Ruminating on ROMANS! (Some Thoughts on Paul’s Great Epistle) #7 Contempt for God’s Kindness! (A Study of Romans 2:2-5)

Many of you know that my New Jersey friend Frank and I are reading through God’s Word together (described here). We’re now in the book of Romans and are reading chapter 2 each day this week. Here is something that I noticed in reading this chapter:

Contempt for God’s Kindness! (A Study of Romans 2:2-5)

As we continue our study of this great epistle, you can see from our text above a little bit of what I do as I read and re-read a passage like this one. I underline, put text in different colors, and even add a question or two (such as “BELIEVERS OR UNBELIEVERS? in verse 4).

Paul is speaking against hypocrisy and he charges these Roman Christians with contempt of God’s kindness! Wow. In fact it is a hatred or a disregard for “the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience”! He is charging these believers with showing contempt for that attribute of God which is “intended to lead you to repentance”!

Paul could have easily accused them of ignoring God’s holiness or God’s righteous wrath, but he speaks instead of God’s kindness. God doesn’t owe any of us anything. And He certainly doesn’t owe us kindness, does He?

(We will continue our thoughts on this passage in our next post).