and live' (Ez. xxxiii. 11). — Ex.: The Ninivates; Parable of the prodigal son (Luke xv.).
28. What means 'God is long-suffering'?
God is long-suffering means that He often waits a long time before He punishes the sinner, in order to give him time for repentance.
' Thou overlookest the sins of men for the sake of repentance ' (Wisd. xi. 24). — Examples: Manasses (2 Paral. xxxiii); Jerusalem (Matt, xxiii. 37); Parable of the barren fig-tree (Luke xiii.).
29. What should we do, since God is so good, so merciful, and so long-suffering?
We should, 1. Be thankful to God, and love Him with all our heart; 2. When we have sinned, we should with confidence beg pardon of Him; and 3. We should be good and merciful to our neighbors.
1. 'Give glory to the Lord, for He is good; for His mercy endureth for ever' (Ps. cvi. 1). — Examples: Ingratitude of the Israelites in the desert punished. 2. 'I will arise and will go to my father' (Luke xv. 18). 3. 'Be ye therefore merciful, as your Father also is merciful' (Luke vi. 36). Parable of the unmerciful servant (Matt, xviii).
30. What means 'God is true'?
God is true means that He can neither err nor lie, and can reveal nothing but truth.
'It is impossible for God to lie' (Hebr. vi. 18).
31. What means 'God is faithful'?
God is faithful means that He surely keeps His promises, and executes what He threatens.
'And thou shalt know the Lord thy God. He is a strong and faithful God, keeping His covenant and mercy to them that love Him, and repaying forthwith them that hate Him, so as to destroy them' (Deut. vii. 9, 10).
32. What does the truth and faithfulness of God oblige us to do?
1. To believe most firmly in the Word of God, and steadfastly to trust in His promise; and 2. Always to speak the truth, and to keep the promise we have made.
