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Scripture reading – Romans 2; Romans 3
Continuing our Scripture reading in the Book of Romans, today’s devotional is taken from Romans 2.
Understanding this was a letter to believers in Rome, and not divided by chapter breaks, we must consider the first verse of chapter 2 as a continuation of the preceding verses. Paul, having considered the sins and wickedness of men (1:26-31), and the imminent judgment of God, observed sinners not only continue in sin, but take “pleasure” in the sinful ways of others (1:32).
The apostle declared, “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things” (2:1). The Jews, who were chosen by God and entrusted with His Law and commandments, were guilty of judging others for the very sins they committed. They were “inexcusable,” for in judging others they condemned themselves (2:1).
Interrogated and Judged According to Truth (2:2-5)
The folly of sin is that sinners have knowledge of God’s truth, and yet, are blind to their own wickedness (2:2-3a). Tragically, some believe they might sin, but “escape the judgment of God” (2:3) They enjoy the goodness and longsuffering of God, but fail to accept His goodness and repent (turn from sin) (2:5).
There is a myriad of sinners in our day, who believe their own lies, and would have us not believe our eyes and ears. Politicians, news media personalities, and educators lie profusely, deny the undeniable (even the unthinkable), and profess things contrary to nature and call it “science.” They are proponents of the adage, “It’s not a lie if you believe it.” Others embrace the delusion of the infamous Joseph Goebbels of Nazi Germany, who said: “If you tell a lie big enough and keep repeating it, people will eventually come to believe it.”
The Inescapable Reality of a Just God (2:6-15)
The basis and promise of God’s judgment is to “render to every man according to his deeds” (2:6). Believers who have sincere faith in Christ, “seek for glory and honour and immortality, [and] eternal life” (2:7). Those who reject Christ, evidence their fallen nature and are “contentious [selfish ambitions], and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation [violent anger] and wrath [outbursts of vengeful anger], 9Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile” (2:8-9). Why the Jew first? They are God’s chosen people, and were entrusted with His Law and Commandments.
Concerning God’s judgment, Paul declared, “there is no respect of persons with God” (2:11; Acts 10:34). The Lord is just, and His judgments are without partiality. He will judge all men by His Law (2:12-16). The Gentiles did not have the written Law and Commandments; nevertheless, God impressed upon the heart of man a moral law, and men therefore “do by nature the things contained in the law” (2:14). Sinners cannot plea ignorance, for God inscribed on the heart of man His law, and the conscience of men everywhere bear witness of their sinfulness (2:15).
Closing thoughts – The day of God’s judgment is determined (2:16a), and God will “judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to [Paul’s] gospel”, which is to say, according to the Word of Truth (2:16b). When God judges, men will be without excuses, and it will not matter whether a man is a Jew or Gentile (2:17-29). A believer is a child of God, not after the flesh, but after the circumcision of the heart (putting off and forsaking sin), and coming to God by faith in Jesus Christ (2:28-29).
Are you ready to stand before God’s judgment?
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