Do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?—Romans 2:4
God wants to save, heal and restore people’s lives. Before He can do that He must deal with the sin issue because sin destroys lives. Romans 2 makes it clear that judgement is coming upon the world for sin. God entrusted the law to the Jewish people to make very clear that man is guilty and needs God to step in and save them from their sinful condition.
The command of circumcision under Jewish law was symbolic of what God would do to the human heart through the new birth. That’s why the Apostle Paul said a true Jew is one who is circumcised of the heart. This takes place when God leads one to repentance. I remember my own life some 34 years ago just prior to accepting Jesus as a young adult, I found myself coming to an awareness of my need for God and a profound sense of unrest inside me that I could not explain. The Holy Spirit was brooding over me lovingly convicting me of my need for Jesus!
God’s goodness will lead your friends and loved ones to repentance. Pray and believe God that He can and will. He is the greatest influencer of the universe and He knows what’s in their hearts. If you pray then His goodness (that is the workings of His Spirit) will bring them to a place of repentance. God is good and is still saving, healing, and restoring lives. Keep believing He can change the most difficult people in your life! After all He changed you, remember?