Compelling Love

Loving God and hating evil, we are called to eternal glory in Christ Jesus.  In Psalm 97, the psalmist enjoins those who love the Lord to hate evil. He will rescue them.  They will have gladness in Him, and praise His holy name.

Psalm 97
¹⁰ You who love the Lord, hate evil!
He protects the lives of His godly ones;
He rescues them from the power of the wicked.
¹¹ Light dawns for the righteous,
gladness for the upright in heart.
¹² Be glad in Yahweh, you righteous ones,
and praise His holy name.

Victory over sin and evil comes through faith in the Messiah God has sent.  Jeff A. Benner in his book, “His Name is One”, states that the Hebraic meanings of the first ten names in the lineage of the Messiah as found in Genesis 5 contain a striking prophecy: “Man appointed a mortal dwelling, the light of God will come down dedicated, his death brings the despairing comfort.”  Isaiah 53:6 reaffirms this prophecy of God bringing salvation to His people through the Messiah: “We all went astray like sheep; we all have turned to our own way; and the Lord has punished Him for the iniquity of us all.”

Every day we make decisions whether to listen to and follow the enemy of our souls, or to hear and follow the Savior who came to set us free.  Jesus (Yeshua) declares in John 10:10, “A thief comes only to steal and to kill and to destroy.  I have come so that they may have life and have it in abundance.” Again in John 8:12 He declares, “I am the light of the world. Anyone who follows Me will never walk in the darkness but will have the light of life.”

God is able to protect us from stumbling through faith in the Messiah He has sent:

Jude 1
²⁴ Now to Him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, blameless and with great joy, ²⁵ to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now and forever. Amen.

If we do stumble and sincerely repent, he will forgive and restore us, as 1 John 1:9 declares, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”  The price God paid for our salvation is more than we will ever know: “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.” (John 3:16)

Because of His faithful love, God is very patiently drawing us to Himself.  In 2 Peter 3:9, Peter declares, “The Lord does not delay His promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.”  David’s repentance expressed in Psalm 51 is an example of the kind of contrite heart that God will honor and restore:

Psalm 51
¹ Be gracious to me, God, according to Your faithful love;
according to Your abundant compassion, blot out my rebellion.
² Wash away my guilt and cleanse me from my sin.

⁶ Surely You desire integrity in the inner self,
and You teach me wisdom deep within.

¹⁰ God, create a clean heart for me
and renew a steadfast spirit within me.
¹¹ Do not banish me from Your presence
or take Your Holy Spirit from me.
¹² Restore the joy of Your salvation to me,
and give me a willing spirit.
¹³ Then I will teach the rebellious Your ways,
and sinners will return to You.

¹⁷ The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit.
God, You will not despise a broken and humbled heart.

In Isaiah 57, the prophet declares that the Lord’s faithful, righteous people will enter into His peace when they die.  He revives the heart of the oppressed and lowly of spirit, bringing healing and peace.  But there will be no peace for the wicked.

Isaiah 57
¹ The righteous one perishes,
and no one takes it to heart;
faithful men are swept away,
with no one realizing
that the righteous one is swept away
from the presence of evil.
² He will enter into peace—
they will rest on their beds—
everyone who lives uprightly.

¹⁵ For the High and Exalted One
who lives forever, whose name is Holy says this:
“I live in a high and holy place,
and with the oppressed and lowly of spirit,
to revive the spirit of the lowly
and revive the heart of the oppressed.

²⁰ But the wicked are like the storm-tossed sea,
for it cannot be still,
and its waters churn up mire and muck.
²¹ There is no peace for the wicked,”
says my God.

Psalm 96 is an example of rejoicing in the salvation Yahweh brings, and worshiping Him in the splendor of His holiness.

Psalm 96
¹ Sing a new song to the Lord;
sing to the Lord, all the earth.
² Sing to Yahweh, praise His name;
proclaim His salvation from day to day.
³ Declare His glory among the nations,
His wonderful works among all peoples.

⁹ Worship the Lord in the splendor of His holiness;
tremble before Him, all the earth.

¹³ … for He is coming to judge the earth.
He will judge the world with righteousness
and the peoples with His faithfulness.

In 1 Peter 5, Peter prays that God will restore and strengthen His people who have been called to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus:

1 Peter 5
¹⁰ Now the God of all grace, who called you to His eternal glory in Christ Jesus, will personally restore, establish, strengthen, and support you after you have suffered a little. ¹¹ The dominion belongs to Him forever. Amen.

David Krause, dhkrause@neteze.com, https://compellinglove.net/

(Bible Quotations are from the Holman Christian Standard Bible.)