Living in Light of a Righteous Judge

Introduction

Opening Illustration: “The Wrong House”

In 2009, a story made headlines about a man in Texas who, after returning home late from work, pulled into his driveway, walked up the porch, unlocked the door with his key, and stepped inside… only to find a stranger in the kitchen making coffee.

They both froze.

The man said, “Who are you and what are you doing in my house?”

The stranger said, “Sir, I live here. What are you doing in my house?”

Turns out, in his fatigue, the man had pulled into the wrong driveway—same make of house, just one street over. He had judged the stranger as an intruder when, in fact, he was the one who had crossed the line. He was ready to call the cops on someone else when he was the one who didn’t belong.

We laugh at stories like this… but Romans 2 tells us we often do the very same thing spiritually.

If you have your Bibles please turn to Romans chapter 2 as we will read the text together here in just a few moments. As you turn there, I would like to take a moment to remind you of the image Paul gives us in Romans Chapter 1.

In Romans 1, Paul paints a bleak portrait of a world that has rejected God. It’s full of idolatry, impurity, pride, and rebellion. And many of us—reading it—might nod our heads and say, “Amen. The world is messed up.”

But in Romans 2, Paul turns the spotlight—not outward, but inward.

He’s speaking now not to the obvious rebels, but to the religious, the rule-keepers, the self-appointed spiritual judges who say all the right things—but are blind to the sin festering beneath the surface of their own lives.

This is the boomerang effect of judgment: it circles back and hits you in the heart.

Paul is not condemning discernment—he’s condemning hypocrisy. The kind of judgment that points the finger but never examines the heart. The kind that sees the stain on someone else’s soul but forgets the crimson on its own hands.

Today’s message is a call to stop standing in the judge’s seat and start standing before the mirror. It’s a call to humility, to repentance, and to reality.

Because God is not fooled by our religious masks.

He is not swayed by our comparisons.

He is the Righteous Judge, the Kind Savior, and the Impartial King.

If you have found your way to Romans chapter 2 would you say Word? And would you please stand in the honor of reading God’s Word,

Romans 2:1–11 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. 6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.

Pray

The first thing I’d like us to see this morning is to:

1. Drop the Gavel—Look in the Mirror

Romans 2:1–3(ESV)

Romans 2:1–3 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?

Explanation

Romans 2:1 marks a rhetorical and theological pivot in Paul's argument. After vividly describing the moral depravity and idolatry of the Gentile world (Romans 1:18–32), Paul turns his attention to a new audience: those who believe themselves morally superior—most likely Jews, but by extension any religious moralist. As Dr. Thomas Schreiner, a Southern Baptist theologian and author of the Romans volume in the Baker Exegetical Commentary on the New Testament, notes:

“Paul now zeroes in on those who would agree with the condemnation of the Gentiles, but fail to see their own guilt. Their amen to Paul’s rebuke becomes a boomerang that circles back and strikes their own conscience.”[1]

The phrase “you who judge” (v.1) refers not to the exercise of discernment, but to a self-righteous spirit that condemns others while overlooking or excusing one’s own guilt. This is not righteous judgment aligned with God’s standards, but a hypocritical judgment that masks internal sin under external superiority.

Theological Perspective

“Paul is dealing with the religious person who thinks his own morality earns him favor with God. But God is not impressed with appearances; He sees the heart. Hypocrisy is not hidden from Him.”[2]

In 2019, the LifeWay Research Discipleship Pathway Assessment found that among core spiritual disciplines, "Transparency with God and Others" ranked among the lowest areas of growth in many churches. In other words, while believers often affirm biblical morality outwardly, self-examination and humility are underdeveloped spiritual muscles.

Illustration

It is like we go to the gym and forget about leg day. We work out other spiritual muscles but leave out transparency with God and others out of the mix.

Paul’s logic is surgical here. He cuts beneath the veneer of religiosity to reveal the heart’s alignment with sin, even in those who externally denounce it. This mirrors Jesus’ own condemnation of the Pharisees in Matthew 23:27

Matthew 23:27 ESV

27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs, which outwardly appear beautiful, but within are full of dead people’s bones and all uncleanness.

