Is this what you believe?

God is faithful to fulfill His promise to cause every enemy to flee from us. Think of Israel standing on the Egyptian side of the Red Sea. The enemy was closing in, trapping God’s people, allowing no way of escape. Do not think that at that point God said to them, “I’m sorry, Israel—I can’t deliver you. You have thousands of little golden idols packed away in your luggage. You have to get rid of your idolatry before I’ll bring deliverance. Otherwise, you’re as good as dead.”

The very thought that God would respond in this way is impossible. What kind of God would refuse to deliver His own people because they still struggled with a lust?

God will not abandon you at your Red Sea. Your temptations, habits and besetting sins may look like impossible roadblocks before you, but the Lord promises to deliver you, for His own name’s sake. Our God is faithful to keep His covenant.— It Is Finished, pages 154-155

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But, isn't that the "gospel" we too often preach? "Clean yourself up!" "Get your act together—God can't hear your prayer until you stop sinning!" And, my favorite: "God made the first step, now it is up to you to make the next one." Semi-Pelagianism, anyone?

Why is it so hard for us to get it through our thick skulls that God loves us?

You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God’s wrath through him! For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also boast in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation. Romans 5:6–11 TNIV

By the way, Michael Bird has a great post today on sin.

And while we're mentioning some good posts, you really ought to check out Robin Parry's take on Intelligent Design. I agree with him—we end up with a God-of-the-gaps, not a transcendent God.
</idle musing>