Romans 15:5
"Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus," Romans 15:5. God is patient. This is also one of His personal perfections. The patience of God is perfect, pure, and perpetual. It seems like there isn't much said about the patience of God, but this is one perfection of God that we really abuse. Much is said about God's mercy, grace, forgiveness, love, etc., but His patience seems to be a small matter. This is surely not so. Pause for a second and think what would happen if God was not patient with us. We know God is gracious and that His mercies are new everyday, but what would happen if God was not patient? If God was not patient, He would constantly be moved by passions. The omnipotent One who is constantly controlled by passions is a scary thought. This would make Him more like us, and would tear apart His divinity. If God were to lose His patience there would be cosmic chaos. Even in God's judgment upon a person, people, nation, and all the lost at the great white throne judgment, God does not lose His patience. One of His personal perfections does not cancel another. God's personal perfections are who He is, and who He has always been and will always be. I am thankful that God was patient with me when I was lost, and even more since He has saved me.
God is patient, which means He is slow to anger. God has a righteous anger. When He is angry, He has the right to be angry. Though God is slow to anger, this doesn't mean He does not get angry. God is also jealous. The bible also says that God is furious and takes vengeance on people. Turn to Nahum 1:1-15. "God is jealous, and the LORD revengeth; the LORD revengeth, and is furious; the LORD will take vengeance on his adversaries, and he reserveth wrath for his enemies. The LORD is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked: the LORD hath his way in the whirlwind and in the storm, and the clouds are the dust of his feet," Nahum 1:2-3. "The wicked shall be turned into hell, and all the nations that forget God," Psalm 9:17. "God judgeth the righteous, and God is angry with the wicked every day," Psalm 7:11. "The foolish shall not stand in thy sight: thou hatest all workers of iniquity," Psalm 5:5. "He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him," John 3:36. We see the patience of God in the common graces of God. God has every right at this very moment to cast every one He has not saved into the pits of hell to be tormented day and night for ever and ever; but we see the lost enjoying the things on this earth. We see the lost living life and piling judgment upon judgment upon themselves. They live as if God is not real. They live as if they will not be judged for their sins. "Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil," Ecclesiastes 8:11.
Please listen, lost person. You may prosper under the patience of God, but the day of reckoning is coming. "For what is a man profited, if he shall gain the whole world, and lost his soul? or what shall a man give in exchange for his soul? For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works," Matthew 16:26-27. He shall reward every man according to his works; according to his works; his works. There is a worse punishment for those who know the truth, but reject it. "Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace? For we know him that hath said, Vengeance belongeth unto me, I will recompense, saith the Lord. And again, The Lord shall judge his people. It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God," Hebrews 10:29-31.
"But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification. Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ," Romans 4:24-5:1. Thank God for His patience and His plan of redemption. We are thankful God is patient with us even after He saves us.
All whom the Lord saves have been forgiven of all of their sins. While on the cross Christ fully paid the sin debt for all who have been and will be saved. One day we will stand before God clothed in the righteousness of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We look forward to that day, but until then, we are thankful for the continued patience of God. All whom the Lord has saved is a work in progress. We are not working to be saved, but to become more like Christ. This is in every aspect of our lives. Pause for a second and think about how much we fail, yet God is patient with us. Christ tells us not to be angry with anyone without a cause. Christ tells us not to look upon someone with lust. Christ tells us not to retaliate. Christ tells us to love our enemies, bless them that curse us, do good to them that hate us, and pray for them which despitefully use us and persecute us. We are told to do good unto all men, especially of those who are of the household of faith. Turn to Romans 15:1-7. "Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God," Romans 15:5-7.
All of us are growing in the Lord. We are maturing as Christians. All of us also fail every day. I am thankful that God does not lose patience with us. Lord help us to be more like Him. "May our meditation upon this Divine excellency soften our hearts, make our consciences tender, and may we learn in the school of holy experience the "patience of saints," namely, submission to the Divine will and continuance in well doing. Let us earnestly seek grace to emulate this Divine excellency." A.W. Pink.
How patient is God with us? We really don't grasp how patient God is with us. May we be patient with others, for our good, and God's glory.
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Sole Deo Gloria.
