Romans 2_1-16 Excuses Excuses
Romans 2:1-16
Excuses, Excuses
Secular:
On the same plane…
Same ride… Same predicament
Same position apart from God…
Arrogance comes from assuming different position
Biblical:
Romans 2:1 Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. 3 But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: 7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life; 8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 10 but glory and honour and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God. 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 just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.
Personal:
Cartoon…
Two gentlemen sitting across a desk from a police officer…
They are obviously dressed as bank robbers with the mask over there eyes… and an empty loot bag…
The caption underneath… is the police officer making sure he has the story right…
You mean you left your car idling outside the bank and someone stole it?
Bridge:
They didn’t want the rules to apply to them… but did want the benefit and protection of the rules.
Funny….
Somehow in our faith we like to skip the rules side…
We want there benefits…
We want other to abide by them…
We don’t really want them to infringe on us…
The lesson Paul has for us today…
God’s Righteousness is a whole person reality…
FAITH AND POLITICS….
God’s Righteousness is a whole person reality…
Body:
God condemns the Self-righteous!
2:1 Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. 3 But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?
- Conversation…
- Self justifying…
- Measure of the world…
- Fudge a little… but cheat no….
- I treat my wife better than my friends
- I support charity more than my friends…
- I am not AS materialistic as my friends…
- RELATIVISTIC fiath… based on the world not God
- Jews would pray…
- Thank-you Lord for not making me a Samaritan
- Please Lord keep me from being as the Gentile.
- The measure is not the world…. “everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.’
- I am not as bad… but I do it
- I am not as mean…
- Not as ruthless…
- Not as gossipy
- Not as spiteful
- Not as angry
- We are not judge by our standards… using ourselves as the measure… THEIR measure is not God’s Standard
- We have taken just enough of God’s truth to know the world is not doing it…
- Then we become relativistic…
- God is the standard…
- Whether you lied to your spouse
- Whether you lusted after someone
- Whether you have divorced against God’s will as a heterosexual
- Whether you have consummated a homosexual relationship
- Whether you were unkind to a stranger.
- ALL SIN… ALL AGAINST GOD… ALL WITHOUT EXCUSE
- Jonah 3:10 When God saw that Nineveh had put a stop to their evil ways, he had mercy on them and didn't carry out the destruction he had threatened. 4:1 This change of plans upset Jonah, and he became very angry.2 So he complained to the LORD about it: "Didn't I say before I left home that you would do this, LORD? That is why I ran away to Tarshish! I knew that you were a gracious and compassionate God, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love. I knew how easily you could cancel your plans for destroying these people.
- How often do we sound like Jonah… and ya… but look at them
- Paul warns us…
- Romans 2:1 You may be saying, "What terrible people you have been talking about!" But you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you do these very same things.
- God condemns the Self-righteous!
- Recognition leads to a changed life!
- Do you lead a changed life?
God offers his Righteousness
4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS 7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life; 8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 10 but glory and honour and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.
- Do you get it…
- Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience… Changed Lives!!
- The offer of God… the nature of God… the righteousness of God
- It isn’t about us… it is about God!... na-na-na-na
- Self-righteousness… turns against God…
- Take seriously… the option… to simply - talk God talk… maybe really be elevating ourselves… because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God
- A feels Pastor
- Scared – lost who at least know or choose to be lost
- Terror – for those who think they are…. But aren’t
- God is righteous…
- Remember… this is the church at Rome… But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS:
- Paul says to the church…
- According to deeds… James 2:17 Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.
- Options…
- Do good… Do God… Do as God would have you do
- For glory, honour , immorality… eternal life
- Do life in His righteousness
- Romans 12:2 And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.
- Do self… Do Wrath
- All Things for God? * Disobey
- Unrighteousness… wrath and indignation
- The reward is tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil… This is written to the church
God offers his Righteousness
God’s Offer is Inclusive… As is His Judgement
11 For there is no partiality with God. 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 just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.
- God’s offer isn’t exclusive… No partiality… not for one group and not another… Jew and Greek alike * God’s covenant…
- Those with the Law…. with the Word will be treated according to the Law
- Those without the Law… have the law written on their hearts… will be judged accordingly
- They are without excuse… Romans 1:20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
- The revelation of God affirms and Condemns those according to the righteousness… justice of God
- … The standard is that on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.
- No one escapes… all must give an answer
God’s Offer is Inclusive… As is His Judgement
- The Self-righteous for their evils
- The Righteous in Christ for their deeds
Conclusion:
God condemns the Self-righteous!
- Are you sounding like Jonah?
- Spew Condemnation?
- Spew compassion and mercy and truth…
- John 7:38 "He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, 'From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.'"
- Sun / Wind contest….
- Overwhelm them with the character of God
God offers his Righteousness
- Living Changed lives… transformed… living God’s righteousness
- Faith and Works…
- A Cat meows… a dog barks… a cow moos…
- A Christian demonstrates the Righteousness of Christ in Faith ad Works
- Do good… do God… do as God would have you do
God’s Offer is Inclusive… As is His Judgement
- Hearers and doers…
- All must answer
- What is your answer?
- Righteousness of Christ
- In mind, body and soul
- In all we are…
- In all we do…
God’s Righteousness is a whole person reality…