Is the God of the Bible Inclusive
In today’s world, the concept of God’s love is often reinterpreted to fit modern ideals of inclusivity and diversity. Many people, including well-meaning Christians, have come to embrace a version of God that aligns more with the culture’s values than with the Bible. While the desire to portray God as loving and accepting is rooted in truth, it can sometimes distort who God truly is by diminishing His holiness and justice. Let us take a moment to consider what Scripture teaches us about God's love and how it contrasts with modern cultural perspectives.
God's Love for All People
It is undeniable that God loves every person. John 3:16 beautifully captures this truth: “For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” God's love is vast, encompassing all of humanity, regardless of race, nationality, or background. He desires that everyone comes to repentance and receives eternal life (2 Peter 3:9). His love is compassionate, merciful, and sacrificial, as demonstrated through Christ's death on the cross.
But while God’s love is boundless, it does not equate to blanket acceptance of every belief or lifestyle. God's love extends to everyone, but it is also a call to transformation. When we embrace the notion that God's love means unconditional approval of all behavior, we stray from biblical truth.
A Holy and Just God
The God of the Bible is not only loving—He is also holy and just. These aspects of His character cannot be separated. Psalm 5:5 reminds us, “The boastful shall not stand before Your eyes; You hate all evildoers.” Similarly, Psalm 11:5 says, “The Lord tests the righteous, but His soul hates the wicked and the one who loves violence.” These verses challenge the modern notion that God’s love means He approves of every action or lifestyle choice. God loves the sinner, but He hates sin because it goes against His holy nature and leads to destruction.
In our efforts to make God more palatable to a 21st-century audience, we sometimes overlook the fact that God's holiness demands justice. Sin has real consequences. A holy God cannot simply overlook sin; it must be dealt with. This is why Jesus came to earth—to take the punishment for our sins, that we might be reconciled to God. The cross is the ultimate demonstration of both God's love and His justice.
Compassionate Love, Not Blind Acceptance
One of the most dangerous misconceptions about God's love is that it equals blind acceptance. But true love is not permissive. True love cares enough to intervene, to correct, to guide us toward what is good and away from what is harmful. Hebrews 12:6 says, "For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives." God's love doesn't mean He accepts us as we are and leaves us unchanged. Rather, His love calls us to repentance, to turn from sin, and to be transformed into His likeness.
Just as a parent disciplines a child out of love, God’s discipline is an expression of His deep care for us. He loves us too much to leave us in our sin. His desire is to save us from the bondage of sin and to transform us into new creations in Christ (2 Corinthians 5:17).
Rejecting the Cultural Redefinition of God
In a culture that prizes individual expression and autonomy, it can be tempting to mold God into an image that reflects our desires and values. But this is not the God of the Bible. As much as we may want to believe that God's love equals unconditional approval, Scripture teaches that God is both loving and just. His love for us is not a license to live however we please, but an invitation to enter into a relationship with Him where we are changed by His grace.
God’s love is available to everyone, but it does not mean He condones every action. Instead, His love calls us out of sin and into holiness. It is a love that offers redemption, but also one that demands repentance. Our culture may seek to redefine God, but as believers, we are called to stand firm on the truth of who He is—a God of love, yes, but also a God of holiness and justice.
In the end, God's love is far greater than we can comprehend. It is not bound by human definitions or cultural trends. It is a love that sees us at our worst and still offers us grace. But it is also a love that calls us to leave behind our old ways and walk in the new life He offers through Christ. Let us embrace this full picture of God’s love, for in it, we find both the kindness and the righteousness of our Creator.