Understanding God's Goodness: A Call to Repentance

 

Summary

In our exploration of Romans 2:4, we delve into the profound implications of God's goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering. The Jewish people of Paul's time, much like many today, believed that their status as God's chosen people exempted them from His wrath and judgment. They misconstrued God's goodness as a license to sin, failing to recognize that His kindness is meant to lead them to repentance. This misunderstanding is not just a historical issue but a contemporary one, where many perceive God's love as indulgent slackness, devoid of justice and righteousness.

To view God's goodness as mere leniency is to despise it. It reduces His divine attributes to something weak and sentimental, undermining the very character of God. This attitude implies a contradiction in God's nature, suggesting that He is indulgent towards sin, which is a grave misrepresentation. Such a view not only diminishes God's justice but also reflects a lack of respect for His authority, akin to a parent who fails to discipline their child, leading to a loss of respect.

Moreover, using God's goodness to justify sinful behavior is an affront to His character. It is a manipulation of divine grace to serve personal desires, placing man at the center rather than God. This self-centered theology is prevalent today, where God's attributes are twisted to fit human preferences, rather than aligning human will with divine purpose.

Ultimately, the goodness of God is intended to lead us to repentance. This is not a passive or negative influence but an active, constraining force meant to draw us towards salvation. However, the mystery remains that while God wishes for all to come to repentance, not all do. This distinction between God's wish and His will is a profound mystery, highlighting the depth of His grace and the complexity of His divine plan.

Key Takeaways:

- God's goodness is not a license to sin but a call to repentance. Misunderstanding His kindness as indulgence is to despise His divine attributes, reducing them to mere sentimentality. This view undermines the justice and righteousness inherent in God's character. [02:39]

- Viewing God's goodness as slackness is a grave misrepresentation. It implies a contradiction in God's nature, suggesting He is indulgent towards sin. This attitude diminishes God's justice and reflects a lack of respect for His authority. [06:44]

- Using God's goodness to justify sinful behavior is an affront to His character. It manipulates divine grace to serve personal desires, placing man at the center rather than God. This self-centered theology is prevalent today, distorting God's attributes to fit human preferences. [13:01]

- The goodness of God is intended to lead us to repentance, an active, constraining force meant to draw us towards salvation. However, the mystery remains that while God wishes for all to come to repentance, not all do. [15:09]

- The distinction between God's wish and His will is a profound mystery, highlighting the depth of His grace and the complexity of His divine plan. This underscores the importance of approaching these truths with humility and reverence. [30:28]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:11] - Introduction to Romans 2:4
- [00:31] - Jewish Objections to God's Wrath
- [01:02] - God's Impartial Judgment
- [01:51] - Misunderstanding God's Goodness
- [02:39] - Despising God's Attributes
- [04:05] - God's Goodness as Slackness
- [06:44] - Implications of Misrepresenting God
- [09:40] - God's Justice and Parental Discipline
- [12:02] - Manipulating God's Character
- [14:49] - Purpose of God's Goodness
- [16:16] - Understanding 'Not Knowing'
- [20:06] - God's Goodness Leading to Repentance
- [25:06] - God's Grace to All
- [30:28] - God's Wish vs. God's Will
- [37:20] - The Role of Repentance
- [43:57] - Closing Prayer

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Romans 2:4
- 2 Peter 3:9
- Ezekiel 33:11

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Observation Questions:

1. What does Romans 2:4 suggest about the purpose of God's goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering? How does this relate to the concept of repentance? [00:11]

2. In the sermon, how does the speaker describe the common misunderstanding of God's goodness among the Jewish people of Paul's time? [00:31]

3. According to the sermon, what is the danger of viewing God's goodness as mere leniency or slackness? [04:41]

4. How does the sermon explain the difference between God's wish and His will, particularly in the context of repentance? [30:28]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How might the misunderstanding of God's goodness as indulgence lead to a distorted view of His justice and righteousness? [02:39]

2. What are the implications of using God's goodness to justify sinful behavior, as discussed in the sermon? How does this reflect a self-centered theology? [13:01]

3. In what ways does the sermon suggest that God's goodness is an active force meant to lead us to repentance? How does this challenge the idea of passive grace? [15:09]

