Satan would have you think of God as an ill-tempered, unbending taskmaster. Yet the Gospel of Jesus Christ paints a much different picture ...
For God so loved the world, that He gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:16-17)
Paul came against the hypocrisy of those who maliciously denounced the sins they saw in others. Their self-righteous indignation was undoubtedly rooted in a false impression of God's character ...
And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? (Romans 2:3-4)
'The goodness of God' in the original Greek refers to His unconstrained kindness toward lost mankind ... the quality of being warmhearted, considerate, humane, gentle, and sympathetic.
His righteous anger was forever appeased when Jesus bore our sins on Calvary's cross ... Therefore, since we have now been justified by His blood, we will be saved from the wrath of God through Him. (Romans 5:9)
It is not the fear of eternal punishment that leads people to repent of their sins. The revelation of God's unwarranted kindness toward sinners is what brings us to our knees. He is not a heartless dictator but a merciful, forgiving, loving God ... Who desires that all people be saved and come to a knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4)
But know this ...
There remains an intense fury toward those who reject the Lord's sacrifice for sin ... He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him. (John 3:36)
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