God’s righteous judgement
Romans 2:1-11
Key verse: 2:6, 7 “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”.
Good morning. Last week, we learned why unbelievers need the gospel. Even though God has shown himself plainly, they did not want to glorify him as God nor thank him. As a result, God gave them over to their sinful nature. They are doing sexual impurity, idols worships, and all kinds of sins. They do not know even that they are under God’s wrath. Today, the Bible says that the Jews, God’s chosen people, need the gospel too. They know God. They have the law. Yet, God will judge them too. Why? and what does God teach us through them? Through this passage, let us learn what his righteous judgement is. Also let us learn why we should live a life of seeking glory, honor, and immortality.
- You who pass judgement on someone
Read verse 1. “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. Here, you refers to the Jewish people according to verse 17. It says “you, if you call yourself a Jew”. Also “therefore” refers ch 1:32. It says although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such thing deserve death. The Jewish people had the law. In the law, including the ten commandment, God taught them what to do and what must not to do. He also promised them if they would obey the law, God would bless them, but if they disobey the law, they would be punished. So when Paul said that the unbelievers deserve death, they said “Yes. Amen”. But surprisingly, Paul now turned his attention to the them. He said they have no excuse because when they pass judgement on someone else, at whatever point they use, they are condemning themselves since they do the same things too.
How did they do the same things as unbelievers did? Outwardly, they believed God exists. They glorified and thanked God. They did not do idol worships. However, they inwardly worshipped idols, sought sexual impurity, and committed all kinds of sins mentioned in ch 1 last part. In Jesus’ time, he rebuked the hypocrisy of the Jewish people. They were outwardly clean but inside they sought greed and self-indulgence. Inside, they were full of wickedness and hypocrisy. According to ch 2 later part, they preached against stealing but they stole. They told people not to commit adultery but they committed adultery. They said honor God but they dishonored God by breaking the law.
What about us? Have you ever passed judgement on someone else? Do you know at whatever point you judge another, you will be judged with the same measurements? Like the Jewish people, we are chosen by God. We have the scripture. We could be judgmental on others. For example, we could pass judgements on someone who commit adultery, but Jesus says in Matthew 5:28 “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Also we could blame those who do not love brother or sisters. But Jesus says in Matthew 5:22 says “But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.” Even though outwardly we do not pass judgement on brothers or sisters, in our heart, we often judge them. As a result, we have no excuse about God’s judgement upon us.
Look at verses 3 and 4. The real problem of the Jewish people are here: even though they pass judgement on someone, they think they themselves are exempt from God’s judgement. Read verses 3 – 4. “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?” Paul said even though they are God’s people, they could not escape God’s judgement either. But the way how God treats them is different than that of unbelievers. In ch 1, when unbelievers did not glorify God nor thank him, he punished them to live whatever their sinful desires wanted. But here, when the Jewish people committed sins, he is still kind, patient, and endures them. He did not give them over to their sinful nature. Rather, he is patiently waiting for them until they repent. In Luke 15, there is a prodigal son. He demanded his father to give him his portion of his father’s estate. The father could be upset and lock him in prison. But he gave his son of what his son wanted. The son enjoyed his life. He forgot his father. However, his father waited for him patiently. When his son came back to his senses and came home back, the father ran out and welcomed him as his own son even if his son wasted his wealth and time.
Similarly, when we commit sins against God, he does not punish us right away. It is not because we are righteous but because he is so kind and so patient that he gives us enough time to repent.
The Pyongyang spiritual revival movement in Korea in 1900s began from one man’s repentance. There was an American missionary named Robert Hardie. He was sent as medical doctor missionary in Korea early 1900s. He was proud of himself and considered himself superior over Korean people. Then, while he was leading a bible study, he was convicted that he despised Koreans for many years. At the same time, he realized God had been patient with his judgmental spirit. He came to love people in Korea but actually he passed judgement on them. He said “I felt shame and pain when I had to confess my sins in front of people. But when I thought about God’s kindness and his patience for me, I could not but confessing my sins”. Church historians say his repentance was the beginning point of Pyongyang spiritual revival movement in Korea in 1900s.
I have passed judgement on people a lot. I used to judge people who did not share the gospel on campus. I used to judge people who only talk about money. But this passage helps me to see that I have been doing the same thing. I do not want to go out fishing. Instead of praying, I have watched Korean news and Youtube a lot when I am alone. I want more salary. In the eyes of God, I am a sinner who deserve his judgement. Thank God for his kindness and his patience for this sinner. I repent my judgmental spirit. I pray God may use me like missionary Robert Hardie for the spiritual revival of UD campus.
