Romans 2:4 Or despise you the riches of his goodness and forbearance and long-suffering… I. THE ACTION SPECIFIED — "Repentance." 1. Its nature. 2. Its necessity. Why is it necessary? Not because it earns the favour of God or claims the pity, but because — (1) It shows a true desire to be His disciple. (2) It manifests a breaking with the world and the evil that is therein. (3) It brings the soul into harmony with the Divine purposes and plan. II. THE MOTIVE WHICH PROMPTS — "The goodness of God." 1. God never drives when He can lead. The grand principle of all His dealings is to lead His people, even as He led the children of Israel, by a cloud. 2. What it is to lead us to repentance. It is goodness, and the point of this goodness is that it is — (1) Undeserved. It is shown to rebels, enemies, and persecutors. (2) Continuous. Good is not one thing today and another tomorrow. (3) Unassuming. God, unlike some human patrons, does not make a mighty show of His goodness to sinners; He treats them with tenderness and gentleness. III. THE CONDUCT ENJOINED. The apostle indirectly urges upon us all the duty of repentance. Not only the notoriously evil need repentance. The most humble Christian is constantly transgressing. And every act of benevolence we receive should awaken in us the sense of our deficiency and our sorrow therefore. For repentance is not a slavish, legal act. It is not degrading humiliation or desponding misery. It is a consciousness indeed of self-failure, but an expression of loved affection towards our heavenly Father. (J. J S. Bird, B. A.) Parallel Verses KJV: Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? |
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