Individuals who have a negative perception of God will base their relationship with God on the dread of punishment rather than the love of righteousness. When compared to many inadequate teachings of God's abrupt fury engulfing His children's transgressions in plagues, disasters, and tragedies without warning, the biblical perspective of God is considerably superior and greater in glory.

Love is patient.

1 Corinthians 13:4 (NIV)

 

The Apostle Paul illustrates God’s love as “patient”. Makrothymeō, which meaning "to not lose heart, mild, and slow to punish," is the Greek word for "patient." It is a compound word [makros meaning "of long duration" and thumos meaning "anger"] that describes God's slow anger or long suffering towards us.

If God must resort to threatening or actual acts of disaster and suffering to bring us into repentance, then the finished work of Jesus was not enough to meet God’s perfect standard. Because of Jesus, we are unpunishable and eternally secure because God does not treat us as our sins deserve or repay us according to our iniquities (Psalm 103:10). According to Paul, it is the abundant riches of God's goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering that lead us to repentance (Romans 2:4), not the other way around. It is not our repentance that prompts God to be gracious to us. Rather, it is the awesome goodness of God's longsuffering that turn our hearts towards Him.

The Apostle Peter assures us:

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.

2 Peter 3:9 (NKJV)

 

Repentance moves you away from a distorted view of God that portrays Him as less merciful and more severe than He is, and into a correct understanding of the God who is our gracious and loving Father.