God the Father, Mentor's Guide, MG06

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G O D T H E F A T H E R

being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, [10] but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. [11] For God shows no partiality. If there is anything that hampers people from becoming all that God wants them to become it is the tendency for people to make God into their own image, to take liberties with his goodness, to view his graciousness as weakness, and his love as license to do wrong. Truly, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is insight,” (Prov. 9.10). Many interpreters of God’s fear lessen the importance of this kind of angst and dread of our living God, making fear here and other places in Scripture only refer to the noble concept of awe and reverence for God. This text, however, can legitimately be interpreted as genuine fear, real dread, deep hearted angst of a mighty God who displays his kindness to us. This great overflowing kindness, God’s goodness and grace, according to Paul in his letter to the Romans, “is meant to lead you to repentance,” not to make us the judges of others or lackadaisical in our response to God’s standards of holiness. The riches of God’s kindness and forbearance and patience should prod and move us to do good, to seek immortality, to live for the Kingdom of God, to exalt Messiah in all we do, to care for our brothers and sisters in Christ, and to make disciples of all nations. In other words, the goodness of God should move you to action, change your identity, transform your life. We ought not fool ourselves or others; any understanding of God’s kindness and goodness that does not give the sense of gratitude, fear, and willingness to obey God is a poor or flawed one. God’s goodness enables us to escape his judgment, quite literally, by the skin of our teeth. Let us, then, embrace the goodness of God not as if we deserve it or could ever earn it. Let us not judge anyone else, knowing full well that we are saved purely because of the mercy and kindness of the Lord. Please, don’t fool yourself. The goodness of God should lead you to repentance and transformation, not judgment and self-satisfaction. Let the goodness of God have its way in your life so you may remain humble, focused, and grateful as you seek immortality through faith in Messiah.

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