Prayer: Father help us to be mindful that it is not our place to judge others. We are no better than they are, and you will bring down and lift up as you see fit. Help us to trust in your almighty plan and the power of your love to capture hearts and transform people. Thank you for capturing our hearts. Now, Holy Spirit, transform us into people who love unconditionally just as you do. Help us to see people the way you see them, and to be filled with compassion, even as someone is doing wrong to us. Help us to respond with love instead of anger and bitterness. God, you make the impossible possible. Thank you for filling us with your love and freeing us from the compulsion to judge others. We love you, Jesus.[1] Amen.
Main Scripture: Romans 2:1-11
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So, when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance, and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, 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.
Associated Scriptures:
Do not judge according to appearance, but judge with righteous judgment (John 7:24, NKJV).
You judge according to the flesh; I am not judging anyone. "But even if I do judge, my judgment is true; for I am not alone in it, but I and the Father who sent Me. (John 8;15-16, NKJV).
Do not judge, so that you won't be judged. For with the judgment you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you. Why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye but don't notice the log in your own eye? Or how can you say to your brother, let me take the speck out of your eye, and look, there's a log in your eye? Hypocrite! First take the log out of your eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye (Matthew 7:1-6, HCSB).
Correlative Quotes:
The object of the chapters of this volume is to go from the fact that all men are sinners to the terrible consequences of that fact. We must see that the inevitable result of our sinfulness is the certainty of God's judgment upon all unrighteousness. When we know that judgment and condemnation follow sin as night follows day, we shall be brought to realize that we are in tremendous need of a Savior, and that we must flee to Him if we are to avoid the wrath to come. The judgment of sin must be borne by the sinner if it is not placed on the Savior.[2] – Donald Grey Barnhouse
In any generalization such as the preceding blanket indictment of pagan humanity (1:18-32) exceptions to the rule always exist. Obviously, some pagans had high ethical standards and moral lifestyles and condemned the widespread moral corruption of their contemporaries. In addition, the Jews morally stood in sharp contrast with the pagan world around them and freely condemned the Gentiles. Both groups of moralists might conclude that God's condemnation did not apply to them because of their higher planes of living. But Paul insisted that they also stood condemned because they were doing the same things for which they judged others.
Therefore, Paul declared, at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself. Everyone in the entire human race has turned away from God and commits sins even though there are differences of frequency, extent, and degree. In addition, the entire human race, especially moral pagans and the Jews, stood condemned before God (and have no excuse (cf. 1:20)[3] – John F. Walvoord
In Romans 2:6-11, Paul was not teaching salvation by character or good deeds. He was explaining another basic principle of God's judgment. God judges according to deeds, just as He judges according to truth. Paul was dealing here with the consistent actions of a person's life, the total impact of his character and conduct.[4] – Warren Wiersbe
Study:
Romans chapter 2 begins with the word “therefore.” This word connects Paul’s teaching in chapter 1 verses 18-32 to this next section. He has just completed a comprehensive exposé discussing the characteristics of those who had turned against God. This previous section of chapter 1 teaches us that man is by nature sinful. If left to us, without the guidance and direction of God through His Spirit, we will always choose sin. The conduct described in Chapter 1 verses 18-32 was so appalling to God that He turned the perpetrators over to their own passions so that they would pay the penalty inherent in their actions. Sin has its own penalty.
We are all condemned before God and yet we enjoy pointing out the sins of others thinking that it somehow justifies our own unrighteous actions. When we pass judgment on others, we are passing judgment on ourselves (Romans 2:5). The right to judge the hearts and motives of man belongs to God and God alone (Psalm 9:8). God knows all things (1John 1:20). In addition, He is perfect and righteous (Daniel 9:14). For these reasons, He is the only one who is capable of determining the heart of man (Luke 16:15). He is the only one who can judge what is righteousness and what is sin (James 4:12).
By judging others, Paul says that we are “condemning ourselves” (Romans 2:1). In that day when God judges all men, He, “will render to each person according to his deeds” (Romans 2:6, NKJV, 1Kings 8:39).
Now Paul turns to the general population of all people groups and especially Jews to show us that we are all condemned before God. This discussion eventually ends with Romans 3:20 where it says, “Because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.”
Verses 7 and 8 provide us with the contrast between those who are saved and those who are lost. There is a similar contrast in verses 4-6 of chapter 2. In these verses, Paul tells us that it is God’s “kindness, forbearance, and patience” that “leads us to repentance.” However, the unbelievers “stubbornness and unrepentant heart” (Romans 2:5), in the end, causes them to be denied salvation. Their actions allow God to judge them by our works, and in the end, they are denied eternal life with Christ. In a continuation of this theme, here Paul contrasts “good works” with “selfish ambition and disobedience.”
It is in verse 7 that Paul makes a controversial statement about good works. It would appear at first glance that Paul is saying that it is our “doing good” in “seeking for glory, honor, and immortality” that leads to eternal life. However, remember that this verse is a continuation of Romans 2:4-6 where Paul contrasts those who have been repentant with those who have been stubborn and unrepentant. The repentance leads to salvation while unrepentance leads to “the day of wrath.”
The key word is “persistence.” Persistence or perseverance is a quality of those who are growing in faith. The Greek word for perseverance means “enduring, patience, patient continuance.”[5] Perseverance assumes some starting point; some point in time when we did something that will result in a continuing action as we stay on course. The beginning action is our salvation. The “doing good” is the outward manifestation of the inward change.
Summary Statement:
(Romans 2:7-8) outline the two possible outcomes of God's rendering to "each" according to works. On the one hand, to "those who by their persistence in a good work are seeking glory and honor and immortality" he will "render" eternal life. Paul's suggestion that a person's "good work" might lead to eternal life seems strange in light of his teaching elsewhere…It might be noted, however, that Paul goes out of his way to stress that the work that God so rewards is a persistent lifestyle of godliness. In contrast to these people are "those who are characterized by selfishness, and who disobey the truth while obeying unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury." .[6] – Douglas J. Moo
Lessons within the Lesson:
What does the phrase in Romans 1:27, “received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion” mean?
Why do we judge other people when we are doing the same thing or committing sins of our own?
Why should we avoid judging others?
What does the phrase “God does not show favoritism” (Romans 2:11) mean and why is it important?
[1] Jonathan Fashbaugh, You are the Judge God, © Give Life Ministries, All rights Reserved, givenlife.com/2011/03/prayer-against-a-judgmental-spirit/.
[2] Donald Grey Barnhouse, Romans: Expositions of Bible Doctrines, © 1966 by Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company. All rights reserved.
[3] John F. Walvoord, Bible Knowledge Commentary, Old Testament Copyright © 1983, 2000 Cook Communications Ministries; Bible Knowledge Commentary/New Testament Copyright © 1983, 2000 Cook Communications Ministries. All rights reserved.
[4] Warren Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, Copyright © 1989 by Chariot Victor Publishing, and imprint of Cook Communication Ministries. All rights reserved. Used by permission.
[5] NT:528, New Exhaustive Strong's Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003, 2006 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.).
[6] Douglas J. Moo, The Epistle to the Romans, © 1996 Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. 2140 Oak Industrial Drive N.E., Grand Rapids, Michigan 49S0S / P.O. Box 163, Cambridge CB3 9PU U.K. All rights reserved Printed in the USA, pp. 136-138.
Overcast, 60°