Romans 1122 says,

behold the kindness and the severity of God.

So I feel like I should obey that commandment and that since God loves me it would be good for me to behold both the kindness and the severity of God.

So my task here in this session I have set for myself is to behold

the severity of God. That's a command and I would like to be faithful in obedience to beholding the severity of God.

Now I do believe it's good for us to do that loving of God to command us to do that and I want to give you an illustration of that.

I don't save or file many letters, but I did this one.

This is an original. I wouldn't let you look at it because it would give away identities.

But here it is, dated 24 August, 1992,

referring to an event in 1985 by a young woman who is near our church now, not in our church, but she was in our church.

Then, she was young.

Remember exactly how old she was, I think probably early 20s, and I want you to hear what she said.

1985, so she's referring to an event seven years earlier.

In 1985, I wonder whether you remember a very much younger me.

Sitting in your office and telling you I was afraid God would have to use a car accident or some other

awful event to get my attention.

And you pointed out that the consequences of my deliberate choice to continue sinning

would be nothing short than hell itself.

No one had ever before told me I was headed for hell, missionary kid that I was saved at the age of six.

It was a turning point in my life and I have wanted to thank you and tell

you that ever since. Now here's the amazing thing.

Since 1992 when she wrote this,

...