The Riches of God’s Grace, Part 2

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” Matthew 6:19-21

Throughout the history of the church, there have been those who have looked on the gospel as a method for achieving personal gain in finance, prestige, or status. Some would focus on the above verse and use it as “proof” that God wants to pour out His “blessings” on them. But that mindset is awfully close to that of the world where self is king - where you use any angle to get what you want, even the misinterpretation of God’s holy Word.

Don’t misunderstand “the goodness of God” (Rom. 2:4, KJV). It’s not the same as ease, comfort, and pleasure. God does have your best interest at heart; and because He knows you better than you know yourself, He knows what it will take to lead you to repentance.

So God’s “goodness” may come to you in the form of adversity, difficulty, sorrow, danger, sickness, accident, financial loss, discouragement, hunger, emptiness, or great turmoil. Or it may come in a peaceful, uneventful life; but God alone knows what it takes to lead us to repentance.

Be careful not to confuse “goodness” with good things. God’s goodness is His grace and His mercy which He extends to unworthy individuals in order to bring them to repentance - and finally to salvation, the goal of God’s highest plan for mankind.

Do you not know that it is the goodness of God which leads you to repentance?