Sin Must be Crucified:

Psalm number 145 at verse 8 reads, "the Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love." And verse 17 reads, "the Lord is righteous in everything he does; he is filled with kindness."

Those who choose to read and accept only passages that boast of God's unfailing love, compassion, and mercy gain a lopsided perspective of who God is. Those people may be tempted to think that they are ok in their sinful state, and that God shows no anger or wrath for their sin.

However, they must also consider passages like Genesis chapter 15 verse 16 where the Lord is making a covenant promise to Abram. He says to Abram, "After four generations your descendants will return here to this land, for the sins of the Amorites do not yet warrant their destruction."  This implies they one day would, however.

It is apparent from this passage (and there are others like it) that God's patience and mercy have limitations.  All is not well in a come-as-you-are, stay-as-you-are mentality. Our sin must be dealt with!

For unrepentant sinners, there will come a time when the Lord cuts them off from the earth and from all of the life blessings He bestows on us. Unrepentant sinners will no doubt face God's unrelenting wrath.

However, those who trust in Christ for the forgiveness of sin have already had their sins addressed. They have complete forgiveness now and for all of eternity. Because God has been merciful to forgive, saints must in this world eschew all sins that lure us away from our God and that quench the Holy Spirit's work in us.  The Apostle Paul told Timothy likewise to abstain from all sin that wars against his soul.

In short, sin must be crucified!