2015-10-04 Luke 13:6-9 Living on Borrowed Time (3): The Awesome Patience of God

LIVING ON BORROWED TIME (3): THE AWESOME PATIENCE OF GOD (Luke 13:6-9) Read Lu 13:6-9 -- American writer John Gardner once wrote, “The reason you can’t teach an old dog new tricks is that he is quite content with his mastery of the old tricks, and thinks that learning new tricks is strictly for puppies. Besides, he is busy paying off the mortgage on the dog house.” That is a very apt description of Jesus’ world – and ours! Busy with routine; no time for the big questions of life. So God warns in Rom 2:4: “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” We mistake God’s patience for disinterest and His kindness for approval. Apathy reigns. It is a grave error that Jesus addresses in a chilling parable at the end of this great evangelistic sermon that began in 12:1. His point twofold. Repentance is imperative. And the opportunity is limited. I. The Parable The parable itself is straightforward. A farmer planted a fig tree a vineyard managed by a caretaker. He knew that Lev 19:23-25 provided that for the 1st 3 years the fruit was forbidden [buds would be pinched off to allow the tree to mature]. Fruit in the 4th year was an offering to God. Then, Lev 19: 25 But in the fifth year you may eat of its fruit.” Thus, by law, the owner would not have expected fruit for himself until the 5th year. And now he’s been 3 years seeking fruit to no avail. Thus he has 7 fruitless years invested in this tree. No wonder he is saying, “Cut it down!” It’s had ample opportunity to produce. But the vinedresser wants to nurture the tree for one more try. Then if there is no fruit, he agrees – cut it down. Simple parable, illustrating the patience of the owner and the extended opportunity provided. II. The Interpretation This parable has two levels of interpretation -- one national and one personal. The owner is God the Father. The vinedresser is Jesus. And the fruitless fig tree is the nation of Israel, or any individual. The fruitless tree is in danger of being “cut down” – taken away, removed and destroyed in judgment. Now the key element is fruit, right? In order to avoid being cut down, the tree must produce fruit. And it is not doing so. So what is the fruit that God is seeking in the nation and in individuals? What would make the nation or an 1 individual acceptable to the Father? What is the fruit He seeks? Well, we don’t have to look far. Just back up to v. 3, “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” And v. 5: “No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.” Same exact words – spoken twice for emphasis. John the Baptist addressed the Pharisees and Sadducees who came out of curiosity in Mt 3:8, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? 8 Bear fruits in keeping with repentance.” Note, the fruit of repentance leads to other fruits that are in keeping with repentance. What is that about? It is about a changed life. What does it mean to repent? The word means to turn around. I was going toward CA and now I turn and head to NY. I was serving self; now I am serving God. I was obeying my own desires and now I am obeying God’s desires. That is fruit in keeping with repentance. True repentance always brings about change. When John said “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance” the people asked what would that look like? What shall we do? And John’s response in Lu 4:9 ff. is to the people in general share your clothing and food; to the tax collectors, don’t cheat; and to the soldiers, don’t extort money and make false accusations for profit. In other words when repentance happens, behavior changes. Paul teaches that in Eph 2:8-10: “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast. [Works contribute nothing to salvation! But look! After salvation, nothing but works.]10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” This is the fruit the Father is seeking – repentance, followed by a life change that shows it to be valid. We’re not saved just to avoid hell and go to heaven. We’re saved to walk in good works; and if they are lacking, so is salvation! This is NT gospel! Paul Paul told King Agrippa in Acts 26:20 that every place he preached “that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds in keeping with their repentance.” In his book about the Jesus people of the late 60’s, God’s Forever People, Larry Eskridge tells of one young man from Anderson, Indiana who came to Christ at a coffee shop – Gerry’s Place. He later testified, “My life before I found Jesus was a real bummer. I was doing a lot of dope, booze and had low morals. My idea of a good weekend was a hit of acid, a good-looking chick, and all the booze I could hold. But since then I have died and been reborn. . . . [I’m] free!” That’s fruit in keeping with repentance, Beloved. 