God’s Goodness and Severity

Romans 11:22

If God were not indescribably good, He would simply not be God but a cruel master! If He were not indescribably strict, He would not be God either but rather like an incredibly, old, nice man whose mouth could not utter a single “No.” This last characteristic is closest to the religious harlot’s understanding of God and His gospel.

Harlotry = unfaithfulness. If we are to preach God’s Word faithfully, we must proclaim the conditions for obtaining the promises just as much as the promises themselves, and God’s tremendous severity just as much as God’s tremendous goodness and love; or else it will obviously result in a glaring unfaithfulness or harlotry! Jesus’ own words and the first apostles’ words are our perfect example and pattern.

God shows us His goodness and love when it is the right thing to do according to His perfect law of life, and He displays His terrible severity just as much when it is just the right and perfect thing to do. Without this severity, everything would be ruined. “A bruised reed He will not break, and smoking flax He will not quench . . . .” Matt. 12:20. This is how unspeakably good He is to weak, poor wretches when they grieve because of their own sin and because it is not better with them, acknowledging their mistakes instead of justifying them, knowing that they are poor concerning that which is good; or to put it into different words, when they are humble. Then they receive the powerful grace and help they need.

In the opposite case, they meet God’s tremendous severity in a measure they had not expected! Not only do they not receive grace and help, but God resists them! God becomes their enemy! Poor wretches! This is plainly written in 1 Peter 5:5 and James 4:6. This is as plain as 2+2=4.

There is a sufficient number of examples of this in the Scriptures, in world history, and also among us. We see that this has been fulfilled throughout the ages! Consequently, it says in Romans 11:22: “Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God . . . .”

If we are humble, then God is so good, so good that it is indescribable! On the other hand, if we are conceited, puffed up, stubborn, high-minded, presumptuous, proud, arrogant, and harbor exalted ideas about ourselves, then—as surely as God lives—we will drink of the wine of His wrath. Rev. 16:19. The pendulum swings from one extreme to the other.

Blessed is everyone who avails himself of Jesus’ invitation in Matthew 11:29.