GOD IS PATIENT UNTO SALVATION

SATURDAY 26 JUNE 2021

Today I want to share God's heart for all mankind. Here's the simple truth: God does not want anyone to perish and experience eternal damnation. He wants every soul to be saved, although He will not force everyone to be saved. For this reason, He allows more time to see that people repent and come to Him prior to Christ's return. Here is Paul's idea of this timeless truth.

Reference: 1 Timothy 1:16 New Living Translation (NLT)

"But God had mercy on me so that Christ Jesus could use me as a prime example of his great patience with even the worst sinners. Then others will realize that they, too, can believe in him and receive eternal life."

This is exactly what Paul is saying: In the mind of Christ, even the salvation of the wicked and worst of sinners is one day nearer. So Christ Himself waits for their appointed time patiently. Christ, having shown mercy to Paul, the Chief of sinners, he (Paul) became a perfect example of grace abounding to all sinners. Christ uses Paul as his servant to urge the lost to flee from sin, thereby reaching out to those who do not yet know the ever-patient God, who is so long-suffering in dealing with even the greatest and hardened sinners. The Scripture Romans 2:4 (NLT) reads, "Don't you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can't you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?"

Beloved, the patience of Christ towards sinners is described as "great", according to our referenced Scripture. He immensely and mercifully grants hardened sinners time to repent, demonstrating His patience towards them, in spite of their self-willed perverseness and resistance to the message of the glorious Gospel. The Bible says, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance" (2 Peter 3:9 NIV).

Did you know that nobody can have a genuine fellowship with God if they reject His Son, Jesus Christ? Otherwise, this will dispute God's foreordained plan of salvation. This implies that any person who is not born again is totally lost in darkness because the evidence of fellowship with God indicates the presence of light. However, in His love-driven patience, God is giving time for lost souls to come to repentance. That means, affording as much people as possible the opportunity to place their trust in Christ is part of that predetermined plan of salvation. In other words, those who would believe in Christ and receive eternal life will never be too late to do so, no matter how stubborn they are. For this reason, the all-knowing God is patient unto their salvation, waiting for them enter into eternal relationship with Him.

What did God do to prove His patience? The Bible says, "But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners" (Romans 5:8 NLT). Since "fellowship with God" is only possible through the sacrificial blood of Christ and His finished work, before we were saved, God already proved His immense patience by sending His Son to die for us. Now God is patient with those who are at enmity with Him presently. They need to hear that Jesus has reconciled mankind to God through His death on the cross and we must intercede for them to take it seriously and respond. That's the Good news message.

As we preach the Good news message, many will repent of their sins and put their faith in Christ, at God's appointed time for them. And the result is that they will start living in fellowship with the true God because they are united with His Son, Jesus Christ. As they believe in Christ, they are granted the spiritual understanding to know Him and receive eternal life because Christ is eternal life (see 1 John 5:20). Shalom!

Scripture Reading - Exodus 34:6; Psalm 86:15; Joel 2:14; Romans 5:15.

Exuberant Declaration:

I thank God for the riches of His kindness, forbearance, and patience towards mankind. Functioning with the awareness of God's vast goodness increases His glory in my life and emboldens me to reach out to the lost with the Word of His grace. Therefore, through the knowledge of the glorious Gospel, God's righteousness in Christ is revealed to many in my world, thereby causing them to surrender and submit to God's will and the Lordship of Christ. Blessed be God!

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