Contrasting Trio in Romans 2

I was not intending to write anything this morning due to lack of time but I cannot allow this to slip by and be potentially forgotten. I will have to put the various pieces together sometime and see what fascinating picture emerges more clearly.

It seems to me like there might be an important linkage between the trio of attributes in Romans 2:4 describing what we do not take very seriously about God with the directly contrasting attributes produced within ourselves as a result described in verse 8. It does not seem to be a stretch to see a direct contrast between each pair when they are put side by side.

Kindness vs. unrighteousness.

Tolerance vs. wrath.

Patience vs. indignation.

The first trio describes the things about God that when properly appreciated draw us to Him and turn us (repentance) from running away or resisting Him. In a very real sense, when we choose to believe these things about God we obey them by responding to them/Him.

Conversely, when we choose to cling to our lies about God and what He is like we, in fact, obey those lies by becoming them ourselves – by beholding we become changed. This puts a whole new dimension on the word “obey”!

I also find it enlightening in this parallel contrasting trio that kindness is the main description used opposite unrighteousness. I have wondered for years about the word righteousness and it seems that in this context Paul is proposing that kindness is possibly the most pronounced hallmark of that idea. We have heard the word righteousness all of our lives but I suspect it really has not had much real substance in our understanding other than just a very good filler word used in religious phrases. This word “kindness” puts a much more definitive face on the idea of righteousness that we can relate to on a heart level.

I also find it interesting that tolerance is found opposite wrath. But when I think about situations where wrath is displayed invariably there is a lack of tolerance so this really does make sense. So too with patience and indignation. I can't think of a person who portrays indignation who is viewed as being patient. We generally say that that person has run out of patience at that point. We also claim that when God “destroys” sinners He too has run out of patience. Hmmmm.

What do you think?

(next in series)