Perversion of the Love of God
by Terry Wane Benton
Many want to continue a sinful practice so much that they think they can use the love of God to justify it. God does so love the world that He gave His Son to die for sinners. He loved me while I was yet a sinner (Romans 5:8; John 3:16). But that is not all there is to it.
If merely loving someone puts them in good standing and on safe ground, then Jesus need not have died on the cross. Love sent Jesus to the cross to draw love from man's heart back to God. If man is not drawn to Jesus with a desire to escape sin, then man remains condemned regardless of God's love.
A prodigal son is loved and may be swimming in a sea of sharks, needing a lifeline. Love throws out the lifeline, but has the Father's love failed if the son refuses to grab the rope? No! The son failed to grab the loving lifeline to safety. He refused to see the danger he was in, refused to love his father enough to listen to his pleading warnings, and was eaten by the sharks.
Today, homosexuals hold up signs about the love of God, saying God accepts you as you are. They are partially correct but deadly in error. God loves them enough to cast out a lifeline and plead for them to grab the line. But they are no longer safe than a drunkard is safe without repentance. (I Corinthians 6:8-10). They can be safe if they listen and repent, which is part of grabbing God's loving lifeline.
God is love -- true! God accepts all people He loves -- false. God is holy. Holiness cannot accept and fellowship sin. God will cleanse all who repent of sin because He loves and wants fellowship. But those who are determined to rebel and will not repent of sin will be rejected.
Love accentuates His holiness; it does not compromise it. Love invites, holiness prepares the conditions of acceptance, and justice pays the price, but you decide if you will meet the conditions (I Corinthians 6:8-10). Some at Corinth grabbed God's loving lifeline, ceasing their rebellious lifestyle. Others did not. The love of God accepted some. Others were not.
We must not pervert the love of God to justify our rebellion to His Holiness. God loves you! But are you drawn to love Him, not a perverted version of Him?
