Rejection of Rejection

Spirituality Column #182
May 4, 2010
Current in Carmel - Current in Westfield - Current in Noblesville
(Indianapolis north suburban home newspapers)

Rejection of Rejection
By Bob Walters

Do you worry God has stopped, will stop – or never started – loving you?

Don’t.

Through Christ on the Cross, we know God will not reject any one of us. That was the point of the crucifixion. Christ’s death covered over and forgave our human sins – all of them – restoring our communion with God which we lost at the Fall of Adam and Eve.

That’s “covered over forever,” not “covered over for now.”

Not “covered over until we commit a sin.”

Not “covered over until we do something so disastrously awful we cannot forgive ourselves.”

Not “covered over until we work off our sin debt,” a crazy idea since that debt was already erased, cancelled and voided on the Cross.

Nope … we’re stuck with the love of God. For good.

I find that comforting. In Romans 8:35-39 St. Paul assures us, “Nothing can separate us from the love of God."

Nothing, that is, except ourselves. God cannot forsake us; only we can forsake Him, and in the process, forsake ourselves.

It’s easy to see how it works. God gives each of us free will, with which we can seek God, have faith in God, study God, question God, doubt God, fear God, or give up on God. Or we can do what He wants us to do – but will not force us to do – which is to love God.

God doesn’t coerce. He loves us too much, and wants our love for him to be true. It is only a free heart and mind that can truly love.

We of course are free to reject God, defile Him, curse Him, blame Him, leave Him. A lot of people do today; it’s what most did at the Crucifixion.

Too many Christians fear the loss of God’s love. Too many churches prey on those fears and turn them into a marketing tool: Better get to church or God will not love you! Better not sin or God will condemn you! Give us money and God will favor you!

Nonsense. Christians often reject each other; many people reject God, but suggesting that God rejects anyone is folly. Christ came for all (John 3:16).

Are we saved? Only in Christ. That’s our choice: to believe, or not.

Don’t choose Christ? Reject God? Don’t get on board?

Then the Saved train – when it leaves – leaves the station without you.

Who’s fault is that?

Walters (email rlwcom@aol.com) knows lots of people think God’s mad at them. More likely, they’re mad at God.