

These controllers and deceivers are children of Satan—whether knowingly or unknowingly. Satan is the father of lies, the accuser, the destroyer of all things good - which come from God - and the great deceiver, all wrapped up in one being. If someone is of the same character and conducts themselves in this same way, they are following in his footsteps and thereby become a tool in his hand—whether knowingly or unknowingly.

For a discussion of the difference between dictators and leaders, click here. 

For a discussion of the difference between malicious intent and unintentional incompetence, click here

For a much closer look at whether AI is unbiased, click here

───

Footnotes:

¹ Have you ever wondered why so many actors are politically left-leaning?

² This is why Trump is least likely to willingly be controlled by others—contrary to many of the conspiracy theories that say he's knowingly part of some bigger nefarious plot.

The globalist controllers will attempt to utilize Trump's actions (or anyone else's) to their ends, and may even have some success, but that is not necessarily because of someone's willing cooperation.

There is a difference between being a willful co-conspirator vs. a useful idiot. Intention matters and determine how to utilize and compromise each. And if the globalists can't turn someone willfully through bribe or threat, they will try to utilize them some other way and any way possible to further their agenda.

Trump's weakness is the need for constant praise and the need to be better than anyone else, but this is different than doing things deliberately for their own benefit. I believe Trump's desire to help others is genuine and sincere. It is also the primary means by which he seeks to garner praise.

This is his Achilles heel, and I think how he got sucked into the COVID narrative… though not one hundred percent. He utilized hydroxychloroquine and pushed back on shutting down schools and businesses.

For a further discussion on the contrasts between Trump and Fauci's positions on COVID, click here. 

Trump is a pragmatic businessman and strategist, not an ideologue, i.e., it's all about the bottom-line results for Americans and their economy.

³ Approached by whom? Anyone who seeks to advance an agenda contrary to God's kingdom and promotes man's control and rule over other men vs. God's rule of love.

⁴ for an engaging look at how satan works, read "Screwtape Letters" by C.S. Lewis

⁵ Since the use of AI is increasing rapidly, and in time will become a greater influence on how we seek answers to handle problems, here are some vital questions we need to ask ourselves.

Which AI do we use for general inquiries?

Does it matter which AI we use when dealing with philosophical views?

Do certain AI's have a philosophical bias or do they all only base conclusions on hard facts and proven evidence?

For a much closer look at these questions, click here

Is "tribalism" ok or racist?

We are most comfortable with those who are most like us. 

Why?

Because we are more affirmed and feel safer (more comfortable) around those like us. It is common ("natural or normal") for everyone to feel this way. It is not unique to any one group - white, black, brown, yellow, etc. 

Why?

It takes a lot more self-denial and sacrifice to relate to those who do not have the same values and interests as we do. If we have any interaction with others we have nothing in common with, or who are at least like us, our focus and energy must be on them, not on our interests and needs. ¹This kind of interaction is more about giving than getting. It requires less effort and sacrifice to interact with those most like us.

For the above reasons, being with those most like us tends to energize us. Being with those least like us tends to drain us. If we are not full of love, loving others different from us is impossible to maintain ⁷long-term. 

For the same reasons, harmony is more pleasant and enjoyable than disharmony. We are naturally drawn to harmony. Harmonious relationships tend to energize us. They affirm and reinforce our interests. Those that drain us tend to be challenging with more conflict.

There is also a practical benefit of working with those who are most like us. When we are in a joint effort, uniformity can result in greater cooperation and efficiency. This is good, not bad.

Some accuse others of racism for having these sentiments and being naturally drawn to those most like themselves. Yet, if we are honest, this is common with all groups. 

Is this ⁵racist? If so, every last one of us - regardless of our ethnicity - is a racist. Hanging out with others for the above reasons is common to everyone. 

Some call this ²tribalism. But is tribalism racism? It is no different from when you and I prefer being with loving friends or family ("our tribe") rather than with a group of strangers.

