Does God Love "Bad" People?



Rambling "early morning" thoughts...

When God wakes you up at 4:30 in the morning with a pressing need to answer something you read on Facebook the previous day, what do you do? Well...you roll over and wait until 5:30 because it is cold out from under the covers, but then you get up and write. So here I am.

DOES GOD LOVE "BAD" PEOPLE?

Someone posted the story yesterday about the man who raped and killed the little three-year-old girl out east. Tragic, tragic situation. Horrible and unimaginable. My heart desperately aches for that family.

Yet, it was the comments that stirred me; actually caused me to shake my head.

One comment said something like, "I don't want that man in heaven...", another man said something about God couldn't possibly love him, and a woman asked, "Where was your god when this man brutally raped and tortured this little girl?" I assure you, there were others...many, many others.

So. What do we do with all of this? It's so natural to feel hatred toward those "bad" people out there. Believe me when I say, if someone hurt any one of my family members I would experience a deep anger towards them like any one else. However, it doesn't matter what I "feel". What matters is what God's Word says.

Let me break this down then. "I don't want that man in heaven...". Truly, this is a me-focused statement. God didn't die for the righteous, but the unrighteous. He came to this earth so that men and women - ALL who have sinned, could repent (turn from their wickedness) and find salvation in Him.

2 Peter 3:9 says, The LORD is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

So as far as this man going to heaven or not, I don't know his spiritual state, only God knows. Yet, inspecting the fruit of his life, I would venture to say he is not saved. But here's the thing...he is not too far gone to find the Lord. He has not done anything too heinous that God can't save him. And, if God saves him, yes, he would go to heaven. When God does the work in someone's life, they are a changed person. God takes all the sinful ugliness and covers it up by His perfect Son's blood, making the "bad" person now righteous and holy.

Next thing I read..."God couldn't possibly love him." Oh, what a sad statement. If God couldn't love him, then He couldn't love me or you. The Bible tells us that "All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God." In God's eyes, all sin is sin. Whether it be a little white lie, a lustful look, or a murderous act, it ALL separates us from a holy God. Yes, Virginia, there really is a God, and He loves everyone. So much so, that He left His throne in Heaven and came down to earth in the form of a man (His Son, Jesus), and died in your place and mine.

Finally, "Where was your god?" Answer is simple. He was right there. It may seem unfair. You may not like that answer nor understand it. But it's the truth nonetheless. He was there waiting to take that sweet baby into a pain free, ever-loving, wonderful heaven. He was there comforting the little girl's family in those hours she was missing and is now there throughout this time of grief. Could He have stopped the violent act? Yes, but He also allows us to have free will...to make decisions, albeit bad ones at times. Here's the thing...do not doubt for one second that there will not be consequences for this man's actions. Do not doubt for one second that God was not grieved to the core. No, things like this are the very reason God had to come and die. We all need Him.

Lastly, and I know this is long, may you and I never think we are better than the evil that is in the world. Oh, there are many of us who are "saved" and in that respect, we have been washed and are clean before Him, but we still sin. We still do things on occasion that grieve the heart of God and remind us just how much God has done for us and how desperate we are for His healing touch. For without Him, you and I would be no better off than the man who committed this crime, or the plethora of others who are doing evil every single day.

Those are my thoughts. Take them or leave them. It doesn't really matter what I think, but what God's Word says.

Father...I'm glad I went ahead and got up. It's still cold, though. Let's make this a little later next time.
Kristi

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