Unconditional

11/2/17             Akim                 28

Our coffeeshop conversation covered, among other things, two of what for many are the most offensive concepts of Christianity – God’s unconditional love and His undeserved grace.  What? Love and grace offensive?  Let me explain! 

I had reached out to a man named Akim (?), who turned out to be a doctor.  He had strong beliefs that his relationship with God must be based on his good works.  He claimed to have no religious background and that he rejects organized religion, but he proved to be very thoughtful and well-read.  He believes in God and the idea of heaven and hell as rewards for his behavior in this life.  He couldn’t say whether he would be judged worthy for heaven yet or not, but said he is willing to live with that tension.  

Akim asked how I came to my present faith in God.  Didn’t I make a choice to believe?  I told him that initially as a young man it seemed to me that I did have a choice to make in following God or not.  But gradually since becoming a Christian and through reading the Bible I have realized that God had given me the faith and repentance needed for belief, that He drew me to Himself through no merit or choice of my own.  

I asked if God’s unconditional love might be a stumbling block for him.  “After all, as humans we want to feel like we are loved for a reason; that we somehow deserve to be loved.  It would be offensive for someone to tell us they love us unconditionally - that they love us regardless of who we are, rather than because of who we are.  And yet isn’t that what we find in Romans 5 when we read “While we were still sinners, Christ died for us”?  

 Throughout the Bible, we are constantly reminded that it is not we who choose God but that God chooses us - and not on the basis of our righteous actions but on His sovereign will.  Is that something that causes you problems with Christianity?”

I thought that maybe as a doctor Akim takes such pride in his own abilities and service to others that he wouldn’t want to believe that God could disregard those things and love him for no apparent reason.  But Akim said “No, that’s not really a problem for me.  What I really find offensive is that God would choose some people to show his mercy to, but not everyone.  That just wouldn’t be fair to me.”

So Akim rejects the Gospel because it offends him.  I realize his concern for others appears to be the most noble of the two “offenses”.  It is much easier to defend one’s love for others than to defend one’s concern with being loved for self-centered reasons. Nonetheless, I tried to explain how no one deserves mercy, that it is an undeserved act of grace on God’s part and that it is only by his sovereign will that any might receive it.  If we are truly concerned about the spiritual well-being of others the best we can do is participate with God through prayer and in sharing the Gospel.  

Instead, Akim has chosen a different path.  He has rejected this biblical view of God altogether and imagines a God that he is much more in agreement with, who rewards or punishes strictly on the basis of our behavior.  There is still punishment for the sinful, but the reward for the righteous comes with the pride that comes in earning it, rather than the joy of giving credit to Him who truly deserves it, He who took the punishment for our sins in our place.  This self-centered pride has caused Akif to be offended by and to reject two of the greatest gifts God has given us - His unconditional love and His undeserved grace.