Romans 11:22: “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.”
The Lord can at times seemingly
be the most gracious and compassionate Being in the universe and also seemingly,
the most “severe.” His severity only
appears to be so severe because we are seeing Him through the eyes of the
fallen Adamic nature. Adam, and all
pertaining to him, is under sin’s curse.
There is no good in it, and it must be eradicated. God’s “severity” is only such as we dwell in
fleshly lusts and carnality. His
discipline comes into our lives to grow us up, and cause us to be literal
partakers of His nature and divine attributes (2 Pet. 1:3-4).
