Insightful Musings on the Scriptures

by

Raymond P. Sparre
Northwest University class of '67

OK—I have kids and grandkids too. And once upon a time I was a kid. So I know a little bit about how self-centered psychology works. You who have had children of your own can reflect on those times when your children would spontaneously bring your integrity and character into question and judge you as being a very bad unreasonable and mean-spirited parent. Why? Because you were? No. But because you did not permit your child’s inferior, selfish, and under-developed knowledge, wisdom, integrity, and character to rule. You understood that your job as a responsible parent left you with no alternative but to confront, reprimand, correct, or even punish disobedient or wrong attitudes and behaviors. You could not afford to pass over this violation of rules that you’ve had to set and fail to use this crisis as a learning experience. To allow self-centered psychology (another way to express the NATURAL SIN NATURE) to reign in your home would be a certain recipe for unlimited chaos, confusion, and conflict. Contrary to a child’s natural self-centered psychology, one cannot be allowed to disobey, show disrespect, and irresponsibility, and still glean the rewards of obedience, respect, and responsibility. That’s just not how things work right in the real world.

There are those, however, who react adversely to the matter of God’s anger—as though a God of anger is contradictory to a God of love. But I would guess that those same people would find ways to justify their own anger when their children engage in defiant disrespect and disobedience—after they have so lovingly given so many provisions and clearly laid out the rules for their household—a set of job descriptions and standards that benefit everyone in the family. These types may want to argue, “Who would want an angry God?” But a better and more mature question is, “Who would want to make God angry?”

Question: Would you ever expect to deal with a big bad parent-child conflict crisis if your children were eager to learn, obey, respect, and cooperate? Of course not. And if God’s children were eager to seek, love, obey, and trust Him as their Heavenly Father, would His anger be aroused?—would He need to resort to drastic measures of rebuke, correction, discipline, or punishment? Of course not.

The beginning point of Zechariah’s first message is “The LORD was very angry with your forefathers.” That means that, “Your fathers and forefathers were once children just like you—who had to learn how to do life just like you. Obedience, wisdom, and maturity are not automatically on display by the NATURAL SIN NATURE—those qualities must be learned. In that process, many of your forefathers chose to rebel against Father God—enough to make Him angry and cause many to suffer corrective punishment.” But, thank God, the matter doesn’t end there. Even bad history is not bad if it is allowed to be a tool for learning and correction. That’s where Zechariah’s message becomes one of hope. “This is what the LORD Almighty says, ‘Return to me…and I will return to you…Turn from your evil ways and your evil practices” (1:3-4).

James captures the same simple challenge of guidance and hope in the New Testament—“Come near to God and he will come near to you. Wash your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4:8). Bingo! Everything is allowed to work right with a HEART AFTER GOD. Rest assured—there is absolutely nothing in that response to make God angry. And please notice that this happy and peaceful relationship with the Father is not unconditional.