THE GOODNESS AND SEVERITY OF GOD

in #church13 hours ago

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“THEREFORE, CONSIDER THE GOODNESS AND SEVERITY OF GOD: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off.”
Romans 11:22

Two attributes of God are mentioned in the above passage of the Bible, the goodness and severity of God. But people tend to dwell so much or put much emphasis on His goodness and would not want to talk about His severity. God is the same God with two legal sides: the goodness side and that of severity.

Being a good God does not deny His severity or sternness. As good as God is, He is equally severe or stern when it comes to discipline or correction. Apostle Paul was illustrating and stressing in this passage of the Bible, if God did not spare the Israelites who were the original branches, then the gentiles who were grafted in should not over rejoice. The reason being that, If God did discipline the Israelites who were the original branches, He would not spare or hesitate to discipline the gentiles also—If they did misbehave.

God is thorough. He is principled. There is no partiality with Him. God does not
have any permanent friend, but
permanent interest. As long as you are
serving His interest, you are for His
interest, you are His friend (John 15:14). If you are no longer for His interest, or
Kingdom, your friendship with Him would be soured.

Someone would say if God were like that it means He is selfish. But humans are the sheep of His pasture: "KNOW THAT THE LORD, HE IS GOD; IT IS HE WHO HAS MADE US, AND NOT WE OURSELVES; WE ARE HIS PEOPLE AND THE SHEEP OF HIS PASTURE (Psalm
100:3 NKJV).

READ: Psalm 79:13; 95:7

God created humans for His pleasure (Revelation 4:11); and if humans would not serve the purpose of being created again then why would the friendship or relationship continue?

Thus, how is your relationship with God? Is it still intact? Or you have not established a relationship with God yet?

If you are yet to, do it now tomorrow might be too late.
Procrastinating it might be dangerous:

1 WE THEN, AS WORKERS TOGETHER WITH HIM [God] ALSO PLEAD WITH YOU NOT TO RECEIVE THE GRACE OF GOD IN VAIN.
2 FOR HE SAYS: “IN AN ACCEPTABLE TIME I HAVE HEARD YOU, AND IN THE DAY OF SALVATION I HAVE HELPED YOU.” BEHOLD, NOW IS THE ACCEPTED TIME; BEHOLD, NOW IS THE DAY OF
SALVATION" (2 Corinthians 6:1,2 NKJV).

Peace.