Romans 2:1-16
“Games People Play”
Vs. 1-4 Mirror, mirror on the wall
Vs. 5-11 Depositing in the right account
Vs. 12-16 I can still see you
Intro
In chapter 1:18 Paul declared the “wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, the moralist and the self-righteous would be quick to agree, indicating the “obvious sinner”. So in the 2nd chapter Paul writes about the self-righteous moralist in verses 1-16 and the self-righteous Jews in verses 17-29.
The moralist, a group of culture, refinement and education was most likely followers of philosophies like the Stoics who lead moral and outwardly righteous lives. But philosophy cannot preserve its followers from indulging in the flesh, culture cannot cleanse a heart nor can education alter our nature.
Vs. 1-4 Mirror, mirror on the wall
Vs. 1 If there are any here among us that have never passed judgment upon others then you may skip this section as it doesn’t apply to you. But if you are like me then you’d better pay attention because this section is for us.
To start with Paul makes two very important points:
“Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself”: Paul indicates that those that judge do so because they know right from wrong, otherwise they would not presume to judge. These people are clearly aware that wrong actions merit judgment, upon those who do them, what they are ignorant of is what Paul’s 2nd point is all about.
“For you who judge, practice the same things”: Paul, says these same people who are standing over others are as guilty as the very ones they have judged. In John 8:3-9 the religious leaders through a naked lady caught in the act of adultery right in the middle of His bible study and said, “Master, Moses said she should be killed, what do you say?” I’m certain they thought they had Jesus, because if He said, “Let her go!” then he would be going against the Bible and if He said, “Kill her!” then He would no longer be the friend of sinners. But Jesus just bent down and started writing in the dirt like He never heard them. Then after a while He said “Let he who is without sin throw the first stone!” And each one of those fellows dropped the rock that was in their hand and walked away. What did Jesus write in the dirt that day that caused those self-righteous men to drop their stones and walk off? Well the answer lies in the word “wrote” as it means “to write against”. I think Jesus wrote the name of every guy who had a rock in his hand and beside each name a place or a time in which they had a fantasy and entertained doing the same thing they had caught the gal doing. Jesus had said in Matt. 5:22 that if you lusted in your heart you committed adultery and every one of those men had at sometime committed adultery in their hearts. In my own life I see three reasons why I am guilty of doing the same things I judge others for.
Blind Spots: I think all humans have “blind spots” to many of our own faults and attitudes. We simply don’t see that we do the same things that we judge others for. We are even surprised when someone sees our faults and protests saying, “Don’t you think I know myself?” The answer is NO! Proverbs 21:2 says that “Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the Lord weighs the hearts.” The truth is our sin always becomes visible to other people!
Selective Memory Loss: We all seem to suffer from this; we always seem to remember every wrong done by others towards us and every good we have done towards others. In fact if married when we have a disagreement with our spouse we possess an amazing clarity of their wrongs and our rights but we never seem to be able to recall the opposite.
Name Games: The final way we don’t see this in our lives is that we have developed a clever way of renaming things with regard to our actions and attitudes: Others have pride, I just have good self-esteem. Others have a bad temper, I’m just passionate. Others nag, I’m just encouraging. Others are gossiping, I’m just sharing my opinion. Others are critical, I’m correcting. Others are negative, I’m just being realistic.
Next Paul develops the 2nd part of his argument by asking two questions:
Vs. 2-3 “Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 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?” How ridiculous it is to hope that the God who sees all both inside and outside somehow will judge others for the same things we are guilty of and yet let us slide. When we begin to ask, “Why, doesn’t God just judge people?” In saying this Paul is asking each of us to examine our own hearts and start being critical of our own attitudes and actions instead of others.
It has been pointed out that there are four ways a person can escape justice:
If no one knows about their offences
If they can escape beyond the bounds of jurisdiction
If there has been a failure in the legal process after arrest
If they escape from prison and hide from the law
But none of those situations will work when a person is trying to escape the judgment of God. The darkest sin is not righteousness violated, it is mercy despised.
