Warning to the Self-Righteous

Today we celebrate resurrection Sunday. Christ is risen and reigning! And I’ve reminded us before that every Lord’s day that we gather as his people is due to this fact of Jesus’ historical resurrection, which took place on a Sunday.

Furthermore, we’re in a season of studying Paul’s letter to the Romans, which is his most extensive treatise on the gospel, a gospel that centers in the cross and resurrection of God the Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. And the Apostle Paul is himself an eyewitness of the risen Lord, when Jesus confronted and converted him on the road to Damascus.

So keep that important reality of Paul’s encounter with the risen Christ in mind as we look at a portion of God’s words through Paul in Romans.

PRAY: Before we continue, let’s pray, in order to turn our thoughts and our hearts in the right direction as we consider God’s own word.

INTRO [sermon title slide]: So you think you are a pretty good person. Is being a fairly good person good enough? To what or whom are you making a comparison?

My daughters and wife graciously play pickleball with me as a family activity to enjoy. Should I think that being better at pickleball than my children means that I should be on the pro circuit? I would be looking comparatively in a completely wrong direction. My skill doesn’t even begin to compare to those who start showing up on the pickleball courts in the evening who are just slightly more competitive, much less the pros.

My point here is about spiritual righteousness. When we think we are pretty good people, we are making comparisons the wrong direction. You need to be looking up! … Looking to God, looking to the cross of Christ.

Even really good isn’t good enough, because God’s righteousness shines like the noonday sun. And his corresponding justice is perfect. His righteous judgment will fall on us in the day of wrath… unless God himself has made other provision for giving us positive righteousness by his grace as a gift, which God has done, through the substitutionary death and victorious resurrection of the Lord Jesus.

Today we will see from a particular text in Romans how Paul demonstrates this to be the case, and we can also explain from Romans how faith in God through the atoning work of Jesus is the only remedy to make us sufficiently righteous, based upon his perfect righteousness.

Here Paul has warning for those who look at other committing the worst excesses of sin, of human depravity, and think they are morally superior.

Romans 2:1–5 ESV

1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

When Paul says in verse 1, “Therefore you have no excuse, O man…”

To whom is Paul speaking, and about what?

Paul has switched from speaking about a group in the third person plural (and past tense) to now a singular second-person, a hypothetical “you.” - In chapter 1:18-32, Paul was utilizing the third person pronouns and past tense verbs in explaining God’s righteous anger because of humanity’s general refusal to glorify God and give him thanks and the resulting pagan idolatry, which leads to sinful degradation of humanity and society due to God justly handing them over to their sinful desires. That emphasis on natural revelation but a refusal to acknowledge God is an overall description of the pagan Gentile world and applicable to everyone.

The “you” to whom he now speaks in the beginning of ch. 2 is clearly someone more religious or moral, who is inclined to see such sin and pass judgment on this wickedness, as described about pagan ungodliness at the end of ch. 1.

But this is also plainly a hypothetical individual—“O man.” To whom is Paul speaking? He is employing an ancient literary style called the diatribe, where the writer uses a hypothetical opponent to raise questions that the author anticipates could be pushback from a certain segment of either his audience or the contemporary setting at large. That Paul continues using this technique numerous times becomes only more plain as he employs it significantly in Romans and to an even more obvious degree, repeatedly asking anticipated questions, and giving reasoned responses as well as emphatic answers like “no, not at all” and “by no means!”

Here specifically we can readily deduce that Paul is speaking to someone who compares himself to the description of the degradation of sinful practices in chapter 1 and judges them—“every one of you who judges”—meaning acting as judge over them, precisely because he thinks he is morally superior and that he doesn’t behave that way himself, at least not in overt, external ways. (again, by comparison… which is a tendency that we all have)

There is a high probability here that Paul has begun to take aim at the self-righteous Jew, which becomes increasingly more explicit and evident as he continues this argument concerning God’s perfect justice in chapter 2.

It is also possible that Paul is taking aim at more moral and cultured Greeks, who would also think themselves better than those who are living in such barbarous paganism. But who is most likely to be those who “know” what Paul is talking about, as he says, “We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things.” (v. 2)

Therefore, most of us studying Romans would explain that Paul has in fact been not only showing that the Gentiles are without excuse and God is justified in his judgment of the godless pagan, but also that Paul has been deliberately setting up this point which he comes to now, where he switches to this singular “you,” to the person who thinks they are better off.

