How Can A Loving God Punish His Own Creation?

"And I will punish the world for their evil, and the wicked for their iniquity; and I will cause the arrogance of the proud to cease, and will lay low the haughtiness of the terrible." Isaiah 13:11

One of the most frequently asked questions by non-believers (as well as many believers) is "How can a God of love punish the very people he created?" The Bible is clear that God does punish mankind. Jesus talked more about hell then he did about heaven. On the surface this seems a complex issue but a simple study in God's word provides us with a clear answer that, in the end, shows us the awesome depths of God's love.

WHY IS THERE SIN IN THE WORLD?

Man was created in the likeness of God (Genesis 1:26). That means we have many of the same characteristics of God. To name only a few:

- We have emotion (God is happy, sometimes he gets mad)
- We are artistic (Watch the sunset, look up at the stars in the sky - God is a magnificent artist!)
- We have free-will (God chooses what he will do and is not forced to do anything)

God's original plan did not include sin. There was to be no sickness, death or crying. But God will not force us to follow Him. He gave us free will to choose whether or not we will follow Him or if we will go our own way. So which way did we decide to go?

"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way" Isaiah 52:6

We live in a world that, from the beginning, has told God to leave us alone and when He does and the world falls apart we say, "How can God let this happen". God isn't to blame, we chose to sin. We are to blame.

WHY GOD MUST DEAL WITH SIN

God is perfect. And being perfect He cannot be in the presence of anything that is not perfect.

"You [God] are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look on wickedness." Habakkuk 1:13

If God would ignore sin and allowed it continue unpunished then He would be compromising His own perfect standards! So the penalty for sin is established:

"Your iniquities have ever made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have caused him to hide his face from you." Isaiah 59

"everyone shall die for his own iniquity [sin]." Jeremiah 31:29

So the penalty for sin is separation from God and death. If our study ended here then we would have no hope but, thank God, it doesn't

GOD'S SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM

So what can God do? He doesn't want to punish us:

"The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy." Psalm 103:8

but, as we established above, He must judge sin. So God decided that He would pay the penalty Himself.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." John 3:16-17

God stepped out of Heaven, became a man (Jesus Christ), lived a life without sin (which you couldn't do), became the perfect sacrifice, and died on the cross for your sins (He died so you wouldn't have to). Three days later He arose from the dead proving death had no power over Him.

God has set a penalty for sin but has offered to pay the price so you won't have to! Let me give you one more verse:

"But God commanded His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." Romans 5:8

Maybe you would give your life for someone you love or a friend but how quick would you suffer and die for your enemy? Not to quick, huh? Me either. But what this verse is saying is that we were not right with God, we were His enemies, yet He still died for us - that's how much Jesus wants to be friend with you.

If you want to be forgiven for your sins and you want a friendship with the Living God then all you have to do is ask Him into your life just say this prayer:

"Lord, I realize that I am a sinner. I believe that you died for me and paid the price for me. I now accept Jesus as my Lord and my Savior. Amen"