His Kindness Leads to Repentance

Rom 2:4  "Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?"  Jonathan Edwards preached a sermon called "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God" that became the standard for hell-fire and brimstone preaching of an entire generation. While ultimately there will be judgment, His kindness in the now is meant to lead us to repentance.

So why did I start with Jonathan Edwards when I wanted to talk about grace? It is simple. One cannot exist without the other.

Bill Hybels taught a session at the most recent "Leadership Summit"  called "Getting From Here to There" about a few things that he has learned about leadership.  He talked about the fact that it is not enough to share a wonderful vision about where God wants to take us.  As wonderful and exciting as that vision might be, in order for it to gain momentum it first has to overcome inertia. So, before we cast the vision of where we need to go, we first need to show why staying where we are is not a good thing. It is not enough for us to tell people how wonderful spending eternity with God will be, we first need to show them the depth of their sin and the gravity and severity of the judgment that they will endure if they don't change their ways.

Edwards' sermon was so effective in its' time because it did just that. It shook people to their very foundations when they realized what was in store for them if they didn't repent and turn toward God.  It kind of reminds me of the "Scared Straight" program where they used to take teens that were just starting to get into trouble and took them to jail and exposed them to hardened criminals.  A lot of kids decided that life wasn't for them and straightened out their lives.

Unfortunately, like with anything else when you use the same methodology over and over again it loses its' shock value after awhile.  What was so effective when Edwards first preached it took a negative turn when so many preachers used it that it started to portray the wrong image of God as this old man with a white beard and a scowl on his face just waiting for you to mess up so that he could hammer you.  As a result it was necessary to change the image and show God as a loving and merciful God.

John Wimber used to talk about the 3 M's; Market, Method and Message.  Our culture is constantly evolving and changing.  We went from modernism to post-modernism; from boomers to x-generation to y-generation.  With each change in our society we need to change the methodology we use to communicate.  What doesn't change is the message. It is immutable, timeless, it is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. 

The pendulum is swinging and the oversimplification of grace has led to Paul calls " contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience".  Grace has been cheapened and used as an excuse.

God cannot tolerate sin.

Col 3:5-6 "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming."

Make no mistake, there are consequences to our actions.

Heb 10:26-27 If we deliberately keep on sinning after we have received the knowledge of the truth, no sacrifice for sins is left, but only a fearful expectation of judgment and of raging fire that will consume the enemies of God.

Thankfully, mercifully for those of us who turn from our sin and call upon the Lord there is hope.

1 Thess 5:9 "For God did not appoint us to suffer wrath but to receive salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ"

1 John 4:17 "In this way, love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment , because in this world we are like him."

I know firsthand what is it is to sin against God and against man. I have made many mistakes and done many things that I regret and have repented of.  My confidence is in the fact that I know in Whom I have believed and that the moment that I repented that He was faithful to forgive my sin and not count it against me.

Ps 103:11-12 "For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him; as far as the east is from the west , so far has he removed our transgressions from us."

Just to clarify, while God has forgiven me it doesn't necessarily mean that I won't have to suffer the consequences of my sin.  This too I know from experience.  My consolation is that He will walk with me and sustain me through whatever those consequences are.  The fact that He lets me suffer those consequences are the very evidence of His love for me as my Father.  It may not feel like love at the time but it is.

Heb 12:5-6 "My son, do not make light of the Lord's discipline, and do not lose heart when he rebukes you, because the Lord disciplines those he loves, and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son."

Let His mercy lead you to repentance now, even if you have to suffer the consequences in this lifetime. It is better than not repenting and suffering for all eternity in the next.