Having ³these sentiments is common in all relationships and "groups." The very act of accusing someone else of being guilty of this - as if they aren't themselves "guilty" - is exercising this very attitude by the accusation.  

This is why a loving family is so valuable (if we are blessed enough to have one). A healthy, loving family is a place where we are best known for both our strengths and flaws, and still most accepted and embraced. It is usually where we feel most free to be our real selves, with the least concern about ridicule or rejection.

Racism, on the other hand, is very different. It is an attitude of superiority based on one's ethnicity (group/"tribe"). It is believing we - our "group" - are better, ⁶objectively, more important or valuable than others. This may be true subjectively - i.e. more valuable to us - but not objectively.

But isn't this also true of friendships? No one considers having friends racist. Good friends are good, important, and valuable to us personally. They encourage and strengthen us. That is a good thing, is it not?

While close relationships may be more important to us subjectively, they are not necessarily so objectively.

On the other hand, it is not wrong to love those who are ¹different from us. It is what we are called to do. In fact, as followers of Christ, we are called to love those opposed to us, i.e., our enemies. It just takes the most energy of all interactions and ⁴directly the least immediately rewarding, if not harmful - but potentially the most rewarding indirectly. 

To be able to love those least like us is not natural but ¹supernatural. For this reason, it is good to love others who are different from us. It requires greater dependence on God to love others sacrificially. 

In fact, it is impossible to love sacrificially until we experience the sacrificial love of God offered to us in and through Christ. 

God calls us to this because this is how He loves us...

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. " - Matt 5:43-48

But again, is it wrong to gravitate to others we are most like and have the most in common with? This is actually the basis for friendship. No one would suggest friendship is wrong. Yet some would have us believe it is and call it ⁵"tribalism" - which is the "first cousin" to racism according to those who throw these derogatory labels around.  

The irony is it is usually actual racists that push the narrative that being drawn to others most like us is wrong when, in fact, everyone participates in friendship and considers it not only perfectly normal but healthy.  

We are all far more alike than different.

One thing all of us have in common, that unites us at the strongest and most basic level, is we all desire to be loved, valued, affirmed, and important, i.e., we are designed for love because we are designed to be in relationship with God, who is love. We are all like God, who continuously gives and receives love among the Father, Son, and Spirit. We are in His image.  

And what is God like? The most valuable person of all. Without Him, nothing else exists. We are valuable by virtue of being like God - i.e., in His image.

In summary, it is not wrong or racist to feel more comfortable around those who are more like us. Nevertheless, we are called to a higher standard and to reach out and love those who are least like us, even our enemies. Not loving those different from us is not racist. Unloving, yes. Racist, no. 

For a discussion on identity politics Click here

For a discussion on the joys and challenges of giving, click here. 

To see if God has anything to say about immigrants or immigration, click here.

For a discussion on values, culture, and racism, click here.

For a discussion on racism and the necessity of forgiveness, click here

For a discussion on what divides us, click here.

For a discussion of the harmful nature of identity politics, click here.

What is the nature of racial privilege? Click here for a discussion.

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Footnotes:

¹People who are culturally different from us can have one main thing in common with us. A relationship with God through Christ. This connection is stronger than any natural ties we may have with those most like us culturally, intellectually, in appearance, etc. This is the most significant and deepest common denominator we can have. Especially those least like us naturally. What lovers of Christ have in common is even more significant than the connection among a loving family - though very much like it in important ways. 

If we are among others who have this deep spiritual connection with God, we are dealing with others who are focused on giving and not getting. This is the strongest possible bond we can have with anyone, even immediate family who do not have a love relationship with Christ. True believers are people who seek to love their neighbors as they love themselves. This is the greatest and most unifying value of all. This is also why Christ called loving God and others the greatest commandments.

When this is the central focus of a group of people, it is the strongest point of unity and overrides all other differences. In fact, it allows us to enjoy the differences of others as their uniqueness is a reflection of the creativity of God. This is unity within diversity.

