The Goodness of God Leads to Repentance

The Goodness of God Leads us to Repentance

Romans 2:4b

“not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? “

We have said before that everything God does is birthed out of His Love.  This little passage of scripture is a prime example.     How many times we would like to take God’s role and pass judgements on others, especially when we don’t think that God is dealing with a situation or individual near soon enough.  We can all get quite self- righteous, indignant and judgmental in our dealings with others.  We can be pretty quick to throw rocks, but we forget that Jesus said, “Let him who is without sin cast the first stone.”  He is the only one without sin and the only rightful judge.  What we often forget is that when we take God’s role of judging we become accountable and answerable to our own judgements.  It works along the same principles as unforgiveness.  When you can’t forgive others God can’t forgive you.  There are spiritual principles that come into play.

               When I look back over my own life how thankful I am that God wasn’t so quick to pass judgement on me.  So many times, when I was faithless, He has remained faithful.  It is His goodness, love, longsuffering and patience that draws me back to Him when I stray.  Yes, He may discipline me, but not near to the degree of what I deserve.  Yet, my heart can become broken and repentant as He returns to me good for my evil, when He loves me and I have been so unloving toward Him.  Even when I am walking in righteousness and right relationship with my Lord, I am there in that place as a result of His grace working in me, so who am I to condemn another?  The same sin, degradation and perversion that are in others have been in my heart also.  It is only God’s grace at work in me that they aren’t having their destructive work in me at this time.  We who are the weak and fallen creatures of God’s grace, who have been restored and reconciled back to a place of relationship with our heavenly Father should be the greatest intercessors, the most compassionate of the fallen, and having the greatest heart of the Father toward those who are lost or who’ve strayed from Christ.  That is not to say that we compromise or condone sin, but our passion is to draw others out of sin through the Love and Grace of God that has and is working in our hearts.  We do that with all humility and care that we ourselves be not again entangled again in the snare of sin. 

               Discernment and condemnation are two different forms of judgement.  While we, as Christians, are to “discern evil” and lovingly, with all humility, help each other to avoid being entangled again in it, we are not to stand in the place of condemnation.  The Church has an order by which it must sometimes judge individuals within the church, but even that is done with the guidance of the Word and the Spirit of the Lord.

               Regard the Goodness of the Lord toward your life today.  Are their ways you have become rebellious, disobedient, neglectful, compromised and are out of right relationship with the Lord?  Isn’t it time we made our peace with such a good and wonderful God that receives us back when we come with a heart of repentance?  His goodness and forgiveness are continually waiting and desiring to put their arms around us and welcome us back into a holy relationship with Him where our lives find the meaning and purpose for which we were created.

Blessings,

#kent

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