day no. 15,761: that's what he said

Jonah 4:1-2
But it displeased Jonah exceedingly, and he was angry. And he prayed to the LORD and said, "O LORD, is not this what I said when I was yet in my country? That is why I made haste to flee to Tarshish; for I knew that you are a gracious God and merciful, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, and relenting from disaster.

When God told Jonah to go to Nineveh to offer them mercy and forgiveness in the name of the Lord, Jonah was distressed. He didn't like the fact that the wicked could get off with a warning. But he also reasoned, if they, being absolutely horrid can go about their horrible business and be forgiven on a whim, then why can't I go about my wicked business of doing whatever I want and expect the same mercy in the end? Yet, he knew this logic wasn't completely solid, yet the importunity of it perplexed and frustrated him. He reasoned, what good is it knowing God if you can't do what you want and are obligated to do things you don't want to do when those who are living their best lives now get to do so and still be forgiven for having done so? It sounds like the ignorance of the Lord is a better deal than the knowledge of Him. On having imagined thus, he headed out away from Nineveh to test his theory. What he found in walking away from the Lord was terror and turmoil. You cannot know the Lord and enjoy walking away from Him anymore than those in ignorance of Him can experience salvation for their ignorance if they are not warned.

The episode of Jonah highlights a common theme: should we sin the more that grace may abound? If we are saved by grace, why not do what we want? And aren't the ignorant having more fun? They get to live it up with a clean conscience and then still be saved since God extends grace to whomever He desires.

Yet, Jonah received discipline when he walked away, not freedom. And the people of Nineveh didn't see grace as a license to sin, but as requiring repentance in dust and ashes in order to secure. Those of Nineveh did not prefer ignorance once knowledge arrived and knowledge can find no solace attempting to ignore what it already knows. Salvation belongs to the Lord and to know Him is eternal life.