Romans 2:1-16 – God’s Righteous Judgment

Reverend Leo H. McCrary II

This week’s Sunday School lesson takes a look at Romans 2:1-16, as we must all remember that we will all be judged by the Lord one day.

Introduction

God’s judgment is righteous, and something all of us should understand is that there is no escaping the Lord’s judgment.  In this Sunday School commentary, we take a look at Paul’s writing as he teaches about the one who can and will judge, and when He judges, it will be just.  This week’s Sunday School commentary will cover scripture from Romans 2:1-16. 

The Flaw and Judgment of Religious Judgment

With Paul using the word “Therefore” in Romans 2:1, this week’s lesson is not just simply connected to Romans 1, but it also connects us with a lesson we had earlier this quarter – God’s Wrath Revealed.  

In Romans 1, Paul pointed out that God’s wrath is not only real, but that it will be revealed upon ungodly people who suppress the truth, and change the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man (Rom. 1:22-23).

In Romans 2:1, Paul points out that not only did the ungodly suppress the truth and change the glory of God into a sinful image, but they also dared to judge others.  To be clear, when Paul states that they judged others, he speaks of them condemning others, as if they had the power and authority to condemn.

What Paul spoke of is something that is still happening today – false teachers preaching and making up their own truth, rather than preaching and living by God’s word.  Who is man to think that he can not only suppress God’s truth but then judge and condemn anyone?  Let’s not be mistaken, as judging others as if one has the power to condemn another is the great flaw of ‘religious people’.  

Jesus taught, “Judge not, that you be not judged. For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you.  And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye (Matt. 7:1-3)?”  The message here is this:  You’re a sinner trying to judge your brother’s sin, as if you’re better than him.

Jesus then said, “Hypocrite!  First, remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye (Matt. 7:5).”  It is not wrong for believers to judge, but the problem is that believers have raised themselves to judge the wrong way.  Rather than judging to condemn, the sincere believer ought to judge in a manner to seek how to help uplift.  

When one judges to condemn another, we should understand that they’re not moving according to the doctrine of God, but in a doctrine that they have twisted to fit their own principles.  God commands one to love all people, but the self-righteous “believer” moves in selective obedience, picking and choosing which of God’s instructions they will follow, and which ones they won’t follow.  

To be clear, when one moves in a manner other than that which the Lord instructs, that is to move sinfully.  Imagine that, sinners judging others of their sins as if they’re better than others.  Well, you don’t have to imagine hard because such a thing happens on a daily basis.

Warning Against Following in the Sin of Satan

To make this sin worse, disobeying God’s instructions for one’s own way, is to say that one’s way and judgment are better than God’s way and judgment.  This mindset is the mindset of a fool.

Now, when I say that such a one has the mindset of a fool, I want to be clear that I am speaking to the biblical definition of a fool, as defined throughout the Book of Proverbs.  Proverbs 1:7 states, “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”  Then Proverbs 1:30-32 speaks of how the simple-minded (the fool), because they did not choose to fear the Lord, or to heed wise counsel, will be destroyed.

Paul asks a question that has to be asked of one who genuinely thinks they can live in selective obedience to God’s instructions.  In Romans 2:3, Paul asked, “Do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?”

Let me be clear in my wording of what I say next:  there is no escaping God’s judgment for anybody.  Was that plain and clear?  To be more plain and clear:  whether you believe in God or not, everybody will be judged.  To be more plain and clear:  whether you are good or bad, everybody will be judged.  

In Isaiah 45:23, the Lord swore to Himself, saying, “The word has gone out of My mouth in righteousness, And shall not return, That to Me every knee shall bow, Every tongue shall take an oath.  He shall say, ‘Surely in the Lord I have righteousness and strength. To Him men shall come, and all shall be ashamed who are incensed against Him.”

Now, the fool is delusional enough to believe that they will not only escape God’s judgment, but they believe they’ll escape His condemnation.  Paul shared a warning about such a thought, saying, “In accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to each one according to his deeds (Rom. 2:5-6).”

I feel that such a one must be provided with as much clarity as possible to understand the manner in which they are choosing to live.  You see, when Christ began His ministry, He called for repentance because the kingdom of heaven was, and still is, at hand (Matt. 4:17).  

To be clear, Christ did not say that some don’t need to repent because they are already perfect.  Christ told the religious leaders that He came for those who require the Great Physician, not for those who think they’re well already and don’t need to see Him.  For one to think that they don’t need to repent, once again, lives in disregard of what Christ/the Lord has judged!

