Romans 2:3-5 - Presuming upon God's Kindness

Romans 2:3-5 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? 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? 5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

Message: Judgment and the Kindness of God

Time: Written sometime in AD 57-58, probably from Corinth, at the end of Paul's third missionary journey. Chapter 2 seems to be written to the Jew though the Jew is not addressed till verse 17.

What the Lord is Saying:

As a review, Romans 2 is not telling us how to be saved, but telling us how God will judge. Many Jews believed that because of the promise God gave Abraham that they would therefore escape the judgment of God, though the Gentile would be judged.

The Jews are being addressed here in verse 3 as they often were in the practice of judging others. Paul wanted to clearly show that their judging did not mean they would escape God's wrath.

Again, the purpose of this chapter and all words spoken by Paul, as we discovered earlier in chapter one is to point people to Jesus. Here, talking about judgment, should remind us that Jesus took on Himself the entire wrath of God. We can escape the results of judgment by embracing Christ and what He has done for us on the cross.

I have always struggled a little with the contrast from verse 3 to verse 4. What does the kindness of God have to do with judgment?

In studying this, I read a sermon by Brian Bill. He states:

The riches of God’s kindness and the complexities of God’s judgment are difficult to fully comprehend. This passage teaches that God is kind and He condemns; He is love and He has laws; He is just and He is the justifier of the unjust.

When God judges sin, He is pronouncing a judgment based upon the sin we have committed. We are sinners. When a judge judges a person in a courtroom. The focus is on the crime the person committed and whether the person truly committed the crime.

In contrast, it is God's desire to have people repent. If God's desire was judgment then God would judge people the moment they sin. I find it funny that people often are bothered that God allows sin to occur. People think that if God is real he should deal with bad things immediately and yet they don't want Him to do this in their own life, but just in ways that they deem appropriate.

1. But, God's kindness is wonderful. He is kind to us by not dealing with us the moment we sin, but giving us a chance to repent. Psalm 145:17 says, "The Lord is righteous in all His ways and loving toward what he has made." God loves us so much that he wants to redeem us. Sin should produce sorrow. Sin should not produce an accusation. 
2. God is tolerant meaning he "holds back" judgment on two warring parties. Psalm 130:3, "If you O Lord kept a record of sin, O Lord, who could stand?" 
3. He is patient. He holds back what we deserve. Again, he is given us an opportunity to repent or turn from our sin. 

Yet, verse 5 presents a horrible reality of man. Man is stubborn. Man won't repent. Despite the fact that God doesn't judge us on the spot, man doesn't recognize his sin and continues in it. Thus, he is continually storing up more and more wrath from God. God's case against man is growing. And at some point God, a revelation of all the sin of man will occur and man will be accountable for his wrongdoing. 


Promise: God doesn't want to judge man. God wants man to repent.