Why Aren't Sinners Punished Immediately?

Since God's judgements are just, why are sinners allowed to go on sinning? Because he abhors sin, shouldn't he zap people right away when they disobey?

Saint Peter gives us the answer. Destruction of sinners is a warning to us. As he wrote in 2 Peter 2:6 (KJV), "And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly;" "Ensample" is the old word for example.

God also wants to give as many chances to people to repent as he knows they will need to make their permanent decision about eternity. As Paul wrote in Romans 2:4 (KJV) to self-righteous believers, "Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness  and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness  of God leadeth thee to repentance?"

Peter also noted that the Lord's apparent lack of action in destroying sinners isn't because of any slothfulness on his part. 2 Peter 3:9 (KJV) contains this explanation. "The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance."

But a time will come when the Lord will metaphorically say, "enough is enough." As 2 Peter 2:9 (KJV) states, "The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out  of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment  to be punished:"

And as I've noted before, the Lord takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked. Nevertheless, he grants them their desire to be parted from his beneficent kindness forever. This is why I'm working on my next book called You Think You're Going to Heaven? People must know that the Father won't let them go unpunished for their habitual sins after they die.