- Seek glory, honor, and immortality
In spite of God’s kindness and his patience, the Jewish people did not repent. They rather abused God’s grace. They were stubborn. They had their unrepentant heart. So in verse 5, Paul warned that they were storing up the wrath of God against themselves. And God would reveal his righteous judgement against them.
What is God’s righteous judgment? Can we read verse 6. “God will repay each person according to what they have done”. God’s righteous judgement is that he repays each person according to what they have done.
Then, how does God repay each person? First, God repays eternal life to those who seek glory, honor, and immortality by persistence. Can we read verses 7? “To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life”. Here glory and honor are not our own glory nor our own honor. But they are for the glory of God and the honor of God. When people seek glorifying and honoring God through their life, God sees what they have done and he repays them eternal life. Also when people seek immortality, in other words, eternity, God repays them eternal life too. Furthermore, in verse 9, God gives glory, honor and peace for those who seek the glory of God too. Jesus is the best example when he glorified and honored God through his life, how God also glorified and honored him. Jesus says in John 17:4,5 “I have brought you glory on earth by finishing the work you gave me to do. And now, Father, glorify me in your presence with the glory I had with you before the world began.” Whenever people praised him, he always gave the credit to God. He openly thanked God and praised him. He also gave his life to pay for sins of people. He obeyed God to the point of death. Then, God repaid him glory and honor. He made Jesus lord of the lords and king of kings.
Apostle Paul himself sought God’s glory and God’s honor through his own life. Before he met Jesus, he used his law knowledge to persecute Christians. But after Jesus appeared to him, he made his every effort to defend Christianity through his law knowledge. God honored him in many ways including writing this book of Romans.
Back to verse 7, Paul especially says “in persistence by doing good”. Why did he mention “persistence by doing good?” Because doing good (or seeking glory, honor, and immortality) is not natural. In our sinful nature, doing whatever our sinful desire is natural. In order to do good, it requires persistence. Not just one time, but in season and out of season, in good times or in bad times, faithfulness is needed.
This reminds me of Galatians 6:9. It says “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up.” When I was in MD, I shared with Abe Song at CP 9 Saturday fishing. He was faithful to fishing the whole spring semester even though he did not get any name. I felt sorry for him. I did not know how to comfort him. On the last Saturday of the spring semester, we shared this verse and repented our despair. On that day, when we went out, God sent Kyle to Abe. God rewarded Abe when he persistently sought good for the glory of God. He and I really learned when we are persistently doing good, at the proper time, as God promised, he surely blesses those who are not weary in doing good.
As God’s people, what kind of life we must live? We should seek the glory of God, the honor of God, and immortality persistently. 1 Corinthians 10:31 says “So whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory of God.” Whether we work or study, let us do it for the glory of God. Then, God will repay us honor, glory, and peace too.
Second, God repays wrath and anger to those who are self-seeking, reject the truth and follow evil. Can we read verse 8 and 9? “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;”
This shows why we should seek God’s glory, his honor and eternity in our life. When people do not seek the glory of God, in our sinful nature, they naturally seek their own interest, reject the truth and follow evil. To them, there will be wrath and anger. According to verse 9, there will be trouble and distress too.
Verse 11 says “God does not show favoritism”. God is fair. The reason why God gave us the gospel is that we live a life of worthy of God’s children. If we seek glory, honor, immortality, we will receive glory, honor, and peace. But if we seek self-interest and evil, we will receive trouble, distress, and wrath.
- God judges people’s secrets
Look at verse 12-15. When the Jewish people sin against God, they will be judged by the law since they have the law. In the eyes of God, who is righteous Jews? It is not the one who hears the law but the one who obeys the law. But who can obey all the law? Even if they might obey the law 99 times but disobey even one time, they become a lawbreaker. They would be judged under the law.
How about those who do not have the law? The Gentiles. They do not have the law. They never heard about the gospel. How will they perish? They will be judged by natural law. Look at verses 14 and 15. “(Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) ”. Even though they do not have the law, they know what is right and what is wrong naturally. They are a law for themselves. God put the requirements of the law on their hearts. Their conscience witnesses whether they deserve God’s wrath or not. Their thoughts also accuse or defend them. So even without the law, by natural law, they will be judged.
Lastly, then, when will God’s judgement take place? Verse 16 says, it will happen on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ. Paul emphasized that the day of judgement is surely coming. Even though God is super kind and super patient, he is not going to wait forever. When Jesus comes again, on that day, he will judge us based on what we have done in secrets.
In conclusion, today we learn even the Jewish people, today, we, God’s people are under God’s wrath and we all (either Gentiles or believers) need the gospel Jesus. Also today’s passage teaches us that we should repent while God is kind and patient to us. Also we should seek glory, honor, eternity. And lastly we should not just listen to the words of God but obey his words.