What is God's true attitude toward people?
God's attitude is one of total love, mercy, and grace, not a readiness to zap people when they goof up. Scripture stresses that it is not how much we love Him but how much He loved us, saved us, and kept us, as shown in Jesus weeping at Lazarus's grave.
Les explains that John 11 and the account of Lazarus make this clear. All through that chapter, the focus was not how much Mary and Martha loved Jesus, but how much He loved them. When Jesus wept, the Jews said, "Look how He loved them"—not how much they loved Him. Les stresses that we must constantly remember it is not how much we love Him, but how much He loved us, saved us, and kept us. Paul therefore says he does not frustrate the grace of God. Many do not understand God's grace and imagine God is waiting for frail humans to goof up so He can zap them. That is not God's attitude; His attitude is total love, mercy, and grace.