This is why a strong church can be filled with a diversity of cultures and ethnicities yet still be united under this most central point of unity. A relationship of receiving love from our Creator and loving Him in return and our neighbor as we love ourselves. This is greater than any differences and can override them all when we are governed by love.

The two greatest commandments are the greatest not simply because we are told they are but because they summarize the purpose of our existence and the very nature of God and His creatures, i.e., to love as we are loved.

Anything we place a higher value on over our relationship with the Creator is a form of idolatry. Nothing is more valuable than God. Not our culture, race, vocation, or even our family.

This is why churches segregated by race or culture - e.g., white, black, Hispanic, Jewish, etc. - are likely not as honoring to God. To be segregated in this way is to value our culture and personal preferences over loving and valuing God and our neighbor. 

If we are separated by a language barrier, that is a separate issue that can be addressed on a church-to-church basis. But outside of this...

 "...in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise." - Gal 3:26-29

²Some subcultures are so strong they have their very own "lingo."  Some examples would be the hip-hop world, the technology world, the academic world, the world of sports, the medical or health world, etc.  These are subcultures within a culture. 

³Having common values is so important that if we do not, it can even lead to husbands and wives separating. We call it "incompatibility" when, in fact, it is actually a matter of love, or the lack of it. 

⁴By directly, I mean we rarely gain any direct benefit from those we seek to love who are different from us. The benefit we may gain, however, is from seeing others blessed by our efforts to love them. It is an indirect gain. This is not something that comes from them, but comes as a result of loving others as Christ loves, i.e., seeing them flourish because of our efforts. This is what God is like. We are acting like God when we love in this way.  

⁵There can be a problem with tribalism, but it isn't racism as some assert. The problem is it is basically about me, my needs, my wants. So in that sense it is wrong and contrary to our initial design, not because it's racist. 

This focus on self is the result of our rebellion against God and our failed attempt to be our own God. Based on the current condition of the world, it is clear we have failed miserably at being our own gods.

Everything is a mess because of our rebellion. We are now missing the love we once had in a relationship with God, caused by our choosing to disconnect from God, the very Source of love. Now we go about trying to fill that void caused by His absence through created things and our own efforts to obtain them.

The fact is we weren't designed to be our own god and to make life work without the only true God. We were designed to be in union with Him. The source of love, life, and all things, and experiencing a constant flow of love from Him. This enables us to pass love (from Him) on to others. 

We are not an endless spring of love. Only God is. We, on the other hand, are vessels or conduits that can hold and pass on the flow of love from God to and through us to others.

The main point about tribalism is it's not unique to a certain race but common among all humanity, for we have all rebelled from God. But this is not racism as is asserted by some. It is the broken condition of all humanity -  including you and I - not a particular group or race.

⁶ VS subjectively, where someone or some group can be more valuable to us personally.

⁷ Unless or until we find out that all humanity has far more in common at the most fundamental level of who we are as bearers of God's image, i.e., we are all designed by God to love and be loved by Him and to pass on that love to others. This is God's greatest desire i.e. will, directive, commandment etc.

Why do we struggle?

Whatever struggles we go through are only the ¹struggles God knows we need to go through to refine us, draw us closer to Him, and make us more like His Son (Rom 8:28-29). He ¹allows struggles so we might display Him better and delight in Him more. This is ultimately for our greatest joy and His highest glory i.e. He is our greatest joy and honoring Him is our highest pursuit. 

God knows exactly what He's ¹doing (and allowing). Nothing is by accident or catches God off guard (though it may catch us off guard).

The why, how, and when of our struggles are by God's wise and loving ¹design, no matter how it might seem the opposite at the time. 

The bottom line? 

God is simply calling us to trust Him more fully. This is the purpose behind everything we experience. Whether our experiences are good, bad, or ugly, the end goal is always the same i.e. His highest glory, which is also our greatest good and joy.

The very fact that we struggle with the things we do is because there are lessons yet to be learned from (and through) them. Otherwise, our struggles would cease being a struggle.

As we learn those lessons, the struggle subsides. There is less internal turmoil and greater calmness — even though the outer turmoil (circumstances) that cause us to struggle may or may not change.

