Sonny Lallerstedt

God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance.

Repentance: One day Becky and I were driving near the intersection of Barrett Parkway and Cobb Parkway. I realized I was in the wrong lane of traffic and if I didn’t move to the correct lane, I’d be heading in the wrong direction. I said out loud to Becky that I needed to get over a lane. Without hesitation, Becky replied, “Alright. Who’s Elaine?” I assured her that if I didn’t get over into the correct lane, we would be going in the wrong direction and I would need to turn around! In other words, I needed to go in a different direction. Especially in Becky’s mind!

It seems like we’ve heard a lot about repentance from John the Baptist and Jesus. We don’t hear a lot of people talk about repentance today. Here’s a definition of repentance from the Blue Letter Bible. If you don’t have this app, you should download it today!

Repent “to Change the Mind”: The word metanoeo, expresses the true New Testament idea of the spiritual change implied in a sinner’s return to God. The term signifies “to have another mind,” to change the opinion or purpose with regard to sin. It is equivalent to the Old Testament word “turn.” Thus, it is employed by John the Baptist, Jesus, and the apostles (Mt 3:2; Mr 1:15; Ac 2:38). The idea expressed by the word is intimately associated with different aspects of spiritual transformation and of the Christian life, with the process in which the agency of man is prominent, as faith (Ac 20:21), and as conversion (Ac 3:19); also with those experiences and blessings of which God alone is the author, as remission and forgiveness of sin (Lu 24:47; Ac 5:31). It is sometimes conjoined with baptism, which as an overt public act proclaims a changed relation to sin and God (Mr 1:4; Lu 3:3; Ac 13:24; 19:4). As a vital experience, repentance is to manifest its reality by producing good fruits appropriate to the new spiritual life (Mt 3:8).

Repentance. From one direction to another. From death to life. A life without God to a life with God! A change of mind. From having a mind of our own to having the mind of Christ. In every one of these things, we see hesed! The Father’s lovingkindness through the finished work of Jesus on the cross.

For you.
For me.

Reflection:

1. When was a time you realized you needed to change direction?
   • I could probably fill volumes of books on this question…
2. How has God’s lovingkindness brought you to a true change of direction?
3. Can you recall the time, or the season, when you passed from death to life in Jesus?

Pray through Romans 8:1-11. His lovingkindness brings us to life in Jesus!

Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus, because through Christ Jesus the law of the Spirit who gives life has set you free from the law of sin and death. For what the law was powerless to do because it was weakened by the flesh, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.

Those who live according to the flesh have their minds set on what the flesh desires; but those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires. The mind governed by the flesh is death, but the mind governed by the Spirit is life and peace. The mind governed by the flesh is hostile to God; it does not submit to God’s law, nor can it do so. Those who are in the realm of the flesh cannot please God.

You, however, are not in the realm of the flesh but are in the realm of the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God lives in you. And if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, they do not belong to Christ. But if Christ is in you, then even though your body is subject to death because of sin, the Spirit gives life because of righteousness. And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.

God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance.

Kindness: Becky and I have always been attracted to kindness. There’s something about it that draws us into relationship. Many people don’t expect a kind word or deed, but most folks seem to always appreciate it. Some folks try to “show kindness” so they can get something out of the other person. I think the majority of people can spot that a mile away!

Genuine kindness is selfless. Much like true love, true kindness is a way of life but comes from a place other than ourselves. The wisdom of God calls us to pursue kindness— but it goes much deeper than kind deeds. The ultimate worth of kindness is found in God’s kindness.

In the Old Testament, kindness is a word translated from the Hebrew word, hesed, which has no equivalent in English. Its meaning is broad and full! Proverbs 21:21 says, Whoever pursues righteousness and kindness will find life, righteousness, and honor.”

Let’s look at how the Hebrew language describes hesed. At Hesed.com, we find this definition: “the consistent, ever-faithful, relentless, constantly-pursuing, lavish, extravagant, unrestrained, furious love of our Father God!” Another way of defining hesed is in the word lovingkindness.

Psalm 63:3 says “because Your lovingkindness is better than life, My lips shall praise You.”

Agape love is God loving us with all His heart, soul, mind, and strength. Sound familiar? That’s hesed! God’s lovingkindness to us! His lovingkindness is intended to bring us to repentance.

Reflection:

1. Think of a time, or times, that you’ve experienced God’s lovingkindness to you.
2. How does His lovingkindness affect you?
3. Has God’s lovingkindness affected others through you?

Praise our Father as you read Psalm 118:1-4 (NASB 1995).

Maybe you could write some verses of your own about His lovingkindness toward you.

Give thanks to the LORD, for He is good; For His lovingkindness is everlasting. Oh let Israel say, “His lovingkindness is everlasting.” Oh let the house of Aaron say, “His lovingkindness is everlasting.” Oh let those who fear the LORD say, “His lovingkindness is everlasting. Psalm 118:1-4

This is the first of two scriptures we’ll be living in this week…

“Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?” Romans 2:4 (NIV)

This scripture starts with the word “or”, which means we should back up a few verses for some context. Michael Card gives us some context in his book, Inexpressible. Here, we’re introduced to the word “hesed”, which is a Hebrew word for God’s kindness. We’ll discuss this further tomorrow.

The context of Paul’s reference to hesed in Romans 2:4 is the previous discussion of sin in the Gentile world. In the opening verses of chapter 2, Paul is insisting that the church must keep from the sin of being judgmental, especially given the pagan environment. For when they judge others they are really judging themselves. In that context, Paul makes an extraordinary statement that relates to the hesed character of God: “Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness [chrēstotēs] is intended to lead you to repentance?”

The best motivator to keep the Roman Christians, both Jew and Gentile, from becoming mired in their sinful pagan surroundings and also to keep them from judging each other in the process, is to remember the revelation of God’s character that goes all the way back to Exodus 34. He is a God of hesed. It is not fear that drives us to Him, but rather His unexpected and extraordinary kindness that provides a pathway along which we are drawn to him (2018 by Michael Card. Published by InterVarsity Press, Downers Grove, IL. www.ivpress.com).

Isn’t it wonderful that in the middle of such a heavy chapter, we find God’s kindness… intended to lead us to repentance?

“You see, at just the right time, when we were still powerless, Christ died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a righteous person, though for a good person someone might possibly dare to die. But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:6-8

While we were still sinners, Christ died for us! This is God’s kindness towards us!

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight.” Ephesians 1:3-4

He had us in mind BEFORE the creation of the world, and not only that, made us ready to receive His salvation!

Reflection:

1. How have you seen God’s kindness in your life?
2. In what ways has God’s kindness affected your life?
3. Has His kindness caused you to move in a different direction than you were previously headed?

Pray through 1 John 1:5-9.

“This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”