He could do anything He wanted, of course, but there is the factor of mercy here — mercy mixed with compassion and love. You see, when the Holy Spirit does finally intrude to bring forth God’s Righteous Kingdom on Earth, all problems will be Divinely removed. But at that moment, everyone’s “second chance” will have been lost. The mercy involved in this means that judgment is currently being withheld. Compassion and love enter in because the sinner is being given the opportunity for Salvation and