The Judgment Of God Series

2:1

“Therefore…”

Since men suppress the truth, and not just a few men here and there, but all men everywhere; and since the entire human race has been given over by God to its own ways, which are universally evil; and since all of humanity is involved, not only in sinning, but in boasting about its sinfulness, therefore…

“…you are inexcusable, O Man…”

Note that Paul is still addressing all of mankind. There are many groups, who, reading this first chapter of Romans, will say, well that doesn’t apply to me, though I surely understand what you are saying. There’s surely a lot of evil people in this world, but bless God I never sank to that level.

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Oh yes you did. And you’re proving it by that proud attitude.

Jews, you not only had nature and conscience like all men, but you had the very Presence and written words of the living God in your midst, and you eventually nailed Him to a cross.

Gentiles, you knew, but in every nation, you sank lower and lower in your filth until God had to let you go.

There are people who sit in every church service of every church across this land who smugly try to separate themselves from the words of Paul, but if they are human, Paul’s words come to them: Inexcusable.

“…whoever you are who judge…”

Condemn. In words or in thoughts how often have we sat in judgment on those around us. How we love to focus on a bad quality of another human being, and talk about it to our friends.

“Did you hear about that murderer in the school shooting? What an awful man! I could never kill innocent people…”

“Oh, John has left Judy, again! That poor woman. I could never be unfaithful to my spouse!”

“Look at that Pope! Covering up the sexual sins of his priests! How can he hold this high office and be so evil in his heart? I could never accept a position like this and be so evil secretly.”

“Look at that TV preacher, will you? Why, just sell his house and you could feed the poor of his city for years! I could never use God’s money this way.”

“Oh these gays, they make me sick! I could never love someone of my own gender. It’s so perverse.”

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“Killed her own baby, in her own womb, oh how did she do it? Abortion is so evil. I could never take an innocent life so routinely.”

“That politician is just a liar! How can he stand before his constituents and pretend to be helping them when all he does is tell lie after lie? I could never lie like that.”

That is what judging looks like. Condemnation of others’ sins with the assumption that we ourselves are without sin, or at least, without that sin. Every one of the sins I have judged in these imaginary judges’ mouths are worthy of judgment by a just God, for sure. But not by me. The moment I start judging, condemning, another human being, I need to hear from Paul…

“… for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.”

Let’s revisit the imaginary cases:

You’re going to judge the murderer? True, murderers are in danger of the judgment, Jesus said. But didn’t Jesus, in the next breath also say that angry people are in danger of the judgment? Doesn’t murder start in the evil heart of man with anger, resentment, envy, jealousy? If you condemn all murderers to hell, haven’t you condemned yourself?

Note here, Paul is still talking to mankind, not the church specifically. He is trying to make people see that they are sinners, equally guilty before God. So, I will pretend that I am talking to the world also.

But we in the church are especially needy of a lesson on judgmental attitudes. Though our sins are forgiven, we have sometimes adopted a proud attitude over it.

Then there is the sin of adultery. Proud man judges others who have been unfaithful visibly. But oh if we could see the thoughts of the heart of these men! How many adulteries take place in the minds of men and women every day, every hour? The Bible talks about people whose eyes are full of

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adultery. But see them in church, upstanding citizens of the congregation, happily married, visibly. Then see them later going to their stash of porno literature, leaving their wives a hundred times in one day.

And excessive spending by TV preachers? None of your business. Let’s look at your own budget. Let’s look around your house and your garage. Did you really need all of that? No, then you are guilty of covetousness also. Sell those things you don’t need or better yet, give them away. Who told you that you could have just whatever your little heart desired, and that you were to become the judge of others who overspend?