God’s Warning

God’s Warning

People who are in the flesh cannot understand God’s actions. Only after we have lived in obedience to God for a while does God begin to reveal He is in truth.

“He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.” John 14:21.

His longsuffering reaches very far. He is compassionate; He forgives and is merciful far beyond what we comprehend and think. This is for the salvation of all those who choose to believe, but the unbelieving use God’s longsuffering and mercy to live for themselves.

One day, judgment will come unexpectedly over them, and who is as strong as God in judgment? Who can avenge himself like He? He was and is gracious and longsuffering, but now He is strong as death when He punishes the ungodly and obstinate.

The unbeliever cries out, “Why, why?” when he sees God’s punishment. He never wants God’s grace and mercy to end, because he has never learned from Jesus’ life what the Father is like. God is righteous; He knows that calamity will come, and it comes inevitably according to the word: “Whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.” Gal. 6:7. But God’s goodness compels Him to warn people, even when He knows that they will not listen to Him.

When Cain saw that God respected Abel’s sacrifice but not his own, he became envious and angry, and his countenance fell. The Lord, who knew what this could lead to, wanted to forestall him by saying, “Why are you angry? And why has your countenance fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin lies at the door. And its desire is for you, but you should rule over it.” Gen. 4:6-7.

Yet Cain did not listen to God’s warning and did not follow it; so he murdered his brother.

Balaam was a prophet, yet he nevertheless dared to defy God’s warning to him. On the other hand, he did not dare to close his eyes to the great men who bore large gifts. When he followed the men, God let a donkey speak to him and oppose him in his folly, but he defied even that warning and as a result he became the object of God’s wrath.

We notice God’s love, His large Father’s heart and attitude toward people. His desire is to save them with His warnings, but they do not want to listen to Him, and there are many who have followed their example. But none of them have escaped God’s warning, both once and several times. God shows mercy even in judgment. Gen. 4:15.

Moreover, God’s work proceeds on its victory march in the world, in the hearts of those who fear and hear Him who speaks from heaven. They are fashioned through the Spirit’s leading, growing up into Him who is the head, Christ.

While the world is driven by Satan and his assistants, unbelievers attempt to pervert the gospel of Christ to suit themselves. Mockers, who have suffered shipwreck of their faith, exert themselves to cast a stench on the doctrine of Christ and on His disciples on earth today. But all things serve for the good to those who love God, and His work with the faithful continues from victory to victory in spite of all tribulations.

God does not let anyone go unless He has first spoken to him, reminded and warned him once, even many times, in order to save what can be saved. Every person, whether they listen or not, is a testimony of God’s longsuffering and love. Therefore all are without excuse before God, and His righteousness surpasses all comprehension.