The Mechanism of Judgement

Chapter 2:1-16 combines the two ideas that we just discussed and then expounds on them. Therefore is a connecting word. It connects the previous ideas to this one. In the previous weeks we saw that Paul proclaims the judgement of God on on those who reject the gospel so that they can live their lives for themselves.

So then does the Bible teach that judging is wrong?

What if I were to tell you that judgement can be part of a healthy Christian experience? What if I told you there is a biblical way to judge each other? Today we are going to look at an often misunderstood passage of scripture. This passage is often quoted by those who do not believe in appropriate correction.

today we are going to look at what the bible says about correct and incorrect judgement. We are going to see that judging another’s actions to be right and wrong really isn’t the issue but rather the problem is not applying the same universal judgement to ourselves.

Romans 2:1–16 CSB

1 Therefore, every one of you who judges is without excuse. For when you judge another, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is based on the truth. 3 Do you think—anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same—that you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? 5 Because of your hardened and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed. 6 He will repay each one according to his works: 7 eternal life to those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality; 8 but wrath and anger to those who are self-seeking and disobey the truth while obeying unrighteousness. 9 There will be affliction and distress for every human being who does evil, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek; 10 but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no favoritism with God. 12 For all who sin without the law will also perish without the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For the hearers of the law are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified. 14 So, when Gentiles, who do not by nature have the law, do what the law demands, they are a law to themselves even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts. Their consciences confirm this. Their competing thoughts either accuse or even excuse them 16 on the day when God judges what people have kept secret, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.

There once was young woman that would observe how dirty her neighbors laundry was while hanging out to dry. She would routinley tell her husband how disgusted she was at her neigbors standard of clean. After a month, she noticed the laundry was spotless and assumed the neighbor had improved. So she went to her husband someone must have finally taught this woman how to wash clothes. It was then Her husband revealed that he had gotten around to washing their windows. This humorous story illustrates for us that t our perspective can often be clouded by our own issues.

It’s no secret the nation of Israel believed God had two standards of judgement. One for the jews and one for the gentiles. The average religious jew believed themselves to get a free pass because they were God’s chosen people. Even though they themselves were sinners their judgement of others was no more than a thinly veiled excuse to ignore that they themselves need redemption. You see judgement in itself was not the issue. The reason for their judgement of others was. They would not let him in.

This is the backdrop of Romans 2. Once again this shows us how important historical context is to interpretation. One cannot simply open the Bible and ask what does it mean to me? Instead we must ask what did it mean to the original audience and how does this understanding apply to my way of life. Context is king. This is why I believe strongly in expository preaching. Preaching through books of the Bible and literally exposing the meaning.

The first thing I want you to notice is that the Judgement of God is equally applied; that is it is universal.

I. The Universal Judgement of God

Romans 2:1–3 CSB

1 Therefore, every one of you who judges is without excuse. For when you judge another, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is based on the truth. 3 Do you think—anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same—that you will escape God’s judgment?

Did you know the judgement of God is equally applied? Due to the genealogical arrogance of the Jews they believed themselves to have a individual specialized standing before God. They were free to shake their heads and fist at sinners because in their eyes being a Jew meant they were not under God’s judgment. God would overlook their sin because they were special.

After all they were much more moral than the world around them. They didn’t worship other gods. They ate the right things, went to the synogogue, memorized scripture and participated in worship. God wouldn’t judge them the same way he would judge the unbelieving gentile world, right?

But lets look again at what Paul tells them in verse Romans 2:1

Romans 2:1 CSB

1 Therefore, every one of you who judges is without excuse. For when you judge another, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things.

Paul says look if you are able to rightly discern and condemn that the actions of your neighbor. You recognize they are living in disobedience Then you know what God expects of you. So if you judge you are admitting you know what is right and wrong. So then if you do these things weather as religious jew or a pagan gentile both people are without excuse. In essence the jews were the inventors of I am not a christian because of all those hypocrites in church. I am better than those sinners. But the word says even if you are morally above the rest, you are still a sinner in need of a savior. This comparison game will not save you.

Why?

Because God’s judgement is not based on your works or on your national standing but on truth. God will judge each of our works on the same criteria, His commands, His words. None of us get a pass. All have sinned.

Romans 2:2 CSB

2 Now we know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is based on the truth.

So don’t be fooled into thinking you are special before God. You will be judged by they truth not by your good deeds, religious activity , geneology or family religious history. You will be judged by God’s law.

Romans 2:3 CSB

3 Do you think—anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same—that you will escape God’s judgment?

You see the Jews thought they wanted God’s judgement to fall down immediately on the roman sinners. They wanted all those who were not jewish in Israel to be wiped from the map. So Paul is telling them be careful for which you wish. God’s judgement is equally applied to both Jew and Gentile. His wrath will be impartial. Skip down to verse 5

Romans 2:5–11 CSB

5 Because of your hardened and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed. 6 He will repay each one according to his works: 7 eternal life to those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality; 8 but wrath and anger to those who are self-seeking and disobey the truth while obeying unrighteousness. 9 There will be affliction and distress for every human being who does evil, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek; 10 but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no favoritism with God.