—“whitewashed tombs… full of dead men’s bones.”

“You condemn yourself,” Paul says, because the act of judging others becomes a mirror. The very thing one condemns is embedded in one’s own life. The word translated “practice” implies a habitual action, not a one-time lapse. In other words, Paul accuses the moralist of living in the same sins he detests in others.

Doctrine of God’s Judgment

“God is all-powerful and all-knowing; and His perfect knowledge extends to all things, past, present, and future… He is the righteous Judge who judges all men according to His truth.”

Romans 2:2 reinforces this—“God’s judgment rightly falls on those who practice such things.” The word translated “rightly” means "according to truth." God’s justice is not based on appearances, heritage, or comparison to others, but on truth and the inward reality of the heart.

Biblical-Theological Synthesis

As we see in this text, Paul's progression aligns with the prophetic tradition of the Old Testament, where the prophet begins by condemning the nations before dramatically turning to Israel herself. The message: Don’t cheer judgment on others if you haven’t considered your own heart.

Theologically, this sets the stage for Romans 3:23—“All have sinned…”—

Romans 3:23 ESV

23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

making clear that no one escapes the need for grace. The standard is not "better than them"; the standard is God’s holiness.

Illustration

Imagine a judge who regularly condemns thieves but secretly embezzles funds. Eventually, his verdicts lose all credibility. Paul is showing that’s exactly what we do when we judge others while ignoring our sin. The gavel we slam on others’ lives rebounds back on our own.

Application

We must trade judgment for humility. Jesus said in Matthew 7:5, “First take the log out of your own eye.” Humility begins where hypocrisy dies.

Action Step:

Spend time asking God to show you where your standards for others exceed your obedience to yourself. Repent of any critical spirit or self-righteousness. Ask: Where have I demanded perfection from others while excusing compromise in myself?

2. Don’t Waste Grace—Turn While There’s Time

Romans 2:4–5 ESV

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.

Explanation

1. “Or do you presume…” — The Danger of Entitled Religion

The Greek word kataphroneō (“presume”) carries the weight of despising, treating lightly, or showing contempt. It’s not just taking God’s grace for granted—it’s despising it through disregard. Paul rebukes a heart that interprets God’s delay in judgment as either approval or irrelevance.

“Paul addresses the presumption of those who interpret God’s delay in judgment as evidence that judgment will never come. But divine patience should not be mistaken for divine permissiveness.”[3]

Paul lists three divine qualities:

1. Kindness– God’s benevolence, generosity, and grace toward sinners.

2. Forbearance– God’s suspension of deserved judgment.

3. Patience– God's long-suffering character, even in the face of continued sin.

Each of these are "riches"—not just attributes, but divine treasures—lavished upon people not because they deserve them, but because God is slow to anger.

“God is not a pushover, nor is He slow to act out of apathy. His grace is purposeful—it gives space for repentance, not license for sin.”[4]

2. “…Not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” — The Goal of Grace

This rhetorical question cuts deep. The phrase “meant to lead” translates from agei, a present-active indicative verb—indicating ongoing intentionality. God’s kindness is not random or indefinite, but has a goal: repentance (metanoia)—a turning of the whole self (mind, heart, and behavior) away from sin and toward God.

“Repentance is the only correct response to Grace. The moment we use grace as permission instead of transformation, we’ve turned God’s mercy into mockery.”[5]

Biblically, repentance is never separate from faith (Mark 1:15). It’s more than sorrow—it’s submission to the reign of God. Paul echoes the OT prophets (cf. Joel 2:13) who proclaimed, “Rend your heart, not your garments.”

Presuming upon grace is not just a misunderstanding—it’s a theological error rooted in a faulty view of God’s character. Many in Paul's audience may have assumed their Jewish heritage insulated them from wrath, but Paul dismantles this logic. Covenant privilege does not negate covenant responsibility.

