Romans 2:4 “Reality”

As always, here’s my fairly literal translation of these verses:

⁴or are you despising the riches of His kindness and the tolerance and the patience, not knowing that the kindness of God is leading you into repentance?

In verse 3, Paul just asked if we might be a person who thinks they’re going to escape God’s judgment. Then here in v.4, he asks a question which not only needs to be answered, but also teaches us volumes about both God and us.

I hardly know where to begin.

First of all, let’s think about what this verse teaches us about God. The verse tells us it’s possible we are despising “the riches of His kindness and the tolerance and the patience.” Now wait a minute! We’re in the middle of a passage on God’s judgment. Just as I noted in chapter 1, what we expect to see painted before us is a furiously angry God hurling lightning bolts at pathetic fleeing sinners, right? Yet what are the words we’re hearing? “Riches of His kindness.” “Tolerance.” “Patience.” And what is the problem in the passage? People are despising these riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience. In other words they’re disregarding them. They’re acting as if they aren’t true.

What this verse teaches us is that God’s kindness is reality. God’s kindness and tolerance and patience are a rock of truth in which we all live. Paul alluded to this in Acts 14:16,17, speaking to the Lycaonians “In the past, He let all nations go their own way. Yet He has not left Himself without testimony: He has shown kindness by giving you rain from heaven and crops in their seasons; He provides you with plenty of food and fills your hearts with joy.” God’s kindness is a rock of truth in which we all live. People have the choice to believe it or not, appreciate it or not, but that doesn’t change the fact it is the truth. To not acknowledge it is to live in an unreal world.

It is worthwhile to also ponder these words. First of all note it is all given us as “riches.” Kindness is kindness. That is what God showers on all of us. “He makes His sun to shine on the evil and the good.” Then there is His tolerance. That is literally what the word means. It is the sense of “holding back.” While He is showering the world with kindness, what are we doing? Spitting in His face, spurning His love, and murdering His Son. We deserve the furiously angry God, but what does He give us? Tolerance. He holds back. And then there is His patience. The word expresses the OT idea that He is “slow to anger.” II Peter 3:9 tells us specifically that the reason for His tolerance and patience is “that all should have room for repentance.”

He wants us to come to repentance. He wants us to realize we’re living in an unreal world and spurning the riches that He offers. But then notice that this kindness of the Lord “leads” us to repentance. Notice it doesn’t say, “Drives” us. God’s kindness is like a hand reaching out, inviting us. All the riches He offers invite us to draw near Him. In Hosea 11:4, the Lord says, “I led them with cords of kindness, with the bands of love…” The Lord’s kindness is intended to actually melt our hard hearts, to cause our walls to drop, to make us want to know Him. Jesus was the living embodiment of all of this, of course. Why did the tax collectors and “sinners” crowd around Him? Because His love drew them. The Pharisees’ vindictiveness pushed them away from God. Jesus’ love drew them to Him.

That’s the kind of God He is, and what do we do in response? We “despise” those kindnesses and live in willful ignorance of them, “not knowing that the kindness of the Lord is leading you to repentance.” People too often presume upon all of God’s kindness and patience and take it as if their sins are somehow excused. That is, in reality, “despising” His kindness. In fact, that very kindness is allowing us the opportunity to come to our senses before it’s too late. May the Lord help anyone reading these words to realize His kindness is the truth. May you let His love draw you to His side. May you really comprehend that it was love that put Jesus on the Cross and that He went there willingly so your sins could be paid for and all of God’s riches could be yours for all eternity.

And may we all be like Jesus, so that this kindness and tolerance and patience somehow shines out of our hearts and lives and words and allows the Lord to draw others with “the cords of His love.”