Many people would agree that God is love.  It is His nature and therefore He cannot stop loving people.  But at the same time God is totally opposed to all sin (Habakkuk 1:13), even though He loves sinners (Romans 5:8).  He is slow to display His anger against sin because He longs for people to repent so that they can be forgiven.  But sin is addictive, we like it which is why we continue; any radical change is stubbornly resisted.

Paul is blunt: those who continue in sin and refuse to repent are storing up God's wrath for themselves.  He quotes from Psalm 62:11-12, “One thing God has spoken, two things I have heard: ‘Power belongs to you, God, and with you, Lord, is unfailing love’; and, ‘You reward everyone according to what they have done.’”  God’s love is not in antithesis to His wrath; His love and kindness and slowness of anger are designed to lead sinners to repentance (Romans 2:4).

Naturally, human beings are proud and stubbornly resist the suggestion that they are wrong.  But when God says we are wrong, we must repent - otherwise we will develop an unrepentant heart which will attract God's wrath.  Of course, His judgement is not fully expressed now; but it will be when Jesus Christ returns (Romans 2:16).  So, there is still time to demolish the brick walls of pride, agree with God's verdict on our lives and repent so that God’s blessing might be released (James 1:21-25).

Hearing the gospel, or even preaching it, is not repentance (James 3:1).  The gospel is God's message to us, and repentance is our response to His message.  No real relationship can grow without a response; and failing to respond to God in repentance says that we despise any idea of relationship with Him, leaving Him no option but judgement.  Therefore, we need to urge ourselves, and others, not only to hear His Word but also to repent of all that is wrong in our lives and change our behaviour (Matthew 7:24-27). There will be no shortage of evidence if we are unrepentant, and God has to bring us to judgement.  So today is the day to turn around, face the facts and respond to God’s loving mercy and repent.