3. “But because of your hard and impenitent heart…” (v 5a) — The Response to Ignored Mercy

Paul shifts from gentle rebuke to stark warning. The language here echoes Pharaoh in Exodus—a “hard” (Greek: sklērotēs) and “impenitent” (Greek: ametanoēton) heart is not merely passive—it’s actively resistant to God.

Paul’s Jewish audience would immediately recognize the echo of Ezekiel 36:26, where God promises to remove their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Here, Paul points out: their hearts are still stone, because they refuse to respond to kindness with repentance.

Adrian Rogers, the longtime pastor of Bellevue once said:

“The same sun that melts ice hardens clay. It’s not the kindness that condemns, but the heart’s refusal to be changed by it.”

4. “You are storing up wrath…” (v 5b) — The Judgment Bank

The phrase “storing up” (thēsaurizeis) is vivid—it’s where we get the English word “thesaurus,” meaning treasure store. This person is accumulating not grace, but wrath—like compounding interest in a bank account. But this account matures on the “day of wrath”—the final day when God's judgment is fully revealed (cf. Romans 2:16; Revelation 20:11–15).

This is a sobering contrast:

Those who repent store up grace and reward (Matthew 6:19–20).

Matthew 6:19–20 ESV

19 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.

But those who reject grace store up wrath.

In other words, “God will judge the world by Jesus Christ according to the righteousness of His character. The unrighteous will be consigned to Hell... the place of everlasting punishment.”[6]

This “wrath” is not rage, but the settled, holy opposition of God to all sin. God is not easily provoked—but He is perfectly just.

To sum it up, Paul’s point is this: Don’t mistake God’s patience as permission. Grace is not a loophole—it’s a lifeline. The longer someone resists, the heavier their account becomes. Mercy has an expiration date.

According to Lifeway Research, “Among practicing Christians, 72% say they believe God is patient, but only 36% say they feel urgency about repentance.”[7]

Paul’s message to the Romans—and us—is: Feel the urgency. Let kindness lead you to repentance!

Illustration

Picture a man ignoring the blinking “Check Engine” light on his dashboard. The longer he drives, the worse the damage becomes. Eventually, the engine dies—not because there wasn’t a warning, but because he didn’t respond to it. God’s kindness is that warning light—meant to lead us to repentance before breakdown comes.

Application

Many people mistake God’s patience for permission. “If He hasn’t judged me yet, I must be okay,” they think. But God’s mercy is a window, not a loophole.

Action Step:

Ask: Where have I been delaying obedience or repentance because I assume there’s more time? Don’t let His mercy become your excuse to sin. Let it move you to surrender.

3. Live for the Eternal—Not the Applause

Romans 2:6–11 ESV

6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.

Explanation

1. “He will render to each one according to his works” — Divine Reciprocity

Paul is quoting from Psalm 62:12 and Proverbs 24:12, affirming a consistent biblical theme: God repays according to deeds. The verb “render” (apodōsei) implies not just repayment, but just and appropriate recompense—God’s judgment corresponds to a person’s life trajectory.

Importantly, this is not a denial of salvation by grace. Paul is not saying we earn salvation through works. Rather, he is establishing that works are the evidence of faith, not the cause of salvation.

“Paul is not advocating salvation by works, but he insists that future judgment will be based on works because works manifest the authenticity of one’s faith.”[8]

This is consistent with James 2:26,

James 2:26 ESV

26 For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.

 Faith alone saves—but never faith that is alone!

2. Two Paths, Two Outcomes (vv. 7–10)

A. The Path of Patient Obedience

“To those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality…” (v. 7)

This speaks not of perfection but of persistent orientation toward God. The Greek word for “patience” (hypomonē) means steadfast endurance. These are people whose lives are marked by a Godward trajectory, even when it’s difficult.

The three things they seek:

1. Glory — not self-glory, but sharing in God’s glory (cf. Romans 8:17–18).

2. Honor — not worldly status, but being honored by God at the final judgment (John 12:26).

John 12:26 ESV

26 If anyone serves me, he must follow me; and where I am, there will my servant be also. If anyone serves me, the Father will honor him.

