The Doctrine of God
By Jerry Batson, Th.D.
Special to The Alabama Baptist
Last week, Theology 101 suggested that the best Old Testament one-word description of God is that He is holy. If we seek in similar fashion to discern the best one-word description of God in the New Testament, our most obvious conclusion would likely be God is love, another four letter word. Of course, the Old Testament is not without revelation of the love of God, just as the New Testament is not without the truth that God is holy. However, the distinctive or prominent truth about God in the New Testament is His love.
We often take note of the twice-made declaration in 1 John that “God is love” (4:8, 16). The whole of the New Testament does what 1 John 3:1 invites: “Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed upon us.” It witnesses to the love of God.
Everlasting love
If we reflect upon some aspects or characteristics of God’s love, we might begin by noting that His love is everlasting. In fact, this aspect of God’s love was revealed through the prophet Jeremiah through whom God spoke, saying, “I have loved you with an everlasting love” (31:3). That God’s love is everlasting means that it is without beginning and end. Such love as God’s love does not change.
God’s love also is redeeming love. His incomparable love acted to send His Son. The message of the New Testament is that we were not redeemed “with perishable things such as silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ” (1 Pet. 1:18–19). In being redeeming, God’s love also is forgiving. This truth has deep roots in the Old Testament in God’s reminder to Moses, “The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression” (Num. 14:18).
Disciplining love
While God’s love is abundant, it is not indulgent. His love is disciplining love. Hebrews 12:6 puts it like this, “Whom He loves, He chastens. He disciplines every child He receives.” Divine discipline is not to be received as punishment but as a means by which God seeks to strengthen and purify us. In short, God loves His children too much to let us alone when we sin.
On the other side of God’s disciplining love is His restoring love. Jesus captured the reality of this restoring love by telling the story we call the parable of the prodigal son. However, the main character in this parable is not a young and sinful son, but a waiting, welcoming and restoring Father.
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