If we’re right about Paul doing this, it brings to remembrance the trap set by Nathan the prophet with David when he had sinned against God with Bathsheba and caused the death of her husband Uriah, when David sought to cover up his sin in other ways that had failed. Nathan tells him a story that raises the hackles of David’s sense of justice, and then Nathan springs the trap: “You are the man.”

Now I’m not arguing for a one to one correlation of Paul with the prophet Nathan’s approach to David, but only that we think it likely that Paul’s argument has intentionally been leading to this. His target all along has been the self-righteous Jew in particular (and anyone thinking that their righteousness outweighs their unrighteousness), which can be applied to any Jew or Gentile who thinks they are morally superior.

In fact, one can easily imagine Paul using this style and this very argument in preaching the gospel in the synagogues when he entered a new city, as was his practice in his missionary travels. (We do not know that Paul did do this for sure, but it certainly is a reasonable possibility.)

So now at this point in the argument Paul uses the expected agreement and nodding of heads (that God is justified in such retribution against the blatant sin of Gentiles) to spring the trap on the those who self-righteously judge others committing such sinful acts. Paul has known all along that this is the harder task: convincing those who think they are better off by religious proximity and external morality, that they are in fact also guilty of thinking too little of God’s glory and his complete and perfect righteousness.

Of course, Paul knows the significance: Such a one fails to acknowledge his true unrighteousness and need of Christ’s righteousness, and that salvation is and always has been by faith in God’s promised One. (and not by works, otherwise those works would have to be accomplished in perfection)

Paul also knows the potential Jewish arguments fluently, because he was himself a Pharisee of Pharisees, who zealously persecuted followers of the way (believers in Jesus Christ). But he was personally confronted about the wrong-headed direction of his self-righteousness, when the risen Jesus appeared to him on the road to Damascus and said, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” (Saul was his Jewish name and Paul his Greek name.) So Paul knows who he is talking to and what he is talking about, because he was just such a person before Christ converted him.

But how can Paul accuse the self-righteous Jew (or any religious or moral person) of practicing the very same things and so incurring God’s judgment?

Hang on there just a minute! Why do you accuse me of practicing “the very same things”?

Paul had specifically said at 1:24 that “God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts.” Paul echoes Jesus from the sermon on the mount that secretly lusting is tantamount to adultery in your heart.

Paul’s question to the self-righteous and judgmental would be, “Have you really never had impure thoughts and desires? [Look again at 1:29ff] You’ve never harbored envy in your heart or had malicious intent? You’ve never been deceitful or contentious (part of the cause for strife with others)? You’ve never spoken evil of someone, or thought too highly of yourself, or even bragged (boasted)? Never been disobedient to parents (always honoring them)? So you’re never foolish or unloving, and you’re always merciful to others and true to every covenant relationship?”

Most of all, “Can you really claim that in all things, in all your living, you glorify God and give him thanks?” (back to the overarching principle of v. 21)

Paul says that “in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.” Yes, you can claim to be less obvious, but you can’t claim to be righteous. Comparing oneself to those whose sin is more externally blatant than our own only proves that we sin more subtly. It absolutely does nothing toward actual positive righteousness.

In contemporary parlance we might paraphrase Paul as saying: “You show me how you don’t commit sin in any way, and I’ll show you someone who is in denial about the complete righteousness of God.” - The one who protests this only proves the point.

So the conclusion Paul leads to in vv. 1-3 is this:

Self-righteous comparer, will you escape God’s righteous judgment? (verses 1-3)

Romans 2:3 “Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?”

Paul’s logical syllogism is as follows in these first three verses:

You too (who judge others) are a practitioner of sin.

God’s judgment rightly falls on all sinners.

You, a sinner, will not escape God’s judgment.

[repeat]

And now let’s also look again at vv. 4&5 together, in which Paul issues the applicational warning through another question and its answer.

In fact, aren’t you flouting God’s kind forbearance that should lead to repentance? (verse 4)

-kindness, forbearance, patience… in that he has not already “handed us over” to our sin, as with the pagans who have persisted in willfully ignoring God and in idolatrous practices. No, you are flouting God’s kindness, despising his patience, looking down on his forbearance with contempt. You are thumbing your nose at God’s kind and patient forbearance with your sin, which should be leading you to repent… before God’s wrath comes upon you.

To repent is to completely change one’s disposition and direction. Repentance would be to humble oneself and agree with God about his perfect righteousness and about my sinfulness, turning from that sin and self-righteousness and seeking God’s mercy (which we know Paul will say comes through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ).