In verse 9 we see the term “affliction and distress”. This term is not referring to this life, but rather the life after the final verdict of guilty is given. It has the idea of eternally suffering and oppression. Here the jews thought that their suffering would end when God would destroy the gentile nations. Instead God says when my judgement comes on the world, your suffering and hardship begins. It’s alluding to the eternal lake of fire. In fact, the jews will be judged first even before the gentile world because they were the ones entrusted with the truth.

But then verse 10 tells us that if we do good than we are okay.

Romans 2:10 CSB

10 but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.

There is just one problem here....None of us do good. In the very next chapter in Romans 3:10-12. Paul tells us that all of us have already messed this up. We are not good.

Romans 3:10–12 CSB

10 as it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one. 11 There is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. 12 All have turned away; all alike have become worthless. There is no one who does what is good, not even one.

So then understand this. God’s judgement is coming but He is patient.

II. God’s patience is for our benefit, but his judgement is sure.

Romans 2:4 CSB

4 Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

In other words, don’t be fooled. Don’t misunderstand the reason God has not reigned down his all consuming fire on the world. Don’t take God’s patience for a sign that he is not there, he does not care, or that he is not coming.

2 Peter 3:9 CSB

9 The Lord does not delay his promise, as some understand delay, but is patient with you, not wanting any to perish but all to come to repentance.

His patience is to give you time to repent. If you are here today and rejecting the gospel of Christ. You are alive today only because God desires you to come to him and is patient.

But that window is closing with every passing second. As I speak you have less time to repent now than you did before I started this message. Maybe this wouldn’t be as freightening if we could see the clock. But the truth is we do not know, how long we have. Will the enjoyment of your sin in this short present life be worth the torture of an eternity in the lake of fire?

I don’t say this out of anger but out true concern for you. This should cause you great fear.

Hebrews 10:31 CSB

31 It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands of the living God.

Look at Romans 2:5

Romans 2:5 CSB

5 Because of your hardened and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed.

Romans 2:8 CSB

8 but wrath and anger to those who are self-seeking and disobey the truth while obeying unrighteousness.

Do you not see it. If you are waiting on salvation because you believe yourself to be morally superior and trusting in your good works scripture says you will stand before God condemned. In the process you are storing up God’s eternal wrath.

YOu see....

III. You will have no excuse before God

Romans 2:12–16 CSB

12 For all who sin without the law will also perish without the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For the hearers of the law are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified. 14 So, when Gentiles, who do not by nature have the law, do what the law demands, they are a law to themselves even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts. Their consciences confirm this. Their competing thoughts either accuse or even excuse them 16 on the day when God judges what people have kept secret, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.

In other words, on the day of judgement you cannot fool God. You cannot claim, you didn’t know. You cannot ask for a pardon due to ignorance or based upon any good you have done. It will not be good enough. Every action and evil thought will be brought before the Lord and condemned. You yourself When standing in the presence of a holy God will recognize that God is just and perfect in condeming you to an eternity in the lake of fire. You will be speechless, humbled and in agreement with God’s just proclamation

IV. What do I do now?

Maybe you are here today and like the jailer in

Acts 16:30 CSB

30 He escorted them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

How do I escape Gods wrath.

The answer is in the last phrase of Romans 2:16

Romans 2:16 CSB

16 on the day when God judges what people have kept secret, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.

As you take your next breath, God’s judgement has not yet fallen on us yet so there is still time to be saved.

Acts 16:31 CSB

31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”

To believe is not to simply believe in Jesus existence.

James 2:19 CSB

19 You believe that God is one. Good! Even the demons believe—and they shudder.

To believe in Jesus is to believe his holy word. His word, says we must repent.

Acts 3:19 CSB

19 Therefore repent and turn back, so that your sins may be wiped out,

To repent means to agree with God about your sinful condition and then choose to let go of your life. You are turning away from sin and instead turning to a righteous savior.

You are believing in the Lord Jesus...You are trusting in Him.

1 Corinthians 15:3–4 CSB

3 For I passed on to you as most important what I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

If you truly believe the Gospel you will repent and turn to Jesus Christ in faith.

Ephesians 2:8–9 “8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift— 9 not from works, so that no one can boast.” ,

Sin is your problem you cannot be good enough to get a pass, but God in his grace paid the fine.

Will you repent today before it’s too late?

Now I mentioned at the beginning that their is a correct way and a wrong way to judge. The correct way is for us first to judge ourselves recognizing that it is only Christ in us that gives us righteousness. This gives us a clean window to look through. Based upon someones actions, proclamations, and beleif we can judge a person by the word of God. We can judge them to be sinners in need God’s grace.. just as we ourselves once were. Now instead of being defined as a sinner. Scripture defines as saints. Saints that happen to sin. But saints none the less. So act like a saint.

Lets pray.