Tuesday, January 06, 2026
Are you going to miss the opportunity Romans 2
Are You Going to Miss This Opportunity? by Dr. Franklin L. Kirksey
Someone sent an email message with the following subject line: "Are we going to miss this opportunity?" Even though using "we" for "you" has been used since the early 1700s, because some find it annoying, let me ask, "Are you going to miss this opportunity?" This is the general tenor of Paul's question recorded in Romans 2:4, "Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?" Paul calls us to "consider the goodness and severity of God" (Romans 11:22). Matthew Henry (1662-1714) states, "To those whom God finds impenitent sinners he will be found an implacable judge." There is coming a day "when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed" (2 Thessalonians 1:7b-10). "The righteous judgment of God" (Romans 1:32; 2:5) is for all, both Jew and Gentile, unless we believe and receive "the gospel of Christ. . . to salvation" (Romans 1:16). Keep these things in mind when you consider this opportunity.
First, remember God's providence. Someone explains the word translated "goodness" or "kindness" in Romans 2:4 refers to "providing that which one needs." For example, "[God] makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matthew 5:45).
Second, remember God's patience. On Romans 2:4, Dr. Albert Barnes (1798-1870) explains, "[longsuffering] does not differ essentially from forbearance." Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892) explains, "This know, that his forbearance gives you an opportunity to repent; do not turn it into an occasion for hardening your heart." Dr. A.W. Tozer (1897-1963) explains, "Every ransomed man owes his salvation to the fact that during his days of sinning, God kept the door of mercy open."
Third, remember God's purpose. He "leads you to repentance" (Romans 2:4). Acts 17:30-31 reads, "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." 2 Peter 3:9 reads, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." Thomas Fuller (1608-1661) warns, "You cannot repent too soon, because you do not know how soon it may be too late."
Are you going to miss this opportunity?
Someone sent an email message with the following subject line: "Are we going to miss this opportunity?" Even though using "we" for "you" has been used since the early 1700s, because some find it annoying, let me ask, "Are you going to miss this opportunity?" This is the general tenor of Paul's question recorded in Romans 2:4, "Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?" Paul calls us to "consider the goodness and severity of God" (Romans 11:22). Matthew Henry (1662-1714) states, "To those whom God finds impenitent sinners he will be found an implacable judge." There is coming a day "when the Lord Jesus is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels, in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ. These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes, in that Day, to be glorified in His saints and to be admired among all those who believe, because our testimony among you was believed" (2 Thessalonians 1:7b-10). "The righteous judgment of God" (Romans 1:32; 2:5) is for all, both Jew and Gentile, unless we believe and receive "the gospel of Christ. . . to salvation" (Romans 1:16). Keep these things in mind when you consider this opportunity.
First, remember God's providence. Someone explains the word translated "goodness" or "kindness" in Romans 2:4 refers to "providing that which one needs." For example, "[God] makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust" (Matthew 5:45).
Second, remember God's patience. On Romans 2:4, Dr. Albert Barnes (1798-1870) explains, "[longsuffering] does not differ essentially from forbearance." Charles H. Spurgeon (1834-1892) explains, "This know, that his forbearance gives you an opportunity to repent; do not turn it into an occasion for hardening your heart." Dr. A.W. Tozer (1897-1963) explains, "Every ransomed man owes his salvation to the fact that during his days of sinning, God kept the door of mercy open."
Third, remember God's purpose. He "leads you to repentance" (Romans 2:4). Acts 17:30-31 reads, "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead." 2 Peter 3:9 reads, "The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance." Thomas Fuller (1608-1661) warns, "You cannot repent too soon, because you do not know how soon it may be too late."
Are you going to miss this opportunity?
# posted by Groseys messages @ 7:15 PM 
