Goodness and severity
The title, as you may have recognized, comes from Romans 11:22. Many versions read, "Note then the goodness and severity of God..." Other versions have "kindness and severity", or "kindness and harshness", or words to the same effect.
At various times, those in positions of Christian leadership have gone way overboard in declaring the severity, the harshness. They have promoted an angry God, a punishing God. That sort of depiction isn't so popular these days, although we still encounter it from time to time. Far more often, today we run into depictions of God as benignly accepting of everyone, unconditionally. This view goes way overboard in the other direction.
Let's look at Paul's full sentence: "Notice therefore the kindness and harshness of God-harshness toward those who have fallen, but God's kindness toward you, provided you continue in his kindness; otherwise you also will be cut off." Note: "provided". A condition.
Both aspects of God are true, both show God's righteousness. Is God loving? Is He accepting? Is He gracious? Absolutely! Does God have requirements? Does He demand obedience? Does He impose consequences on those who rebel against those requirements? Yes, just as emphatically.
It goes all the way back to the Garden. Every need supplied (goodness and kindness), but with a condition-and a severe consequence for violating the condition. (Genesis 2:15-17) The principle carries on into the Law. Moses (taught by God Himself on the mountain) concludes, "I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse." He lays out what will determine the outcome: obedience or disobedience. He pleads with them, "Therefore choose life! ...Loving the Lord your God, obeying his voice and holding fast to him." (See the full passage, Deuteronomy 30:11-20.) The same principle fills the Prophets, God constantly appealing to come to Him and be granted mercy, and warning of severe repercussions if they persist in disobedience. Right on into the New Testament the principle continues; it's all over in the teaching of Jesus and the apostles. God doesn't change! (James 1:17 for example.) From the beginning, and all the way through to the final judgment, God is gracious and kind and loving, begging us all to come to Him; AND God is severe-toward those who disobey, whether refusing the call, or only heeding superficially or hypocritically, or in turning their backs on it after having once accepted it.
This teaching about who God is, what He's like, fills both Old and New Testaments. We must take care not to discount or de-emphasize either side of God's character. I was reminded of this today while reading 2 Peter. There's all kinds of great teaching in this letter, but there is a theme that runs through it all: the simultaneous truth of God's enduring love, always reaching out to us, AND the truth that He absolutely holds us accountable.
I urge you to read Peter's letter. It's not very long. Please take your time, though, and absorb. And then, I suggest making a fuller study of the character of the God depicted by Moses, David, the prophets, Peter, Paul, James, John...and of course the Lord Jesus. Unlike the arguments and opinions that come and go around us, the picture painted by these writers, spanning thousands of years, is consistent and compelling. If something seems harsh to us, then if we look into it we will find the reason for the harshness. If something seems like justice was not done and somebody got away with something, then if we look into it we will find God's mercy.
The two aspects of God's character aren't hard to grasp-a beginning Bible student will get it. On the other hand, the study of God's character can get very deep. As deep as we go, there is still more to find, an exploration that will fill a lifetime.
Love, Paul