This commentary was originally posted in 2013. It speaks of how what we believe is the character of God affects our actions. Eliphaz probably had an incorrect understanding of the character of God. So, do many of us.
The Cosmic Conflict Over God's Character
In Matthew 25: 14 – 30, we find the Parable of the talents. We read that two of the servants improved on what the master gave to them. In contrast, the last servant hid the talent and did not improve on it. This man based his action on what he thought of the Master,
Mat 25:24 Then he which had received the one talent came and said, Lord, I knew thee that thou art an hard man, reaping where thou hast not sown, and gathering where thou hast not strawed:
Mat 25:25 And I was afraid, and went and hid thy talent in the earth: lo, there thou hast that is thine.
We could imply that the other two servants thought the opposite of their master. Ellen White seems to tell us that Eve had a similar problem,
The tempter intimated that the divine warning was not to be actually fulfilled; it was designed merely to intimidate them. . . . {CC 15.5}
Such has been Satan's work from the days of Adam to the present, and he has pursued it with great success. He tempts men to distrust God's love and to doubt His wisdom. He is constantly seeking to excite a spirit of irreverent curiosity, a restless, inquisitive desire to penetrate the secrets of divine wisdom and power. In their efforts to search out what God has been pleased to withhold, multitudes overlook the truths which He has revealed, and which are essential to salvation. . . . {CC 15.6}
Eve really believed the words of Satan, but her belief did not save her from the penalty of sin. She disbelieved the words of God, and this was what led to her fall. In the judgment men will not be condemned because they conscientiously believed a lie, but because they did not believe the truth, because they neglected the opportunity of learning what is truth. {CC 15.7}
Eve doubted God's integrity. She judged God's character incorrectly. This belief is what provoked her downfall. She now needed to restore her trust In God.
Did you notice that Ellen White says that Eve's experience applies to all men? What lies are people choosing to believe that leads them away from believing God? We read from Ellen White,
In the opening of the great controversy, Satan had declared that the law of God could not be obeyed, that justice was inconsistent with mercy, and that, should the law be broken, it would be impossible for the sinner to be pardoned. Every sin must meet its punishment, urged Satan; and if God should remit the punishment of sin, He would not be a God of truth and justice. When men broke the law of God, and defied His will, Satan exulted. It was proved, he declared, that the law could not be obeyed; man could not be forgiven. Because he, after his rebellion, had been banished from heaven, Satan claimed that the human race must be forever shut out from God's favor. God could not be just, he urged, and yet show mercy to the sinner. {DA 761.4}
Our lesson has made it clear throughout the quarterly that this is what our denomination believes: Sin must be punished. And, it is God who must punish it. Is it not disturbing that SDA's believe what Satan says of God?
If this is what we believe, then we believe that something must be done to avoid the punishment. God must be appeased. This belief is the core idea of every pagan religion. It is because of this belief that they practiced sacrifices. Only "the smell the blood" would appease the angry god. Christians have adopted this understanding of God. Christians understand that "Christ died to reconcile the Father unto us." You will find no such thought anywhere in the Bible. The Bible is very clear,
2 Corinthians 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.
We read in John 3: 16 that God so loved the world that He gave his only begotten Son – the Lamb slain from the beginning of the World to away its Sin (Revelation 13: 8, John 1: 29). It was the Father Who wanted – and still wants - to be reconciled to us. We read from Romans,
Romans 5:6 For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly.
Romans 5:7 For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die.
Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.
Romans 5:9 Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.
Romans 5:10 For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.
In Christ, while we still saw God as the enemy, we were reconciled to God and not God to us. Christ says in John 14,
John 14:7 If ye had known me, ye should have known my Father also: and from henceforth ye know him, and have seen him.
John 14:8 Philip saith unto him, Lord, shew us the Father, and it sufficeth us.
John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?
Many read the story of Jesus and realize that their concept of God differs from Jesus. Jesus Himself tells us that He and the Father are One. Jesus is a prefect representation of His Father. Any concept of God that differs from Jesus is wrong. Ellen White says,
There stood in the world One who was a perfect representative of the Father, One whose character and practices refuted Satan's misrepresentation of God. Satan had charged upon God the attributes He himself possessed. Now in Christ he saw God revealed in His true character—a compassionate, merciful Father, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to Him in repentance, and have eternal life. (1 SM, p. 254).
A good surgeon cuts into the body of its ill patient (thus inflicting pain), not to punish the patient for having a harmful health condition, but to get rid of what is ailing the patient. God intervenes in our life not to punish us, but to get rid of the Sin which will kill us otherwise. Those whom He loves, He chastens. "Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby (Hebrews 12:11). "…weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning (Psalm 30:5).
| RR |
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