No Special Favors

Romans 2:1-11.

In todays study passage, Apostle Paul zero’s in on the hypocritical practice of judging others, while committing the same sins, ourselves.

His simple answer is that God does not play favorites and everyone will be judged impartially based on their individual actions.

Apostle Paul addresses the issue of hypocrisy in judgment and emphasizes God's impartiality.

We will look at how God does not play favorites and that everyone will be judged based on their individual actions and heart condition.

This passage should challenge us to examine our own lives before judging others and reminds us of God's universal love and judgment.

In the early chapters of Genesis, we find the story of Cain and Abel. Both brothers brought offerings to God, but only Abel's was accepted. Cain's felt rejection led to jealousy and anger.

God did not favor Abel over Cain, but rather...

Abel brought a genuine offering from a place of faith, while Cain did not.

This illustrates that God does not play favorites; He looks upon the heart and the sincerity behind our actions.

This should give us all pause to reflect on our own actions and how we assess others and recognize and judge others.

We should all be encouraged, and encourage others to chase after God’s righteousness.

Allowing for God’s grace and mercy to be at the fore front as we respond in true repentance and faith.

In the bigger picture of life, Christ is the perfect example of God’s love and mercy- Opening Salvation to all, regardless of ethnic heritage, social status or personal background.

All have sinned and are in need of God’s saving grace.

Inside the Christian community- This requires us to humble ourselves and allow for personal vulnerability to be held accountable by our fellow believers.

In the New Testament, the Apostle Paul reminds the Galatians that God shows no favoritism.

The early church struggled with acceptance of Gentiles, as some believed salvation was only for Jews.

Paul's bold proclamation that in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Gentile, means that God's love and grace are equally available to all.

It's a powerful reminder that God welcomes everyone, regardless of their background or past.

Iron truly does sharpen iron.

So lets begin to break down this passage into bite sized chunks.

1- Human Hypocrisy

Romans 2:1–4 ESV

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. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 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? 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?

Repeating the theme from Chapter one, “Therefore you have no excuse, O man...”

Paul reminds his readers, humanity has not changed with the passage of time. Judging others- Yet doing the very things we pass judgement on-

This has been a fault of mankind since the Garden of Eden.

Therefore, those who practice this kind of hypocrisy deserve all of the judgement that God would choose to bring on them. There is no escape from Gods Judgement and we still have no excuses.

God’s patience in executing judgement has been recorded multiple times across the entirety of Scripture-

God has always been long on patience and slow to anger,

It is incumbent on us to see this as as Gods way of giving us every opportunity to come to repentance and express our gratitude for His grace and patience with us.

We need to focus less on finger pointing and more on self reflection in regards to our own actions- echoing Christ’s example of forgiveness for all.

Self-reflection is crucial: Before we judge others, we must honestly examine our own actions and intentions. As Paul points out, we often condemn ourselves by judging others for the very things we practice.

So how do we do that? Lets look at that next.

2- Proper Response to Righteousness

Romans 2:5–8 ESV

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. He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.

Paul draws a clear line between those that have hardened their hearts towards God...

And those that have chosen to find the glory of God, through His Righteousness

We are, once again asked to reflect on our own lives and judge for ourselves our own actions and intentions.

By NOT submitting our will to God’s will, we not only reject Him, but we are also adding to our, already, complicated lives of sin.

The hard heart will simply continue to add to the hardness and bitterness, until that day that God will hold every human accountable for our actions and how we lived our lives.

make not mistake, God’s Righteous judgement will. one day, be revealed.

And with it, God’s wrath poured out against all who have rejected Him.

This not a feeble attempt to “Scare people into heaven”

But a sincere plea to those who would think that God is not all that concerned, cares, or even exists at all.

While showing great patience with us, God’s final judgement will be swift and complete.

There will be no level of wealth, Popularity, Favors or Political influence that will help the hardened heart escape God’s Final judgement.

