God Is Good and Longsuffering

WHAT IS THE STANDARD FOR JUDGMENT

Pastor/Teacher Charles E. Whisnant

Rivers of Joy Baptist Church On April 11, 2010

I have come to the reality that this Bible is in fact God's very message to you and me. We're not dealing with some second hand commentary on what God thinks. There is no panel of commentators who give us their opinion of God. But this is His own precious word and scripture claims that every word of God is pure and all scripture is given so mankind will know the thinking and will of God. The word is for our maturity and growth.

 

What have we been learning thus far in chapter two of Romans:

God will judge all men, you and me, and through Jesus Christ. That's the Divine Plan:

• ³¹Because God hath appointed a day, in the which He will judge the world in righteousness by that man (Jesus) whom He hath ordained; whereof He hath given assurance unto all men, in that He (God) hath raised Him (Jesus) from the dead." Acts 17
  
• ²²For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: John 5
  
•  ²⁷And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. John 7
  
• ⁴⁸He that rejecteth me, and receiveth not my words, hath one that judgeth him: the word that I have spoken, the same shall judge him in the last day. John 12
  

 

SIX PRINCIPLES FOR DIVINE JUDGEMENT

 

1A    KNOWLEDGE:
vs. 1 If you know enough to judge someone else, then you khow enough to be held responsible for what you do.

• Romans 2:1 Therefore you have
  ^(2SPAI) no excuse, ^{(KJV= "O man} ) everyone
  * of you who passes judgment
  ^(PAPMSN) , for
  in that which you judge
  ^(2SPAI)  another, you condemn
  ^(2SPAI) yourself; for you who judge
  ^(PAPMSN)  practice
  ^(2SPAI) the same
  things.
  

2A    TRUTH: vs. 2-3. Judgment will fit the facts. God has the books which keep a perfect record of the truth about us, words, thoughts, deeds are perfectly kept.

• Romans 2:2 And we know that the judgment of God
  rightly
  falls upon
  those who practice
  such
  things
  
• Romans 2:3 But do you suppose
  this, O
  man, when you pass
  judgment) on those who practice) such
  things and do
  the same yourself, that you will escape
  the judgment of God? ^{(NASB )}
  

3A    GUILT: vs. 4-5. All of us have been or are guilty of despising the goodness of God.

• ⁴Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?  ⁵But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; kjv
  

 

• Romans 2:4 Or do you think lightly
  ^(2PAI)
  of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing
  that the kindness of God
  leads
  ^3SPAI) you to repentance?
  
• Romans 2:5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant
  heart you are storing up
  wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous
  judgment of God, ^(NASB:
  )
  

By God's goodness He has been leading us to repentance. But as Hosea 11:4, 7 says

• ⁴I drew them with cords of a man, with bands of love:
  
•  ⁷And my people are bent to backsliding from me: though they called them to the most High, none at all would exalt him.
  

Despisest: or Think lightly
⁽2706)

• To think, have understanding = mind, faculty of perceiving and judging, literally means to think down upon and so to despise, scorn, hold in contempt, not care for because it is thought to be without value. It means to "think little of". The idea is to look down on someone or something with contempt or dislike, with the implication that one considers the object of little value or as unworthy of one's notice or consideration.
  
• Is present tense indicating that this contemptuous attitude is continuous and not just a one time thought. Active voice emphasizes that this attitude/action is a personal conscious, willful choice and thus they are fully accountable.
  

Of The Riches
⁴¹⁴⁹

• properly denotes abundance, plentitude, and literally is used to refer to material wealth or prosperity (abundance of earthly, temporal goods) which is the meaning in the parable of the seed and the soils (Matthew 13:22) Material riches are deceitful and choke out reception of the Word of God
  
• Experiencing God's benefits so very much every day.
  

Of His Kindness or Goodness
⁵⁵⁴⁴

• 
  Furnish what is needed, to providing that which one needs. This word includes the idea of so called "common grace" which speak of the benefits God bestows on all. And is kindliness which disposes God to do good.
  

Forbearance
⁴⁶³
or Tolerance

• To be patient with in regard to errors or weaknesses = "put up with") describes self-restraint, a holding back, a pause, a temporary cessation, a state of respite from something onerous or disagreeable. Forbearance refers to a refraining from the enforcement of something (as a debt, right, or obligation) that is due.
  
