Is God a bully?

Richard Dawkins thinks so:  “The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak; a vindictive, bloodthirsty ethnic cleanser; a misogynistic, homophobic, racist, infanticidal, genocidal, filicidal, pestilential, megalomaniacal, sadomasochistic, capriciously malevolent bully.” (Richard Dawkins, The God Delusion, 31)

So does this man who writes, “Who – except for an ancient priest seeking to exert power by the tried and tested means of fear – could possibly wish that this hopelessly knotted skein of fable [The Old Testament] had any veracity?” (Christopher Hitchens, God is not Great, 103).

Sadly many Christians even “wince” when the issue of the wrath of God is brought up.  “It is sad indeed to find so many professing Christians who appear to regard the wrath of God as something for which they need to make an apology, or who at least wish there were no such thing” (Arthur W. Pink, The Attributes of God, 82).

So, is God a bully?  Read this article which begins with the quotes above so that you can answer someone who thinks God is a bully.

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The faithfulness of God

Next time you sing “Great is Thy Faithfulness”, sing it with a greater understanding of this infinite attribute of God!

“Know therefore that the Lord your God is God, the faithful God who keeps covenant and steadfast love with those who love him and keep his commandments, to a thousand generations,” (Deuteronomy 7:9, ESV).

“if we are faithless, he remains faithful— for he cannot deny himself.” (2 Timothy 2:13, ESV).

“O Lord God of hosts, who is mighty as you are, O Lord, with your faithfulness all around you?” (Psalm 89:8, ESV).

“Your steadfast love, O Lord, extends to the heavens, your faithfulness to the clouds.” (Psalm 36:5, ESV).

“God is not man, that he should lie, or a son of man, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not fulfill it?” (Numbers 23:19, ESV).

“The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”” (Lamentations 3:22-24, ESV).

“While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, shall not cease.”” (Genesis 8:22, ESV).

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.” (Hebrews 10:23, ESV).

“Who among you fears the Lord and obeys the voice of his servant? Let him who walks in darkness and has no light trust in the name of the Lord and rely on his God.” (Isaiah 50:10, ESV).

“You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness and in all faithfulness.” (Psalm 119:138, ESV).

“God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:9, ESV).

“He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24, ESV).

“Therefore let those who suffer according to God’s will entrust their souls to a faithful Creator while doing good.” (1 Peter 4:19, ESV).

Wayne Grudem has summed it up well, “God’s faithfulness means that God will always do what he has said and fulfill what he has promised.” Systematic Theology : An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine. p. 195

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