GOD’S RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT

Romans 2:1-16

Key Verse 2:5

“But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath when his righteous judgment will be revealed.”

In Romans 1:18-32 we saw that the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by of their wickedness. The people mentioned in 1:18-32 are the kind of people who do not glorify God as God, nor give thanks to him. These are the people who do not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God. We can clearly say that these people are unrighteous. So they invite the wrath of God on them. In 2:1-16 we see another kind of people who invite the wrath of God. These are the people who are self-righteous. They think because they have the law of God and know the Bible well that they will escape God’s judgment. But God who is the righteous judge knows the heart and motives of every of every person. So no one can escape God’s righteous judgment.

Through this Bible passage, God wants those who have his word and who know his word to repent of their sins of self-righteousness and judging. God wants those who have his word to have the life motive to persistently seek his glory, honor and immortality. May God help us not to abuse his kindness, tolerance and patience. May God help us to depend on his grace so that by faith we may live to glorify the name of Jesus this summer.

1. THE LEGALISTIC JEWS (1-5)

Let’s read verse 1, “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 things.” This passage most probably refers to the legalistic Jews who had the law of God, but instead of using it to build up others to help them know the wonderful love of God, they abused it by passing judgment on the Gentiles.

There are many laws in the Old Testament. There are so many laws that no one can not say that they did not break at least one law. Yet there are many people who have the law who think they are perfect, especially compared to those who do not have the law. With all the laws in the Bible, which one is the most important?

One time an expert in the law came and tested Jesus with a question, “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? Jesus replied: ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.’”

So with all the Bible knowledge what did those who have the law do? They did not love God or love others. Instead, they passed judgment on those who did not have the law. But did they have any excuse? Certainly not! The reason was because they themselves did whatever they judged others on. The Jews for example, had many dietary laws. These were taken from the book Deuteronomy chapter 14. This gives a list of clean and unclean animals to eat and not to eat. They could eat ox, sheep, goat, deer, gazelle, the roe deer, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope and the mountain sheep. But they could not eat the camel, the rabbit or the pig. They couldn’t have anything to do with pork. No pork chops and no bacon. They even considered places that made these things to be “unclean.” So when they would go by an International House of Pancakes and the aromas of bacon began to come into their nostrils, they would hold their breath until they passed by so that they would not have to breath unclean air. When they passed by Gentiles who were eating pork chops for lunch, they would condemned them and praise themselves before each other boasting that they were so righteous that they did not eat pork. Yet, later, in the privacy of their own homes, these same people who condemned, ate pork chops deliciously.

These same people who judge others have no excuse!! Why? It is because they knew the law. And yet with their thoughts and actions they are condemning themselves. Look at verse 2, “Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth.” This verse shows us that man’s judgment is changeable and relative, but God’s judgment is based on the truth of his unchanging and eternal character.

This is not to say that we should never judge. But what it means is that if we rebuke others for doing wrong, and then later, go and do the same things, even in private, we are worse than they are. Whatever judgment we make it should be right. Jesus said in John 7:24, “Stop judging by mere appearances and make the right judgment.”

The more we study the Bible, the more we can find out what God’s truth is. We realize that we are terrible sinners who are have no chance to stand as righteous before the holy and perfect God. We begin to realize that we are under God’s judgment and are unable to save ourselves. We come to humbly accept that Jesus’ grace is the only thing that is keeping me from burning in hell forever. We solely rely on the grace of God that God sent his one and Only Son to die for our sins, shedding his blood to make us clean.

Look at verse 3, “So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment?” Self-righteous people are quick to judge others. They think everyone is wrong and they are right. They are easy on themselves but very critical of others. They think it is right for them to sit in the seat of judgment because in their own eyes they are pretty close to being perfect, while everyone else in their eyes is a terrible, unrighteous and dirty sinners. They think because they have a lot of Bible knowledge that they will escape God’s judgment. But little do they remember that they are just mere men. What does it mean, “mere man.”? It means that they are puny and weak. They are full of millions of sins and who sin everyday. What can they say when they appear before the judgment seat of Christ when all our deeds and even all our thoughts we be revealed by Jesus? How will they escape God’s righteous wrath on them? So how can they judge while they live in this world? They are making a big mistake.

The verdict against self-righteous people who judge others is guilty. Yet God is so patient with them. Let’s read verse 4, “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you towards repentance?” We see here the heart of God towards those who have the word of God. God is such a very patient God. God is rich in kindness, tolerance and patience. This means that he does not show it just one or two times to us, then give up. He keeps on being kind, tolerant and patient. Why is God like this? This is so that we may recognize his kindness and come to our senses of abusing his grace. Then we may repent of our sins.

