128
If he is defeated, he must suffer the things you have just told me about, but if he is victorious, he will receive the rewards that I have just mentioned.
129
That is why Moses long ago urged the people to choose life so that they might live.
1
130
But they did not believe him or the prophets who came after him, and they did not believe me when I spoke to them.
131
So the sadness over their destruction is nothing compared to the great joy over the salvation of those who believe."
132
I answered, "Sir, I know that God Most High is spoken of as merciful because he shows mercy to those who have not yet entered this world.
133
He is called compassionate because he shows compassion to those who repent and obey his Law.
134
He is thought of as patient because he is patient with his own creatures who have sinned.
135
He is known as generous because he prefers to give rather than to demand.
136
And he is known as very forgiving because he continues to forgive sinners of the past, present, and future.
137
If he did not continue to forgive, there would be no life for this world or the people in it.
138
He is spoken of as pardoning because, if it were not for his goodness in pardoning sinners, not one person in ten thousand would gain life.