Our God is Balanced

(Hebrews 12:28-29; 1John 4:8,16)

Everyone knows how important that it is to have balance in whatever it is that you do. For example if the wheels and tires on your vehicle are not balanced then you are in for a bumpy ride. Same thing with your check book if it is not balanced then you can get in trouble in a hurry. Now when we look at God we see that he is balanced. In this lesson we will look at how God is both positive and negative and how we must be both.

Let us look at the two verses that are a part of the title of this lesson.

Hebrews 12 :29 (Our God is a consuming fire)

1 John 4:8,16 (God is love)

Now it would almost seem that these two verses are contradicting one another but in reality God is both. He is both a consuming fire and he is a love at the same time. To be one without the other would cause God to be unbalanced.

This is what is wrong with a lot of the so called modern day Christian movement. All they see God as is a God of love. They forget all about the fact that God is also a consuming fire. They get all caught up in loving everyone and everything till they lose sight of the fact that there are some things that God hates (Proverbs 6:16-19). There are also things that we as saved people are supposed to hate (Proverbs 8:13). Let just face the facts sin is sin and no matter what the world calls it God hates it and if will not tolerate it then neither should we.

What happens when all you preach is that God is love people start believing that God will not send anyone to hell because a loving God would not do such a thing. But we must remember that God is both Holy, Just, and Righteous and therefore he is balanced.

Proverbs 1:24-33 :

Here is a passage that shows us God being both positive and negative. In this passage we see that God is going to laugh at someone’s calamity and mock when their fear cometh (verse 26). Now some would say that a God of love would never do that, but if you look at the passage carefully you will see that the ones that God is laughing at and mocking are those who have refused him (verse 24), those who ignored his counsel and reproof (verse 25), those that hated knowledge and did not choose the fear of the Lord (verse 29). Therefore God is not unjust in laughing and mocking at those people.

Now note the positive side of the passage in verse 33 we see that those who listen to God and do what he says will dwell in safety and be quiet from the fear of evil. You see because God is just he has to take care of you if you do what he says. Therefore if a person will receive the Lord Jesus as their savior then God will save them (Romans 10:9-13), but if a person rejects the Lord Jesus Christ he will one day be thrown into the Lake of Fire (Revelation 21:8). God is just and righteous and the only way to heaven is through his son the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:6).

This is why Paul told Timothy that his preaching was to be 2/3 negative. Note in 2 Timothy 4:2 he is told to reprove, rebuke, and exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine. Reprove is negative, rebuke is negative, and exhort is positive.

Why must God be both positive and negative ?

1)  Because he is Holy (1 Peter 1:16)

• As a Holy God he cannot sin.

2)  Because he is Just (1 John 1:9)

• As a Just God he cannot overlook sin.

3)  Because he is Righteous (2 Timothy 4:8)

• As a righteous God he accepted the sacrifice of his son for our sins and he pardons us based on that and that alone. Therefore once again God cannot allow someone who has rejected his son because he would then be both unrighteous and unjust.

In the world today the philosophy is to be positive. If you are positive enough then everything will turn out alright. But we know this is just not always the case. You cannot have a positive without a negative. If all you have is a positive connection on your battery your car will not start. You must have both a positive and a negative connection to start your car.

The danger with being a positive thinker only started with Satan (Genesis 3:1-7). Note the very first word out of Satan’s mouth was “Yea”, which is the same as saying yes. If you look back at what God told Adam (Genesis 2:16-17) you will see that Satan quoted one verse and left one out. Note that he left out the negative one. As a matter of fact everything he told her was positive or a benefit to her (Sounds like beer and tobacco advertising today doesn’t it).

Now what is the result of all this positive thinking only? It got Eve to sin and then Adam. Along with sin came death and the curse that God put on the earth. So we can clearly see from the Bible that it is truly dangerous to be a positive thinker only!

4 Things that positive thinking will not overcome or change :

1)  Being a Sinner (Romans 3:23)

• You can think positively all day long for the rest of your life and it will not change the fact that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.

2)  The Judgment of Sinners (Revelation 20:15)

• As we have seen God is just and cannot overlook sin therefore all the positive thinking in the world will not change God’s judgment on sinners.

3)  The Law of Sowing and Reaping (Galatians 6:7-9)

• One way or another you will reap what you have sown.

4)  The Facts of God’s Word (Psalm 12:6-7 ; Matthew 24:35)

Our God is Balanced : Handout

(Hebrews 12:28-29; 1John 4:8,16)

1)  List a passage that shows the positive and negative side of God.

2)  According to 2 Timothy 4:2 preaching should be how negative?

3)  Why must God be both positive and negative?

4)  Who was the first positive thinker? Give a reference.

5)  What was the result of Satan’s positive thinking?

6)  What are some things that positive thinking will not overcome?