Thursday, October 24, 2024
Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? Romans 2:4
A Good and Kind God
How are God’s kindness and goodness tied together? What is the result of His goodness?
Some of the religious Jews that Paul was speaking to believe their position gave them special exemption from God’s judgement. This also caused them to become judgmental towards the “sinful Gentiles.” They had become complacent about sin in their own lives when assuming they were exempt from judgement. Paul explained that out of God's goodness and kindness, he draws us towards Him and repentance instead of judgement, because no one is exempt from judgement.
God's mercy is not indifference or weakness. It is meant to be inspiring to us – to spur us on to good works and to keeping our heart pure and our walk straight.
Because He is good – completely and thoroughly good – He is kind. The riches of His kindness, restraint, and patience leads us to repentance where we receive His mercy and forgiveness. No one will ever be more kind to you than that. He could destroy us because of our sin or choose to never save us but in His kindness and goodness He does not.
God doesn’t have to have us to do His will and His works. His plan could fully function without us because He is God. But He is so good and kind that He loves us and saved us when we were so unworthy. We still are unworthy! But in Him we become worthy. He wants a relationship with us. He doesn’t need it. He doesn’t need anything or anyone – He is God. He doesn’t need us but He knows we need Him. Without Him we are headed for eternal separation from Him. But in His kindness and goodness He has given us
When we are broken by our sin we welcome repentance. We can rest assured in the goodness and kindness of God that He righteously judges all people. He is rich in kindness, and when we repent, He does not hold the past against us. When we are ready to confess and repent, He is ready to give mercy, grace, and forgiveness. His kindness and goodness draw us to Him and towards repentance, and away from sin and judgement.
When we experience the consequences of our sin, He is not absent. He is with us in all the circumstances of our lives. His presence and His grace run through our lives from the moment we become His to the end. His grace helps us through these times and helps us to do and be all He plans for us.
We could never qualify for His grace and forgiveness on our own and the best news is that we don’t have to because what Jesus did on the cross has satisfied and covered all of it. We can stop denying it and hiding it, and instead confess and repent. He has covered it all for us – for every sin we have committed and will ever face. He is the perfect sacrifice for all.
