28.4.09

Holy Love

If we spoke less about God's love and more about his holiness, more about his judgment, we should say much more when we did speak of his love. - P.T. Forsyth

Today's Christian culture - often "me centered", soft and easy to swallow - desperately needs to be redefined by this truth.

There's a lot that can be taken from this quote - What are your thoughts?

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I absolutly agree! Now a days, everything is so shallow, people say "God loves me so much, I do not have to be good." But no, we are to strive to be like Him! Great post!

Penn Tomassetti said...

That is a really good quote Stephanie! Thanks for posting that. I know exactly where to get it now if I need to use it for something.

Moon said...

Steph I will, I have like 4-5 posts on hold I just have to sit down and finish them and post them...thanks for stopping buy :) how are ya friend??

Moon said...

As for the quote...I think there should be a balance. The problem really lies in when a person thinks that God's love is separate of His Holiness or His justice. Generally people who only focus on God's love, view "love" through their own selfish eyes and not through the "eyes" of scripture and how God defines love. So love becomes "whatever is beneficial for me"/"as long as everyone else likes me", it's not the self-sacrificing love shown on the cross by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Stephanie said...

Thanks for your comments!

Rita, I agree that balance is important. The thought that came to me is how God's love for us is shown to be deeper, much more awesome and beautiful when we see it alongside God's justice and righteous judgement - because of our sin we deserve wrath, but because of Christ's sacrifice we instead experience LOVE. So undeserved. It puts "love" in a whole new light. I was listening to a Piper sermon today at work and he said something along the lines of "No one sings Amazing Grace anymore with tears in their eyes because they don't understand 'Twas grace that tought my heart to FEAR and grace my fears relieved'" We need to gain back this (healthy) fear of God.
Sorry, enough rambling!

Penn Tomassetti said...

That is my favorite line from Amazing Grace Stephanie. Some churches even are changing the words in songs like amazing grace, to say "Amazing grace that saved a one like me" instead of "a wretch like me."