God’s revelation of Himself to mankind is perfect. When we see Jesus, we see the Father (John 14:8-9). He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature… (Hebrews 1:3). For in Him (Jesus) the whole fullness of Deity (the Godhead) continues to dwell in bodily form [giving complete expression of the divine nature] (Colossians 2:9 AMP).
Though His revelation of Himself is complete, God remains very mysterious. As a diamond is multifaceted, so is God’s personality. It is a dangerous error to ignore the contrasts of personality that God has demonstrated exist in His holy character. To present God as only One who loves, without revealing His love with His holy justice, is to present a false God.
Equally errant is the man I know that insisted that Hurricane Katrina was strictly the revelation of God’s divine judgment. Was God judging? I am certain He was. Yet was He not also being merciful, bringing people to know Him? Was He not also growing and molding His people into His image through trial? God is always up to more than we see.
He was the meekest and lowliest of all the sons of men, yet he spoke of coming on the clouds of heaven with the glory of God. He was so austere that evil spirits and demons cried out in terror at his coming, yet he was so genial and winsome and approachable that the children loved to play with him, and the little ones nestled in his arms. His presence at the innocent gaiety of a village wedding was like the presence of sunshine.
No one was half so compassionate to sinners, yet no one ever spoke such red hot scorching words about sin. A bruised reed he would not break, his whole life was love, yet on one occasion he demanded of the Pharisees how they ever expected to escape the damnation of hell. He was a dreamer of dreams and a seer of visions, yet for sheer stark realism He has all of our stark realists soundly beaten. He was a servant of all, washing the disciples feet, yet masterfully He strode into the temple, and the hucksters and moneychangers fell over one another to get away from the mad rush and the fire they saw blazing in His eyes.
He saved others, yet at the last Himself He did not save. There is nothing in history like the union of contrasts which confronts us in the gospels. The mystery of Jesus is the mystery of divine personality.
– James Stewart, Scottish theologian
The only reason that Paul could say that he was innocent of the blood of all men, is because he declared the whole counsel of God (Acts 20:26-27). Paul spoke of Him as Savior and Judge. As loving and severe. As just and the Justifier. He declared the love and mercy of God alongside the justice and wrath of God. He spoke of us as sinners, and Jesus as the Savior.
When you speak of God to others, honor the mystery of His complexity. Do not speak of His love without contextualizing it with His holiness. As RC Sproul has said, “Any attempt to understand God apart from His holiness is idolatry.”
Great work! I was looking for the Stewart quote.
Godspeed