God Is Patient
God does certainly understand our weaknesses and is patient with us. Though He hates sin, yet in His patience, He does not immediately punish sin the moment it is committed. Rather, He saves people day by day to give them opportunity to repent and mend their ways (2 Peter 3:9).
The Bible tells us, “For we have not a high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our weaknesses; but was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin. Let us then approach God’s throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (Hebrews 4:15, 16).
Through His incarnation, Christ experienced the weaknesses that are common to man. He experienced the full weight of every conceivable temptation that the “prince of this world” could inflict upon Him, yet He never yielded to sin (John 12:31). “For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted” (Hebrews 2:18). Jesus is, therefore, fully sympathetic with the trials and difficulties that the we face. And He is fully qualified to become our High Priest and to represent us before the Father.
The fact that Jesus does understand what we go through and intercedes to God in our behave should give us encouragement and hope. In fact, the Savior gives us access to the grace of a loving Father to obtain mercy and power to overcome sin saying. He says, “No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it” (1 Corinthians 10:13-14).
This grace will help us endure hardship and suffering, and will help us overcome temptation. As we daily go to the throne of God, we will be given a fresh supply of mercy and grace which will produce victory and peace in our souls (2 Corinthians 1:2).
Some may “despise” the long-suffering of God by believing that He will never punish sin and that as a result they may safely continue in sin. But let us remember that His kindness should lead us to repentance not to presumption. Paul says, “do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” (Romans 2:4).
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In His service,
BibleAsk Team
