Goodness, forbearance, and long suffering

Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God,  - Romans 2.4-5

Religious people can get pretty haughty about their religion. these Jews put all their faith in their Jewishness.  Here Paul is point out to them that their Jewishness is not enough. I want to look at the emptiness of religion a little later, but today want to focus on the character of God that gives anyone hope whether their wickedness is obvious, or more hidden, like those who are religious.

God is good. God puts up with a lot. God is patient.

And yet man refuses God. He refuses to accept that God's goodness is aimed at bringing man to repentance.

The world likes to paint God as mean and vengeful and angry and ready to strike down the sinner. But this passage, and indeed the rest of the Bible reveals a God who patiently puts up with man's sin and calls and waits for man to turn to Him. The Lord is indeed good, and tolerant, and patient.

Not only that but the goodness, and tolerance, and patience of God is described as His riches.

Leaving the rest of the theology aside for a moment it is enough to marvel that God is good and forbearing and long suffering. And yet man still rejects His goodness.

God is good.  God puts up with man’s sin for a time. He is patient and waits for man.

It is up to us to decide what to do with his goodness, forbearance, and long suffering.