Romans:Road to Righteousness
THERE IS NO EXCUSE FOR THE HEATHEN
Romans 2:1-16
Jerry A. Collins
SCC
We can always believe we are
better than we really are by who it is we choose to compare ourselves too. If I
compare myself to Billy Graham, I might think less of myself. However, what
will I think of myself if I compare myself to Saddam Hussein? I might conclude
that I am not as bad as he is so I am in awfully good shape. But what about
what God says about us? It is possible for someone to conclude that they are an
exception to God’s condemnation of sinful mankind in
1. GOD’S JUDGMENT WILL CORRESPOND TO REALITY 1-4
Vs 1 ‘Therefore’ connects us with what was said previously. You might think you are free from God’s wrath because you are not guilty of practicing the sins mentioned earlier but nothing could be farther from the truth. You are without excuse he says. You are not off the hook. The fact is, that while you are passing judgment against others, at whatever point you are doing that, you are also condemning yourself. The reason is because you are practicing the same things. The self-righteous person wants to judge degrees of sin and by doing so think he is better off than others and free from guilt before God. They have a superficial view of sin. Everyone has turned away from God and commits sin even tho there are differences of frequency, extent and degree. In vs 2, then, God judges on the basis of what really exists not what merely appears to be. It corresponds to reality. Consequently, those practicing same sin, tho not in same ways, should not think they will escape judgment vs 3. Rather than acting as judges of the immoral they should view selves as sinners who will by judged by God. They should avoid two things: (1) They should not think they will escape judgment vs 3. No immediate judgment does not preclude no future judgment. Don’t misinterpret this. (2) Realize God simply giving you time to repent vs 4. But whatever you think, don’t think you are alright with God! God does not wink at your sin. And quit telling people they are. I am sick of hearing said, ‘come to Jesus and He will take care of your problems or He will be your friend, or He will provide you comfort----come to Him and He will forgive you of your sin before God and remove the guilt and condemnation that will send you to hell forever.’ God has provided that for you in Christ and that is the good news of the gospel!
2. GOD’S JUDGMENT WILL BE IMPARTIAL 5-11
The fact is,
God’s wrath is increasing against sinners while He waits to bring judgment vs 5. Each day the self-righteous persists in his
self-righteousness, God adds more guilt to his record. God will judge him one
day and the books will be opened to detail the guilt he has accumulated
3. GOD’S JUDGMENT WILL BE ACCORDING TO THE LITE ONE HAS 12-16
Gentiles do not have Law of Moses
to live by and so will not be judged by that Law. The Jews in Paul’s day did
have it and God would judge them by it vs 12. One is
not saved by the light he has but is judged by the light he has. Noone is excused from God’s judgment but they will be
judged according to the standard that was given to them. We should then
progress from vs 12 to vs
16. However we have a parenthesis with 13-15. It is not hearing the law that
makes a person acceptable to God but doing what it commands vs
13. Even Gentiles without this Law know instinctively that they should do
things that are right and not do things that are wrong vs
14. One is responsible for what he knows with or without the law. In addition
to this sense of morality Gentiles have a conscience that both accuses us when
we do wrong and defends us when we know we are in the right. By this, we have
shown an inner kind of law not written on stone tablets but on our hearts.
Don’t violate your conscience because you can harden it if you do. It can be
corrupted Tit
(1)
Don’t think you can sin and get away with it. You are accountable to God for
it.
(2)
Don’t think that because you are a good guy/gal that God will be lenient.
(3)
Don’t think you can ignore what God has revealed about Himself/His standard and
be judged on one of your own.