Does God Run Out of Patience?
This is an important question to consider. Having intimacy with God is difficult without answering this question in the depths of your heart.
I realize this post may be controversial to some people. But I ask you to please at least give it a chance and read it all the way through.
Two quotes that have a lot of meaning to me are: “Only love matures,” and “You cannot scare someone into Christian maturity.”
So let’s consider this idea of where maturity comes from.
Judgment for Maturity?
I find that many in the Body of Christ present God’s judgment in ways that are inconsistent with His character. Without a proper understanding of this principle of judgment it is difficult to have intimacy with God and grow into Christian maturity.
I often hear preachers say things like, “God has come to the end of His patience.” The underlying idea is that Christians need a more sufficient fear of God and His consequences in order to live the Christian life as they should and even save America.
Here are some of the ways this idea has been expressed through the years:
- 88 Reasons Why Jesus is Coming in ’88
- Larry Burkett saying that by the year 2000 the US will have hyperinflation like Argentina experienced.
- David Wilkerson saying NY would be in ruins with 1000 fires burning by 1993.
- The “Y2K bug” shutting the whole world down.
- The “blood” moons and shemitah signifying something drastic to happen.
Books were sold, money was made, fear was felt, and yet nothing occurred.
Please hear me clearly. I am not saying there will never be judgment. However, I think it is very important to consider God’s heart behind judgment and how to properly apply the principle of judgment.
God’s Out of Patience With Man’s Sin?
Let’s think carefully about this idea. I don’t think anyone would argue that God is all knowing (omniscient) and all powerful (omnipotent). So to say He has run of patience or simply can’t stand man’s sinfulness any more implies He didn’t see this climax of sinful behavior coming and that He feels incredibly frustrated that people won’t simply obey Him. Instead, let’s consider more deeply what God’s character is like.
God’s Purpose
I believe God’s purpose is always about relationship with man. He is love (1 Jn.4:8) and wants loving relationship with us. Sin hurts man. God loves man. So there are times when God does deal with the way sin is hurting people. But the bigger picture is that the reason He does so is always to draw man to Himself. Some people won’t respond to the draw of His love and they will experience the consequences of their choices. But that is never God’s heart. He would that all men would be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Tim.2:4)
A Better Approach to Maturity
Rather than focusing on the fear of judgments to come, what if the Body of Christ sought to grow in the knowledge of how to bring people into more intimate relationship with God?
Think of it in the context of parenting. A loving, nurturing environment, with lots of loving parent-child interaction raises up healthy, mature children. Living with constant threats and harsh controls are more along the lines of abuse. Loving interaction does include discipline, but the discipline is for the child’s benefit, not to “tighten” him up so he will finally behave and be respectful. Think of inmates in prison. They’ve experienced many consequences and yet rarely do they mature.
Discipleship
I believe the Body of Christ still has many ways in which it can seek a relationship with God and unpack new ways to lovingly disciple believers into intimacy with God and into Christian maturity.
Addendum
Some may ask, “What about the Old Testament and all the judgments there?” Please refers to last week’s post for this. And for a picture of what loving discipleship would look like click here.