I am walking through the Book of Romans presently in my time alone with the Lord. (Yes, I see the irony of my time alone with Him being shared with others.) A verse and a few thoughts gripped me today and I hoped they may be of value to you as you consider the New Year and all of the new initiatives that clamor for your attention.
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?
Romans 2:4 (NASB95)
Having argued boldly in Chapter 1 that many had dismissed General Revelation and thus denied the Sovereign Deity of God (as evidenced in their haughty rebellion against godly wisdom, natural law, and God’s commands), Paul now turns the table to his audience…who really were the focus of his consideration all along.
Notice v.1… “Therefore, YOU have no excuse…” (emphasis added). Wait, weren’t we talking about homosexuals, gossips, slanderers, and idolaters? Yes. And if God would judge them for their rebellion against Him…how can we claim any reprieve in our rebellion against Him having a fullness of knowledge through His special revelation in Christ and in His Word?
Some may say (as is His point), but He has allowed the wicked to persist…even to apparently prosper! Why has God not dealt with their sin boldly and decisively? Why has He not zapped them with lightning bolts from heaven? Why has He not unleashed the apocalyptic judgments of Revelation for His namesake? After all…we would! Against all of God -deniers! THOSE terrible sinners. Yet God chose a different approach!
God chose a course what we DESPISE! That’s what it means to “think lightly” in verse four. The question: “Do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience?”
God chooses:
- Kindness- (Greek- chrestotes) Upright, benevolent, gentle, generosity. God chose magnanimous gentleness in dealing with rebels of all kinds.
- Tolerance- (Greek- anoche) Forbearance, clemency, relief, pause, patience. God chose abundant patience with the sinfulness of rebels of every type.
- Patience- (Greek- makrothymias) steadfast endurance. While anoche focuses on the extended patience of God, this word emphasizes the patient suffering of God. God chose to endure and endure and endure the rebellion of others of every background and experience.
But why? Because God sees the “long game,” and desires repentance over judgment. If He wanted to judge as a priority, He would and could. Do we remember the flood of Noah, the fishiness of Jonah’s prison, and the immediate deaths of Ananias and Saphira for daring to lie to the Holy Spirit? Yet, God chooses forbearance, knowing that it leads to repentance for YOU. Rather than judge the rebels, God willingly judged His Son in their place so that He might extend His patient endurance toward them.
As we face situations and deal with personalities that differ from our own, might we choose this year to simply adopt God’s approach toward the brokenness of others? Rebels live daily in a prison of their own construction. Our approach, should we choose it, can be one of compassion, patient enduring, and tolerance.
By the way, God is not patient forever. There is a day of judgment, but that day belongs to Him alone. It is not ours to assign or to impose. (See 2 Peter 3:9-10, Acts 1:6-7). Ours is to declare God’s kindness, tolerance, and patience with rebellion now…but not forever. His righteousness endures forever. His motives are declared. His patience is on full display. His power is undeniable. All this points to the clarion call of urgency, today is the Day of Salvation! Choose today to yield to Him and then, in obedience, walk out His purposeful kindness, tolerance, and patience toward others as you (a believer) enjoy it yourself…by grace through faith.
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