ROMANS CHAPTER 2 VERSES 1-8 - MESSAGES IN ROMANS (PART 4) - ALL ARE GUILTY AND WRATH IS STORED ON ACCOUNT
[A]. THE INTRODUCTION
{{Romans 2:1 “Therefore you are without excuse, every man of you who passes judgment, for in that you judge another, you condemn yourself, for you who judges practises the same things, Romans 2:2 and we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practise such things. Romans 2:3 Do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment upon those who practise such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?”}}
The Apostle in Chapter 1 has just outlined the downward collapse of the human race because of sin. We looked at the six points of the progressive fall of us all in Chapter 1 and the chapter concluded with a list of sins resulting from the fact that “God gave them over”. Three times in Chapter I we read of that term as mankind became more isolated from God and more sinful. As man departed from God he added a deeper and deeper level of sin to his fall, and if you remember, the bottom of the ladder, was the adoption and practice of homosexuality. That is as far as man will fall. From then on sins only intensify.
We are in the last days of the Church age and we are seeing such an intensity of sinfulness. Do I really need to outline to you the awful things that are being legislated for by Australian governments, and they are just the same as elsewhere in the world. Man is universally sinful with the same sins that blacken society today. Corruption is everywhere spewing its vileness all over. For those of you who might follow the Congressional hearings in the United States, you have come to realise the White House and judiciary are dwellings of evil and lies.
Well that is no surprise, and Canberra is much the same. It is the automatic consequence of sin’s development. What has caused that development? Life is a bit like a tug of war and the two teams are righteousness and wickedness. When one is weakened the other rises. In the 1800s in some nations there was a turning to God and righteousness prevailed, but when righteousness fails, then sin rises up and wickedness will overtake a nation, for sin is a reproach to all people.
We live in these days because not only is righteousness failing, but governments are passing laws to support wickedness and outlaw righteousness. There is a pall of gloom and darkness ascending from the pit of hell and smothering any semblance of good in society. That is the state of the world and Paul was very clear in telling us the reason why we find ourselves in that position.
[B]. THE WORLD AND ALL INDIVIDUALS IN IT ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE
Now we come to Chapter 2 of Romans where the start of the chapter is actually the follow on from Romans 1. Remember what we say about that word “therefore” that introduces this chapter. Ask “What is it there for?” We understand Chapter 1 and now Paul draws applications from that.
ROMANS 2:1. Without excuse. There is not one single person on this planet with a true excuse for rejecting God. Every single one is guilty and the unsaved will stand before God in total guilt of rejection. People will be judged according to the light given to them. In our society there is so much gospel light and the bible is freely available. There will be no excuse for refusing God or His claims.
In verse 1 Paul looks at another aspect of guilt, and that is the guilt of the critic; of the judgemental person who is self-righteous in his own eyes. Just think for a moment of a court magistrate who has before her a man arrested for speeding while under the influence, and hands out a guilty verdict and treats him harshly, but when court is ended that same magistrate privately drinks with friends and drives home under the influence of alcohol. She thinks there is no chance of being caught because she is in a rural area where she knows the police do not patrol.
Is she guilty because she was not caught? Yes, she is. She had just condemned a man for an offence yet she went out and committed the same offence herself. That is what verse 1 is raising. Paul stated the conclusion of the matter – “for in that you judge another, you condemn yourself, for you who judges, practises the same things.”
Consider this. A couple of houses away from you there is a homosexual couple and you condemn them for their sin, but not to their faces. You walk the highway of self-righteousness. Is that condemnation justified? Well, in a sense it is because we can condemn sin, but you have condemned people for that sin. Can you do that? No way can you do that if you are just as guilty. The one who might condemn the homosexual couple gets drunk at home about once a week.
What do we make of this? The word “hypocrisy” comes to mind. The Lord told a parable about that, and though the parable was about forgiveness, it also applies here –
{{Matthew 18:23-35 For this reason the kingdom of heaven may be compared with a certain king who wished to settle accounts with his slaves, and when he had begun to settle them, there was brought to him one who owed him ten thousand talents, but since he did not have the means to repay, his lord commanded him to be sold along with his wife and children and all that he had, and repayment to be made. The slave therefore falling down, prostrated himself before him saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you everything.’ The lord of that slave felt compassion and released him and forgave him the debt, but that slave went out and found one of his fellow slaves who owed him a hundred denarii and he seized him and began to choke him saying, ‘Pay back what you owe,’ so his fellow slave fell down and began to entreat him saying, ‘Have patience with me and I will repay you.’ He was unwilling however, but went and threw him in prison until he should pay back what was owed. When his fellow slaves saw what had happened, they were deeply grieved and came and reported to their lord all that had happened. “Then summoning him, his lord said to him, ‘You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you entreated me. Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, even as I had mercy on you?’ His lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him - so shall My heavenly Father also do to you if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart.”}}
That forgiven slave went out and condemned a fellow slave for exactly the same offence that he himself was guilty of. Actually he was more guilty because he owed more. That is what Romans 2:1 is all about. It is guilt by the same practices.