Vs. 4 “Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness leads you toward repentance?” Paul’s second question is, since you know that those who judge aren’t going to escape the same judgment, why are you not taking the opportunity God is giving you to repent? There was a woman who quickly grabbed a few cookies from a vendor at the airport before she got on her plane. She sat next to a man with an empty seat between them. After the plane was in the air she reached into the empty seat and grabbed a cookie then noticed that the man next to her did the same thing.
Shocked, she gave him a look to show her disapproval then grabbed another cookie and so did the man but instead of eating the whole cookie he broke it in half and gave her the other half. Throughout the rest of the flight she was so angry she couldn’t speak. After the plane and the man got off she was about to complain to the stewardess when she opened her purse only to realize that her bag of cookies was still inside. That’s the way we are when we are self-righteous about another’s sin: We are partaking of the same cookie while complaining about others eating ours.
The moralist like the obvious sinner had set aside three things about God’s kindness:
God’s “Goodness”: He had not judged them for their past sin, though they deserve it.
His “Forbearance”: His kindness with regard to their present sin. That very moment they had fallen short of His glory, yet He held back His judgment.
His “Longsuffering”: His kindness to them in regard to their future sin as He knows that we will sin tomorrow and the next day, yet He holds back His judgment.
People mistake God’s patience towards their sin as forgetfulness! They think, “If God was really concerned about my sinful actions then He would strike me dead!” God’s patience isn’t approval or indifference; He’s giving us time to have a change of heart about Him and our sin.
Vs. 5-11 Depositing in the right account
Vs. 5 Paul points out that such judgment upon the obvious sinner should have brought the moralist to humble repentance instead of an attitude of superiority. It’s amazing how we expect in our case God should exercise some favoritism. We just assume that God will overlook areas of sin without us ever having to agree with Him and call them what they are, SIN! Jesus encourages us in Matthew 6:20 to “lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” The truth is people are constantly making deposits to their account. The only question is what bank have you deposited your treasures in? Hey did you notice that God doesn’t drive us to repentance He draws us to repentance?
Vs. 6-11 We are either saved by faith in Christ alone or we will be judged by our works and surprisingly most people choose to be judged by their works. That is the case of the moralist as he believes God judges on the curve and their self-righteousness they are always looking in the rearview mirror at folks whose outward sin is more obvious. But God doesn’t judge by man’s standard He judges on His Son’s standard which is perfection.
The word “Partiality” in verse 11 comes from two ancient Greek words put together – “to receive and face” thus the word means to judge things on the basis of externals or pre-conceived notions. God's judgment is not withheld because someone has heard the truth; it is withheld if they act on the truth. Far too often people think they are saved because they heard the truth and know the truth but hearing and knowing offer no security apart from responding. Vs. 12-16 I can still see you
Vs. 12-16 In the gospel God found a way to condemn our sin and to destroy it without destroying us. When we want to correct sinful people we punish them by imprisoning them, sometimes to protect society, we take their lives. But God doesn’t do that, He changes people from self-centeredness to selflessness. Only in Christ are we more than just paying our debt to society, we are new creations and we have the privilege to continually pay our debt of love to all of society, not just our victims. In this last section Paul takes up the person that is religious, who has an understanding of the truth; his problem is that he just doesn’t live by it himself while demanding that others do. God is going to ask each person what they think is right and wrong and then He is going to ask them if they lived by their own standard all the time.
In conclusion we see six principals of God’s judgment:
Vs. 2 It’s according to truth: God sees beyond the facts to the motives
Vs. 5 It’s according to accumulated guilt: God does not act quickly but gives ample time for the person to earn his judgment.
Vs. 6 It’s according to works: According to Rev. 20:11-15 God will open the books upon every single person and will judge based upon what He has recorded.
Vs. 11 It’s without respect for persons: God sees people through His eyes of Holiness according to truth not according to human popularity. He alone is impartial!
Vs. 13 It’s according to performance, not knowledge: Hearing God’s word has no advantage if it is not followed by obedience. There is no lie so destructive in Satan’s entire arsenal, then the false peace that comes upon a person who thinks knowing God’s truth is the same as obeying God’s truth!
Vs. 16 It reaches into the secrets of the heart: God’s judgment comprehends the very secrets of a person’s heart.
