The One Thing Modern Christians Don't Want to Hear
Let me hit you with something that might sting a little: most of the social stuff online—Facebook, Twitter, all of it—is designed for you to not have time. It's designed to get you scrolling endlessly, wasting time while convincing yourself you don't have any time.
But here's what Romans 2:7 tells us: "To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life."
Did you catch that first part? Patient continuance.
Why Nobody Has Time for God Anymore (But Has Time for Everything Else)
Think about this for a second. We live in a world of:
"This will only take a minute"
"Do you have a quick second?"
Quick-fix salvation prayers
Drive-thru Christianity
Yet millions of people just spend all day watching the yearly Super Bowl. They'll follow the stats of their favorite players all season. They make it their business to know every player, remember every commercial, every team prediction. Why? Because they wanted to spend the time doing it.
Meanwhile, churches are closing their midweek services because nobody shows up. Many American Christians dump thousands of dollars and countless hours of time into hobbies and investments, but when it comes to God--church is too long and they don't have enough money to give.
The Hard Truth About What You're Really Seeking
Romans 2:7-10 presents two mirrors reflecting two different types of people:
Mirror One: Those who by patient continuance seek glory, honor, and immortality → receive eternal life
Mirror Two: Those who are contentious and don't obey truth → receive indignation and wrath
Here's the uncomfortable question: What are you actually seeking?
Because whatever you seek, you'll find. If you look for trouble, you'll find it. If you look for sin, it'll multiply in your life like compound interest. But if you seek truth? God will give you more light.
Living in a World That's Gone Evil-Crazy
The Bible doesn't sugarcoat it. Look at what Scripture says about evil:
"Keep thy tongue from evil" (Psalm 34:13)
"Depart from evil" (Psalm 34:14)
"The fear of the Lord is to hate evil" (Proverbs 8:13)
"Evil pursueth sinners" (Proverbs 13:21)
Parents, you can't just hand your kids a phone with complete internet access and hope for the best. This world is actively trying to corrupt them. The cinema wants to play horror movies that glorify evil. Social media algorithms push content that would make our grandparents faint.
But here's the hope: "The Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil" (2 Thessalonians 3:3).
The Cain and Abel Test: What Are You Bringing to God?
Both Cain and Abel wanted to worship God. Both took time out of their day. Both brought offerings. But only one was accepted.
Why?
Abel brought his best—the firstlings of his flock. By faith. With patient selection. With careful consideration.
Cain? He brought whatever. The fruit of the ground. His own works. His own way.
Now ask yourself: Do you honestly offer God your best?
You wake up early for work
You stay late for the bonus
You dress professionally for the boss
You compete hard when there's a prize
But when it comes to God? "Well, I gave Him my Sunday morning hour..."
The Reasonable Service Nobody Wants to Give
Romans 12:1 calls it our "reasonable service" to present our bodies as living sacrifices. If athletes can:
Wake up at 4 AM to train
Eat food that doesn't taste good
Skip parties to stay in shape
Practice until they're exhausted
...all for temporal glory that fades, what's our excuse?
Here's What Changes Everything
You want to know the secret? Repetition.
The Gospel has to be repeated over and over. Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures. He was buried and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Say it again. And again. And again.
Because people don't get it the first time. Or the second. Or the tenth.
But when they finally do? When that truth finally breaks through? That's when patient continuance pays off.
Your Next Step
Stop making excuses. Stop saying you don't have time. You have time for what you value.
If you're saved this morning, it's time to get serious about:
Patient witnessing (even when they mock you)
Patient church relationships (even when people disappoint you)
Patient spiritual growth (even when progress seems slow)
If you're not saved? Stop thinking you're "not that bad." God put His own Son on a cross for your sins. One sin is enough for eternal judgment from a holy God. But His goodness is leading you to repentance right now.
What are you seeking today?
Want to dive deeper into this challenging message? 🎯 Listen to the complete sermon for powerful expository preaching that will transform how you view patient continuance in your Christian walk. This verse-by-verse Bible teaching from Romans 2 will equip you with practical wisdom for living in an evil world while maintaining your testimony. Don't miss this life-changing sermon that goes beyond surface-level Christianity. 📖