Romans 2:1- 16. God’s Judgment
In our culture today there is a huge mentality to pass judgement upon others we always no best, a mentality which says’ “I am in the right and you are in the wrong.” Whether it is the accident compensation racket with the endless afternoon adverts which pump out slogans like, “where there is blame there is a claim.” Or in the current court proceedings of McCartney and Mills, in regard to Mills financial package. The press have been unable to attend and so have come up with a euphoria of speculation, making unwarranted judgements upon the events taking place in court.
I am sure both McCartney and Mills are fighting their corner, pointing the finger at each other. But in reality when we start to point the finger at others, there will always be two pointing back! Matt 7:3. As Jesus said, Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brothers eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?”
1. PASSING JUDGEMENT, BE CAREFUL 2:1 .YOU THEREFORE, HAVE NO EXCUSE, YOU WHO PASS JUDGEMENT ON SOMEONE ELSE FOR AT WHATEVER POINT YOU JUDGE THE OTHER YOU ARE CONDEMNING YOURSELF, BECAUSE YOU WHO PASS JUDGEMENT DO THE SAME THINGS.
Paul has previously described to us the deepening depravity in the Gentile 1: 18 -32 world and now he will EXPLAIN that nobody has the excuse to point the finger at others not even the religious Jew 2:1- 29 or the moral criticizers of the DAY for not all Gentiles were debauched: AS HE INCLUDES BOTH Jew and gentile in this section too.
His purpose in doing so is to show that they are equal in sin and equal in salvation, there wasn’t any room for pointing the finger at the sin in others without examining their own hearts. Paul is turning away from the shamless depraved to the world of the self righteous Jew and gentile.
The Jews were a people who had received God favour in the past v4 thought they were right with God and yet were storing up God’s righteous judgement v5 self righteously pointing the finger at others who were committing idolatry, involved in homosexual practices to all sorts of depravity v29 -31 . Paul is saying there will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil to Jew and Gentile v9
Even the moral Gentile: Roman stoic Philosopher Seneca was a man who exalted moral virtues; he exposed hypocrisy, he preached the equality of all human beings, he acknowledged the pervasive character of evil....he practiced daily self examination, he ridiculed vulgar idolatry, he assumed the role of moral guide... v1-16 And yet he was found to have committed adultery with Julia Livillia, agreed to the murder of Agrippina’s Claudius wife and was involved in the Pisonian conspiracy a plot to kill Nero.
I wonder how many of us gathered here today have become the moral critics or religious zealots of the 21st century ... Paul has turned away from the totally depraved 1:32 to the man and women who sit in judgement upon others v 1,3 so be careful Paul is saying to us we are without excuse to pass judgement upon others because when we do he is telling us we do the same things “We all sin. But what is worse for these people is unlike the others 1:32 who approve of such things – they find themselves condemning yet doing the same things UTTER HYPOCRISEY.
How often have you found yourself pointing the finger at others? BE CAREFUL WE ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE often when we pass judgements upon the faults in others - often we are excusing the faults we find in ourselves. Okay we might not be molesters or murders, But what Paul is simply getting over is that BEFORE WE START POINTING THE FINGER we need to look at ourselves.
1. The Good test power point. Romans 3:23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God
The fact of the matter is we look at ourselves better than we ought, we consider ourselves, law abiding, good citizens, charitable and we have a huge tendency as human beings to compartmentalise sins into degrees of depravity. This in turn causes us to point the fingers at others without looking into our own hearts (Religious /morally upright people are prone to it )
Paul is saying here to Religious and moral that when it comes to their position before God Jew and Gentile basically every human being on the face of this planet is on a level playing field (Premier league and non –league) None of us have any excuse to pass judgement upon others without looking into our own hearts first.
Jesus 8: 1- 11 Read. (disregarded the law without arresting the man, (lev 20:10,Deut 22:22) When we react in such a way to sin in others is to act as though we ourselves have never sinned, Jesus is teaching us if we are to expose sin in others we should do so in a spirit of offering compassion and forgivenessress like Jesus did himself.
• Stones exercise let’s put our stones down as we look into our own hearts. Jesus paid the price!
I want to say that ultimately judgement is God’s prerogative and so be very careful when you pass judgement upon others without looking at yourself. So let us go on in this passage and lets learn three fundamental truths about God’s judgement:
2. Truth number 1 God’s judgement is inescapable. 1 - 4
It’s amazing what you can get away with these days, especially if you’ve got a good lawyer: Have you heard of a lawyer Dubbed "Mr Loophole" owing to his talent for finding unusual technical defenses, Mr. Freeman has represented celebrities from footballer David Beckham to snooker player Ronnie O’Sullivan. He first hit the headlines in 1999 when he successfully defended Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson, who was accused of driving down the hard shoulder of a motorway. The loophole? Sir Alex was simply looking for a toilet because he had a stomach upset.
What we learn here about God’s judgment is its inescapable, there are no loopholes, not for the immoral not for the religious hypocrite or the moral critics of our day. Judgment is inescapable for all.
The difference between God’s judgements and our judgements is found in v2 God’s judgements is based on truth ours is often flawed based on everything but the truth... Plenty of spin just like Mr. Loophole in the court room.