We experience a peace that is beyond reason (it "passes understanding" Phil Phil 4:6-7), i.e., a peace that doesn't make sense in light of our circumstances. This is the essence of contentment (Phil 4:10-13). It is resting in God. 

Seeing Gods love in our pain

For a further discussion of how God uses evil for our good click here...and here. 

The greater the evil, the greater the opportunity for healing/ grace click here.

For a discussion on the key lesson from the book of Job click here.

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Footnotes:

¹struggles (not necessarily difficult circumstances) are the internal and organic outcome of our distrust of God. God works according to our trust or distrust. You could say how God works mirrors what we most need. The more we trust, the less internal turmoil we experience i.e., we are less anxious and upset over difficult circumstances or less distracted and draw away from God by pleasant ones. God is our anchor in both the storms and the blessings of life.

Praising God is for our benefit

Praising God (worshiping, honoring, and glorifying Him) is for our benefit not His. 

God, who is ¹worthy of all praise, is still fully God whether we praise him or not. He doesn't need us or our praise to be complete or fulfill something lacking in him. He is not ²diminished by our lack of praise nor in need of it. He is the same God with or without us or our praise. 

"The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything." - Acts 17:24-25

Our praise is for our benefit and the benefit of ³others. For this reason He truly and fully enjoys our praise yet doesn't need it at the same time. 

He is not on an ego trip when he calls us to worship and glorify him. He is seeking to love us by calling us to partake of Him in all His love to the fullest extent possible. He wants us to know and experience Him in the fullness of His love bad enough to die so we might experience this.

God knows we are most fulfilled and whole when we are honoring him. He knows this is essential to our well being and maximum flourishing - better than we do. This is why He regularly calls us to glorify Him.

For a discussion on the humility of God, click here. 

Is God self centered? Click here.

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¹God is worthy of the praise of all humanity and deserves praise from all creation, if only because God is the Creator and maintainer of all things. There are many reasons to praise God but this is the fundamental reason by which all men and women should praise him and the only reason necessary even if there were no others reasons. 

²God is diminished in the eyes of others by our lack of praise for Him. But He is not diminished in the essence of His being. God is fully God with or without our praise. This is because He is the God of all glory, honor, and praise within the dynamic, overflowing community of love among and between the Father and Son, in, by, and through the Spirit. 

³Others need to see our praise and love for God - and the resulting faithfulness and obedience to Him - to be drawn to Him. When they are, He is delighted for their sake and ours. It brings Him joy in same way the Father and Son find joy in each other, in, by, and through the Spirit. 

Hope deferred makes the heart sick

Proverbs 13:12-14 ESV

[12] Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a tree of life.

[13] Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment (¹from God) will be rewarded. [14] The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death.

The "tree of life" is mentioned in several verses (10 in total) but in only three books - Genesis (3x), Proverbs(4x), and Revelation(3x). The beginning, the "middle," and the end of the Bible. As we look closer at the above passage, we can see a connection in all three books. 

12 Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but a desire fulfilled is a ²tree of life.

How does obtaining what we desire bring us life? What constitutes life?

It is experiencing a sense of ³value, importance, significance etc.

When we obtain what we desire, it makes us feel valued, cared for, important. It gives us a sense of purpose and meaning. When we don't, we feel neglected, rejected, ignored, worthless, cast aside, forgotten i.e. it makes the heart "sick..."

13 Whoever despises the word brings destruction on himself, but he who reveres the commandment will be rewarded.

What was the "word" Adam and Eve despised..."Do not eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil or you will die."

What would have been the reward for Adam and Eve, if they had obeyed? Wisdom i.e., knowledge of good and evil learned through dependence on (trust in) God not independence from (distrust in) God. Seeking to be their own god led to death, not life. 

14 The teaching of the wise is a fountain of life, that one may turn away from the snares of death. - Proverbs 13:12-14 ESV

Wisdom is knowing the difference between good and evil. To act wisely brings life and avoids harm, destruction, and death.