2 In the parable, the owner has been seeking fruit for 3 years. Some believe that refers to Jesus’ 3 years of ministry. But more likely, 3 years is symbolic (this is a parable after all) of the whole history of Israel which was one of almost uninterrupted fruitlessness. Hos 9:10: “Like grapes in the wilderness, I found Israel. Like the first fruit on the fig tree in its first season.” Jer 8:13, “When I would gather them, declares the LORD, there are no grapes on the vine, nor figs on the fig tree.” And even tho they were initially excited about Jesus, as He continues to call for repentance, they are turning away. No fruit. So the Father rightfully says, “Cut them down.” He could say the same of unrepentant individuals: “Cut them down”! He would be perfectly justified. They have squandered all their opportunity. But Jesus steps in. He asks for 1 more year – extended opportunity for them to hear and respond to the Word -a second chance. This doesn’t mean Jesus and the Father are at odds on this. The Father is as willing to give as Jesus is to ask. Mercy is at the heart of both. This is an illustration of II Pet 3:9, “The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise [promise of judgment] as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.” The heart of God is reflected in this parable. He let Israel and He lets us live on borrowed time, with a kindness intended to lead to repentance. That’s the interpretation of the parable. Now – what about the application. Three points. III. The Application A. God’s Patience is Passionate Do you see it in the parable? The tree has been given every opportunity. Three long years after it should have produced, it is still fruitless. It has been on borrowed time for a long time. And yet – the caretaker wants to give it one more chance. That’s God’s love, Beloved. Rom 5:8, “But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” It cost Him everything to provide the possibility for us to repent and bear fruit. And now, He willingly extends the time – the opportunity. Why? Because He loves us. The greatest news ever: John 3:16, “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” God loves you. Whatever the rest of the world may think, God loves you. And God loves me. Not because we are so loveable! We are not. The sin in our hearts alone would cast us from His presence forever. We are not loveable. But God does not love for what He sees finds in us; God loves for what He finds in Himself! God loves for what He finds in Himself, and so He extends opportunity after opportunity for us to turn to Him. 3 If you don’t believe Jesus loves you, you haven’t been to the cross and you haven’t seen your eternal destiny hangs by a thread that He alone sustains. The night Abe Lincoln was killed, they emptied his wallet and found a Confed $5 bill. Why would he carry that? As a symbol of his love for and desire for the rebellious half of his family. He wanted them back. Just like Jesus wants you back, dear friend. He loves you passionately and He wants you back. B. God’s Patience is Purposeful Why does the caretaker ask for one more year? Why? So that the tree can continue on in its self-centered existence? So that it can live out its full 80-100 years life span? Is that what He is after? No way. He’s seeking to give opportunity – one last chance to produce fruit. If we think God has left us here for our own enjoyment, we must think again. We must. That’s not it! He’s giving opportunity “to bear fruit in keeping with repentance.” If you think you have life this morning for any other purpose, you must think again. If you have never come to Christ and thrown yourself on His mercy, you have missed His purpose for you. You will eventually be cut down, separated from God for all eternity. You may have a great now, but you will have a miserable forever. He’s giving life with the intention that you turn to Him. And if you are a believer, He is looking for continued fruit. You’re not here to satisfy your own desires and pursue your own ends. That’s a huge misconception. That’s a fruitless existence and may indicate that you are not saved at all. R. C. Sproul tells of an unmarried couple in his church who were living together and selling drugs. When the church found out and confronted them, the young man said, “Hey, don’t worry about me. I’ve accepted Christ. I’m just a carnal Christian. I’ll be all right.” Really? That’s what you’re going to tell Jesus. Then He’s going to tell you that you are no Christian at all. True believers obey Jesus in John 15:4: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me.” They’re not perfect, but they are abiding and they are producing fruit in keeping with repentance. That’s the point of God’s patience. Not to allow us to pursue pleasure or live out our natural lifespan or anything but that we might live a life of repentance and fruitfulness. C. God’s Patience is Passing 9 Then if it should bear fruit next year, well and good; but if not, you can cut it down.’ ” Opportunity will not last forever. The clock is ticking. Things will not stay the same for the tree forever. Judgment is coming. God’s 4 patience is awesome – far beyond anything we could expect, but it is not infinite. It cannot be. Sooner or later He must deal with the violations to His character or quit being God. Judgment must and will come. Israel had its opportunity. And rather than repent they crucified their own Messiah. They refused to believe in Him and judgment fell. Jesus had prophesied it in Lu 19:43, “For the days will come upon you, when your enemies will set up a barricade around you and surround you and hem you in on every side 44 and tear you down to the ground, you and your children within you. And they will not leave one stone upon another in you, because you did not know the time of your visitation.” Forty years later in AD 70 the Romans were fed up. They laid siege to Jerusalem. Food supplies got so low that people resorted to cannibalism. When the Romans finally got in they burned Herod’s beautiful temple. As the gold melted it ran down between the stones. The Romans dug them up to get the gold. They lie in a great pile at the bottom of the temple wall today – not one stone left upon another. When God says cut it down , Beloved, that’s it. And just as the nation fell, so will any individual who does not produce fruit in keeping with repentance. It’s just a matter of when, not if . And notice this verse has two “if” clauses. They are significant. In English, if means if – maybe yes, maybe no. But Greek has 4 ways to say if driven by degree of probability. The first clause -- if it should bear fruit next year – is a 3rd class condition, indicating a lot of doubt. “If it happens, and I assume it won’t”. But the last clause, “but if not” is a 1st class condition. It assumes the thing won’t happen. Jesus is saying those who have heard the message over and over, and still have not repented probably never will. He is buying time, but He is not optimistic. The principle is every time someone rejects Christ, it gets a little easier to reject Him the next time, and the next and the next. Putting it off increases the odds that it will never happen. The point is, it’ll never be easier than now. And you never know when it will be the last time. God is under no obligation to keep on fertilizing your heart. You must put aside whatever is keeping you away. A year from now may be too late. When you are ready, He may be gone. There is only one time to respond to the call of God and that is now. John the Baptist warned, “Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire” (Lu 3:9). Judgment came for Israel and it will come for you. You will not be the first to escape the hand of God. 5 Conc -- Now, note in closing that the Lord does not state whether this fig tree ever bore fruit. Why? That answer is up to you. God loves you more than you will ever be loved by anyone. That’s true. And you see it here. He does not delay judgment because of any good found in you or me. The mediator is pleading for you. He loves you enough to wait. But God’s patience is severely misjudged by our generation. People completely misinterpret His delay! R. C. Sproul says they see Him as “some sort of stubble, a wisp of straw, or little drop of cold water. . . . To the world God seems to be nothing but a sleepy, yawning fellow, or a deceived husband who allows another man sleep with his wife and acts as if he did not see it.” But there is another side to God. He loves you enough to wait. But He hates sin enough to judge it. That is the other side of God. Heb 10:29: “for our God is a consuming fire.” That is the other side of God – the side that must judge unrepented sin. He is like the frontier hanging judge who is your best friend if you have clean hands but who is your worst nightmare if you are guilty. He is a consuming fire, so the time to repent is now. Now is all you have. And every time you say, “Later” to Christ, it gets that much harder to say, “Yes.” An old preacher, Clarence Macartney told of growing up near the steel mills in PA. He could picture the streams of molten metal coming out of the furnaces, writhing and twisting like they were being tortured. Attendants with great tongs in their hands waited to receive the metal and pour it into molds. But if the metal cooled below a certain temperature, it refused the mold. It was too late. Macartney said life is like that. In a tender moment we are nearly there, but if the moment passes, the hardening process begins; a fixed state of rebellion ensures, and the fruit of repentance is long past. The time is now. Eternity is coming. You are on borrowed time. Rom 2:4: “Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” Interviewed in the hospital a couple of days after President Kennedy was assassinated, TX governor John Connolly, said this: “Here we were, two relatively young men riding with two of the most beautiful wives in this country. The president and Jackie were happy. . . . And then in the space of seconds – it is unbelievable how an incident can happen that changed all of our lives.” We’re all on borrowed time. The question is what will we do with it. Produce fruit in keeping with repentance, or ignore the warning signs until God says, “Cut it down”. Let’s produce fruit! Let’s pray. 6 Brevity of life; Death; Death, inevitability of; Now; Ace; Brevity: On September 20, 2002, the first show of the 11th season of "Dancing With the Stars" paired celebrity, Erin Grey, with professional dancer, Derek Hough. Almost 25 years before, Erin