Hearing the Word of God does not ensure us being “doers” of the Word of God. James 1:22 in the NIV says, “Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says.” God has so designed His word that it is not merely informational it is transformational. So as you read the Bible, as you listen to the teaching of the word don’t just write down things you didn’t know write down things you want God to change about you!
Romans 2:17-29
“Like God, Like People?”
Vs. 17-20 Right advantages, wrong conclusions
Vs. 21-24 Are you like the God you profess?
Vs. 25-29 The Peril of presumption
Intro
In verse 11 Paul wrote to the moralist that with God there is no respect for persons, but the religious Jew would be thinking, “That is true with moral and immoral Gentiles but not when compared with religious Jews!” So in verses 17-29 Paul outlines for his readers that this statement is true for all people, even religious people. Jews were convinced that God had given them special favor based upon three things:
- National descent from Abraham
- The outward sign of circumcision
- The Word of God
Yet that very Word said in Deut. 7:7 “The Lord did not set His love on you nor choose you because you were more in number than any other people, for you were the least of all peoples”. Paul argues that what makes a person a child of God isn’t national origin, a mark on their flesh or a book in their library; it is a matter of personal transformation in the heart by simple truth in Jesus. The fact is most Jews were despised by Gentiles as they had received extraordinary privileges from the Roman Government that no other group of people enjoyed which further infuriated most gentiles. They were allowed to transport the temple tax every year to Jerusalem which was forbidden by every other occupied country. They were allowed to have their own courts and live according to their own laws. They were allowed to continue to practice the Sabbath and not work but still receive compensation. They were exempt from being forced to join the Roman army.
These special compensations no doubt fueled the world’s hatred but it wasn’t the only reason. What bothered the gentiles the most was the Jews contempt and hatred for all people that were not Jews. In Isaiah 49:6 God says that He had given Israel “as a light to the Gentiles, that You should be My salvation to the ends of the earth.” No person can be missionary to a group of people whom they have contempt for. If asked directions the Jews wouldn’t respond except to another Jew! If someone was thirsty they wouldn’t give them a drink of water. If a fly landed on them they would go through ceremonial washing not because of the fly but because it may have landed upon a Gentile. Folks, God’s promises are not a matter of pedigree but a matter of character transformed by God.
Vs. 17-20 Right advantages, wrong conclusions
Vs. 17-18 Paul starts out with the claim then its privileges:
They were proud of their name “Jew” which comes from Judah and means “praise”, they saw themselves as those who were to be praised!
Second they were proud of 5 privileges which caused them to boast and Paul points out that with special privileges come special responsibilities. He lists five advantages the Jews of his day had in their position before God.
Vs. 17a They rejoiced in having the law: The Jewish people of Paul’s day were proud of the fact that God gave His holy law. They believed this confirmed their status as a specially chosen people, and thus ensured their salvation. There are a great many today who also boast that they have the Bible and good teaching available to them, some even boast in the translation they use.
Vs. 17b They boasted in their relationship to God: They felt that they had an inside track to God. Every now and again you hear people boast that because of a specific doctrine or an affiliation with a particular group that they have a special standing with God, that only those who share their truth can boast of.
Vs. 18a They knew the will of God: They not only had the scriptures they had the prophets and direct revelation of God and what was on His heart. There are those today that think that they have special insight through God’s word or an in house profit that others don’t have.
Vs. 19 They took pride in moral superiority: They had a list and checked it twice and didn’t hang out with those who were naughty and not nice. Many in the church today take pride in the things they don’t do and believe that God is impressed as well. “We don’t dance, we don’t play cards, and we don’t go to the movies.”
Vs. 20 They saw themselves as instructors of the foolish: They could quote whole books and sections of the Bible from memory and felt that this qualified them to instruct those who were childish. These qualities became a source of identity which led them into falsely thinking those 5 privileges led them to make 4 conclusions that they believed to be true about themselves.
Vs. 19a They were guides to the blind: Because of their unique standing with God they were given the right to correct those around them. They needed to inform the unfortunates who either because of the lack of advantage or stupidity needed to be guided.
