Some people say that God of the Old Testament is judgmental and full of wrath while the God of the New Testament is loving and forgiving. It’s the same God. How do you explain these perceived differences?
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Eddy Oliver on August 19, 2009 at 8:47 am
“JESUS CHRIST IS Loving US ‘Unconditionally! Just because HE allows US to sin doesn’t mean HE won’t send YOU to Hell for it! HIS 2nd Coming IS at Hand and ALL should ‘Repent’! Quit taking Life and OUR Liberties for granted! ALL Un-Believers AND ‘Lukewarm'(People that Love JESUS but are NOT Obedient WILL be Vomited out of HIS Mouth upon Judgemnet that awaits ALL!”(Revelations3:16) (Obedience iS Mandatory!John14:15) “You can lose your Salvation if you are NOT Obedient to CHRIST!” Look up the term ‘Repent’.
tmonique80 on August 19, 2009 at 9:15 am
God is not different from one testament to another and that God’s wrath and His love are revealed in both testaments.
For example, throughout the Old Testament, God is declared to be a “compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger, abounding in love and faithfulness,” (Exodus 34:6; Numbers 14:18; Deuteronomy 4:31; Nehemiah 9:17; Psalm 86:5, 15; 108:4; 145:8; Joel 2:13). Yet in the New Testament, God’s loving-kindness and mercy are manifested even more fully through the fact that “God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).
Throughout the Old Testament, when Israel willfully sinned against Him and began to worship idols, God would punish them. Yet, each time He would deliver them once they had repented of their idolatry. This is much the same way God deals with Christians in the New Testament. For example, Hebrews 12:6 tells us that “the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”
So, clearly, God is no different in the Old Testament than He is in the New Testament. God by His very nature is unchanging.
peg on August 19, 2009 at 12:56 pm
It does seem that way. When you look at the Old Testament, you mostly see God destroying whole peoples, races. Women and children and animals as well. Asking for human sacrifices….(although He did provide the animal after all). Even in the New Testament, there was stoning (Stephen), prisons, beatings and crucifying.
But….He did lead the hebrews to freedom (very patiently). And so many other loving things. So…I guess He has been consistent. The same today, yesterday…and forever. The only One I can truly count on. 🙂
elisau on August 20, 2009 at 6:55 pm
God has exhibited His true nature in the both the Old and New Testament. He has always been long-suffering, but never turns a blind eye to sin.
Jeremiah 14:10 This is what the LORD says about this people: “They greatly love to wander; they do not restrain their feet. So the LORD does not accept them; he will now remember their wickedness and punish them for their sins.”
The Bible tells in 1 John 4:19 We love because he first loved us. We have the choice to love God and be loved by Him in return or reject Him.
James 4:4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world is hatred toward God? Anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
buellwnabraham on August 20, 2009 at 6:59 pm
Hebrew 13: 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever. Jesus comes from God and Is God. So the God of Our Testament and New Testament are the same.