I want you to understand that one who moves with such a mindset follows in the sin of Satan.  Satan raised himself above the throne of God, believing his way was better than the Lord’s way and that he didn’t need to abide by God’s way (Ezek. 28:17).  Satan attempted to rebel against the Lord and was cast from heaven by Michael and his army (Rev. 12:7-9).

So, what do you think that means for those who follow in the same sin of Satan?  If Satan and the angels who followed him in his rebellion will not escape judgment, why do you think that you will?  That is a question that Peter also asked of false teachers.  

The Righteous Judgment of God

What Paul wants everyone to understand is that God is righteous in His judgment. His teaching of God’s righteous judgment is in accordance with what Christ taught and said Himself.  

In Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus said, “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in 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!’”

Religion won’t get you into heaven.  You can go to church every Sunday, but without faith, churchgoing won’t get you into the kingdom.  You can participate in charity, but without faith, that charity is empty and won’t get you into the kingdom.  Faith, living in obedience, is what you will need to inherit the kingdom of the Lord.

Some may think to themselves, “That doesn’t sound right; it doesn’t sound fair!”  In Romans 2:2, Paul wrote, “We know that the judgment of God is according to truth.”  In other words, God is faithful to His righteousness, and if one desires not to enter into condemnation, then they must live in obedience according to His righteousness!

So, when the Lord judges, Paul wrote that when God judges according to one’s deeds, He will judge in this manner:  “Eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.  For there is no partiality with God (Rom. 2:7-11).”

To be clear,  those who live faithfully according to God’s word will be rewarded with eternal life in the Lord.  However, those who choose not to live in obedience to God’s word will be judged and condemned.

Many people often find reason to complain about how God will judge.  To some, it is completely understandable that sinners will be condemned.  However, there is this idea that one shouldn’t be condemned by God just because they didn’t believe in Him, if they were a good person who had good deeds.

In Romans 2:14-16, Paul spoke of how the Lord will judge even those who are “good-hearted” but don’t abide by His law.  Paul stated, “When Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)  in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.”

One may have all the good deeds in the world, yet we all have our secrets.  You know, those secrets of the heart are so awful that none of us wants them to be out in the open.  Yes, those thoughts that you try to keep to yourself about who you despise, or who you lust after, are committing adultery in your heart.  Everybody has deep, dark secrets that they are ashamed of.

The Lord is going to judge those secrets one day–there will be no hiding them from God.  If one has not accepted Christ as their intercessor, mediator, advocate, and Savior, then they will stand before God with those deep secrets before Him.  Because the Lord is faithful, He will have to be faithful in His judgment, even of that good person with their good deeds.

Sadly, that good person doesn’t have a mediator when they could have had one that would take that charge for them.  Sadly, they will end up facing the same condemnation of Satan, the Antichrist, the false teachers, and the adamant deniers.  As Paul said, there is no partiality with God; He is just (fair) in His judgment.

I may be biased when I say this, but I genuinely can’t find what there is to complain about with God’s righteous judgment!  The Lord’s judgment is fair to me.  

If you desire to dwell with the Lord eternally, then dwell with Him in His instructions while you live.  However, if you don’t desire to dwell with him in His instructions while you live in this world, why would you desire to dwell with Him for everlasting life?  You see, this is what I don’t understand:  Desiring not to live in fellowship with the Lord on earth, but then wanting to dwell with Him eternally when one’s physical life is over.

The Choice One Must Make

When teaching or preaching about God’s judgment and eternal life, everything always boils down to one having to make a choice:  dwell with the Lord eternally or dwell apart from the Lord eternally.

The sincere believer has made a confession with both their mouth and heart to walk by faith, and they do it.  The insincere believers are those who profess faith, but their selective obedience is disobedience.  The adamant denier of the Lord is one who is committed to sinful living.

This is truly a lesson aimed at insincere believers who profess faith.  Paul made this clear by stating, in Romans 2:12-13, “As many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified…).”

This sounds a lot similar to what I explained earlier in this commentary when I spoke of the difference between religion and sincere faith.  One must truly understand that God desires faith, not religion, which is to say that God desires sincerity over mechanical.  Jesus taught that God, who is Spirit, desires one to worship in spirit and truth – move in obedience (John 4:24).

James touched on this thought, saying, “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world (Jas. 1:27).”  In other words, pure and undefiled faith before God moves with grace, living in obedience.  

Obedience, I also want to point out, acknowledges that one is not perfect, because in obedience, one goes before the throne of grace to obtain God’s mercy.  Salvation, believers should understand, does not give you the privilege to live sinfully, with no remorse!  God will judge.

So, put forth your best effort to live in obedience, by yes, doing what is good according to God’s word.  Then, when you err, be sure to acknowledge your sin and take it to the Lord.  God will lift you up from your sin, and He will reward you for your faith and obedience.