The Letter to the Romans Chapter 2:1-11
“Criticize others Carefully”
November 1, 2009
PRAY
Heavenly Father,
INTRODUCTION
We sometimes criticize others unfairly. We don't know all their circumstances, nor their motives. Only God, who is aware of all the facts, is able to judge people righteously.
When we see a brother or sister in sin, there are two things we do not know:
1. First, we do not know how hard he or she is trying not to sin.
2. Second, we do not know the power of the forces attacking him or her.
3. Also do not know what we would do given the same circumstances.
John Wesley told of a man he had little respect for because he considered him to be miserly and covetous. One day when this person contributed only a small gift to a worthy charity, Wesley openly criticized him.
After the incident, the man went to Wesley privately and told him he had been living on parsnips and water for several weeks. He explained that before his conversion, he had run up many bills.
Now, by skimping on everything and buying nothing for himself he was paying off his creditors one by one. "Christ has made me an honest man," he said, "and so with all these debts to pay, I can give only a few offerings above my tithe.
I must settle up with my worldly neighbors and show them what the grace of God can do in the heart of a man who was once dishonest."
Wesley then apologized to the man and asked his forgiveness.
In Romans 2 Paul confronts the Jewish Christians, who due to their past experience in Judiasm, are improperly judging and looking down on the Gentile Christians who have not had the benefit of their Jewish upbringing with its traditions and moral life style.
The gentile Christians appear much more worldly compared to the Christian Jews, but they have a much larger burden to over come in the way of changing their life style, while on the other hand the Jewish Christians have further to go in overcoming their legalism.
BODY
Romans 2:1 Therefore, you are inexcusable, O man, all judging, for in that you judge another, you bring down judgment on yourself, for you who judge practice the same things. 2 Now we know the judgment of God is according to truth upon those who practice the same. 3 But you reckon this, O man who judges, that the same practices also you do things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? 4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?
Romans 2:1 Therefore, you are inexcusable, O man, all judging,
Therefore – points back up to verses 1:28-32 (because you do these things)
You are inexcuse - áíáðïëïãçôïò - without a defense an – in, apologatos - apologia
O man, all judging – God points to the fact that those who judge others are mere men. – points back to Genesis 3 where Adam and Eve had eaten from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil and their eyes were opened to judging good and evil. Judging their nakedness to be evil, they hid in the garden. God is walking through looking for them and when they answer, saying that they hid because of their nakedness, God says, “Who told you, you were naked?” At which point God says to the other Godhead, “man has become as one of us, judging good and evil.
A form of “Self Idolotry” – setting oneself up as God
for in that you judge another, you bring down judgment on yourself, for you who judge practice the same things. – Points to the Pharisaic attitude: Those who deem themselves godly, but are only religious in pointing fingers at those who have not attained their religious standard (the ladder between Heaven and earths standard)
Matthew 7:1-5
In his little book Illustrations of Bible Truth, H.A. Ironside pointed out the folly of judging others. He related an incident in the life of a man called Bishop Potter. "He was sailing for Europe on one of the great transatlantic ocean liners. When he went on board, he found that another passenger was to share the cabin with him. After going to see the accommodations, he came up to the purser's desk and inquired if he could leave his gold watch and other valuables in the ship's safe. He explained that ordinarily he never availed himself of that privilege, but he had been to his cabin and had met the man who was to occupy the other berth. Judging from his appearance, he was afraid that he might not be a very trustworthy person. The purser accepted the responsibility for the valuables and remarked, 'It's all right, bishop, I'll be very glad to take care of them for you. The other man has been up here and left his for the same reason!'"
Others may think the same of us as we think of them!
Romans 2:2 Now we know the judgment of God is according to truth upon those who practice the same.
Do we know if the judgments we make are according to truth? No! We would hope so, but we rarely know for sure.
In 1884 a young man died, and after the funeral his grieving parents decided to establish a memorial to him. With that in mind they met with Charles Eliot, president of Harvard University. Eliot received the unpretentious couple into his office and asked what he could do. After they expressed their desire to fund a memorial, Eliot impatiently said, "Perhaps you have in mind a scholarship."
"We were thinking of something more substantial than that...perhaps a building," the woman replied.
In a patronizing tone, Eliot brushed aside the idea as being too expensive and the couple departed. The next year, Eliot learned that this plain pair had gone elsewhere and established a $26 million memorial named Leland Stanford Junior University, better known today as Stanford!
Sometimes we make grievous errors in judgment, but God alone and his word are without error or judgment. When we trust in them we win.
Romans 2:3 But reckon this, O man who judges, those who practice the same things and you do the same, do you think you will escape God's judgment?
It all comes down to this: How do you want God to judge you?
“For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” Mathew 7:2
Personally, I want mercy from God. Furthermore; I need mercy from God.
Romans 2:4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, ignorant that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?
show contempt – literally to think down on or despise
3 characteristics of God’s Mercy
• Kindness – ÷ñçóôïôçôïò – usefulness, excellence, goodness
• Tolerance – áíï÷çò - holding back with self restraint
• Patience – ìáêñïèõìéáò - holding back one’s wrath
You must be made aware that the purpose for God’s;
• kindness,
• tolerance, and
• patience
is not that he does not care if we sin, but that he loves us so much, he is willing to endure every evil action we do, ever wicked decision we make, for a limited amount of time, that we might be lead to repentance.
Everywhere, at any given time, there are those who, though God in his patience waits for a bowed knee and repentance heart, they reject the goodness of God, figuring that there is still time for repentance before God comes for me.
If I can just get a little more out of this, then I will give it up. I have plenty of time.
Paul referring their acts of refusing says:
Romans 2:5 But according to your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath to yourself, in the day of wrath and revelation of God’s righteous judgment.
6 God "will give to each person according to what he has done."
7 Just as those who by persistence in good works toward glory, honor, and immortality, seek eternal life.
8 those who by selfish ambition and disobedience toward truth, but obeying unrighteousness, seek wrath and anger.
9 Tribulation and distress upon every soul of man, accomplishing evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile;
10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
11 For God does not show favoritism.
CLOSING
Dodie Gadient, a schoolteacher for thirteen years, decided to travel across America and see the sights she had taught about. Traveling alone in a truck with camper in tow, she launched out. One afternoon rounding a curve on I-5 near Sacramento in rush-hour traffic, a water pump blew on her truck. She was tired, exasperated, scared, and alone. In spite of the traffic jam she caused, no one seemed interested in helping.
"Leaning up against the trailer, she prayed, 'Please God, send me an angel . . . preferably one with mechanical experience.' Within four minutes, a huge Harley drove up, ridden by an enormous man sporting long, black hair, a beard and tattooed arms.
With an incredible air of confidence, he jumped off and, without even glancing at Dodie, went to work on the truck. Within another few minutes, he flagged down a larger truck, attached a tow chain to the frame of the disabled Chevy, and whisked the whole 56-foot rig off the freeway onto a side street, where he calmly continued to work on the water pump.
The intimidated schoolteacher was too dumbfounded to talk. Especially when she read the paralyzing words on the back of his leather jacket: 'Hell's Angels -- California'.
As he finished the task, she finally got up the courage to say, "Thanks so much," and carry on a brief conversation.
Noticing her surprise at the whole ordeal, he looked her straight in the eye and mumbled, "Don't judge a book by its cover. You may not know who you're talking to." With that, he smiled, closed the hood of the truck, and straddled his Harley. With a wave, he was gone as fast as he had appeared.
She had her Angel
