Read Romans 2:4. Exodus 34:6-7
Why doesn’t God just zap everyone who commits terrible crimes? Why doesn’t He strike down the child murderer, the extortionist and the terrorist? Why doesn’t He unleash His anger and bring wrath against those who perpetrate evil against others? I have asked these questions many times myself. I’ve sat with dozens and dozens of believers who have asked these same questions as well.
The answer, in part, comes from Romans 2:4. God is rich in kindness, tolerance and patience. He is a God of love. He is a God who loves to forgive, to bless and to show compassion. God’s good character is meant to bring you to repentance. It’s there to give you the opportunity to turn around and to invite God into your life. When you do, you will find that He forgives you, renews you and accepts you totally. He will also dwell in you through His Holy Spirit and He will change you from the inside out.
But God is also a righteous God, a Judge who will exact punishment out to those who forsake or ignore His goodness and kindness. A time will come when His goodness and patience will be exhausted and His wrath will flare up and consume those who reject Him. The destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah stand as an example of God’s judgment. The flood of Genesis 6 stands as an example of His judgment. The exile from the Promised Land is yet another example. They all point forward to the final judgment in Revelation 20 where all who reject Christ are eternally condemned and are sent into the lake of burning fire and sulfur. From this judgment there can be no reprieve!
Prayer:
ª Pray for the non-believers you know. Pray especially that God would prepare their hearts to receive Jesus as Lord and that He would be pleased to use you to bring Christ into their lives.
1. Assess this statement - I’m going to sin anyway so why bother with all this obedience stuff.
2. A believer says to you, ‘God will forgive me anyway so I’ll just keep sinning and keep asking for forgiveness.’ How do you respond?
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