Wednesday, May 16, 2007
The Kindness of God. Romans 2.
So I'm reading through the first couple of chapters of Paul's letter to the Roman's and I'm thinking "Wow, this is bad news", all this talk about God's wrath against mankind and His righteous judgment against sinners. Yet this bad news is exactly what makes the Gospel the good news. But in the midst of all this wrath and judgment talk, I hear the word "kindness" - specifically God's kindness. In verse 4 of chapter two Paul says that it is God's kindness that leads us to repentance. Of course we know the role of repentance in our salvation, but how many times do we actually acknowledge that it is because of God's kindness that we can come to faith. I am encouraged. Salvation is all of God. In fact, as John Piper once wrote - God is the Gospel - the beginning, the middle and the end - it is all about God. As you read through the predicament of mankind as Paul relates in this letter, thank God for His kindness. I trust it has led you to repentance and to faith in Christ.
2 comments:
The interesting thing I see in Rom 2:4 is that is it is not particularly talking about God's kindness to us. What I mean is this. In verse 1 and 3, Paul is clearly addressing "you" who pass judgment on others. The phenomenal thing is that God was more interested in showing kindness to the "others" (v.4), whereas the judgers were storing up wrath against themselves (v.5).
In the context of Romans 2, the "judgers" were almost certainly (a segment of) the Jews (v 17-21). And yet, may it be possible that we, 21st century Christians, could fall into the same trap?
I'm not sure I'm tracking what you're saying here, Robb. Looks to me like the kindness of God applies to everyone - the "others" and "you" (the judgers). As Dan said, we all come to faith through the kindness of God.
Maybe what you're getting at is that it's easy to miss that God's kindness is extended to those who were being judged -- those who might look like they're the ones who deserve judgment. This would parallel closely what Paul says in v.25 - "As it is written: 'God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.'" Here, Paul is critical not of those who blaspheme God, but of those whose behavior provokes it.
As to the possibility that we, as 21st century Christians, could fall into the trap of judgment Paul describes -- couldn't agree more. We need to be reminded of God's kindness just like those who originally received Paul's letter.
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