4. How does the sermon address the mystery of why not all people come to repentance, despite God's desire for all to do so? [30:28]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on a time when you might have misunderstood God's goodness as leniency. How did this affect your actions or beliefs? [02:39]

2. Consider how you might be using God's grace to justify certain behaviors in your life. What steps can you take to align your actions with God's will rather than personal desires? [13:01]

3. How can you actively respond to God's goodness as a call to repentance in your daily life? What practical steps can you take to cultivate a heart of repentance? [15:09]

4. In what ways can you ensure that your understanding of God's attributes is aligned with biblical teachings rather than personal preferences? [14:11]

5. How can you approach the mystery of God's wish versus His will with humility and reverence in your spiritual journey? What practices can help you maintain this perspective? [30:28]

6. Identify an area in your life where you might be resisting God's constraining influence towards repentance. What changes can you make to be more receptive to His guidance? [21:36]

7. How can you encourage others in your community to understand and respond to God's goodness as a call to repentance, rather than a license to sin? [09:40]

Devotional

Day 1: God's Goodness Calls Us to Repentance
God's goodness is not a passive attribute but an active call to repentance. Many people, both in the past and today, have misunderstood God's kindness as a form of leniency that allows for continued sin. This misconception leads to a dangerous path where divine attributes are reduced to mere sentimentality, undermining the justice and righteousness inherent in God's character. Instead, God's goodness should be seen as a powerful force that draws us towards repentance and transformation. It is a reminder that His kindness is meant to lead us to a change of heart and a renewed relationship with Him. [02:39]

Romans 2:4 (ESV): "Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?"

Reflection: In what ways have you misunderstood God's kindness in your life? How can you allow His goodness to lead you to genuine repentance today?


Day 2: Misrepresenting God's Nature
Viewing God's goodness as slackness is a grave misrepresentation of His nature. This attitude suggests that God is indulgent towards sin, which contradicts His just and righteous character. Such a view diminishes God's authority and reflects a lack of respect for His divine attributes. It is akin to a parent who fails to discipline their child, leading to a loss of respect and authority. Recognizing the true nature of God's goodness helps us to honor His justice and align our lives with His will. [06:44]

Hebrews 12:6-7 (ESV): "For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives. It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline?"

Reflection: How have you perceived God's discipline in your life? In what ways can you show respect for His authority and justice today?


Day 3: Manipulating Divine Grace
Using God's goodness to justify sinful behavior is an affront to His character. This manipulation of divine grace places human desires at the center, rather than God. Such self-centered theology is prevalent today, where God's attributes are twisted to fit personal preferences. Instead of aligning our will with God's purpose, we often try to mold His character to suit our desires. Recognizing this tendency allows us to refocus our lives on God's true nature and His call for holiness. [13:01]

Jude 1:4 (ESV): "For certain people have crept in unnoticed who long ago were designated for this condemnation, ungodly people, who pervert the grace of our God into sensuality and deny our only Master and Lord, Jesus Christ."

Reflection: In what ways have you tried to manipulate God's grace to fit your desires? How can you realign your life to reflect His holiness and purpose?


Day 4: The Purpose of God's Goodness
The goodness of God is intended to lead us to repentance, acting as a constraining force that draws us towards salvation. However, the mystery remains that while God wishes for all to come to repentance, not all do. This distinction between God's wish and His will highlights the depth of His grace and the complexity of His divine plan. It calls us to approach these truths with humility and reverence, recognizing the profound nature of God's love and justice. [15:09]

2 Peter 3:9 (ESV): "The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."

Reflection: How do you respond to the mystery of God's wish versus His will? What steps can you take to embrace His call to repentance in your life today?


Day 5: Embracing the Mystery of God's Plan
The distinction between God's wish and His will is a profound mystery that underscores the depth of His grace and the complexity of His divine plan. This mystery invites us to approach God with humility and reverence, acknowledging that His ways are higher than ours. It challenges us to trust in His goodness and justice, even when we do not fully understand His plans. Embracing this mystery allows us to deepen our faith and reliance on God's perfect wisdom. [30:28]

Isaiah 55:8-9 (ESV): "For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts."

Reflection: How do you handle the mysteries of God's plan in your life? In what ways can you cultivate a deeper trust in His wisdom and grace today?

