FATHER is full of love and full of grace, compassion, mercy, and redemption. HIS Divine Plan is not intended to hurt anybody, for HE loves all men and desires all men to come into union with Him. Should we be afraid of Our Heavenly Father? Men’s teachings and doctrines have given us a wrong view of Our Heavenly Father. Scripture tells us “God is Love (agape).”
Agape is pure, Divine, unconditional love flowing from a nature which expresses itself in terms of care, concern, and endearment toward another, also known as my neighbor. FATHER Loves all of mankind thus he intends to instruct all mankind in some form or fashion. HIS Love does not work against HIS other attributes such as HIS judgment. HIS mercy does not oppose HIS justice, but both are intended to bring forth restoration and redemption.
When FATHER judges it is Love that judges, just as the love of a Father corrects his erring and sometimes rebellious child. FATHER did not condemn man to destroy him in hell; HE condemned him to save him! Paul wrote in Romans chapter 11:
32 For God has committed (imprisoned) them all to disobedience, that He might have mercy on all.
There lies the revelation: Love acts as a Judge! Only FATHER’S justice demands His mercy, for He knows and fully understands what is in man and why he acts as he does. He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins as the Beloved Disciple wrote in 1 John chapter 1:
9 If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.
HIS forgiveness associates itself with justice thus justice is not opposed to forgiveness. Who better to judge us that ONE WHO is motivated by Love. In fact, forgiveness leads to justice when done in a heartfelt manner. Man wants to invoke an "eye for an eye" whereas Love is always moving us toward restoration. What do we deserve? What is there about justice that would compel FATHER to forgive us! We need to embrace the reality the Love of Our Heavenly Father was demonstrated toward us in that while we were yet ungodly sinners, Christ died for us.
Love sent Christ to die for us though we didn’t deserve it! Love sent the Son into the world. Love died for us, paid our debt, and canceled our responsibility. Since Love has done this for us, it is only just — that is, right, lawful, proper, appropriate, legitimate, reasonable, and legally binding for FATHER to forgive us all our sins. He would, in fact, be unjust NOT to release us!
If FATHER required us to pay our penalty when Jesus has already fully satisfied the penalty, it would be a gross injustice. FATHER has no attributes in conflict with each other. all are in unity. Any inconsistency we perceive is due to our lack of revelation of HIS character of Love.
Since GOD is Love and HE is omnipresent, all of creation is ultimately subject to HIS Love. This Love is the basis of our existence and is interested in and involved with each of us. It sees to the welfare of every one of His creatures.
While FATHER allows evil for His wise purpose, for our training and development into overcoming sons of God, HIS creation will never be surrendered to the evil plans of the ungodly! The GOD of Love will ultimately prevail — not simply for us, or on our behalf, but in us as HE reconciles all unto HIMSELF and raises up every man and woman by the power of Christ. That is the plan of love! And Love never fails! This sacred knowledge and understanding bring stability to our lives at a time when the outer world appears to be heading toward despair and destruction.
However, as the Love of Our Heavenly Father does not cancel out His wrath, nor does HIS wrath cancel out His love! Every parent who has ever punished a child understands this Truth! Wrath and love work together to correct what is wrong and make it right. Strictly speaking the wrath of Our Heavenly Father and His Love are not equal eternal attributes of HIM. GOD IS Love, but nowhere do the scriptures infer that GOD IS wrath!
You do not see in any Biblical reference of FATHER’S attributes where wrath has been included. Paul wrote of the fruit of THE SPIRIT in Galatians chapter 5:
22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control. Against such there is no law.
Where is wrath found in this list? It is not named as one of the fruits of the Spirit. When sin has been eliminated in FATHER’S universe, HIS wrath will end, but His Love will abide eternally upon all His creatures and all the works of His hands. Love is the one thing that will never pass away.
Our Heavenly Father reacts to sin by wrath, that is to say, stern measures of punishment and correction. The wrath, in reality, is the Love of God responding against our rebellious path of death and destruction.
When we believe HIM, obey HIM and begin to walk with HIM, we experience HIS Love in salvation, goodness, and blessing. When we walk in unbelief, disobey HIM, and turn from HIS ways, HIS Love turns on us in judgment, punishment, and correction. It cannot be otherwise! According to the word of GOD HIS wrath is but for a moment — but His Love is unending! In wrath, God remembers mercy — because GOD IS LOVE!