3. Immortality — eternal life in fellowship with God.

To these, Paul says, God gives eternal life (zōē aiōnios), not as a reward earned, but as a gracious end to a life of genuine faith revealed through endurance and obedience.

B. The Path of Self-Seeking Disobedience

“But for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth…” (8)

“Self-seeking," refers to ambition driven by rivalry or selfish gain. It’s the opposite of God-glorifying humility.

These individuals:

1. Reject truth, as Romans 1:18–25 teaches.

2. Obey unrighteousness (literally submit to injustice).

As a result, their outcome is “wrath and fury”—words Paul does not use lightly. “Wrath” is God’s settled anger against sin. “Fury” intensifies it with imagery of boiling-over indignation. This reflects the final judgment (cf. Revelation 20:11–15), where all rebellion is fully and justly answered.

3. Impartial Justice for All (vv. 9–11)

Paul drives home the universality of judgment:

“To the Jew first and also to the Greek” — This reflects both priority and equality. Jews received God’s revelation first (Romans 3:1–2), but that doesn't grant them favoritism. Gentiles, though without the Law, are also accountable as we will see next Sunday in Romans 2:14–15.

“Glory, honor, and peace…” — They stand in complete contrast to the “tribulation and distress” reserved for those who do evil.

Ultimately, God shows no partiality, “For God shows no partiality”

In the ancient world, showing “partiality” meant judging by external appearances, status, or identity. Paul dismantles the idea that religious heritage, race, status, or ritual obedience can influence God’s verdict. In other words, it doesn’t matter who you are, God judges you the same no matter your heritage, race, or status.

God's grace and judgment are impartial—His salvation is open to all, and His justice is exacting to all.

What ultimately matters most of all is your heart! Do you belong to Jesus or the world?

Illustration

Think of two actors on a stage. One plays to the crowd, feeding off applause. The other performs for the director, unseen in the back of the theater. At the end, only one will receive the director’s approval. Paul calls us to live for the unseen audience of One. Are you living for Jesus or for the world’s applause?

Application

It’s easy to build our lives around what people see and praise. But God's gaze sees beyond performance into motive. He’s not impressed by applause. He’s moved by obedience.

Action Step:

Evaluate your motivations. Are your choices shaped more by eternal reward or temporary recognition? Choose today to do good even when no one is watching—especially when no one is watching.

Conclusion: Righteous Judge, Kind Savior, Impartial King

Paul’s words in Romans 2:1–11 strip away every excuse, every mask, and every false confidence. They confront us with three unshakable truths:

1. God’s judgment is righteous — He doesn’t miss, He doesn’t forget, and He isn’t fooled. He sees behind our pretenses and past our performances. His justice is not measured by comparison to others, but by truth.

2. God’s kindness is transformational — It is not soft sentiment, but strong mercy. It doesn’t enable sin; it invites repentance. Every breath we take outside of judgment is a gift meant to bring us to our knees—not drift us further into pride.

3. God’s justice is impartial — There are no VIP passes in God’s courtroom. No amount of heritage, reputation, or religious ritual can substitute for a heart yielded to Him. The same gospel goes out to the Jew and the Greek, the churched and the prodigal, the moralist and the rebel.

We are left with a decision: take for granted grace or respond to it.

This is the dividing line of eternity.

The righteous Judge is the wounded Savior.

He is the friend of sinners.

And His kindness is calling you to repentance.

Will you come running to Jesus?

With every head bowed and eye closed

[1]         Schreiner, Romans, BECNT, p. 108

[2]         Boa, Holman NT Commentary: Romans, p. 61

[3]         Romans (BECNT), p. 110

[4]         Boa and Kruidenier, Romans, p. 63

[5]         SBC Theological Seminary Panel (2022)

[6]         The Baptist Faith and Message (2000)

[7]         Lifeway Research Insight (2017)

[8]         Schreiner, Romans, BECNT, p. 114