July 8, 2010 A Perfect Father

July 8, 2010
Read Jeremiah 14-16

Jer 15:2 This is what the LORD says: “‘Those destined for death, to death;
those for the sword, to the sword; those for starvation, to starvation; those for captivity, to captivity.’”

Jer 16:15 For I will restore them to the land I gave their forefathers.

A GREAT lie exists in the world today. It says that the God of the Old Testament is a God of Judgment, and the God of the New Testament is a God of Grace who forgives.

Big lie. God is the same throughout the bible. Jeremiah’s words clearly show God judges, and he promises salvation. Amid the judgment there is grace that delivered Jerusalem from their punishment to rich blessings.

And in the New Testament you will read of Jesus’ judgments against those who oppose him.

My friends, God, as a perfect Father, cannot tolerate sin. And as a perfect Father, he offers a way out of the sin. God used judgment to stir hearts of men out of darkness to save his people—and he did so to save you, too.

For you see, your salvation was on the line so long ago as Jerusalem disobeyed. God had a plan before time began to save you. And amid all these horrible happenings God had to keep the plan alive. In his judgment, God could have destroyed all for all time. But God instead showed his grace. And his grace is alive today as his plan was perfected in Jesus Christ’s death and his resurrection.

As a good Father, God kept his promise for his people then. And you can trust he will keep it for you, too—forever.