Romans 2:4 explains that God’s kindness is intended to lead us to repentance?

God is good.

Not everyone believes this and some have life experiences such that it is indeed hard to believe. Yet not one of us gets treated in this life as our rebellion and disobedience against God deserves. Herein lies the problem.

The child who is a victim of incest wonders why a good God does nothing to stop the violation they are receiving from their wicked oppressor.

God does not immediately crush the wicked person because they too are created in the image of God and though estranged children from Him He wants them to return to Him seeking reconciliation. God’s withholding of justice, His kindness, is meant to lead this person to repentance, to reconciliation to God through Jesus the Son.

The victim too is not treated according to their sins. Not that they have in any way done anything to deserve abuse but they have not treated others perfectly neither have they come to God humbly seeking His help and ultimately His Spirit to help them love their oppressor in obedience to His command to love our enemies.

Certainly no easy task but God loves everyone and everyone who loves God must love as He loves; unconditional, sacrificial and eternal.

All of us need to repent. All of us need to ask God’s forgiveness for ignoring and disobeying Him and for speaking, thinking and acting in unloving ways toward our neighbor.

We are not treated as our disobedience deserves because God patiently waits for each of us to admit we need forgiveness from Him to become good enough to live with Him forever.

There is a judgment day coming when justice will be doled out and the wicked will receive their eternal punishment of torment forever and ever. None of us should want justice, we all really want mercy.

Mercy can be had now through repentance and surrender to Jesus, ignoring this opportunity, then justice awaits us at judgment day and all of us will fall short of God’s perfect requirements on that day.