Right now there is a movement sweeping across America that describes God’s love as “reckless”. It all started in 2017 when Bethel Worship Leader Cory Asbury released the song “Reckless Love”. This song became the Number 1 single on the US Hot Christian Songs chart. It also won both Song of the Year and Worship Song of the Year at the 49th Annual GMA Dove Awards in 2018.
But is God’s love really reckless?
When answering this question, we should always look to see what the Bible says. The short answer is that nowhere in the Bible is God’s love described as reckless. In fact, there are many bible verses that warn against recklessness:
One who is wise is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is reckless and careless.
Proverbs 14:16 – English Standard Version (ESV)
Behold, I am against those who prophesy lying dreams, declares the Lord, and who tell them and lead my people astray by their lies and their recklessness, when I did not send them or charge them. So they do not profit this people at all, declares the Lord.
Jeremiah 23:32 – English Standard Version (ESV)
For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.
2 Timothy 3:2-5 – English Standard Version (ESV)
So if God’s love is not reckless, what is it?
1 Corinthians 13:14 describes love as “patient” and “kind”. This is the complete opposite of reckless. And Exodus 20:6, Deuteronomy 5:10, and Psalms 3:5 all describe God’s love as “steadfast”.
In the bible, only fools are reckless. And God is no fool. His love is not reckless at all. This not biblical. In the bible, God’s love is patient, kind, and steadfast. So the next time you hear someone say God’s love is reckless, gently show them in the bible how God’s love is not reckless at all, but rather is deliberate, steadfast, patient, and kind.
3 thoughts on “Is God’s Love Reckless?”
Good Read… I was named after the book Timothy in the Bible… I need to get my nose and life back in the word…
I think I understand your heart, and desire for the truth – however I also see the perspective of the song writer. When a shepherd leaves 99 sheep unattended to go and find “the one” is it not considered reckless to do so by most human standards? I think like many of the parables of Jesus it is meant for us to seek the deeper meaning behind the reckless love of God that literally died in the process to save humanity. Reckless is something we would normally attribute to foolish behavior – but in the perspective of the world, isn’t that exactly what God does for humanity? We have become fools for Christ, abandoning conventional wisdom. This fits in line with the authors intent of the song. We need to unify around the cross, and around Jesus Christ and Him crucified, not be carried away in debates about misunderstanding one another. It is a very far reach to call the song writer a false prophet. You should be careful of slandering the Lord’s people. 🙂 God bless sir.
What you said is so important. We always here about focus on the work done on the Cross and yet in our day to day lives we let the world blind us to that. I heard someone say the other day “curiosity not judgment” when we listen to people talk or maybe hear a worship leader sing a song they wrote. Most important, as you said, we should focus on the Cross and not debates with each other. God Bless all!