Guilty As Charged
Guilty As Charged
Romans 1:18 – 2:24
Introduction: Verse 17 from last week’s Gospel reveals the “righteousness from God … that is by faith.” This Good News of Jesus’ death and resurrection marks us as saints and witnesses of God’s love and mercy. What wonderful news it is for all of us burdened down by the weight of our sin.
Now, in verse 18, Paul takes time to prop up the righteousness of God against the “wrath of God.” If the Gospel is to make its full impact in our lives, the Law must first confront us with ourselves. Only as we are stripped of all pretense and self-righteous claims is Christ given His full glory for what He has done for us.
Thus, we pray that God will bless us as we are confronted with idolatry; judging; lawlessness; and hypocrisy. This confrontation with sin will help us to see that we are guilty as charged.
Idolatry: (1:18-32)
The entire human race is under God’s just wrath. But Paul wants to demonstrate in due time that God’s righteousness is available to all through Jesus Christ. He systematically eliminates all who may think they have a claim on God, or are exempt from God’s law.
He begins with the obvious, the pagan unbelievers and crass idolaters. They “suppress the truth” by refusing to acknowledge the true God and the truth He has plainly revealed about Himself through the things He made. All people, even if they have never had the opportunity to read or hear Scripture, are able to learn something about God’s nature, power, and deity through creation. Because of this, Paul says, “they are without excuse.”
In today’s western culture, people are too sophisticated to engage in the gross and obvious idolatry like the Romans. Instead, this internal disease of the spirit so enslaves people to their passions and lusts that they are unable to free themselves. This modern-day idolatry could also be termed the “empty cup syndrome.” People turn from one enthusiasm to another looking to fill their cup with things like, fine clothes, gambling, socializing, drinking, hunting, traveling, and exercising.
Paul now zeroes in on another empty cup, the sin of homosexuality. The big city of Rome had become a haven for this unnatural lust. Yet, the Old Testament (Lev. 18:22), calls it “detestable”.
Gay-rights groups and others continue to “suppress the truth” under the guise of freedom. The sad and ironic conclusion of this ongoing sin is that it brings anything but freedom. Families and marriages are fractured. And still people deny the truth in order to satisfy misguided and sinful pleasures.
Paul is clear that such depravity will become a life-long prison, unless repented of. God even allows us to dig our own holes and fall into them. And it is not just for sexual sins. So why make such a big deal about this? Isn’t it merely the way things have always been and will always be?
The answer to these questions is important to Christians concerned about their relationship with the Lord. We all must ask ourselves: What of these sins of idolatry are getting in the way of my relationship with my Father in Heaven? Am I agreeing with those who suppress the truth in unrighteousness?
Judging (2:1-11)
We might be tempted to think “I’m glad I’m not like that.” But then comes chapter 2 which says, “You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same thing.” To want to judge others seems so natural. We all have a tendency to blame others for our mistakes. We have a tendency to compare our own guilt or innocence to that of others, and convince ourselves that we are not as bad.
Since God shows no partiality, why do we spend so much time in a fruitless exercise of judgment? God has the same “trouble and distress” in store for all sinners (v. 9). Yet, all who put their faith in Jesus Christ, He gives “glory, honor and peace’ ( v. 10).
Lawlessness (2:12-16)
Perhaps it is best to ignore the whole subject of Law and sin. I’m sure there are some of us who would rather live like the man who woke up hungry in the middle of the night. He reached for a date, examined it under the light, but found a worm in it and threw it away. He reached for a second one, but this one also had a worm. Finally, he turned off the light and proceeded to consume the entire container of dates in the darkness. Yuck, huh!
In the light or in the dark, the man was taking a big chance of becoming ill. But the analogy serves to show us the purpose of the Law. God’s law tells us how we are to live. Not believing the written Law in the Scriptures is like turning out the light so we don’t see what we are doing.
Are you a person tempted to live in the dark? Are you hiding behind a mask you call “religion?” Are there issues in your life to be dealt with? Fortunately, all who believe in Christ will be judged on the basis of His work for us (compare 3:21-28).
Perhaps this is a good time to reflect for a moment in the silence of our hearts on the sins we might not even be aware of. Perhaps it is time to let these sins be brought to the surface by the Law, so that we can confess our sins, and be forgiven.
Hypocrisy: (2:17-24)
The story is told of two women in the front pew of a church who nudged each other self-confidently and in an approving manner when the preacher offered his Sunday message against drinking. However, when they returned the following Sunday and listened to him speak on the topic of gossip, one was overheard to say, “Now he’s meddlin’!”
It is so reprehensible when we do not practice what we preach and sit in judgment of others. It is just like the Pharisees who bragged about their relationship to God. The most familiar story that Jesus told in this regard was of the Pharisee and the tax collector in the temple. While praying, the Pharisee said, “Thank You, Lord, that I’m not like that miserable tax collector.” That miserable sinner. Are you like that? Do your actions reflect trust in God, who has given us the Law in His Word?
Conclusion: (An Action Plan)
George Bernard Shaw, is said to have told his nurse as he lay dying, “Dear, when the doctor comes in and says that I’m dead, would you ask for a second opinion?” Do you feel that way when God’s Law speaks to you? Do we want a second opinion? Sadly, we could get a hundred opinions regarding our spirituality, and still be dead in our trespasses and sins (Ephesians 2).
Yes, God has every right to be angry with us, and to withhold His forgiveness. Whether it is gross idolatry, or the subtlety of our judging and hypocrisy, or outright lawlessness, the Lord has a case against us. The charges are clear; the evidence airtight. We have no alibi. We are guilty as charged!
How startling and comforting, then, the announcement that God has executed His judgment against His own beloved, innocent Son, our substitute! What a thrilling, joyful outcome the empty tomb of Easter brings! God be praised forever! In that Jesus is not dead but alive, we can
1. begin dealing with our idolatry, judging, lawlessness and hypocrisy.
2. zero in on a specific sin that needs cleansing and forgiveness.
3. ask for and receive forgiveness.
4. pray for the Spirit’s help who helps us keep control over sin.
We can do this things confidently knowing that God is for us. Amen.