Romans 2.4-God's Judgment is Delayed Because of His Kindness, Tolerance and Patience
Prairie View Christian Church
Pastor-Teacher Bill Wenstrom
Sunday July 22, 2007
Romans: Romans 2:4-God’s Judgment is Delayed Because of His Kindness, Tolerance and Patience
Lesson # 44
Please turn in your Bibles to Romans 2:1.
This morning we will continue with our study of Romans chapter two.
On Tuesday, we studied Romans 2:1, in which Paul addresses the self-righteous attitude of the Jews towards the Gentiles and in the process presents the first of twelve principles regarding the judgment of God, namely, that they will be judged according to the standards which they set for the Gentiles.
Wednesday we noted Romans 2:2 in which Paul presents a second principle of divine judgment, namely, that God judges men according to truth.
Thursday, we read Romans 2:3 in which Paul states to the self-righteous Jew that God’s judgment is inescapable.
This morning we will study Romans 2:4 in which Paul teaches the self-righteous Jew that God’s judgment is delayed because of His kindness, tolerance and patience towards them in desiring that they might be saved through faith in Jesus Christ.
Romans 2:1, “Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.”
Romans 2:2, “And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.”
Romans 2:3, “But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?”
Romans 2:4, “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?”
“Do you think lightly” is the compound verb kataphroneo (katafronevw) (kat-af-ron-eh'-o), which expresses the concept of looking down on someone or something with contempt, with the implication that one considers the object of little value or as unworthy of one’s notice or consideration.
Therefore, the use of this word in Romans 2:4 means that the self-righteous Jew’s presumptuous idea that he would escape eternal condemnation even though he commits the very same sins that he condemns the Gentile for was tantamount to holding in contempt God’s kindness, tolerance and patience.
The 2nd person singular form of the verb emphasizes that Paul is speaking to the Jew directly since in Romans 1:18-32, Paul referred to the Gentiles in the third person and if he were addressing directly the Roman Christians, he would have used the second person plural.
Solomon addresses the contempt that the wicked have towards God’s kindness, tolerance and patience in Ecclesiastes 8:11.
Ecclesiastes 8:11, “Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed quickly, therefore the hearts of the sons of men among them are given fully to do evil.”
Psalm 10 addresses this issue of the wicked holding in contempt the patience, tolerance and kindness of God.
Psalm 10:13, “Why has the wicked spurned God? He has said to himself, ‘You will not require it.’”
The apostle Peter teaches that in the last days men will hold in contempt God’s kindness, tolerance and patience disregarding the fact that God desires for them to trust in His Son Jesus Christ as their Savior.
2 Peter 3:3-4, “Know this first of all, that in the last days mockers will come with their mocking, following after their own lusts, and saying, ‘Where is the promise of His coming? For ever since the fathers fell asleep, all continues just as it was from the beginning of creation.’”
2 Peter 3:5-6, “For when they maintain this, it escapes their notice that by the word of God the heavens existed long ago and the earth was formed out of water and by water, through which the world at that time was destroyed, being flooded with water.”
2 Peter 3:7, “But by His word the present heavens and earth are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.”
2 Peter 3:8, “But do not let this one fact escape your notice, beloved, that with the Lord one day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years like one day.”
2 Peter 3:9, “The Lord is not slow about His promise, as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing for any to perish but for all to come to repentance.”
Romans 2:4, “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?”
“The riches” is the noun ploutos (plouto$) (ploo-tos), which is used in a figurative sense for God’s “infinite” kindness, tolerance and patience that are inherent in His character and nature and are exercised towards mankind.
The noun refers to God’s kindness, tolerance and patience as “immeasurably great, indefinitely or exceedingly great, unbounded, unlimited, endless or immeasurable and inexhaustible.”
Psalm 145:3, “Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable.”
“Kindness” is the noun chrestotes (xrhstovth$) (kray-sto-tace), which describes God as having a tender, compassionate concern for the entire human race, which is reflected in a desire to treat them with compassion.
Chrestotes refers to God’s gracious provision that meets the need of unregenerate man in order to bring them to the Savior Jesus Christ.
God’s kindness does not excuse men of their sin but convicts them of sin and leads them to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ (See Titus 3:1-7).
In Romans 2:4, the noun chrestotes emphasizes the “function” of the attribute of God’s kindness towards the entire human race whereas the adjective chrestos that is used later on in the verse emphasizes the “attribute” of kindness of itself.
“Tolerance” is the noun anoche (a)noxhv) (an-okh-ay), which is from the verb anechomai, “to tolerate, to be patient with regard to errors or weaknesses, to put up with someone” and describes “self-restraint, a holding back, a temporary cessation of hostilities, a refraining from the enforcement of something.”
