God's Justice

Scripture: Romans 2:1-12

2 So every single one of you who judge others is without any excuse. You condemn yourself when you judge another person because the one who is judging is doing the same things. ² We know that God’s judgment agrees with the truth, and his judgment is against those who do these kinds of things. ³ If you judge those who do these kinds of things while you do the same things yourself, think about this: Do you believe that you will escape God’s judgment? ⁴ Or do you have contempt for the riches of God’s generosity, tolerance, and patience? Don’t you realize that God’s kindness is supposed to lead you to change your heart and life? ⁵ You are storing up wrath for yourself because of your stubbornness and your heart that refuses to change. God’s just judgment will be revealed on the day of wrath. ⁶ God will repay everyone based on their works. ⁷ On the one hand, he will give eternal life to those who look for glory, honor, and immortality based on their patient good work. ⁸ But on the other hand, there will be wrath and anger for those who obey wickedness instead of the truth because they are acting out of selfishness and disobedience. ⁹ There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. ¹⁰ But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. ¹¹ God does not have favorites.

¹² Those who have sinned outside the Law will also die outside the Law, and those who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law.

          I hope everyone has read these verses in advance.  I would hate to spring any of this on you.  Romans is a very hard chapter to read for some people, and I put myself in that number.  Romans is Paul’s longest and most complex chapter, as he lays out his doctrinal understanding of the gospel, and includes how Christians might live out the ethics of the faith.  It contains things we probably thought we knew about the Almighty God, but no one spells them out the way Paul does.  And he opens our eyes to the reality of God’s judgement.

          By way of introduction, the previous Chapter talks about how false religious systems enslave people both sensually and spiritually.  Paul describes the sensual enslavement when he says, “God gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonor their own bodies between themselves” (1:24).  Paul then moves on from describing sensual enslavement to describing spiritual enslavement which results from idolatry when he says that God gave up those “who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshiped and served the creature more than the Creator” (1:25).  In other words, a man becomes a slave to his idols.  Paul describes the wicked behavior of the heathen (1:26-32) in this way:

          1. They become morally perverted - Widespread Homosexuality (1:26-27). He describes how those who turn away from God give themselves over to shameful and unnatural vices. This was true then, and is still true today as we see this becoming more blatant, more aggressive, and more evident all the time.

          2. They become mentally perverted - Total Moral Depravity (1:28-32). Three times in this chapter we are told that God gives up those who give Him up (1:24, 26, 28). This clearly shows what happens to a man when he leaves God out of his life.

LESSON

In our lesson today we will be discussing God’s judgment, His goodness, His wrath, and His impartiality.

Well, how do we determine our position in life?  We often compare ourselves to others, don’t we?  I’m not doing as well as that one, but I’m doing okay.  I’m surely doing better than that one, he’s going straight to hell!  We just judged a couple of people.  And I want to point out that there is a great difference between judging, and discerning.  If we deal honestly with our own hearts, then we have the responsibility to help others.  Correction is not judgment.  But we have a warning in Matthew 7:6 not to give what is holy to dogs, not to throw your pearls before swine.  How can we know that someone, in their spiritual condition, is incapable of appreciating the truth—apathetic, cold, indifferent, unless you discern their character or their spiritual condition?  And having discerned, help them.

          So into our first verse…..

2:1 So every single one of you who judge others is without any excuse. You condemn yourself when you judge another person because the one who is judging is doing the same things.  This verse begins with the word "So" because the heathen were fully aware of God’s death penalty for the crimes they committed, yet they went right ahead and did them anyway, and even encouraged others to do the same (1:32).  

Paul is saying this now to the self-righteous moralists who would gladly agree and say amen that what was said about the heathen was right. But, now Paul flips this around to say O man (meaning every man), whoever it is that judges, that this is inexcusable (without excuse), because when you judge another, you are really judging and condemning yourself.  The one who judges practices the same thing as the heathen.  These self-righteous or moralists:

1.   They judge others meaning criticize, find fault, or condemn. Anytime we judge another person, we are declaring that we…

· are living by some rule that another person is not living by.

· are better than someone else.

· I am right and he is wrong, therefore, "look at me, but ignore him." Very simply, judging others raises self and lowers others, exalts self and debases others; and in the eyes of God this is wrong, prideful, thereby being a sin.

2.   They are inexcusable; without excuse because they condemn themselves, being guilty of the same. Very simply, he fails just as the man he judges. Paul could not call him a moral man. But he was inwardly living in an identical manner as the heathen was living outwardly. Perhaps he did not commit adultery, but did he lust?  Maybe he did not steal, but did he covet?  Perchance he did not commit murder, but did he hate?  In God’s eyes, sin is the matter of the heart and mind, not just the act!

