GOODNESS OF GOD
vs3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? vs4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? Romans 2:3,4
The question proposed doctrinally God in verse three of our passage is directed specifically to the unsaved man or woman. It can also be applied to the saved man or woman spiritually. To the unsaved man or woman, God is setting up the next question, doctrinally, in verse four of our passage. Again this question can be applied to the saved man or woman in a spiritual manner.
Verse three is a question that begs an example and I will try to give one. It is an example of an unsaved person looking at another unsaved person doing something that he considers a worse offence than anything he is doing or has done. As a result of the first man’s unrighteous judgement he says “Wow, that man must be going to hell”. He does not consider that he is doing the same things (breaking the law) and is on the way to Hell himself.
Verse four also begs an explanation and again I will try to give one. The answer to the following question in verse 4; Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; can be found in Matthew. He [God] maketh he sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sendeth rain on the just and on the unjust. Matt. 5:45