Vs. 19b They were a light to those who were in darkness: They saw themselves as the illumination to all who dwelt in darkness, the expert that would bring the needed clarity to all who stumbled around in the night.
Vs. 20a They were the instructors of the foolish: They were the moral and ethical police if you will that needed to be on patrol 24/7 to set right those who were behaving beneath their standards.
Vs. 20b They were the teachers of babes: Their egos were so large they thought themselves as the mentors for those who didn’t share their insight.
They were outwardly correct but inwardly arrogant, full of pride which led them to be boastful and bitter.
Vs. 21-24 Are you like the God you profess?
Vs. 21-24 The Jews were notorious in the Roman empire for being overly shrewd in business dealings taking advantage of people to make a buck, yet they never considered that stealing. They also weren’t too strict on a little hanky-panky with slave girls that they dealt with, all the while condemning adultery. They had no problem doing business with pagan temples even though they denounced the idols worshipped there.
It all comes down to practice above possession, “If you have the law, do you keep it?” Judaism in Paul’s day interpreted the law so that they thought they were able to keep it. Yet in Matt. 5:19-48 Jesus exposed the error of such interpretations. God will hold us accountable for both motives and actions. In Amos 3:2 the prophet writes “You only know of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities.” The truth is with greater privilege comes greater responsibility.
There is nothing more repugnant than a person who is boastful of their religion yet in their actions and attitudes discredit the very religion they profess! Folks, that’s the problem with self-righteousness; it gives the skeptic and the cynic reasons to not listen and obey the truth of God’s word. There are folks who take an exact record of how many THEY win to Jesus but they take no record of how many THEY have driven away. “Like God, like people, like people like God!” Oh dear ones that very statement ought to cause us to reexamine our concept of our relationship with God.
Vs. 25-29 The Peril of presumption
Vs. 25-27 Circumcision was: An identification of God’s covenant people, an outward sign of an inward reality. An illustration of how God dealt with our old nature, the flesh which is clarified in the O.T. Exodus 6:12 speaks of the circumcision of the lips Jeremiah 6:10 speaks of the circumcision of the ears. Ezekiel 44 speaks of the circumcision of the heart.
God’s people were to cut away the areas of their lives that were spiritually impure and dedicate themselves to God’s law. So they would “speak tenderly”, “listen with compassion” and “feel and act with brokenness and humility”. And they fell into the illusion that because they were circumcised outwardly that this was what God wanted. Outward expression means nothing if it isn’t accompanied by inward experience. The Christian church need only substitute baptism, confirmation or church membership to emulate the same pride as they rest upon those things as a sign that they belong to God. But Paul says these things are worthless unless something has happened that changed the heart. It doesn’t matter if you were baptized, galvanized or pasteurized, it only matters if you have trusted only in Jesus’ finished work on the cross on your behalf!!!!
Vs. 28-29 Finally Paul says their religion is worthless if it doesn’t hold to the reality that God intended.
Religious folks have two dangers:
The Peril of Presumption: Nothing is easier than self-righteousness and self-deception. The greater the knowledge, the greater the danger in being content with information without transformation!!! Without transformed hearts we may well become occupied with Christian work, Christian people, and Christian terminology all the while never encountering the new transformed life that comes from the Spirit of God. Jesus said in Matthew 7:22-23, “Many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’” The greater the privilege the greater the peril, the higher the delight the more imperative the duty!
The Peril of Formalism: The lesson from circumcision is that the religious seal and the spiritual reality are separable. Circumcision, baptism, church attendance etc. is just an outward sign and no guarantee of an inward reality. Just because a person has participated in applying the sign doesn’t mean what the sign was meant to signify is being applied! To trust in the sign of circumcision all the while not living a circumcised life was the height of hypocrisy.
The word of God profits no one when it is only honored on a shelf and not lived out in a life! God sees reality and recognizes it as righteousness; people see outward ritual and recognize it as righteousness! The last verse contains a pun,“The praise of such a man comes not from men but from God”. In the Greek the word “praise” is taken from the Hebrew word for praise which is “Judah”. Paul is saying two things by the use of this pun: That the “praise” of such a man comes not from men but from God, That the “Jewishness” of such a man comes not from men but from God