Natural Consequences

"And just as they did not see fit to acknowledge God any longer, God gave them over to a depraved mind, to do those things which are not proper.” Romans 1:28

I find this verse curious, and instrumental in understanding (what very little we can understand of God) how God deals with sin. God’s response to the sinfulness in the Gentile world was (drum roll)...to let it be. God didn’t come with a divine curse or punishment, He punished them by letting them continue in their sin.

God goes out of His way to allow us choice. He breaks down every barrier between us and Him by coming to earth, dying on a cross, and rising again. But He still lets us choose to follow Him, except His gift. He will not push it on us.

God treats sin the same way. He will warn us, but if we choose to sin, He will allow us too, and the punishment is that we suffer the damage of sin. There are times that He steps in and gives us warning. If we are in Him His Spirit convicts us of our sinfulness. But if we willfully choose to sin, God’s punishment is to allow us to do just what we want. And it is a terrible punishment.

Some people get upset over how God punished the Israelites in the Old Testament. I think it shows God’s love. And it shows Israel’s faithfulness, for they were not at the point where God was willing to just hand them over. And when He did, in the Babylonian and Persian captivities, they turned back to Him and God acted.

Hebrews 12 describes God as a disciplinarian. He disciplines because He loves. All good parents discipline their children. The worst parents neglect theirs. We decide what kind of parent we want. God is good, and He will lead and discipline us and bring us to Him. But if we really decide we do not want to follow God. He respects our wishes. He will leave if you ask Him to. But what makes Him so remarkable is that if you realize you were wrong, and you need Him, He is right there more than willing to forgive and celebrating your return just like the parable. And He was always looking your way longing for you to come back to Him.

God respects our wishes, more so than we may want Him to. He lets us choose His way or our own. His way is narrow and tough, but tremendously better. But if we choose our own, He will let us go. And our punishment will be the lives we live apart from Him. And that is the worst punishment.

posted to KJ-52 "It's Pronounced Five Two"