2:2  We know that God’s judgment agrees with the truth, and His judgment is against those who do these kinds of things.   Paul’s letter continues to express the surety that God’s judgment is according to truth against those who commit such things, meaning they will be punished for such things.  The point is God’s the One who knows truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

2:3  If you judge those who do these kinds of things while you do the same things yourself, think about this: Do you believe that you will escape God’s judgment?   The self-righteous or moralists—

1. They think they will escape. However, he forgets that God sees the inner recesses of the human heart, and that God will judge men not only for their deeds, but for their thoughts: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life.  In 1^st John 2:15-16, we find a strong warning about the world: “¹⁵ Don’t love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in them. ¹⁶ Everything that is in the world—the craving for whatever the body feels, the craving for whatever the eyes see and the arrogant pride in one’s possessions—is not of the Father but is of the world. ¹⁷ And the world and its cravings are passing away, but the person who does the will of God remains forever.”  They fail to see that God’s goodness is not a blank check to sin. He does not condone sin, and He does not overlook sin. And we will not escape the judgment of God!

2:4  Or do you have contempt for the riches of God’s generosity, tolerance, and patience?  Don’t you realize that God’s kindness is supposed to lead you to change your heart and life?  ¾ The self-righteous or moralists:  They think God is too good to punish. They perverted and abused the riches of God’s goodness (His kindness, grace, and love), forbearance (Him holding back punishment), and longsuffering (His patient and slowness in judging sin).  But because God hadn’t come forth in judgment and cut them off, they thought that He didn’t regard them as sinners.  They thought God’s goodness was too good to punish them, not knowing that the goodness of God is to lead one to repentance. They think that man is basically good. They thought that man can be good enough for God to accept…. for instance....

· good works

· good thoughts

· good behavior

· good feelings

What the self-righteous or moralists fail to understand is that God’s goodness is perfect, and God can only accept perfection. No man is perfect in nature, thought, or behavior.  That’s why man has to go through Jesus Christ to receive salvation.  He only looks at His Son Jesus Christ who is the only Perfect One!  So, we need to get any thoughts out of our heads of thinking the good we’ve done or good behavior has made us right with God.  The goodness of God made a way for us to get back to Him through the Grace of His Son Jesus, and the power of the Holy Spirit who causes us to see the riches of God’s goodness, and forbearance and longsuffering that would lead us to repent.

2:5  You are storing up wrath for yourself because of your stubbornness and your heart that refuses to change. God’s just judgment will be revealed on the day of wrath.   This halts all their thoughts of self-goodness. The self-righteous or moralists:

They will harden their heart against the judgment of God. The reason is because they refused to repent. They cannot accept the fact that (1) they are not good enough for God to accept them and (2) they didn’t think that God’s goodness and love would ever condemn them.

Paul says that their hardness (their rigid stiffness) and their impenitent (unrepentant; unremorseful) heart, is storing up wrath (anger and rage). The man who hardens his heart, and refuses to repent is storing up more and more wrath against himself in the Day of Judgment (Day of Wrath). We’re still talking about the self-righteous or moralists. They failed to understand that there is a righteous judgment of God, which means it is just, fair, impartial, correct, and exact. He will reveal to the sight of men the righteousness of His judgment against their wrath in the Day of Wrath.

2:6  God will repay everyone based on their works:¾ God will render to every man according to his deeds. What are deeds? They are acts or works in which God will pay to every man what his actions deserve. Everyone will be either rewarded or punished according to his works; according to what he has done with and for God.

2:7   On the one hand, He will give eternal life to those who look for glory, honor, and immortality based on their patient good work:¾ There shall be the well-doer’s wonderful reward.  Note how the well doer seeks: by patiently continuing, meaning to be steadfast and constant; to endure, persevere, stick to, and continue. The well-doer is faithful in doing good works.

· He does not just start, he finishes.

 · He does not live an inconsistent, up and down life. He continues and keeps on doing good deeds.

· He does not give in to hardships, difficulties, or opposition. He endures and perseveres always doing good.  Notice that he seeks for glory and honor and immortality.

· Glory means to possess and to be full of perfect light.

· Honor means to be acknowledged, recognized, approved, accepted, esteemed, and exalted by God.

· Immortality means living forever with God. His reward is Eternal Life!

2:8  But on the other hand, there will be wrath and anger for those who obey wickedness instead of the truth because they are acting out of selfishness and disobedience.  There shall be the evil-doer’s terrible and severe judgment. The reasons¾

a. They are contentious against God; doesn’t like what God says, therefore, he strives against it.

b. They do not obey the truth; sees and hears and knows the truth is to be done, but he refuses to do it. He simply goes about his own life, running and controlling it as he wills.

c. They obey unrighteousness, (wickedness) indignation, (resentment), and wrath (fury).

2:9  There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil, for the Jew first and also for the Greek;¾ Just as the Jews were given the first opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel, they will be the first to receive God’s judgment if they refuse.  Israel will receive severe punishment because she was given greater light and blessing. Suffering and affliction will be upon every soul who works and persists on the side of doing evil—of the Jew first, and also of the Greek (Gentile).

2:10  But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, for the Jew first and also for the Greek:¾ The emphasis is heavily on "But!" To the Jew first, and also to the Greek (Gentile) that work and do good, glory, honor, and peace comes.  Eternal life is said to be the inheritance of a world of glory, honor, and peace.

