PATIENCE & GRACE: GOD'S PATIENCE ALLOWS REPENTANCE NOT REBELLION
(Message by Tanny Keng)
1. Patience And Grace
a) When you think about “patience” what is the first thing that comes into your mind? Is it some circumstance in which patience is a problem for you? Most people have a problem with patience, either in showing it themselves or being shown it by others.
b) If we would truly understand patience, we must first think about the patience and long-suffering of God. This is the paradigm or pattern of all true patience. In this lesson, we look at the patience and grace of God through Christ, so that we may understand patience at its foundation level.
c) Patience goes hand in hand with kindness. The patience of God stems from God's kindness or grace. In this lesson we will keep in mind that God is long-suffering toward us because he wants to be merciful toward us, and to save us from his wrath.
2. God's Patience Allows Repentance Not Rebellion
a) Patience is not an end in itself. It has a reason. The point of being patient is to "let patience have its perfect work" (James 1:4). The reason God is patient with sinners is that he gives them opportunity to repent. God is not willing to tolerate evil. Nor does he desire to punish evil.
b) God wants to forgive wrongdoing, and so he works patiently to bring every sinner to repentance. "God is long-suffering toward us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9, 15). That's his goal of grace. God gives people time to repent, but not a licence to keep on sinning.
c) God's statement about Jezebel is instructive. "I gave her time to repent but she does not want to." God makes it clear that he does not want Jezebel and her followers to continue in sin, nor does he want to punish them. He wants them to repent. However he warns of "great tribulation unless they repent..." (Revelation 2:20-23).
d) Paul sums up God's patience and kindness in allowing us to repent. "Do you think lightly of the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?" (Romans 2:4).
The End ...
1. Patience And Gracea) When you think about “patience” what is the first thing that comes into your mind? Is it some circumstance in which patience is a problem for you? Most people have a problem with patience, either in showing it themselves or being shown it by others.
b) If we would truly understand patience, we must first think about the patience and long-suffering of God. This is the paradigm or pattern of all true patience. In this lesson, we look at the patience and grace of God through Christ, so that we may understand patience at its foundation level.
c) Patience goes hand in hand with kindness. The patience of God stems from God's kindness or grace. In this lesson we will keep in mind that God is long-suffering toward us because he wants to be merciful toward us, and to save us from his wrath.
2. God's Patience Allows Repentance Not Rebellion
a) Patience is not an end in itself. It has a reason. The point of being patient is to "let patience have its perfect work" (James 1:4). The reason God is patient with sinners is that he gives them opportunity to repent. God is not willing to tolerate evil. Nor does he desire to punish evil.
b) God wants to forgive wrongdoing, and so he works patiently to bring every sinner to repentance. "God is long-suffering toward us, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9, 15). That's his goal of grace. God gives people time to repent, but not a licence to keep on sinning.
c) God's statement about Jezebel is instructive. "I gave her time to repent but she does not want to." God makes it clear that he does not want Jezebel and her followers to continue in sin, nor does he want to punish them. He wants them to repent. However he warns of "great tribulation unless they repent..." (Revelation 2:20-23).
d) Paul sums up God's patience and kindness in allowing us to repent. "Do you think lightly of the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?" (Romans 2:4).
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