When God told the prophet Jonah, “Go to the great city of Nineveh and preach against it, because its wickedness has come up before me”, Jonah did not go. Instead, he ran away from the Lord. He did not want to preach to Gentiles, even though God told him to do so. He thought he could escape God. However, when he boarded a ship to go the opposite way, God sent a great wind on the sea, and a violent storm arose that the ship threatened to break up. Soon it was found out that Jonah was the cause of this because he told the sailors on board that he was running away from the Lord. So they threw him overboard at his request. Then the Lord sent a great fish to swallow him up and rescue him. While Jonah was inside the fish, he prayed to God and repented. Then God had the fish to vomit him onto dry land. After that, God sent his same word to Jonah, and this time he obeyed. When he preached, a great revival swept through Nineveh and all repented, even the animals. God’s kindness and patience had led him to repentance. Jonah’s repentance led to the salvation of many others.

God is so rich in tolerance, kindness and patience. He does not want his people to show contempt for this, that is, show disregard and abuse his love and grace. In Israel history, God showed such kindness, patience and tolerance towards his people. They were given his grace of salvation; they were given his protection and his word. They were given his mission. And they were given the privilege to bear the Messiah. Yet throughout history, they abused his love and grace many times. For example, through giving them his word and the law they should get to know him and his grace better. They should know his great unfailing and unconditional love. And they should serve him with a thankful and humble heart. However, they did not study the Bible to know God and his great love. They studied it to win many theological arguments and to judge others.

It is common sense that the more one grows spiritually in God, the more he must realize that he is a wretched sinner. In this way he can know the grace of God more and more personally. Through personal Bible study he can grow in this grace to live a godly life. Then he can be a source of blessing to others. He can have in God’s kingdom and lead others to put their hope there.

This is the point of Bible study. It should not be for some head knowledge. And it should not be to make us feel good. It is to know God so that we can repent and accept his grace and live a godly life. But God’s people did not do this.

Let’s read verse 5, But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.” People who abuse God’s kindness, tolerance and patience are stubborn people and unrepentant people. They think that since nothing that indicates that God is angry with them is happening, they can keep on living as they do. They think that there will be no consequences. They say, “I am young and strong. I can keep on living as I want.” However, they are storing up the wrath of God against themselves. This means that the wrath of God is building up and building up against them and ready to break out. During the 1920’s many Americans became rich and indulged in pleasure seeking lives. Many business' became big and wealthy. People thought that there was no limit. But then in 1929 the Stock Market crashed causing people to lose all their money and to go into economic depression. People who stubbornly refuse God’s kindness and tolerance and patience are like this. Those who keep being stubborn and unrepentant towards God and his ways are like this. What does it mean to be stubborn? There is a saying, “He is as stubborn as a mule.” To get a mule to do something takes a great deal of difficulty. There are many stories of farmer’s who try to push their mules do some work, but they do not do it so easily. So stubbornness means not willing to move or be changed. Unrepentance is like this. When those who have been given God’s word fail to repent after they hear it many times it means that they are stubborn. They are stubborn towards God and unrepentant.

Especially, those who judge and are self-righteous are like this. They are storing up wrath against themselves. God’s righteous judgment is going to be revealed and they will not escape. So what should one do instead of judging others? One should first examine their own heart before God on a daily basis. There is a saying that you are like the person you spend the most time with. If one spends the most time with a crook, then he himself will become a crook. If one spends his time with God, then he can become godly.

When we take time to meditate on God’s word day and night with a prayerful heart, God will begin to soften our hard hearts that are by nature judgmental and condemning and self-righteous. God will begin to help us to realize his great love and grace and wonderful mission. God will give us repentant hearts. Then we can obey God and love others and serve others instead of judging them. So if there is one thing we should ask God for as we study the Bible and hear his word is that we should ask him to give us a heart that repents. We will stop judging others because we know that we are great sinners who have no right to judge. We will then come to love others and serve others despite their apparent weaknesses and sins.

2. GOD’S RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT (6-16)

Let’s read verse 6, “God will give to each person according to what he has done.” This verse shows us what God’s standard is. God judges according to the motivations of ones life.

Let’s find out the two directions men seek and the results of each. In these next verses, the word “seek” is very important.

First, those who try to live a God centered life. Let’s read verse 7, ‘To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.” These people are the ones who are persistently trying to do what is good in God’s eyes. That is, their life goal is to please God. There are some people who have said, ‘I will go anywhere God wants me to go! I will be a missionary!” But later when they are asked to go somewhere to spread the gospel, they say they can’t go now. They make up some kind of excuse to delay.