Grey had started as Baby in the movie “Dirty Dancing" opposite Patrick Swayze. Swayze, of course, died of cancer about a year ago. Before Hough and Grey performed their first dance, a Viennese waltz, they were shown behind the scenes in rehearsal earlier in the week. When Derek Hough announced that they would be dancing to one of the songs that came from "Dirty Dancing", Grey was at first ecstatic. She smiled broadly and showed excitement. Then, just as quickly, she began to tear up and ran from the room. What happened? In a voiceover, she said, "I realized how short life is." When she came back in the room she said to Derek Hough, “He was just like you; he was – like – young and gorgeous – and now, he’s just gone. It just freaked me out. It was like a weird moment.” Hough, too, was teary-eyed as they contemplated together how quickly things change. The truth is it really was not a weird moment. It was simply a momentary recognition of what is always reality but mostly ignored or denied. The end is coming for all of us – and it is coming much faster than we would ever imagine. Healthy, gorgeous, fluid today, the gone so quickly. Psalm 103:15, “As for man, his days are like grass; he flourishes like a flower of the field 16 for the wind passes over it, and it is gone, and its place knows it no more. 17 But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who fear him, and his righteousness to children’s children, 18 to those who keep his covenant and remember to do his commandments.”1 Knowledge; Direction; Guidance; God’s will; Apathy; Focus; Doing nothing; Acting; Failure to act; Decision; Now; Destination; Destination, changed; Accidents; Knowledge, of where going; Focus, on destination; Apathy, leads to destruction; Doing Nothing, is fatal; Acting, failure to: Failure to act; Decision, delayed. Non-decision, is decision. Travel; Destination: Our flight attendants were trying to help us passengers get settled into our seats for an on-time takeoff. "You are boarded on Flight 1124 bound for Newark, New jersey," an attendant announced over the publicaddress system. "If Newark is not in your travel plans today, please speak to a flight attendant right away." The crew helped people stow their carry-ons and urged everyone to be seated; then we heard the plane door shut. "Once again, you are boarded on 1 McNeff, D. (n.d.). New Illustrations. 7 Flight 1124 bound for Newark," announced the flight attendant. "If Newark was not in your travel plans today -- it is now." Time; Moment; Urgency; Now; Passing by; Decision; Choices; Choice; There isn't anyone who hears this whose character is all that it ought to be or what Christ wants it to be your character can be changed, but not at any time. One of the big memories of my boyhood is that of passing on the winter night the wire mill in our town. The streams of molten metal coming out of the furnaces, writhing and twisting like tortured spirits. By the furnaces, because that's the way they did attend, stood men in leather aprons with great tongs in their hands, waiting to receive the metal and convey it to the molds. But if that metal was allowed to cool below a certain temperature, it refused the mold. There are times when life's metal is, as it were, molten. You can hammer it, and fashion it into any design that you choose. But if that moment is allowed to pass, then it tends to a state of fixation in which it is not possible either to plan or to do a good thing. “Come Before Winter,” a classic sermon by Dr. Clarence Macartney, narrarated by Max McLean, 9:002 Destiny; Eternal perspective; Choice; Choosing; Receiving Christ; Accepting Christ; In Christ; Eternity; Eternal destiny; Now; Decision; Jack Kent Cooke: "He told me I had the constitution of a 25-year-old man and the heart of an ox. I was elated. I hung up the phone and immediately had a heart attack. My lower jaw went numb, and my chest tightened. Fortunately, I was having dinner with Dr. Bob Kerlan." Kerlan, the longtime Lakers team physician, helped Cooke to an office couch, where the doctor administered mouth-to-mouth resuscitation until Cooke could be rushed to a nearby hospital. Pete Newell: "Jack's first visitor during his recuperation was his mother. She was just a beautiful lady. She would go to all the Forum games. Jack just loved her and was so proud of her. He was also very proud of his vocabulary. He was a walking dictionary, and when she came to visit he described in great detail what he'd been through, the catheterization and everything. He used the exact medical terminology. ‘Mother,’ he said, ‘believe it or not, for 30 seconds I was dead. But Dr. Kerlan revived me.’ His mother smiled and said, ‘Tell me, Jack, which way were you going? Heaven or hell?’". Roland Lazenby, The Show, page 154. 2 McNeff, D. (n.d.). New Illustrations. 