Grace Institute: Systematic Theology: Theology Proper: God is Benevolent

Theology Proper Grace Institute for Biblical Leadership Winter 2006

[Previous: God is Abosolute]

V. God Is Benevolent

A. Scripture

(Jeremiah 9:23-24) Thus says the Lord: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, Let not the mighty man glory in his might, Nor let the rich man glory in his riches; But let him who glories glory in this, That he understands and knows Me, That I am the Lord, exercising lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness in the earth. For in these I delight," says the Lord.

A century after Isaiah showed the folly of pride and arrogance in light of the attributes of God, Jeremiah reiterates the message. We shouldn't be proud of our wisdom, our might, or our wealth. The only thing in which we can legitimately take pride is in how well we know God.

But, in knowing God, notice the attributes by which he defines himself: lovingkindness, judgment, and righteousness. God delights in his benevolent character and wants us to also.

B. Definition

1. To be just

We have already discussed how God's righteousness, or moral purity, is a part of His holiness. But his justice and righteousness are also a part of his benevolence. It might seem strange to think of God's judgment along with his lovingkindness.

Think, however, of an unjust and unrighteous god. Pagan cultures are full of gods who are vindictive and cruel. A god who treats people unfairly and with arbitrary judgment would not be seen as benevolent.

Yet Yahweh delights in judgment and righteousness. He will deal with us with justly. His judgments are never arbitrary or cruel. He is not vindictive. He is benevolent.

2. To be relenting

God's benevolence does not stop at treating us justly. He also treats us with mercy, giving us chance after chance to repent of our evil. God is a relenting God, not wanting any to perish.

The Old Testament is replete with examples of God providing warnings to people to respond to Him. He withholds punishment again and again. Our just punishment is delayed and delayed in hopes that we will change.

3. To be love

(1 John 4:16-18) God is love, and the one who abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. By this, love is perfected with us, that we may have confidence in the day of judgment; because as He is, so also are we in this world.

Ultimately, God's benevolence is wrapped up in love. God is love. He not only is just and longsuffering. He also loves us to the point of providing a mechanism by which we can be forgiven of our wrongs.

C. The Relationship of Holiness and Love

Some have contended that there is tension between God's moral purity and his love. The solution to the supposed contradiction between God's moral purity and his love is found in the saving work of Christ. God demonstrates His love towards us in that Christ died for us. But Christ only had to die to satisfy God's justice. If God were not just, Christ would not be needed, for God's love would have just tolerated our sin. If God did not love, Christ would not have been sent, for God's justice would have been satisfied by our own death. But because God is both loving and just, Christ was sent to die, appeasing not only God's wrath, but also his benevolence simultaneously. Outside of the cross, however, these two attributes remain in conflict.

D. Our Response

How do we respond to God's love? John continues the passage by showing how God's love eliminates fear from our life.

(1 John 4:16-18) There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment, and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

We are not afraid that God will unjustly or arbitrarily condemn us. But more than that, we are not afraid that God will justly condemn us for the things we deserve, because he is longsuffering and relenting. Ultimately we do not have to fear any punishment from God if we accept the mechanism of reconciliation accomplished by Jesus.

We are free to make mistakes. We are free to be bold in Him. We can be confident as we approach life for we are not afraid of God. God's love can bring confidence that nothing else can. We are free from fear.

[Next: Bibliography]