  • One who ignores all of God's riches is acting in contempt
    
  • God could in a flash wipe out nations, cities, towns, homes, you or me.
    
• GOD IS JUST GOOD YOU KNOW.
  
  • ¹Why boastest thou thyself in mischief, O mighty man? the goodness of God endureth continually. Psalms 52:1;
    
  • ⁵He loveth righteousness and judgment: the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD. Psalms 33:5;
    
  •  ⁹The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works. Psalms 145:9;
    
  • 
    ⁸Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! Psalms 107:8
    

But the sad fact is most people don't see God as GOOD. Most wonder how it is that God is so bad to good people. People will often say: "How can God allow this or that?"

 

LET ME TELL YOU THE ANSWER:

And Patience
³¹¹⁵

• Is literally a "long-temper.
  Means patience with people, the ability to bear long in the face of disappointment and opposition.
  
• God is longsuffering, putting up with provoking people or circumstances without retaliating. God's long suffering, as if His pouring out of His wrath was on a long fuse, burning slowly but giving time to escape. The "slowness" in avenging wrongs demonstrates His goodness and forbearance—for long periods of time.
  
  • The goodness of God best is demonstrated when men sin, that man doesn't fall down dead on the spot. God has the right to wipe out the human race when nations, people sin against Him.
    
  • God has been specially good to Israel, the pagan in Noah's time,
    
  • God is extremely patient with us today, don't you think?
    
  • The fact that His punishment does not immediately follow sin is not a proof of His powerlessness; it is a proof of His patience.
    
  • If you ever thought for one moment that God is unjust, it only reveals how easy it is to abuse the goodness of God.
    

Lead You:⁷¹

• 
  Means to lead, lead along, bring, carry, to move or impel.
  
• God calls to repentance by the gospel; God leads to repentance by His goodness.
  

To Repentance
³³⁴¹

• Means to change one's mind, which is associated with a corresponding change in behavior.
  
• When you realize what you really deserve and how good God is, you would ever be thankful.
  
• Implies a radical change in one's view of things (specifically a change of mind about sin), and in one's estimate of matters
  and a change in one's purposes, a change in one's thoughts and in one's conduct.
  
• Is a change of mind that results in an action of the will. If a sinner honestly changes his mind about sin he will turn from it. If he sincerely changes his mind about Jesus Christ, he will turn to Him, trust Him, and be saved.
  
• Spurgeon describes repentance as follows...
  
  • A man may hate sin just as a murderer hates the gallows, but this does not prove repentance. If I hate sin because of the punishment, I have not repented of sin. I merely regret that God is just. But if I can see sin as an offense against Jesus Christ, and loathe myself because I have wounded Him, then I have a true brokenness of heart... What if I say that repentance is like the cry of a newborn babe, which indicates that the child is alive? That cry of "God be merciful to me a sinner!" (Luke 18:13) is as sure a sign of life as the song of cherubim before the throne...To hate sin because it caused the brow of Christ to be girt with the thorn crown, and the face of Christ to be dishonored with the spittle, and the hands of Christ to be pierced with the nail—this is repentance—not because I am afraid of hell, not because sin brings pains and penalties with it, but because it made Jesus Christ to suffer for me such pangs unutterable....Repentance and faith are like Siamese twins. If one is sick the other cannot be well, for they live but one life. If ever you are asked which comes first, repentance or faith, you may answer by another question: "Which spoke of a wheel moves first when the wheel begins to move?"
    
•  Spurgeon adds that
  
  • Repentance is not a preparation for looking to Christ. Do you not see that? The looking is put first, and the mourning after-wards. Yet you have said, "We must mourn for sin, and then look to Christ to pardon it." That is not God's order. There will never be a tear of acceptable repentance in your eye till you have first looked to Jesus Christ. If you weep for sin without fixing your gaze on Christ, you will have to weep again over your repentance, for it is itself another sin." And again says "We are to tell of the source of repentance, namely, that the Lord Jesus Christ is exalted on high to give repentance. Repentance is a plant that never grows on nature's dunghill. The nature must be changed, and repentance must be implanted by the Holy Spirit, or it will never flourish in our hearts. We preach repentance as a fruit of the Spirit, or else we greatly err.
    
• "Most people never think like that you know. How about you? What do you think about the goodness of God? Has God's goodness lead you to Repentance?"

(Pastor Charles)