8 Change; Expectations; Guarantees; Now; Decision; Urgency; Unexpected; "My first conscious thoughts were just "My God, what a . . . great tragedy. . . . What a horrible, horrible tragedy," and how, in the space of a fleeting moment, things can change. Here we were, two relatively young man – we were almost the identical age, writing with what I would like to believe were two of the most beautiful wives in this country. The president and Jackie were happy. We were proud to be their hosts in Texas, and had a tremendous welcome in San Antonio, Houston, Fort Worth and Dallas. . . And then in the space of a few seconds . . . It is unbelievable how an incident can happened that changed all of our lives, changed the course of history for many people in so many different ways you will never know." Gov. John Connolly to CBS correspondent Martin Agronsky at Connolly's Parkland Hospital bedside a few days after the assassination. Vincent Bugliosi, Reclaiming History, p. 1508. Danger; Perception; Now; Alertness; Warning; Blindness; A person on railroad tracks hear a train approaching, looks behind him, sees the train and then freezes on the tracks in fear. The train “outruns” its sound—which means that by the time you hear it, it is virtually on top on you. If a train engineer sees you on a track, he or she will blow the whistle. Often it takes more than one blast to get the average person’s attention, say train engineers. But trains can’t stop the way motor vehicles can. A freight train has about 100 cars, weights 12 million pounds, and takes a full mile to stop. An optical illusion happens with tracks. When you see a train coming, it looks as if it is traveling half as fast, and is two times farther away from you than it really is. For example, if it is going 60 miles per hour and is half a mile away, it looks as if it is traveling 30 mph and is one mile away. Galaxie Software. (2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press. Now; Decision; Urgency; Afterlife; Eternal perspective; Preparation; Preparation for eternity; Eternal life; Departure; Death; All of us need to make specific plans for our departure from this life. If we don’t, we can be left in a predicament similar to that of a young man who became stranded in an Alaskan wilderness. His adventure began in the spring of 1981 when he was flown into the desolate north country to photograph the natural beauty and mysteries of the tundra. He had photo equipment, 500 rolls of film, several firearms, and 1400 pounds of provisions. As the months passed, the entries in 9 his diary, which at first detailed his wonder and fascination with the wildlife around him, turned into a pathetic record of a nightmare. In August he wrote, “I think I should have used more foresight about arranging my departure. I’ll soon find out.” He waited and waited, but no one came to his rescue. In November he died in a nameless valley, by a nameless lake, 225 miles northeast of Fairbanks. An investigation revealed that he had carefully mapped out his venture, but had made no provision to be flown out of the area. In the 32nd chapter of Deuteronomy we read that the Israelites made a similar mistake. For a while they had all they needed, but it soon became obvious that they had given no thought to the outcome of worshiping false gods and living for their own enjoyment. They failed to consider “their latter end.” Have you thought about your exit from life? Galaxie Software. (2002). 10,000 Sermon Illustrations. Biblical Studies Press.    The solitary fig tree has an individual application, both national and personal. The national application is to Israel which like this tree was planted in very fertile, well tended ground (Isaiah 5:1-2). The people of Israel had received continual blessings from God, including "the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises – the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh (Romans 9:4-5). But despite those rich privileges Israel, like the fig tree, failed to produce spiritual life. The nation was already apostate before Jesus began His ministry. His forerunner John the Baptist had denounced the people his hypocrites and warned of coming judgment. Nothing changed during our Lord's time in the land. In fact, during the last year of Jesus ministry the people remained fixed in unbelief and judgment was fast approaching (MacArthur). Those who fail to produce the spiritual fruit that accompany salvation will be cut down judgment. Judgment is near. Next year in the parable. At any moment the unsaved could perish and lose their last chance of salvation. 10   The delay in divine judgment is not due to any worthiness on the part of sinners as the vineyard owners disgusted statement, "Why does it even use up the ground?" illustrates. God's patience with those living on borrowed time is not permanent (Isaiah 55:6; John 7:33; John 8:21; II Corinthians 6:2) (MacArthur). You know Edwards said in his "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God". He said you know God is more angry at you than at any prince has ever been at a rebel who dared to revolt against him in his kingdom. God loves you unconditionally? Find that in the Bible. I read where God says that he abhors the evildoer. But because he withholds his judgment in his patience and his long-suffering, we become at ease in Zion and think that the hammer will never fall. When his patience and long-suffering is designed to lead us to repentance, it