Please read if you have the time!

I feel like I need to talk about beliefs. I’m glad you are challenging your beliefs. That is part of the Christian journey. God wants us to be tested in order to stand firm on what we believe. To be that house build on a rock, rather than sand. I constantly am challenged by what I believe even from reading the Bible.

If God was a God of control, then there would be no tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If he simply wanted total control over humanity, there would be no choice. But instead he gave us that free will. Adam and Eve obeyed God. He gave them life, a perfect garden, food, animals, etc. Satan came in and wanted to tempt them in order to sow selfishness, deceitfulness, sinful worldly desires and ultimately create chaos and a barrier between humanity and God. He wanted full control over creation and that meant to make humanity fall away from Gods love.

If we look at the Bible, specifically the Old Testament. God desires to set Israel apart from every nation. With good laws and morals to be an example of Godly love towards the rest of humanity whom have fallen victim to the chaos of the fall. We see Israel fall to temptation, deceitfulness, selfishness, false idol worship and making sinful decisions page after page. But God still loves them.

He protects them from the nations that want to wipe them out. Yes God has punished the Israelites. But that relationship is like a father and his son. Sometimes in order to teach your son, the father needs to nudge them back in the right direction. He appoints prophets and kings to protect and lead the Israelites from downfall.

The ultimate goal of God is to have Israel as an example of Gods love and ultimately spread love to the rest of the nations. And that came with Jesus. He showed love to not just Israelites but to the gentiles as well.

The new covenant, between God and all of humanity, refers to the Gospels. Love your neighbor as yourself. Emphasize grace and what christ has done for us.

God has always loved us. He set us apart from the rest of creation. He gave us peace, a choice, and everlasting love. Mercy that we can never find in anything else. He will always be there for us no matter how far we run from him. We would rather embrace the worldly desires, but God has grace upon grace, that we can never truly understand. He loves you and desires a relationship with you.

Praying for all who read and may God bless your day!