Judgements of the Heart

Romans 2 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. 12 For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, 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, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. 17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God 18 and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; 19 and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. 24 For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” 25 For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. 26 So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. 28 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.

Some scholars think Paul is talking to the Jews, some the Gentiles. Some think he refers to those in authority. And he is. There were people from all walks in the church at Rome, so he was talking to them all. But for us, he is talking to every man! All mankind. If we need to narrow his audience we can accurately say he was talking to hypocrites. Every man! {King Tut, inside the 4th casket. As soon as baseball season is over, I’m pulling the plug.} ‘Do as I say, not as I do’ stunts the church.

Today we will talk about judging and judgment. I do want to say that there is one thing in the church that is not hypocrisy: No longer being who you used to be. Some of you used to be something else. The kind of person who others would say ‘he’s something else!’ But because of the redemptive work of Jesus in your life, you are that no longer.

Our Judgements of Others

We look and see others engaged in sins of the flesh and sins of the spirit. And we judge. We look and see prodigal sons and elder brothers. And we judge. (Greater sin, lesser sin.) Jesus asked about the man born blind. Jesus looked at that man with compassion. We should too! Integrity, compassion, generosity.

Instead of using grace as license to sin, we should recognize that with great favor comes greater responsibility. Paul pointed this out to the Jews who would read the letter. Even in the church, they had a hard time letting go of old prejudices toward the Gentiles.

We look and see prodigal sons and elder brothers.

Avoidance of trouble in this life, prosperity, is not in itself evidence of God’s favor. Nor is it proof that our sin goes unseen. v.5 Habitual sin acquires for the sinner a hardness of the heart that puts itself in the way of hearing God’s call to repentance. We become the authors of our own destruction. It’s a vicious cycle!

An Exposition of the New Testament, Volumes I–III Chapter 2

as the judgment will be general to all, it will be special to every one, and will proceed according to their works; for God will render to wicked men according to the demerit of their sins, the just recompense of reward, eternal damnation; and to good men eternal life, not according to the merit of their good works, which have none in them, but according to the nature of them; such who believe in Christ

will receive the reward of the inheritance, which is a reward of grace, and not of debt.

receive the reward of the inheritance, which is a reward of grace, and not of debt.

Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 2, p. 425). London: Mathews and Leigh.

God’s Judgement of Unbelievers

Will be final/void of bartering. But lets rewind. Backup a bit. It is not the judgement of God that leads men to repentance. That is not the purpose of judgement. v. 4 told us it is His kindness that leads men to repentance. That’s revolutionary! Why isnt that verse plastered all over products to be sold!? I can do all things… Yeah, you can show God’s kindness to wretched unbelievers! I know the plans I have for you… Yeah, plans to show God’s kindness to those who live contrary to the gospel!

Remember Nineveh. Nineveh was a place where much evil was done. (It was not the place that was evil, it was the people. There is not a square inch of this earth that wont be redeemed when Christ sets up His kingdom here.) The kindness of God to send Jonah (whose heart was not necessarily right) to Nineveh assured their repentance.

Great white throne judgement: As told in , all whose names are NOT WRITTEN in the Book of Life will be thrown into the Lake of Fire, also the final destination of death and hell.

God’s Judgement of Believers

Measured by the work of Christ on the cross. We have said before, Jesus filled to the very top the requirements of the law so there is no room for me to add anything. So God’s judgement of believers is not based on what we do toward salvation, but what Jesus did on our behalf.

Jesus’ judgement at the Judgement seat of Christ will then judge us based on what we did with His work on the cross. How we let that be played out in our lives. There, we will be rewarded according to our deeds.

So what do we do with this idea of judgment?

Let God judge. Hold sin accountable in each other’s lives? Yes! But it is God who will judge. We can trust that.

Live in thankfulness for Jesus who filled up the law.

Know that there is a destination for those who dont believe. That place was made for those who rebelled against God. It was made for death and hell. And let the knowledge of the Lake of Fire prompt you to reach out to those who dont yet believe.