Disclaimer: About This Blog

THIS BLOG IS: my personal journey of how I am rethinking some of my spiritual beliefs.
THIS BLOG IS NOT: intended to point fingers at people who I think are wrong.
I do not believe the final judgement will be based on how many correct answers we get on a theology exam. I believe many people throughout history have had genuine relationships with God, despite holding questionable beliefs and practices. I make no claim to having it all figured out or being your judge. If we end up disagreeing over these topics I pray we can find a way to demonstrate grace.

Sunday, January 3, 2010

Can God be in the presence of sin?

One of the points of the 'gospel' message that I've often heard (and have memorized and shared with others in the past) is that God is Holy and that means he can not be in the presence of sin. That sin separates us from God.

But wait a minute.

Jesus was called a friend of sinners.

Satan was in God's presence in the book of Job.

I don't think anything can separate us from the love of our God... not even our sin. Jesus came to free us from our bondage to our sin that leads to destruction. He took our sins to the cross.

Consider the story of the prodigal son. Did the father ever stop loving the son? When the son went his own selfish ways he was distanced from the father, but the father was always waiting for him with love.

Yes, when we live our lives ruled by sin we are not living as God intended us to live. But I don't think God was unable to love us in our state of sin, and that he had to kill his son to make a way for a relationship with us. God loves sinners too.

So yes, in a way we distance ourselves from God when we go our selfish ways. But God is always capable of reaching out to us in love.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Even when David 'made his bed in hell', God was there.

Of course, it's not that the Lord wants us making our beds in hell.

I am sure that He would rather have us making our beds in "heaven"...which we do as we walk in the truth of the gospel of Christ.

Jonathan said...

Yes brotherjohnny, that's another related passage. Thanks for your input.