Death and life are compared and contrasted in vs 14 just like the two trees in the center of the Garden of Eden (Gen 2:9, 3:3).

Why does God say obtaining what we desire is like a tree? Trees bear fruit. The tree itself is not life but eating fruit from the tree brings us life i.e. not only nutritionally but emotionally as well i.e. a sense of being valued and cared for. 

And what does that eating consist of i.e. how do we eat its fruit?

Obedience. It is through our obedience to God we experience life. Obedience addresses what we must do to have life in contrast to what we are not to do which brings death.

Obedience brings life. Rebellious disobedience brings death. Wisdom or true knowledge of good vs evil helps us see the difference so we experience the former and avoid the latter.

Eating from the forbidden tree of the knowledge of good and evil represented disobedience. It was evidence that we are not wise when we act on our own and attempt to be our own god.

For a further discussion on where desire comes from click here.

Was there anything evil about the tree of a knowledge of good and evil, click here?

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Footnotes:

¹"...but he who reveres the commandment (¹from God) will be rewarded." 

To revere the words of God is to revere God i.e. "the fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom." Prov 9:10

²What is the essence of life? To experience our significance, importance, value. In a word, to be loved.

How does our experiencing significance, importance and value give us life? Because God is significant, important, and valuable i.e. He is life and we experience our own value in honoring and enjoying His. In this way we are like Him i.e. in His image. 

God is Father, Son, and Spirit. The Spirit emanates from and manifests through the love and joy the Father and Son have in seeing and experiencing the infinite worth and beauty (glory) of the other. We were designed to participate in this relational dynamic. We experience our glory (significance, worth, importance etc) as bearers of His image by partaking in His glory.

"And this is eternal life, that they know (ginóskó - intimate, relational, or experiential knowledge) you, the only true God (i.e. true Source of life, love, and all things), and Jesus Christ whom you have sent." - Jn 17:3

³why do we need to experience a sense of value, importance, and significance? So we can appreciate and enjoy the value, importance, and significance of God i.e. we can only do so to the extent we experience our own in, by, and through experiencing His.  

In order for us to appreciate and enjoy Him, we must have corresponding qualities within us that match up or align with who God is - the all-glorious Creator of life, love, and all things - in order to partake of and experience these qualities in Him. I.e. we must be like God - in His image - in this same glorious way, so we might partake of His greatness, significance, importance, and value.

Everything that is, exists because God created and sustains it. If God were not, nothing else would be. This makes Him the most significant, important, and valuable being of all other beings or things. He alone is the Alpha and Omega -  the King of kings and the LORD of lords. All things are from, through, and to him. To Him be the glory (the recognition of His infinite worth/value), forever and ever. Amen!

whats wrong with the forbidden tree?

Was there something inherently wrong with the forbidden tree?

There was nothing inherently magical, different or evil about it. Eve saw that it was good for food and beautiful to see (Gen 3:6). It probably was very similar to or the same kind as the tree of life near or next to it (Gen 2:9, 3:3) - Don't forget, before Adam and Eve rebelled, God said all the trees were good for food (Gen 1:12; 2:9, 16-17).

The main purpose of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil didn't lie within the tree itself. 

The primary purpose of the forbidden tree was to see whether Adam and Eve (and now we) would follow God's direction as instructed  i.e. would they trust God and follow His directions or not?

The fear of the Lord (perfect regard and respect for God and His directions/instructions) is the beginning of wisdom. Wisdom = true understanding of right from wrong. If Adam and Eve had listened to God's direction - i.e. had proper regard for Him and respected His direction to not eat - they would have taken the first step onto the road of true wisdom and understanding of right from wrong - good and evil - the right way i.e. by following God's direction and not trying to gain this knowledge on their own i.e. through their independent (rebellious) efforts of taking from the tree against God's instructions.

To gain knowledge of good and evil, the right way was to trust God and His word (His warning) and act accordingly. To believe (trust) God even if His word didn't make sense (the tree looked good for food, so what's the problem with eating from it?) regarding the direction He gave or circumstance(s) He allowed. We are to still trust God - believe He's good and desires our good - no matter what we encounter or how little it makes sense. 

