Romans 2:4-8 NIV “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.” https://bible.com/bible/111/rom.2.4-8.NIV
Why is there evil in the world? The simplest answer is that humanity is evil. All of us, from our ancestors to the present. Our rebellion against God has created a world that no longer operates according to God’s ways. He allows us to remain in our rebellion so that we may return to Him in love, by our own choice, and not by His force. Evil seems unpunished and rampant, with God doing little to nothing about it, because God waits for all of us to see and experience this evil, then cry out to Him for help, mercy, forgiveness, and transformation so that we will no longer do evil or want to live where evil dwells. God does not force us into His ways but invites us into them. God lived in our world and suffered evil as we all do, even torture and death by those who hated Him. God knows our suffering, for He Himself suffered as a man among us. His suffering was to save us. Those who wish to do good and live forever must follow Jesus. This is the good God requires. Goodness is the recognition of God’s love and kindness through the work and person of Jesus, who reconciles humanity to Himself and gives us the opportunity to live in God’s perfect and good world forever. The good we must do is repent of our evil lives, even the good we think is good and turn to Jesus’ goodness, seeking His declaration of pardon and goodness over us to restore us to Himself. Only those but all those who are so pardoned, who are reconciled to God through Jesus, are good, obedient, and guaranteed life eternal on the new earth where God reigns, and evil is absent. Until then, those who love God do good by sharing His love with others, giving everyone an opportunity to be reconciled to God, for His desire is that no one perish but all come to everlasting life.