In Romans 2:4, the noun anoche means, “tolerance” and describes God imposing a temporary cessation or delay in executing the sentence of eternal condemnation upon sinful mankind in order that they might believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and be delivered from the eternal lake of fire.
God does not toss members of the human race into the eternal lake of fire immediately when they sin but rather He graciously but temporarily delays executing the sentence of eternal condemnation in order that they might come to Him and receive salvation through faith in Christ.
Therefore, in Romans 2:4, Paul is saying to the self-righteous Jew, “do you continue to hold in contempt not only the kindness of God but also His tolerance by presuming that you can escape eternal condemnation when you commit the very same sins that you condemn the Gentiles for?”
“Patience” is the noun makrothumia (makroqumiva) (mak-roth-oom-eeah), which is formed from the adjective makros, “long” and the noun thumos, “temper,” or the verb thumoomai, “to be furious or burn with intense anger,” thus the word literally means, “long-tempered” as opposed to “short tempered.”
The noun makrothumia means, “patience” in the sense of enduring provocation, annoyance, misfortune, pain without complaint, loss of temper, and will possess the ability and willingness to suppress restlessness and annoyance.
A person who has a short temper, speaks and acts impulsively and lacks self-control however, makrothumia describes a person who is just the opposite and has a “long-fuse” having patience with people and has the ability to bear long in the face of disappointment and opposition.
The noun makrothumia describes a state of self-control and emotional calm in the face of provocation, misfortune or unfavorable circumstances and is a word that expresses patience with people.
Therefore, Paul is, in effect, saying to the self-righteous Jew, “Do not think that because God has not yet sent you to the eternal lake of fire, that this is a sign that He cannot do so?
The fact that you are not sent to the lake of fire forever immediately after you sin does not mean that God is powerlessness but rather it demonstrates that He is patient.
You would be in the lake of fire now, if God was not patient with you.
In Romans 2:4, the noun makrothumia is used to describe God’s attitude towards sinful mankind (See also Romans 9:22; 1 Timothy 1:16; 1 Peter 3:20).
Therefore, in Romans 2:4, Paul poses the self-righteous Jew the rhetorical question, “Do you continue to still hold in contempt the patience of God, which puts up with all of your sinning?”
Romans 2:4, “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?”
“Not knowing” is the verb agnoeo (a)gnoevw) (ag-no-eh-o), which means, “to refuse to think about or pay attention to, to ignore” since the explanatory clause that follows states that the ignorance of the self-righteous Jew is culpable.
The self-righteous Jew “ignored” God’s kindness since they continued sinning even though God had not immediately condemned them to the eternal lake of fire the moment they sinned but rather delayed in doing so, which manifested His kindness, tolerance and patience towards them.
They ought to have known that God’s delay in executing judgment against them when they sinned expressed His intention not to punish them but to lead them to repentance through faith in Jesus Christ.
“The kindness” is the adjective chrestos (xrhstov$) (khrace-tos), which describes the qualities of being “kind, merciful, generous” and denotes a sweet, pleasant and generous disposition towards others and emphasizes that kindness is an attribute of God.
“Leads” is the verb ago (a&gw) (ag-o), which means, “to so influence others as to cause them to follow a recommended course of action, thus to guide, direct, to lead.”
Therefore, in Romans 2:4, the verb ago refers to God’s kindness as influencing the self-righteous Jew and Gentile to come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, which Paul calls, “repentance.”
God’s kindness leads the unbeliever to repentance through the every day circumstances of life in providing air to breathe, food to eat, shelter, clothing, soul life and an ability to enjoy life.
Romans 2:4, “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?”
“To” is the preposition eis (ei)$), which is a marker of purpose indicating that “repentance” is the goal of God leading the human race with His kindness.
“Repentance” is the accusative feminine singular form of the noun metanoia (metavnoia) (met-an-oy-ah), which is composed of the preposition meta, “change” and the noun nous, “mind,” thus the word literally means, “a change of mind.”
In Romans 2:4, Paul’s saying to the self-righteous Jew, “Why do you judge the Gentiles for the sins they commit when you commit the very same sins that they do and yet you never condemn yourself?”
If you recognize that God judges according to truth, then you are aware that you can’t escape eternal condemnation like the Gentile?
Therefore, if you do not think you will escape God’s judgment, then it must be that you hold in contempt the grace that God has given you to change your attitude and your conduct?
Why do you think God hasn’t killed you yet and executed the sentence of eternal condemnation?
God’s kindness, tolerance and patience are manifested every day to you in that He gives you another chance to repent by believing in Jesus Christ as your Savior.