2:11 But there will be glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.   God treats everyone the same.  God does not prefer one person or nation to another. He judges everyone in the same way.  This verse is often used as an encouragement for good, but in this context it replies to the great Day of Judgment where all will be judged by the same rule and by the same principle.

2:12   Those who have sinned outside the Law will also die outside the Law, and those who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law.

Verse 12 wraps it all up.  There will be no excuses, no exceptions.

a. The man who sins without law (without knowing what you’re doing) will also perish without law.

b. The man who sins in the law (knowing full well what you’re doing) will be judged by the law. The man who sins without the law will perish, and the man who sins in the law will both be judged.  Whether you didn’t have the law and tried to obey, or whether you had the law and didn’t obey it, both came short of the glory of God.  God’s judgment is impartial (fail) to both.

SUMMARY: It is inexcusable (without excuse), for the man who judges another, for he is really judging and condemning himself. The one who judges practices the same thing as the heathen. The surety is that God’s judgment is according to truth against those who commit such things, meaning they will be punished for such things. Therefore, the question comes to the self-righteous: "So do you think you will escape?" for those who judge, commit such things and are guilty themselves. Very simply, he fails just as the man he judges.  God is the only judge! (2:1-3). The self-righteous or moralists fail to understand God’s goodness. Paul asks them if they are despising the riches of God’s goodness, misinterpreting God’s generosity, seeing God’s patient mercy toward them as weakness on His part; and are they not realizing that His kindness is meant to lead them to repentance?  God’s goodness should attract us and lead us to repent (2:4). Those hearts that are hardened and unremorseful, storing up anger, against themselves in the Day of Judgment. They failed to understand that there is a righteous judgment of God, which means it is just, fair, impartial, correct, and exact.  God will render to every man according to his deeds. To them who continue patiently in well doing, seek for glory and honor and immortality. He rewards Eternal Life. But those that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath will receive God’s wrath (2:5-8).  Suffering and affliction will be upon every soul who works and persists on the side of doing evil.  But, on the other hand, glory, honor, and peace will be to every man who does the work of good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile.  God treats everyone the same.  God does not prefer one person or nation to another.  He judges everyone in the same way. The man who sins without the law will perish, and the man who sins in the law will be judged (2:9-12).

          You will remember that the purpose of this lesson was to commit to leading a nonjudgmental and repentant life.

          So with that thought in mind, I’ll share with you the following story:

          This story comes from a David Letterman show about prejudice from about 20 years ago:

          One weekend in Atlantic City, a woman won a bucketful of quarters at a slot machine.  As she was about to enter the elevator to take her winnings to her room, she noticed two men already aboard.  One of them was a tall, intimidating figure.  The woman froze.  Her first thought was, “These two are going to rob me.”  Then, she decided that they might be perfectly nice men, so she chided herself, although she was still anxious.

          Her hesitation about joining them in the elevator was obvious.  Her face was flushed.  She couldn’t just stand there, so with a mighty effort of will she stepped forward and boarded the elevator.

          Avoiding eye contact, she turned around stiffly and faced the elevator doors as they closed.  As time passed, her fear increased.  The elevator didn’t move.  Panic ensured, and she thought, “I’m trapped and about to be robbed.”  Then one of the men said, “Hit the floor.”  Instinct told her to do exactly what the man said.  The bucket of quarters flew upwards as she threw out her arms and collapsed on the elevator floor.  A shower of coins rained down on her.  “Take my money and spare,” she prayed.  More seconds passed.

          She heard one of the men say politely, “Ma’am, if you’ll just tell us what floor you’re going to, we’ll push the button.”  The who said it had a little trouble getting the words out.  He was trying mightily to hold in a belly laugh.  The woman lifted her head and looked up at the two men.  They reached down to help her up.

          Confused, she struggled to her feet.  “When I told my friend here to hit the floor,” said the average sized man, “I meant that he should hit the elevator button for our floor.  I didn’t mean for you to hit the floor, ma’am.”  He spoke genially.  He bit his lip.  It was obvious he was having a hard time not laughing.

          The woman was too humiliated to speak.  She wanted to blurt out an apology, but words failed her.  The three of them gathered up the strewn quarters and refilled her bucket. 

          When the elevator arrived at her floor, the men then insisted on walking her to her room.  She seemed a little unsteady on her feet, and they were afraid she might not make it down the corridor.  At her door, they bid her a good evening.  As she slipped into her room, she could hear them roaring with laughter as they walked back to the elevator.

          The next morning, a courier delivered flowers to her room, a dozen roses.  Attached to each rose was a crisp one hundred dollar bill.  The card said, “Thanks for the best laugh we’ve had in years.”  It was signed, Eddie Murphy and Michael Jordan.

          Let us pray:

          Holy God, forgive us for living apart from You in our acts.  Claim our hearts once again, and give us the courage and the grace to live as you would have us to live; in Jesus’ name.  Amen.