THE GOODNESS AND SEVERITY OF GOD
"THEREFORE CONSIDER THE GOODNESS AND SEVERITY OF GOD: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off."
Romans 11:22 (NKJV)
Two attributes of God are mentioned in the above passage of the Bible, the goodness and the severity of God. But people tend to dwell so much or put much emphasis on His goodness, and would not want to talk about His severity. God is the same God with two legal sides: the goodness side and that of severity.
Being a good God does not deny His severity or sternness. As good as God is, He is equally severe or stern when it comes to discipline or correction. Apostle Paul was illustrating and stressing in this passage of the Bible, If God did not spare the Israelites who were the original branches, then the gentiles who were grafted in should not over rejoice. The reason being that, If God did discipline the Israelites who were the original branches, He would not spare or hesitate to discipline the gentiles also—If they did misbehave.
God is thorough. He is principled. There is no partiality with Him. God does not have any permanent friend, but a permanent interest. As long as you are serving His interest, you are for His interest, your friendship with Him continues—you are in a friendship (John 15:14). If you are no longer for His interest, or Kingdom, your friendship with Him would turn soured.
Someone would say If God were like that It means He is selfish. But humans are the sheep of His pasture: "KNOW THAT THE LORD, HE IS GOD; IT IS HE WHO HAS MADE US, AND NOT WE OURSELVES; WE ARE HIS PEOPLE AND THE SHEEP OF HIS PASTURE (Psalm 100:3 NKJV).
READ: Psalm 79:13; 95:7
God created humans for His pleasure (Revelation 4:11); and If humans would not serve the purpose of being created again then Why would the friendship or relationship continue?
Now, If I may ask, How is your relationship with God? Is it still intact? Or in your own case, you have not establish a relationship with God yet?
If you are yet to, do it now tomorrow might be too late. Procrastinating it might be dangerous:
1 WE THEN, AS WORKERS TOGETHER WITH HIM [God] ALSO PLEAD WITH YOU NOT TO RECEIVE THE GRACE OF GOD IN VAIN. 2 FOR HE SAYS: “IN AN ACCEPTABLE TIME I HAVE HEARD YOU, AND IN THE DAY OF SALVATION I HAVE HELPED YOU.” BEHOLD, NOW IS THE ACCEPTED TIME; BEHOLD, NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION" (2 Corinthians 6:1,2 NKJV).
Note:
a. After you had established a relationship with God, let it grow and become a fellowship or communion.
b. You also read and study His Word, the Bible, and live by the principles found in it.
It is when you live not by the principles found in His Word that you see the severity or sternness of Him.
Peace.