God is not punishing sinners at this time.

Leon ♦ June 27, 2012 ♦ 3 Comments

God is not judging and condemning people or nations for their sins at this time. I recently heard a preacher on the radio state, if God does not punish the United States for its sins, he owes Sodom and Gomorrah an apology. People and nations seem to be sinning more openly and brazenly then ever, but the world has always been in a fallen state,

Romans 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;

A time is coming when God will pour out his wrath upon an unrepentant world, but thankfully we continue to live in a time of grace.

2 Corinthians 6:2 (For he saith, I have heard thee in a time accepted, and in the day of salvation have I succoured thee: behold, now is the accepted time; behold, now is the day of salvation.)

Now is the day of salvation, not of wrath. John 3:16 may be the most famous and well know verse in the bible, but verse 17 is also significant.

John 3:16-17For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.¹⁷ For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.

Jesus came not to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved. It is God’s desire that all mankind receive the gift of salvation.

2 Peter 3:⁹ 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.

God is long suffering, he punished sin on the cross, and has held out his loving hand to all mankind for nearly 2000 years. When Jesus was born the angels proclaimed, Luke 2: ¹⁴ Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

God proclaimed peace and good will toward men when Christ was born. That peace, and good will, is still with us today.

If God were to punish sinners himself, then no man could stand before him spotless. It is true that many people who have given their hearts to the Lord sin less then people who have not, but make no mistake, his children stand before him spotless due to the fact that we have been washed clean by the blood of Jesus, and not by our own righteousness. Galatians 2:21 “For if righteousness comes by the law Christ is dead in vain.” 2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

This is the key fact, when God’s long suffering and patience does come to an end, he will not punish the world for their sins, but rather for their sin! All of us deserve to be punished for our sins, Christ was just and suffered for us the unjust. 1 Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God.

God is not randomly punishing sinners for their sins. He will one day punish the world for its sin. The sin of not accepting Jesus suffering and death, the sin of not accepting God’s free gift of salvation.