[C]. THE GUILTY DO NOT ESCAPE GOD’S JUDGEMENT
Let us return to our verses and look at {{Romans 2:2 “and we know that the judgment of God RIGHTLY falls upon those who practise such things. Romans 2:3 Do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment upon those who practise such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?”}}
Paul introduced the judgement of God. God’s judgement rightly falls on sin because His holiness and righteousness condemn it and must penalise sin. Who is being penalised? Firstly the one who commits sin and secondly, the one who condemns those who are sinners, yet is a sinner himself.
Have you ever thought about the word “rightly” in verse 2? In the NASB and the ESV the word used is rightly and it means “according to truth,” which is more the way it is used in the NIV. God’s judgement is always correct because it is based in truth. Truth is a very significant principle in the Old Testament. Jesus claimed to be the Truth so truth is fundamental to the character of God. His judgement is always correct. Man is without excuse.
At the great white throne not a murmur of objection will be raised against the judgement of God because those present are guilty and have no excuse. After all, the books recorded in truth, will condemn them.
In verse 3 another word can be used to describe those implicated there – arrogance. Those under consideration think they can condemn others yet remain guiltless themselves. They live their lives in ignorance of God’s net that will equally ensnare them so there is no escape. They who do such things condemn themselves. It is one of the delusions of sin that condemnation applies to others but not to ourselves. We forget that God's judgements are impartial and not preferential when sin is concerned. This is particularly applicable to the police force and those in systems of judgement and justice.
God hates corrupt judges, and police who are to dispense the law, and often apply it sternly to others but think they themselves are immune. You might have noticed of course that in this verse 3, the one addressed is “O man”, and the possibilities for that, are all persons in general; a Jew, because this is what most of chapter 2 is about; the Christian, but it is not until Chapter 4 that the Christian comes into focus; and the last one, to Gentiles. My thinking is that Paul here is using this argument, and does so in the first three chapters to bring the whole world in guilty before God, so I don’t think verses 2 and 3 apply specifically to any group.
ALL are without excuse. All are guilty. All are condemned. I think we must understand that. Chapter 1 is directed at the Gentile world but application can be made to Jews who have departed from God. Chapter 2 continues with the world in general but the focus moves to the Jew. Chapter 3 is again more directed to the Gentile world but weaves in ALL people and the quotations from the Old Testament are used with the emphasis on ALL. By the end of chapter 3, God’s condemnation has spread to the whole of guilty mankind so not even one has an excuse. Let us move on to the next verses –
[D]. NEVER NEVER NEVER DESPISE THE KINDNESS OF GOD
{{Romans 2:4 “or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance, Romans 2:5 but because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, Romans 2:6 who will render to every man according to his deeds: Romans 2:7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life, Romans 2:8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.”}}
There is a lot in these verses. Have you heard the expression, “I know that but it does not apply to me.” Perhaps you have heard this, “I will be all right because I have lived a good life and have harmed no one. I am not some murderer.” Those expressions lack accountability. God wants full accountability. In fact He demands it.
Sin deserves no kindness or tolerance, but God shows kindness to us which is undeserved, and tolerance towards us so that we are not immediately zapped for our sins. Yet, the unrepentant man throws that in the face of God. He dismisses God; he goes about as if there will be no accountability for him; he even curses God and despises Him, yet the mercy and kindness and tolerance is still displayed by God to those sinners. Look at this world today. It is a horrible world. We are having homosexuality rammed down our throats. Our children are forced in schools to listen to blatant lies within the socialist agenda and made to be confused over their gender and sexuality. Humanism is the key now in education for all that is done.