Instead…

In self-righteousness, you are storing up wrath for the day of judgment. (verse 5)

Paul’s point is that these ones who view themselves as morally superior are in fact “earning for themselves the same wrath that is already falling on Gentile sinners.” (Moo, NICNT Romans)

Isn’t it ironic and telling to realize that self-righteousness is itself sin and further evidence of our sinful condition AND the cause of God’s just judgment of us. Thinking we are religiously and morally superior to others is itself a sin that shows our unrighteousness and incurs judgment.

It reveals that we have hearts that are hard (stubborn) and impenitent (unrepentant). By this self-righteous disposition we are storing up, we are amassing and accumulating, God’s righteous wrath to be revealed at the final judgment. (How will God’s wrath, his just judgment then be manifested? In eternal banishment and suffering as the just consequence of our willful rejection of God.)

What we have seen in today’s text is… the huge, albeit predictable, mistake of comparing ourselves to others, thereby wrongly thinking ourselves above God’s judgment. If you think you’re better off than the idolatrous and ungodly pagan, then you’re missing just how righteous God is, and how impartial his justice (vv. 6-11). Even God’s law presents a problem for the Jews because they do not keep it perfectly! (vv. 12-16)

But why is Paul going through all this lengthy description of man’s unrighteousness and God’s perfect justice? Because he wants people to not be self-deceived, but to be saved! In order for any man, woman, or child to trust in Christ alone for salvation (which is the only way to be made right with God), we must first realize that we are all alike rebellious and unrighteous toward our righteous Creator.

Romans 3:10–12 ESV

10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”

But Paul does all this work to get us in the right place to respond to God’s loving mercy through Jesus Christ!

Romans 3:21 ESV

21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it—

Romans 3:22–24 ESV

22 the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,

Paul has established by this point that there is no distinction between levels of sinners, between Jew and Gentile sinners, “for all have sinned and fall short of God’s [perfect and complete] glory.” And God’s justice is perfectly impartial. But praise be to God, by his own grace as a gift, we can be justified (declared righteous by God), because of the redemption that Jesus purchased through his vicarious atonement on the cross and victorious resurrection! And that righteousness is God’s own righteousness that he gives us when we respond in faith… it is for all who believe.

To conclude for today, then…. Based on Paul’s warning against self-righteousness in Rom 2:1-5, we might ask:

Conclusion: What are you counting on to your credit before God?

What are you banking on to make you right with God? What are you counting on will be to your credit when you stand before a holy God, before Christ who will judge in perfect justice? - Are you counting on your works (which are evidently not doing you good, but are in fact storing up wrath for the day of judgment) or are you counting on the righteousness of the risen Christ, who died on the cross to exchange your sin for his righteousness?

If you say, “I think I’m a pretty good person,” and therefore God will accept me, then you are likely still not completely understanding the purpose for Jesus coming and dying on a cross. It wasn’t just to show us a supreme example of sacrificial love, although of course he is the supreme example of sacrificial love. No, Paul’s whole point about the gospel in Romans is that we NEED is death to atone for our sins and his resurrection life to grant us life with God.

Christians, those who know we are known by God in covenant relationship because our posture before him is one of repentance and faith…. We should be continually responding in the humble gratitude of praise and obedience to God, seeking to know his true righteousness and seeking his help to live up to our family name as children of the triune God. Just as we trust in Christ to begin our salvation, so we trust and abide in Christ for the holy life and service (the fruit) that accompanies belonging to him.

Then also we should consider our attitude, our spirit, our posture towards others who are living in sin: We can (and should) label sin as sin, and agree with God that such sin is the cause for his judgment on us as sinners, without having a spirit of condescending judgmentalness. Instead, we should yes hate sin and pray for God to reveal sin and restrain sin, while also compassionately praying for others and proclaiming to them that their sin is leading to eternal condemnation and that they need the perfect righteousness of Christ. And we encourage and challenge and gently confront one another to put off our former lives of sin and put on the radiant clothing of the righteous character of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Let each one of us, whether we are living in overt sin or we are hanging around pretty good people and trying to be pretty good people… Let each one understand that the only righteousness sufficient to make us right with God is the righteousness of Jesus Christ. That’s why he came, and that’s why he willingly died, and that’s why he rose again and is reigning on high… so that in him we might have life, and have it abundantly. And those who have, by faith, received this grace as a gift, may we praise to God for his glory, and give him our whole lives as the thanks that he deserves.

PRAY

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