Our response to that fact should be to seek out and uphold true justice,

To love and embrace mercy,

Now is the time to fulfill the Commission of Christ for all Believers-

To love as Christ did. To love those lost in their sins so much that we cannot bear to see them stay lost and burdened by their hardened hearts.

We must, always be ready to give an account, as to why we believe what we believe. To continually ensure that our actions are in line with what our Faith professes to be.

As an example:

If you see your children playing together but you see one to more favored or give preferential treatment to one more than the others...

Trust me, they will know this, and it can lead to jealousy and resentment among them.

Take time to consider your interactions with your kids, and think about how you can express love equally.

Set aside time each week to engage with each child individually. Show them you cherish their unique qualities and achievements.

Use this time to pray together, nurturing a family environment grounded in unity and equality, reminding your kids that, like God, you love each of them wholeheartedly without preference.

God's patience is for our benefit: We should recognize God's kindness and patience as an opportunity for repentance and growth, not as a license to continue in sin.

So how can we reflect God’s love and righteousness equally?

3- God’s Love and Judgement are Universal

Romans 2:9–11 ESV

There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality.

The story of the Prodigal Son is one of the most poignant in the Bible. Upon returning home, the elder brother was incensed by the father's lavish welcome for the wayward son.

The father replied, 'Your brother was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.'

This illustrates God's heart that seeks and rejoices over the lost, showing no favoritism for who deserves grace more. Every soul matters equally to Him.

It is, sadly, human to play favorites.

But in the Spiritual realm, God weigh’s out His Love, compassion and Judgement and Wrath, equally on all of humanity.

God reached out to the Jews, First, as His chosen people. But, He never meant for that relationship to be exclusive.

God has always had the plan of Salvation to be inclusive of all. Once, again highlighting Gods impartial nature to all.

In echoing Christs love for all, we must extend grace to all without discrimination.

Jesus broke down the social barriers of His day, just as we must.

Jesus never compromised the true intent of the Salvation message, and we must not either.

The Gospel message encapsulated in God’s plan of Salvation for all, has never changed.

While engaging in public discussions, it can be tempting to gravitate towards groups that share your beliefs, inadvertently sidelining others.

To counter this, practice initiating conversations with individuals whose perspectives differ from yours.

Expose yourself to diverse viewpoints without judgment. ( But also without compromising your Faith)

Attend community events aimed at bridging gaps between various social groups. While doing so aligns with the biblical idea of loving your neighbor, promoting understanding and compassion in a world that often divides, we must also recognize that there are those that will soundly reject your ideas.

Do not let this deter you, as the world rejected Christ and has continued to rebel against God from the very beginning.

Your willingness to listen and engage can reflect God's impartial love, showing others they matter too.

In the book of James, it is vividly stated that playing favorites is a sin.

James uses the example of a rich man and a poor man entering a gathering.

If we show favoritism, we contradict the heart of God who favors the humble and broken spirit.

This challenges us to see everyone through God’s eyes and reminds us that in His kingdom, we are all equally loved and valued.

Paul’s emphasis, here, is that it is of no importance to God what we may think of ourselves or how we think we appear to be...

But, rather how we actually appear in God’s sight.

For there will be, “ tribulation and distress...” or as Paul mentions later in the letter, “Outward affliction and Inward Distress...”

However, there is the promise of “...glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good...”

Previously, in verse seven, he even adds, “Immortality” to the Glory, Honor and Peace.

Although humanity is diverse on many levels, We will all stand before a perfect and holy God, at the end of days.

We are all equally guilty of sin, at the foot of the Cross, but...

Because of the redemptive power of the Cross, We can all stand equally forgiven before God’s Throne in Heaven.

Impartiality in love and judgment: God's love and judgment apply equally to all people, regardless of background or status. This should inspire us to treat others with the same impartiality and extend grace to all.

As we move forward this week, let's strive to embody the impartial love of God in our daily interactions.

Consider how you can engage with those who differ from you, showing them the same value and respect that God shows to all His children.

Remember, in Christ, there is neither Jew nor Gentile, and God's love is equally available to all.

May God's grace and peace be with you all.