leads us to callused hearts and stiffened thinking that God will never judge us. It's because we don't know who is. And we don't know who we are. Sermon by R. C. Sproul, “Cosmic Treason”, 47:00. God's wrath; Contempt; God's compassion; God's patience; Patience; God is not mocked; Mockery; Delay; Sin will find you out; Judgment; Judgment Day; God's holiness; Fire; God's judgment; Rejection of Christ; Christ; Christ, rejection of; Too late; Now; Decision; Martin Luther wrote, "Would to God that the world believe they considered true that God is a consuming fire! Because it does not, people lead a "wild and woolly" life in this world everybody acts contrary to God's command and let's God's cold threaten as he pleases. People do not consider God a consuming fire, but rather some sort of stubble, a wisp of straw, or little drop of cold water. . . . To the world God seems to be nothing but a sleepy, yawning fellow, or a deceived husband allows another man sleep with his wife and acts as if he did not see it. Moses refutes these thoughts when he says, "Beware, for you have a God who is a consuming fire – the God who will devour you and wipe you out if you are ungodly, a God who is zealous, who devours and reduces to dust and ashes." But alas, you cannot convince people this is true. They will not believe it until experiences taught them. But then they will have waited too long." Martin Luther, "Too Late," How Great Now Art, June 18. 11 Conc – Notice – there’s no end to the parable. Rom 2 2) We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3) Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4) Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?      The solitary fig tree has an individual application, both national and personal. The national application is to Israel which like this tree was planted in very fertile, well tended ground (Isaiah 5:1-2). The people of Israel had received continual blessings from God, including "the adoption as sons, and the glory and the covenants and the giving of the Law and the temple service and the promises – the fathers, and from whom is the Christ according to the flesh (Romans 9:4-5). But despite those rich privileges Israel, like the fig tree, failed to produce spiritual life. The nation was already apostate before Jesus began His ministry. His forerunner John the Baptist had denounced the people his hypocrites and warned of coming judgment. Nothing changed during our Lord's time in the land. In fact, during the last year of Jesus ministry the people remained fixed in unbelief and judgment was fast approaching (MacArthur). Those who fail to produce the spiritual fruit that accompany salvation will be cut down judgment. Judgment is near. Next year in the parable. At any moment the unsaved could perish and lose their last chance of salvation. The delay in divine judgment is not due to any worthiness on the part of sinners as the vineyard owners disgusted statement, "Why does it even use up the ground?" illustrates. God's patience with those living on borrowed time is not permanent (Isaiah 55:6; John 7:33; John 8:21; II Corinthians 6:2) (MacArthur). 12 You know Edwards said in his "Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God". He said you know God is more angry at you than at any prince has ever been at a rebel who dared to revolt against him in his kingdom. God loves you unconditionally? Find that in the Bible. I read where God says that he abhors the evildoer. But because he withholds his judgment in his patience and his long-suffering, we become at ease in Zion and think that the hammer will never fall. When his patience and long-suffering is designed to lead us to repentance, it leads us to callused hearts and stiffened thinking that God will never judge us. It's because we don't know who is. And we don't know who we are. Sermon by R. C. Sproul, “Cosmic Treason”, 47:00. God's wrath; Contempt; God's compassion; God's patience; Patience; God is not mocked; Mockery; Delay; Sin will find you out; Judgment; Judgment Day; God's holiness; Fire; God's judgment; Rejection of Christ; Christ; Christ, rejection of; Too late; Now; Decision; Martin Luther wrote, "Would to God that the world believe they considered true that God is a consuming fire! Because it does not, people lead a "wild and woolly" life in this world everybody acts contrary to God's command and let's God's cold threaten as he pleases. People do not consider God a consuming fire, but rather some sort of stubble, a wisp of straw, or little drop of cold water. . . . To the world God seems to be nothing but a sleepy, yawning fellow, or a deceived husband allows another man sleep with his wife and acts as if he did not see it. Moses refutes these thoughts when he says, "Beware, for you have a God who is a consuming fire – the God who will devour you and wipe you out if you are ungodly, a God who is zealous, who devours and reduces to dust and ashes." But alas, you cannot convince people this is true. They will not believe it until experiences taught them. But then they will have waited too long." Martin Luther, "Too Late," How Great Now Art, June 18. 13