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Let us look at Romans 11:22. It states - Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. The part of that verse that sticks out to me is where it warns that God will show kindness to those who "continue in his kindness" and for those who fail to do so, they will no longer enjoy the privilege.
What a stark yet straightforward instruction this is. God's kindness is conditional. We need to keep doing the things that trigger His continued kindness because if we don't we won't experience that aspect of Him. Instead, we'll see the stern side of the Lord. And that is something we don't want for Hebrews 10:31 warns, It is a dreadful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.
Several people in the Bible experienced God's sternness. The Pharaoh who repeatedly refused to free the Israelites immediately is an example. He ended up drowning along with his army (Exodus 14). The Israelites themselves witnessed the stern side of God when they didn't trust God to usher them into the Promised Land. They remained in the wilderness for an additional 40 years until everyone who doubted God's capacity in that situation had died out (Numbers 14). They again experienced His sternness when they turned to idolatry, divination, fortune-telling, and the worship of false gods. The Lord allowed them to be captured and taken from the land that was their inheritance.
God's kindness was equally reflected in the Bible. In the New Testament, there was the Canaanite woman who refused to be rebuffed by Jesus when she needed healing for her daughter. Though He insisted His miracles were only for the Jews, she in turn insisted she wanted whatever He would grant her and He was impressed by her faith (Matthew 15:21-28). Her daughter was healed as a result. There was also the experience of Martha and Mary (John 11). Their brother, Lazarus, died and Jesus, moved by their sorrow, wept with them. However, He also showed them kindness by raising Lazarus from the dead.
Just as the Savior showed kindness to these people while He walked the earth, He continues to show kindness by working miracles out for ordinary people like you and me in this age. He doesn't intend to only solve one problem. His goal is to consistently and continuously right wrongs and turn around all challenges. The issue is whether we live lives that provoke continued kindness or trigger the sternness of God.
We need not fear that it is impossible to continue in His kindness. Instead, we need only know that once we give our lives over to Christ, He will grant the Holy Spirit to help us in everything we face. And as long as we remember to yield to the guidance of the Spirit of God, we will be able to continue in God's kindness, never seeing His stern side. And if for some reason, we do experience God's stern side, it is crucial to genuinely repent by taking steps to turn away from the things we do that hurt Him. We must choose not to knowingly sin and rely upon the Holy Spirit to keep us from succumbing to the devil's snares.
The Lord is our Shepherd. He will surely lead us to green pastures and keep us on His path of righteousness, IJMN, Amen.
