No, That is Not Breaking God’s Heart
People who pretend to be Christians often portend that something has or will break God’s heart. This is nothing short of blasphemy against the sovereign God of the Bible. It is the epitome of someone who has not read the Bible, and who maintains a very low view of the God revealed in Holy Scripture.
The doctrine of God can only be informed from holy writ. God has spoken, and it is written. We trust the Bible’s explanation that the Holy Spirit “moved along” the writers of the 66 books of the Bible. We trust that all Scripture is God-breathed (2 Tim 3:16) and that none of the writers brought their own content to what God intended to communicate to His people, specifically, and the world, generally (2 Pet 1:20–21).
From the special revelation that is the Bible, we understand the Bible, with the help of the Holy Spirit, who is our Teacher (Jn 14:26), who guides us into all truth (Jn 16:13). The Bible reveals that it is truth (Ps 119:160), and Jesus confirmed the Scriptures, even as the Scriptures confirmed Jesus (Jn 5:39–47). One might argue that this is a circular argument, but no higher authority than God can confirm God. Therefore, Scripture, God’s written Word, confirms Jesus, the Word of God enfleshed and vice versa.
We trust the Spirit of truth to teach us the Word of truth, and it is then significant that Jesus claims, “I am…the truth…(Jn 14:6). Jesus revealed the Father, who He has known for eternity. When the query was made, “Show us the Father…” Jesus said, “Look at Me.”
When Jesus taught His disciples, He could draw from His personal relationship with God His Father, but we hear Him say, “It is written…” Jesus points people to the Scriptures, and so should we point them there. When God spoke through the prophets, it was the truth for the present, or the future, or both (Heb 1:2). Every doctrine revealed in the Bible is intentional for proper interpretation. So, when someone says or writes, “That breaks God’s heart,” or any other unsubstantiated claim in theology, it must be confronted as false teaching.
False teaching is rampant in the world, and it is far too pervasive and persuasive in the church. It can be promulgated by wolves in sheep’s clothing, who are hirelings in the pastorate (Ezek 34), paid to tickle the ears of goats with flattering speech. The Bible itself is loaded with warnings of false teaching that will deceive many, even the elect, if it were possible.
Most Christians have tales to tell, of how they were deceived for a time, with erroneous ideas like KJV-only, rapture theory, Arminian theology, Dispensational eschatology, women elders, etc. Every believer must grow out of the quagmire of wrong doctrine and practice. Only God can deliver us from lies (Jn 8:32).
It is a lie that God has a broken heart. Someone who makes such a false proposition may derive their theology from a combination of too much country music (Achy Breaky Heart) and anthropomorphism (God is like me). This dangerous concoction is elixir from hell. It demands correction, reproof, and maybe even rebuke.
The doctrine of God is voluminous and even that statement is deficient. It wreaks of insufficiency like one’s claim, “My God is big.” Maybe, we should check our Bibles in search of big, broken-hearted gods. We will not find the God of the Bible with unbiblical terms attributed to Him.
Simply put, when sinners sin, as they do all day long, God does not become broken-hearted over such a universal reality for both elect and reprobate sons of Adam. When God acts, He is never moved by a prevailing emotion. All things have been eternally decreed by God, including sinners in a fallen world. Do you think, O wretched man, that you sovereignly brought your pathetic god to the state of broken heartedness? If yes, then you have the wrong god.
It may be time for you to come to the knowledge of the one true God, the God of the Bible. He is never subservient, in any way, to the creatures whose days He has numbered, even with an exact follicle count. Stop ascribing nonsense to our God. Stop promoting the idol you have crafted in your own effeminate heart, O man.
Behold, your God! Silly man! He is eternal. The Bible tells you so. He is all-wise…Bible. He is all powerful…Scripture. He is Mighty to save sinners…holy writ. He is just, in punishing responsible reprobate…written Word of God. Your promotion of the God of the Bible, as some twinkle toes numpty is blasphemous. Repent! For if you do not repent, it is because you were not granted repentance to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ…yeah, that’s in the Bible, too!
It may be breaking your sick, deceitful, wicked heart (Jer 17:9) that people sin, but it is not breaking God’s heart because He is the One, today, who is sending sinners to the judgment of eternal hell, with perfect justice. You would know that if you knew Him, and you would know Him, if you read your Bible.
David Norczyk
Spokane Valley, Washington
December 31, 2020
