What Part Of "A Just God" Don't You Understand?

Do you know Dan Trabue? Dan has several blogs where he writes about literature and art and his church and critters and plants and Dan Trabue. Dan is interested in Arts, Culture, Children, Civil Rights, Humanitarian Relief, Education, Environment, Human Rights, Poverty Alleviation, and Social Services. He's every involved at his home church whose core beliefs emphasize being peacemakers and being welcoming and affirming.

But for all that going for him Dan appears to be a sad, lonely man and needs our pity as well as our prayers. One of his ways of alleviating his loneliness is being an internet troll. He sincerely likes to troll Watchbloggers, harassing them with attacks, abusive language, and his own creative twists on scripture. This is very odd behavior for someone who is active in a church whose core beliefs emphasize being peacemakers and being welcoming and affirming. Several Christian bloggers have had run-ins with Dan, in fact Alec Satin at While it’s yet day has collected a few 'Dan Stories' to share. I too have had a Dan-attack very recently.

Dan reached out to me just this week when I had reposted an entry from The Cripplegate on my blog. In this article the author had made the statement “While no one deserves to be raped, tortured, taken apart limb by limb, or murdered by fellow human beings, it is important to remember that we all deserve worse from God Himself.”

Dan didn’t like that, and went all Rob Bell on me with a long strange diatribe that proved to me beyond the shadow of a doubt that Dan had a feeling he could mete out justice much better than God. At least he was honest and self identified as a heretic at the beginning of his missive. He clearly does not understand the concept of sin, justice, grace, and mercy. And it was abundantly clear he didn't realize that the original article that stirred up his pudding, was written by Jordan Standridge and not myself. Dan was really worked up about the concept of "the traditional "depravity of man" thinking" so he finally asked Are you interested in discussing this with one considered a "heretic..."?

So I answered Dan:

---

I'm not sure why you blame John Calvin - it's clearly in the bible, "For he who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done, and that without partiality" (Colossians 3:25) Jesus himself said

“Then He will also say to those on His left, ‘Depart from Me, accursed ones, into the eternal fire which has been prepared for the devil and his angels" (Matthew 25:41)

I truly do believe that the bible is the word of God. I may not have much time left on this earth, so I can't go about cherry-picking bible verses claiming that one doesn't fit my world view while another one does, and I don't have the guts to tell God "You're wrong!" when He tells us exactly what we are required to do and what He will do if that doesn't happen.

I must conform to the word, and not expect God to make an exception for me just because my puny brain can't wrap around His all knowing all seeing vision. Do I hold this belief because I'm part of the elect? I don't know - Calvin is dead, God is Alive, and Jesus is my Lord, Savior, Brother, and Kinsman redeemer. It's Him I serve.

I also don't see God as merely Perfectly Loving. I also see Him as Perfectly Merciful  - you ask for mercy and you get it.

8 The Lord is compassionate and gracious, Slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindness. 9 He will not always strive with us, Nor will He keep His anger forever. 10 He has not dealt with us according to our sins, Nor rewarded us according to our iniquities. 11 For as high as the heavens are above the earth, So great is His lovingkindness toward those who fear Him. 12 As far as the east is from the west, So far has He removed our transgressions from us. 13 Just as a father has compassion on his children, So the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. 14 For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust. 15 As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. 16 When the wind has passed over it, it is no more, And its place acknowledges it no longer. 17 But the lovingkindness of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children, (Psalm 103:8–17)

I see Him as Perfectly Just, what He says goes with no exceptions and no favoritism.

With my lips I have told of All the ordinances of Your mouth. (Psalm 119:137)

I see Him as Perfectly Holy, we sinful creatures are not fit to stand in His presence He is so Holy, it's only Jesus' atonement that allows that to happen.

Speak to all the congregation of the sons of Israel and say to them, ‘You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy. (Leviticus 19:2)

but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior (1 Peter 1:15)

I see Him as Perfectly Wise. His intellect and capacity to reason is far beyond anything we can imagine.

The Lord by wisdom founded the earth, By understanding He established the heavens. (Proverbs 3:19)

Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen. (1 Timothy 1:17)

He's so much more than a narrow view of a fluffy Love diety that many people seem to have:

God is Eternal
God is Perfect
God is Gracious
God is Compassionate
God is Jealous
God is Merciful
God is Almighty
God is Slow To Anger
God is Righteous
God is Awesome
God is Holy
God is Truthful
God is Faithful
God is Just
God is All Powerful
God is a Consuming Fire

God gave me everything - life, a planet to live on, 6 beautiful children, two beautiful grandchildren, air to breath, food to eat, a healthy brain so I can reason for myself His wonder, a disabled body so I can learn dependence on Him and not my puny self. He gave me decades without interference so I was able to explore this world learn for myself the horrors of the part of this world where atheism slaughters its people and Muslims slaughter everyone.

Deserving worse from God? In my opinion we are an ungrateful, stiff necked, hard headed infestation that turned our back on our creator and master. He sacrificed His own son for us to save us and we dare question His word? This is the problem with the "God is love only" mindset - people start thinking that "God couldn't possibly find anything to punish in me" and worse "God is incapable of feeling anything but love toward me" Oh yeah? That's called pride, the worst sin of all. Also known as "Haughty eyes"

16 There are six things which the Lord hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: 17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, And hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, Feet that run rapidly to evil, 19 A false witness who utters lies, And one who spreads strife among brothers. (Proverbs 6:16-19)

We need to stop asking "Why does God allow bad things to happen to good people" and ask a question that isn't nonsense: "Why does God allow good things to happen to us bad people?"