How Long Lord?

“The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”  II Peter 3:9

There are probably millions of people in this world who believe that their “good” works will “earn” their way into heaven when they pass away.  Where did they get this idea?  They certainly didn’t get it from the Bible.  But then, most of them don’t read the Bible.  They have no real idea about what God’s word says.  I suppose this notion about doing good works to be able to go to heaven is something that has been passed down from generation to generation.  Even the ancient Jews believed that one is blessed if he lives righteously and is condemned if he is among those who lived lives of sin and didn’t follow all the rules and regulations.  This idea goes even further back to the days of Job.  He maintained that he was a righteous man and couldn’t understand why all the tragedy had befallen him.  His friends (and I use that term loosely) insisted that he was a sinful man thus, the reason for all of his troubles.

The idea of doing good brings God’s favor and living sinfully brings His displeasure is still accepted truth among earth’s inhabitants.  Believers know that sin brings judgment, and we know that all people are sinners.  We also know that there is a heaven and an afterlife.  Even those who don’t read scripture, go to church, or think very much about eternity, believe that there is a heaven, and some believe there is a hell.  Some believe, and I have personally heard folks say, that because God is love, He will bring all people to heaven.  Judging by the different ideas that people have about God, heaven, hell, and the afterlife, it is evident that there is a real dearth of knowledge about what God has said in His word and what He has done to make salvation available for His creation.

It is amazing at the tremendous amount of patience that God has.  I don’t know if it is possible for the Lord to feel frustration or not.  On second thought, Hebrews 4:15 tells us that Jesus, when He walked on the earth, was touched with the “feeling of our infirmities” and “in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin”.  He probably does get frustrated at mankind for the lack of concern over their own sins and for the false idea that men and women can work their way to heaven.  Frustration is not a sin in itself.  Perhaps disappointment would be a better term.  Perhaps even grief would be a better way to describe how Jesus must feel over all those people for whom He died who refuse to repent and believe in Him.  Perhaps a good question to ask of the “good works” folks would be, “Do you believe that your good works can equal the pain and suffering that Jesus endured on the cross so that you could enter heaven one day?”  I think that would make people really stop and think. And then maybe not.

The prophet Habakkuk was very frustrated because he felt that God was taking too long to bring His judgment upon the people of Judah who had become extremely idolatrous (Habakkuk 1:2).  Like many of God’s prophets, he had warned and warned that judgment was coming upon the people for their rebellion, but nothing seemed to be happening.  We look out across our nation and our world’s landscape and see so much ungodliness that we, like Habakkuk, wonder when God is going to shake things up.  Perhaps God is allowing more time for more people to repent and be saved.  He likely doesn’t have a “Type A” personality.  Otherwise, He could have wiped man off the face of the earth a long, long time ago.

God’s love and mercy are demonstrated in His patience with a world of sinful, indifferent, and prideful people.  Only a sovereign and merciful God could watch what His Son endured and yet still give mankind more time to repent.  He understood Habakkuk’s frustration at the continuing idolatry and perversions committed by God’s people, but God always has a plan, a perfect plan.  He told Habakkuk that He would “work a work in your days, which you will not believe, thought it be told you” (1:5).  As we wonder how much longer before God intervenes in our sinful world, I think He could say the same to us:  “what I am about to do, you wouldn’t believe even if I told you”.  So, hold on a little longer.  God is working behind the scenes, and His plan will be on display before you know it.