How can we see God less as an angry and authoritarian God and more of a loving, compassionate God?
(1) The Lord shows Himself as a loving, compassionate, merciful, and gracious God throughout the Bible:
Psalm 86:15 (KJV), “But thou, O Lord, art a God full of compassion, and gracious, longsuffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth.”
Psalm 103:13-14 (KJV), “Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear him. For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.”
Romans 5:8 (KJV), “But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.”
We could also talk about how God did not destroy Adam and Eve after their sin, but made them coats of skins, and promised a Saviour to come (Genesis 3:15);
About God’s having compassion upon His people who were enslaved for 400 years and sending them a deliverer (Exodus);
About God and His dealings with rebellious Israel in the book of Judges in sending leaders to help them;
About God’s compassion for the Ninevites in sending Jonah to call them to repentance.
About God commanding the Israelites to treat Gentiles fairly who wanted to be part of Israelite culture (e.g. Exodus 22:21).
About the books of Isaiah and Jeremiah where God proclaims judgement on Israel and the world for their sin, yet invites all to come unto Him;
About Jesus Christ, God’s own Son coming to die a cruel death on the Cross to save both Jew and Gentile. I mean, that right there, is the greatest act of love, mercy, and grace ever known.
(2) People tend to think of God as an angry God because He hates sin. The reality is that image is true. God is holy (Isaiah 6:3) and the Bible tells us:
God takes no pleasure in sin (Psalm 5:4).
God is angry at the wicked every day (Psalm 7:11).
We are unrighteous (Romans 3:10).
We are all sinners (Romans 3:23).
We are born sinners (Psalm 51:5).
We have gone our own way (Isaiah 53:6).
BUT the Bible also tells us that though He is angry at sin, He still holds out his hand to save (Isaiah 5:25).
He invites us to come and reason with Him (Isaiah 1:18).
He sent His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, that all who believe on Him can be forgiven (John 3:16).
We all have this wonderful Abba Father relationship with God (Romans 8:15) waiting for us if we would only acknowledge our sin and turn to Christ.
(3) Perhaps people see God as authoritarian because they do not want to admit that He created everything, In the beginning, and has full authority over His creation. People don’t seem to like that God is on the throne and sovereign over the works of His hands (Isaiah 64:8).
Perhaps the bottom-line answer to your question is that people may not want to yield to God, admit their sins, and seek forgiveness, and or they fail to take the time to read the Bible or read it as a whole.
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Author: Jerry Smith
Revised from Quora answer Dec. 29, 2022.
