Sin Causes God Pain

SIN CAUSES GOD PAIN

There is a book I read a few years ago, "Theology of the Pain of God" by Kazoh Kitamori, which added to my view about how I see my relationship with God. It is a deep theological book which looks at our relationship with God from the perspective of pain... and not our pain, but God's pain. The author says at the beginning, "We cannot believe the pain of God unless it is His revelation. Man's thought can never produce such a truth" (page 25). The Japanese author explains in his book that when we sin, we not only break our relationship with God, but we also cause God pain. It pains God to extend His wrath to us, those He has created because we are sinful. Not only that, the only solution for our sin is that God send His only Son to suffer and die on a cross for you and me. That is pain. The author says, "When the love of God bears and overcomes His wrath, nothing but the pain of God takes place" (page 109). Through God's pain our sin is forgiven and healed.

This thought does occur in Scripture. Jeremiah 31:20 says, "Is not Ephraim my dear son, the child in whom I delight? Though I often speak against him, I still remember him. Therefore my heart yearns for him; I have great compassion for him," declares the LORD." Even in the New Testament, Hebrews 2:9-10 says, "But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, now crowned with glory and honor because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. 10 In bringing many sons to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the author of their salvation perfect through suffering."

You see, our sin causes God pain. God is Holy and therefore must bring the full weight of His wrath upon sin and those who sin. God created each one of us and He loves us far more than we know. Bringing such wrath on His Creation pains Him. The price for our salvation pains Him.