In verse 4 it does not say “of His kindness,” but it adds the word “riches”. We are secular people and assume much. We live in the world and most of the time we think all that is in the world is just natural and has always been. We do not take the time to consider that every good and worthwhile thing comes from God or as James wrote to Christians – {{James 1:16-17 “Do not be deceived, my beloved brethren. EVERY GOOD THING BESTOWED AND EVERY PERFECT GIFT IS FROM ABOVE, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation, or shifting shadow.”}}
Verse 4 actually states the purpose of God’s kindness to the inhabitants of planet earth. You may find reasons for the kindness of God, but God only states one, and that is to bring men and women to repentance. How does that work?
Let us say you managed a large factory and one day it was found that a man had been seriously stealing, and through legal circumstances, he was dismissed. That man fell on hard times and he and his family were suffering. Word came to you that the man was in desperate need, so you being a Christian, sent frequent help to the family anonymously for a few years. The time came when the man himself needed personal help and you put yourself in the gap and provided that. The man was astounded anyone would do that to a disgraced man, especially coming from the one whom he had betrayed. He found out then that it was you who had provided for his family over those years.
How did that man feel? More to the point, what effect did it have on him? Well for some people they would be embarrassed and thankful, but that would be all they would feel as they went their way. However for this man the gravity of what he had done came rushing upon him and he sought your absolute forgiveness as he repented of his awful past and deeds.
Can you see where this is leading? The goodness and kindness you showed led him to repentance AND the goodness and kindness of God is meant to lead us to repentance. “However,” you say, “that might be the case, but I don’t see people falling down and repenting. Why is that?”
[E]. WRATH IS BEING STORED UP AND ON ACCOUNT
Paul has anticipated your question and answers it in verse 5 – {{Romans 2:5 “but because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,”}}
The average person in the world refuses to acknowledge God but progresses from one stage of evil to the next. That is what Romans 1 is telling us. Because of the hardness of the human heart and the stubbornness that characterises all people outside of Christ, then they dig their feet in not even allowing themselves to be tender towards God. He is dismissed, even mocked and utterly rejected. Jeremiah covers that in a well known verse – {{Jeremiah 17:9-10 “The heart is more deceitful than all else and is desperately sick. Who can understand it? “I, the LORD, search the heart. I test the mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the results of his deeds.”}}
The prophet says that it is the Lord who knows the inner person. “I search the heart” (test the kidneys in Hebrew). It is the Lord who knows. The unrepentant person is adding sin to his account continually. It is all recorded in the books in heaven. The adding of sin to each account is called by Paul in verse 5, “storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,” and that means when the day of God’s wrath falls in the Tribulation, but if the person has died already then God’s wrath is revealed at the great white throne where heaven and earth wants to shrink away from a God of wrath on the throne. There would be no greater dread than to stand in the presence of a wrathful God. The Holy Spirit led Paul to add these words - “of the RIGHTEOUS judgment.” All God’s judgements are righteous, a fact we saw earlier so all men and women are without excuse. We can write about these things, and speak about them but does it affect us or are they just words? People are perishing, defiantly so, as the stubbornness overtakes them, but do we feel for them? We know what the outcome will be and there are things we can do about it.
[F]. GOD WILL RENDER TO ALL MEN AND WOMEN WHO HAVE EVER LIVED
We now look at verse 6 – {{Romans 2:6 “who will render to every man according to his deeds”}}. That is a very simple statement with great importance, something like this statement, “God is love.” Simple, yes, but with the greatest connotations and applications. In fact verse 6 is a loose quote from the Old Testament found here in these two verses -
{{Psalm 62:12 “and loving-kindness is Yours, O Lord, for YOU RECOMPENSE A MAN ACCORDING TO HIS WORK.”
Proverbs 24:12 If you say, “See, we did not know this,” does He not consider it who weighs the hearts, and does He not know it who keeps your soul, and WILL HE NOT RENDER TO MAN ACCORDING TO HIS WORK?”}}
God is not slack with His promises. Every jot and tittle will be fulfilled. What do you think would happen if we took those two Old Testament verses, printed them out and sent them to every mobile/cell phone and put them in every letterbox? Would we get a mass repentance? I don’t think so but God’s word does not return to Him void. The Holy Spirit will convict and I believe the mercy of God will lead people to repentance, maybe the twos and threes coming to the cross. In these last days, men’s hearts are like concrete reinforced with tungsten steel. They do not want to repent. Of course I speak generally, and remember the hand of God is not bound or limited for God is a God of love and mercy.
We will stop there but next time we take up this same theme in God dispensing what is owed - whether it be good or bad.
END OF PART 1
ronaldf@aapt.net.au
