[Ali Imran]

Hi, I know you find the God described in the Old Testament repugnant - a blood thirsty deity who constantly sought revenge. In the New Testament, we find man's loftiest ideas of God as exemplified in Jesus. This is a common mind-set today among skeptics who are brought into the false dichotomy between the God of the OT and the God of the NT personified in Jesus Christ.

Yet the truth is that the NT doesn't present a one-dimensional God whose only attribute is love. The same Jesus who declared that "God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son" is also returning in judgment to "strike down the nations and .. rule them with a rod of iron (as) He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty." (Rev 19:15)

In a similar vein, the OT reveals more about God than just His anger against evil-doers. From Genesis to Malachi, we also find a God who is described as "compassionate and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in lovingkindnesses." (Ps103:8)

In truth, both the O and N Testaments reveal to us the different facets of the same God "with whom we have to do." (Heb 4:13) He is both loving and just. His righteousness demands that He punish sin, but His love motivates Him to offer a way to forgive sinners. Please be clear about this: God loves the sinner but hates the sin.

According to most Bibles like the KJV, NIV, or ASV, John 3:16 are not the words of Jesus but the words of the author of the book of John. Only a few Bible like the ESV put it as the words of Jesus. Which Bible do you use?