The God centered person does not live before men’s eye. He struggles to be persistent in doing what is right. This means that he lives for God and his glory. His mind is more on God and how to grow in God. He seeks to grow more and more. He realizes that he is living before God’s eyes and not before men’s eyes. So whatever he tries to do, he is faithful.

When God called Abram, he had desire to make him into a great nation and to bless the world through him. Abram’s real desire was to have just one son since he was a barren old man. After some time, he became impatient and had a child through his maidservant. Abram became satisfied with Ishmael. He was satisfied with just being an Abram, a good father.

But God was not satisfied. So God rebuked him. God then gave him a new name “Abraham” which means ‘Father of many nations.” God had this desire for Abraham, to be a father of many nations. God wanted him to be the father of faith. Abraham’s life with Ishmael had become self-seeking and not God seeking. The key word is “seek”. This word means to look for and to find. What then is our life goal and purpose? In essence, man is a truth seeker. But what do we seek? What do we seek after God blesses us with a good job or a new son? Do we seek to live a God centered life or a self-seeking life?

Even in difficult times, those who are seeking to live a God centered life will remain persistent in being faithful to God. Their goal is eternal life. This is what God gives them. Look at verse 8, “But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.”

The second person is the self-seeker. The self-seeker is just that. He is self-seeking. He does not seek anything but to please himself. The self-seeker can even be a religious person or a very moral looking person. The Jews did not many things for God, but they were really self-seeking. Most people do not think self-seeking is wrong. Our society is based on the self. “Do it for yourself; you are the only one that really matters.” But the self-seeking life is against God’s truth that man was made to live for the glory of God. Man was made to honor and praise God. Man was not made for self-seeking.

The Jews looked like they did many things for God. They were religious and appeared pious. But their deep motivation in doing God’s work was self-seeking. Therefore, they could not escape the wrath and anger of God. It is clear that God sees the heart and judges by the heart. Man looks at the outward condition, but God looks at the heart.

When we feed sheep are we doing it to be recognized and honored by coworkers or even sheep? When we write testimonies are we writing them before people so that we can get some human praise or recognition? The Jews thought that they were fine in God’s sight because of their ancestry and history. They thought that since they were the children of Abraham, they could live as they wanted. One time Jesus challenged them, “If you hold to my teachings you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. Then they complained, “We have never been slaves of anyone? How can you say we will be set free?” But Jesus was talking about being a slave to sin. They said we have not been slaves of anyone! They thought that since they were the children of Abraham, they were exempt from God’s judgment. But they were under God’s judgment because of their pride and unbelief. So human ancestry means nothing to God if one does not live for his glory.

Perhaps the second generation realizes this. This is why they diligently studied and memorized Romans chapter 1. Then in a Bible memorizing contest, they defeated the chosen generation in a memorization contest on Friday night. Let'’ read verses 9-11, "There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew and then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favoritism.”

God’s judgment is fair because God judges according to the heart. What people see is the outward appearance. This is why it is easy to think that those who do many charitable acts and who give to the poor or clothe the homeless or who even go to church appear to be righteous. But God’s judgment goes right to the very heart.

Let’s read verses 12-13, “All who sin apart from the law will perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law, who will be declared righteous.” There are many people who think they are righteous by hearing. But if one does not practice what they hear, they can not be declared righteous in God’s sight.

Let’s read verses 14-16, “Indeed when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required of them by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them. This will take place on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.”

Some people question about God’s judgment towards those who never heard the gospel. How can God judge them? The key words here are “heart, conscience and thought.” According to these verses, people have God’s law written on their hearts. This is like the chromosomes in your body. They are already there when you are born. Man also has a conscience. This conscience is from God. God in his nature wrote on their hearts his requirements and laws so that they are without excuse. Man also thinks. What he thinks about, God will judge. There are many who think they can think many sinful things and it is OK.

But God can read their mind. God knows their secrets. In the end, at the time of judgment, there will be no secrets. Everything will come to light as God will judge the hearts of all men.

Through this passage, we come to realize that we need to humbly rely on Jesus. We can not save ourselves from God’s wrath and righteous judgment. We can not save ourselves from by nature living a self-righteous and condemning life and a self-seeking life. Only Jesus can. So we must realize God’s kindness, tolerance and patience towards us and repent. This is what God desires for us. This is so that we may rely on Jesus’ grace to live by faith and serve God and not live by our own strength and judge others. realize that we need to stop judging others and come to God with repentance instead. May God help us to realize his great love and grace so that we may seek his honor and glory and grow as a humble priestly people.