Rom. 2:6-8 - Keep Improving Your Aim

Romans 2:6-8:
God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.

In target shooting, the direction is important. In order to hit the target, the first thing you have to do is face the target. You might not hit the target, but if you are facing any other way, you have no chance of it.

Does God expect us to consistently hit the target? No. If He did, why would He have made provisions for our salvation?

Accord to Paul, as he soon tells the Romans later in his letter, “… all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God…” (Romans 3:23)

We are fallible, imperfect humans -- we are incapable of being perfect -- we are destined to miss the mark most of the time...

But, while God does not expect us to hit the bulls eye with our every attempt, He does expect us to try!

Where we fail, His grace will justify us -- make up for our inabilities.

Our goal is to make constant progress in the direction God has pointed out for us. He desires our constant movement -- always seeking to gain ground -- seeking to complete the goal before us.

We are to aim the best we can -- then go for it. Then -- learn from our mistakes and make corrections each time we miss the target!

What God does not want is for us to just do what we want -- to just live for our own selves -- seek only what we desire.

Living a life seeking to satisfy our own desires leaves us ripe for the picking…

Remember God’s words to Cain?

Genesis 4:6-8: “If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

To live a life of selfishness is to invite God’s wrath.  Maybe not immediately — but ultimately!

Colossians 3:5-6: Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.