Evaluate the connection between the love and grace of God versus the wrath and judgment of God. Some people view God as a loving, heavenly Father while others view God as a vindictive tyrant. Both views use the same Bible to arrive at their conclusions. We know that God displays love and grace along with wrath and judgment. Do we characterize Him using more of one than the other? Do we respond to Him in both ways, or do we allow one view to predominate, maybe at the expense of the other? A balanced view of God in all respects should characterize our response to Him as we experience the love and the judgment of God in this life and then consider how God will respond to us in the life to come. Grace vs. Judgment Responses Read Chapters 12-18 and 20 in the textbook by Packer titled Knowing God. Then answer the following questions: Chapter 12: What three comments does Packer relate to the Flood of Love? How do you explain the love of God and the fact that God punishes sin? How does Packer define love? Chapter 13: This chapter deals with grace from a very Calvinistic point of view. State in your own terms the three principles Packer sees as connected to this doctrine of grace. Chapter 14: What are the four characteristics of a judge? What is the principle of retribution? Chapter 15: What is the function of the wrath of God? Why are we hesitant to preach about the wrath of God? Chapter 16: What is the Santa Claus theology? What is the condition of our continuing in his kindness? Chapter 17: What do we mean when we call God a jealous God? What does this say about religious tolerance in a pluralistic age? What is the three-fold objective of God’s divine plan? Chapter 18: What is the difference between pagan and biblical views of Gods wrath? How does the doctrine of propitiation help us to understand each of the five vital matters that Packer lists?