Romans 2:4 NLT
[4] “Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?”
Paul is in conversation with his fellow Jews. He’s on a mission to expose the guilt of the whole human race before God. There are two categories of people in Paul’s world – Gentiles and Jews, separated and at enmity because of their attitude towards God but equally guilty before Him for their disobedience to His Word.
The Gentile word is guilty and the object of God’s wrath because of what they have done with God’s truth… They have suppressed truth by their wickedness, denied and exchanged truth for lies, created their own objects of worship, thumbed their nose at and perverted God’s moral standards and, eventually turned right and wrong upside down. Scripture declares the Gentiles guilty as charged.
The Jews are smug. They are not like the Gentiles. They are privileged people. They have God’s law. They are in covenant with the God the Gentiles have rejected. They belong to God.
“Don’t you understand?” Paul declares. “This is exactly where you have gone horribly wrong!” The Jews believed that having these privileges safeguarded them from the Gentiles’ fate. “It’s not what you have that counts. It’s what you do with what you have that makes the difference.”
The sin of the Jews was, in the main, hypocrisy. They hid behind their possession of the law to cover their disobedience to God’s covenant. .
Romans 2:1, 3 NLT
[1] “You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things…
[3] Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things?“
Then Paul makes this astonishing statement. “Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?”
Psalm 73 is the musing of a man who was wrestling with an observation we also wrestle with at times. Why do the ungodly prosper? Why does it seem that nothing can go wrong for them? Even wayward believers seem to get away with their sin. It’s as though God turns a blind eye to what they do.
Trouble is, we don’t think the way God thinks. We think that the way to get the attention of the ungodly or the sinning believer is to turn up the heat on them. God does sometimes get people’s attention through some crisis or catastrophe. Unfortunately, this kind of treatment often helps to confirm their opinion of God. “He doesn’t love me!” or even “God hates me. Look what He has done to me,” when disaster is often a consequence of their own disobedience.
Paul’s reasoning with the Jews who were guilty of hypocrisy was to remind them of God’s goodness. What had He done for them? Exactly what they hid behind to excuse their disobedience! His Word! His covenant! His instructions for living!
Romans 2:17-20 NLT
[17] “You who call yourselves Jews are relying on God’s law, and you boast about your special relationship with him. [18] You know what he wants; you know what is right because you have been taught his law. [19] You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a light for people who are lost in darkness. [20] You think you can instruct the ignorant and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain that God’s law gives you complete knowledge and truth.”
Possessing God`s law was no protection from their sin. Only obedience to His law would guarantee His favour.
Romans 2:1-4 NLT
[1] “You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. [2] And we know that God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. [3] Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things? [4] Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that his kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?”
God’s patience with sinners is enough to remind us how good He is. He has every right to take those out who persist in their sin, but he hasn’t. He lets them live to have an opportunity to repent and turn to Him.
The day will come when God confirms the choices people make in this life. Until then, He sustains life and gives breath to all so that they can come to their senses and call on His name.
2 Peter 3:8-10 NLT
[8] “But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day. [9] The Lord isn’t really being slow about his promise, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to be destroyed, but wants everyone to repent. [10] But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment.”
God is patient because of His mercy. However, God will destroy sinners because He is holy. It is up to us to ensure that we live our lives in the fear of the Lord. If we do this, as Peter assures us….
2 Peter 1:10-11 NLT
[10]” So, dear brothers and sisters, work hard to prove that you really are among those God has called and chosen. Do these things, and you will never fall away. [11] Then God will give you a grand entrance into the eternal Kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.”