Quotes


Now we are dealing here as you remember with the objections which the Apostle imagines the Jewish to put forward indeed which he knows they put forward to his doctrine of the wrath of God upon all and godliness and unrighteousness of men their endeavor was to prove that this had nothing to do with them that because they were God's people because they were Jewish that therefore they need have no fear of any teaching about the wrath of God and they were certainly in no need of any teaching concerning justification by faith only through believing in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. [00:29:11]

This attitude is guilty of despising God's goodness and forbearance and longsuffering also in this respect that it obviously regards God's goodness as something which as it were gives us license to sin and license to go on sing silly in other words it regards gods that love and goodness and mercy and compassion and forbearance as being something weak and flabby something which has no element in it of a righteousness and of justice at all it's just the sort of indulgent idea. [00:38:21]

To hold that view of God's goodness and forbearance and longsuffering is rarely in the last analysis to despise God himself because these attributes of God cannot be separated from God himself from his personality there are expressions of God so to hold this view of God's goodness is a really tantamount to despising the very character of God it really means that we are saying that God Himself is indulgent towards sin and that is again precisely what so many people do. [00:47:04]

Using God's goodness as a license and the Liberty cloak and an excuse for their own sin and that is I say simply to use God even God to serve our own ends I say once more that I can imagine nothing more appalling than this and yet it seems to me to be the controlling idea most people today with respect to God they are manipulating or trying to manipulate even the character of God to serve their own ends man is in the center what men wants to do what men likes doing that must be supreme and God has got to be modified to fit in with what I want to do and what I like. [00:48:05]

The goodness of God is designed to lead men to repentance it doesn't do so it never has done so men will always use God's goodness to serve himself he'll trade on it he'll make merchandise of it the last thing he does is to sow to see it as to repent that isn't what makes a man repent it is the operation of the Holy Spirit I say in giving a men a new mind and a new outlook a new understanding the first truth that a man has been born again is that he repents and believes the gospel that is the order. [00:36:29]

The Apostle is teaching that God manifests a positive favour even to the unbeliever and that is where the importance of being clear about these methods comes in it is I say again a parallel with what our Lord teaches there in the Sermon on the Mount I've just quoted it Matthew 5:45 he causeth his Sun to rise on the evil and the good and sendeth his rain on the just and the unjust and at that point you remember he's talking the Lord was talking to the disciples and he tells them that they are to be perfect even as their father which is in heaven is perfect. [00:54:43]

The goodness of God leadeth to repentance first it's the first thing the thing he puts in the forefront and you know the whole gospel does the same who's the first creature in the New Testament he is John the Baptist what did he preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins that's the first note always in gospel preaching the first business of the preacher of salvation is the cone into repentance look it's not only their true of John our Lord did the same thing. [01:04:21]

The Apostle says is that God's goodness exercises this kind of constraining influence on men to bring them to repentance now then we again have to ask what exactly then is he teaching here because it is important that we should be clear about our terms and the first thing we notice is this that he is talking about unbelievers these are the people who are not brought to repentance therefore they are the unbelievers and what the Apostle says is that they're without excuse that they are despising the goodness of God because that goodness of God was meant to bring them to repentance. [00:55:24]

The distinction between God's wish and His will is a profound mystery, highlighting the depth of His grace and the complexity of His divine plan. This underscores the importance of approaching these truths with humility and reverence. We must tread carefully, approaching these high and great and abstruse matters with reverence and with godly fear, above all, let us be careful in passing our judgments upon God and what he does. [00:59:31]

The Apostle's statement is that God's goodness leadeth thee unto repentance now what does he mean by this why does he use this term leadeth well you will find that he uses exactly the same term the same word in the 8th chapter of this epistle in the 14th verse where he tells us that it is they who are led by the Spirit of God who are the sons of God for as many as are led by the Spirit of God they are the sons of God now that's the same word exactly as we've got here where we are told that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance. [00:56:20]

The goodness of God is intended to lead us to repentance, an active, constraining force meant to draw us towards salvation. However, the mystery remains that while God wishes for all to come to repentance, not all do. This distinction between God's wish and His will is a profound mystery, highlighting the depth of His grace and the complexity of His divine plan. [01:01:58]

The goodness of God is a manifestation of God's grace to all men sinners and believers included by these things he would lead all men to repentance and therefore to salvation for as I've already quoted here it is in 2 Peter 3:9 he does not wish that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. [00:57:36]

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Transcript
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