This is our struggle to this day (we are walking in the same footsteps of our original parents - or ancestors, if you wish). We either believe God is good in any and every given circumstance and situation or we don't.

The purpose of the tree was to simply test whether they trusted God or not. It was a test of whether they recognized their total dependence on God for true life and wisdom or believed they could somehow find it on their own - be their own god - and make life work without Him.

They chose to believe the lie that they could gain wisdom - and thereby life - without God by means of the forbidden tree. 

The tree was forbidden so they might acquire wisdom the right way i.e., through obedience to God's direction. 

They rebelled and rejected His direction and instructions. They did not trust God but suspected He was holding out on them (as the serpent suggested), so they turned away from Him and toward created things instead for life, e.g. the forbidden tree, each other, and their own understanding. As a result, they experienced just the opposite - death - exactly as God warned. 

We do this today as well and wrestle with our obedience to God daily. We regularly are faced with decisions to trust or not trust God every day.

Only by faith in His love for us - proven by Christ bearing the consequences of our rebellious disobedience - are we empowered to live for Him. Sending Christ to restore us - by living the life of obedience we should have lived and suffering the consequences of disobedience that we should have suffered - is proof on an infinitely grand scale that God loves us and wants what is best for us, even in our rebellious distrust. 

"The just (righteous) shall live by faith" is quoted in 4 different places in scripture for an important reason. God wants to be sure we "get it." It is the means by which we partake of and participate in the gospel - the "good news." We not only enter into God's kingdom by it, but we live out His kingdom daily through it. 

For a discussion on the gospel of the kingdom, click here

death and hell defeated

When Scripture says Satan is defeated and Christ now holds the keys to death and hell, what does this mean? 

This is simply saying that death no longer holds the same meaning and effect it once did. Satan and death no longer have the final word regarding our eternal destination i.e. our eternal separation from God and loss of all the gifts of life we now enjoy. When we are in Christ, death now means we are ushered into his presence when we die and exit this veil of tears. This is why Paul said,

When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:“Death is swallowed up in victory.”  “O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1Co 15:54-57

This does not mean pain and suffering (or Satan) are eliminated in this life, or that death no longer exists (people die every day). It simply means if we are in Christ, death no longer signifies judgment and our ultimate separation from our Creator, nor do the accusations of Satan that we are worthless, guilty, and justly condemned. Why? Because our acceptance by God is based solely on Christ's efforts, not ours. 

Pain, suffering, and death have been conquered, neutered, defused, altered, and are even redeemed and used to bring life in this present world (i.e. to draw us closer to God, who is life). Ultimately, they will no longer be useful or necessary and will eventually be done away with altogether. 

If we are in Christ, they are no longer tools or instruments of destruction and eternal separation from God but are now used as a means of deliverance from our focus and preoccupation with self.

Death no longer means final and eternal death because the sting of death has been removed. Before Christ, the sting was that it ultimately led to condemnation and eternal separation from the Source of life, love, and all the blessings of creation. It no longer does for those who are in Christ. Now death is used as a means to life and ushers us into His presence in this life, with fullness of life awaiting us. 

" 'O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?' " The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ."  1Co 15:55-57

Christ fulfilled the demands of the law and our just condemnation for all the harm we caused others by ignoring it!

2Co 12:7  So to keep me from becoming conceited because of the surpassing greatness of the revelations, a thorn was given me in the flesh, a messenger of Satan to harass me, to keep me from becoming conceited (who do you think gave the thorn...it wasn't Satan himself. And note it is described as a gift, not a curse or punishment).

When the Bible says that Christ now holds the keys to death and hell, it does not mean he's eliminated these, but by his resurrection, he overcame them, and now he's redeeming and using the challenges for our ultimate good and his glory. All this is offered to us if we receive His gift of eternal life in, by, and through Christ! Only through Christ is this true.