V4 Some people might say where is this judgement? It’s easy to mistake the circumstances we find ourselves in as a nation as individuals as God’s approval of our lifestyles, nothing is happening, so some people carry on approving of such things v32 there is no judgement other will carry on moralizing others instead of looking at themselves others will even create a theological argument to escape Gods judgement. Contorting Gods character to meet their ends God is v4a kind, tolerant and patient, much to longsuffering to bring judgement Gods merciful and loving to all this of course is a truth and bad theology because he is also just and MUST o judge.
If THERE WAS NO JUDGEMENT it would give us all the right to sin with impunity making Gods judgement escapable, which shows utter contempt to the character of God and the Word of God.
Paul goes on V4 do you show contempt to the riches of Gods kindness, tolerance and patience not realising that God’s kindness can leads you to repentance. The very fact that God hasn’t brought judgement upon us yet is that he giving you the opportunity to repent. Greek word: Metanoia: To turn around.
Like an alcoholic who needs to come to that point of admitting his predicament “I am an alcoholic, I need help” it’s not until this self evaluation kicks in can the alcoholic real seek the help he so badly needs, if he continues to kid himself everything is okay he will have to face the consequences of his drinking habit.... We all need to FACE UP TO THE TRUTH ABOUT ourselves “ Sinners” awaiting judgement can we begin to seek help repentance is that first step of turning around and not coming under the condemnation of Judgement.
3. Truth number 2 Gods judgement is righteous 5 -11
• I wonder have you ever seen those mission impossible films were Tom cruise has a dilemma their is a ticking bomb and he needs to cut one of the wires will it be red green yellow blue white or black which one shall he cut, he is sweating profusely the seconds are ebbing away 10 -9 -8-7-6- WHICH ONE SHALL HE CUT? 5-4-3-2- He cuts the white the bomb is diffused. All is well he has done the right thing.
Friends Gods judgement is coming time is ticking away you need to respond and act, it is important that you do it in this life. Look what Paul says v5 You are storing up wrath (this is Gods holy indignation towards sin in your life) it being stored up because of stubbornness and unrepentant hearts because they have mislaid his patience has an impunity to sin rather than repent they will face the full impact of his wrath..
How will His righteous judgement be seen? In the judgement he will separate us out.... two extremes:
Positive A: V6 – 7 He will expose our works, he will reward those who persist in doing good with eternal life.
Our works will be exposed:Paul is not contradicting what he earlier said here Rom1:17 that the righteous will ive by faith but its only the works of those who live by faith will prove to be genuine no man can be saved by works rather it is our works which is a natural outflow of a man woman who lives by faith as James said: 2:14 17. Any faith without works then is dead.... This is the goal that believers seek...
Can I ask you why do you do what you do? Are you a man or woman of faith? Your faith should be characterised by good works throughout your life...... Can I ask you, “ the good that you do is it a pre- requisite to earn his grace, do you think you can obtain God’s favour?” So many people do, or “Do you do what you do as a loving response to what God has firstly done for you?
The Negative B: v8 – 9 The self seeking and those who reject their reward will wrath and anger v9 trouble and distress
The other extreme is the wrath and eternal condemnation of God, to all those who live this life without God even their works will be exposed for what they really are self seeking, having continually rejected the truth and follow evil (remain in sin )
4. Truth number 3 God’s judgement is impartial
Finally these positive and negative rewards are completely impartial V10 -11. No matter who you are: . Jew and Gentile - God does not show favouritism v12 Whether you live by the law (Jew) of without the law (Gentile).God is an equal opportunity employer when it comes to judgement: Nothing at all will exempt you from his righteous judgement
When it concerns Gods judgement, it doesn’t matter whether your Jew Christian pagan, atheist, agnostic or secular humanist Gods judgement will be utterly impartial, we won’t receive one once a lighter treatment because we consider ourselves Baptists all will be judged with utter impartiality.
• Unlike when I was a young boy picking the football team, I always went for the best players first I had my favourites what influenced me was their skill – friendship and so on... they got the special treatment yet the little spotty fat Kid was always last to be picked. With God the treatment is the same for all. we all will face judgement with impartiality.
• God’s decisions are not influenced by Our heritage, colour, creed, intelligence, appearance, ability. His justice is absolute for all and His righteousness is perfect. He is not one degree more harsh or lenient than our sins deserve. Nothing can be said or done, that will change his righteous judgement.
• There will be no cause for complaint.....
But how is Gods judgement carried out? Where does he get His standard? THE LAW of GOD
V14, 15. THE GENTILE: For instance here we have a person who has never read this book, but God has indelible stamped on the heart and conscience of every human being God’s moral law...
TEN COMMANDMENT TEST : For instance every person has been given a measure of the standard God requires of them.... He knows Murder is wrong, everybody knows adultery is wrong, everybody knows that theft is wrong, everybody knows that as people we should honour our parents, OUR conscience which passes Judgement upon himself and others AROUND HIM.
Does he keep this law? As we have seen from the first chapter even the law which his conscience dictates he fails to keep, he distorts it, he suppresses he even denies it... This person is not without light and will be judged
V12b -13 THE JEW: has the law, we have the law also in our possession, not only upon the hearts but in its written form, and yet fail to live by this law. We will be judged by the law. “To those who much is given much is EXPECTED.”
FINALLY V16 NOTHING IS HIDEEN EVERYTHING WILL BE EXPOSED AND JUDGED.
We need to understand we will not be judged on the basis of accepting Christ but will be judged on the basis of the law. when we are aware of that, then we can respond to the good news Jesus Christ saves sinners. AMEN
