September 5, 2024

Romans 2:1-16  (HCSB)
God’s Righteous Judgment
2 Therefore, any one of you who judges is without excuse. For when you judge another, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things. 2 We know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is based on the truth. 3 Do you really think—anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same—that you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hardness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed. 6 He will repay each one according to his works: 7 eternal life to those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality; 8 but wrath and indignation to those who are self-seeking and disobey the truth but are obeying unrighteousness; 9 affliction and distress for every human being who does evil, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek; 10 but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. 11 There is no favoritism with God. 12 All those who sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all those who sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For the hearers of the law are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be declared righteous. 14 So, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, instinctively do what the law demands, they are a law to themselves even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts. Their consciences confirm this. Their competing thoughts will either accuse or excuse them 16 on the day when God judges what people have kept secret, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.

Haley Dorris
As a second-grade teacher, I hear excuses from my students all the time. It’s always someone else’s fault, someone did it first, or “I didn’t bite him. My teeth just touched his arm.” Yes, that is a real excuse I got from a student while I was looking at visible teeth marks on the other student’s arm. Kids are not the only ones who make excuses. Adults make just as many excuses, if not more. Paul is clear in the opening verse of chapter 2 that no one is without excuse. We judge people based on sins that we also commit, but we try to downplay our version of those sins. Do you know who is not downplaying our sins? That would be God. Verse 2 says that God judges based on truth. What I have learned from being a teacher is that waiting can bring out the truth. I’m going to be honest in saying that waiting is not my strong suit, but I am thankful that God is good at it. Due to His kindness and mercy, His waiting is intended to bring out the truth and lead us to repentance (v. 4). So, what if, instead of judging others for their sins, we take a deeper look at our own sins? Our judgment from the Lord will come, but instead of storing up wrath for ourselves (v. 5), we should have a heart of repentance and turn away from our sins.