Romans 2:1-16 -- God will repay each person according to what they have done
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.
This is the age of grace, the age in which we are witnesses of the Lord’s grace. The gospel we preach is very much focused on sin and righteousness, however, we are not the judge nor are we to judge. We are witnesses. Please note, “passing judgement on someone else” is not the same thing as witnessing concerning sin and righteousness. It is very important to stay balanced. Some Christians will become self righteous judges of others, the “holier than thou” crowd. Others will go to the other extreme refusing to condemn sin and will join the “everything goes” crowd.
2 Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth.
The New Testament is very clear that God judges sin. The crucifixion is evidence of God’s judgement on sin. The gospel is that although the crucifixion represents the price that must be paid for sin the Lord has already paid that price for anyone willing to receive it. For those of us who have received the Lord’s redeeming work we are crucified with Christ and it is no longer us that lives but Christ lives in us. This is the good news of grace.
3 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?
This is even worse. When you judge others you usurp God’s position as the judge, that is rebellion, and not only so but your judgement is hypocritical since you do the same thing. So then how will you escape this judgement? With the same judgement you judge you will be judged. This is why the gospel of grace also talks of mercy. Judge others with mercy and then you too will receive mercy when God judges you.
4 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?
These ones who teach that everything goes, there is no hell, and we are not here to judge sin, this is to show contempt for the word of God. We are witnesses, that includes witnessing to God’s grace, God’s mercy, but also God’s righteousness and judgment. The gospel is to lead us to repent of sin, not ignore it, not cover our eyes to it, not to pretend it doesn’t exist.
5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.
That is a scary picture: “Storing up wrath”. Instead of repenting many hide or “cover up” their sins. Paul says to “cover up” sins is likened to someone with a storage cellar. they didn’t deal with it, they merely stored it away for a later day. On judgment day God will open up that cellar and you will be judged for every skeleton in there.
6 God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”
Yes, this is the New Testament, this is the fellowship of the apostles. The same book that teaches that we have been forgiven of all our sins teaches that “God will repay each person according to what they have done”. How do we reconcile these two? If you are in Christ, then you will be repaid according to what Christ has done, if you are in your self you will be repaid according to what you have done. How do I enter into Christ? I confess my sins and I repent. For example, let's say you robbed a bank and got away with it. You now need to go to the authorities and confess and pay the price which could include returning the money and going to jail. Confessing a sin that you had “gotten away with” demonstrates remorse, so even if you killed a person a judge will usually use evidence of remorse to avoid the death penalty.
7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.
We have two different groups here. Just like the parable of wheat and tares. The two are growing together. Just because Paul does not judge those who are self seeking, those who reject the truth and follow evil, it doesn’t mean he isn’t aware of what they are doing. He was following evil until he met the Lord and then he had a 180 degree turn and sought glory, honor and eternal life. We know that there are satanists, but our gospel of the glory of the eternal God is more powerful than anything they have. The big prize right now is to have someone caught by Satan confess, repent and seek God’s kingdom and His righteousness. At some point in the near future God will judge, but prior to that the best thing that can happen is people repent and come to the saving knowledge of Jesus Christ.
9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism.
Favoritism, racism is one form of favoritism. Religious extremism is another form of favoritism. The satanic worldly system is built on favoritism. Secret societies, the KKK, all these evil organizations are built on favoritism. That is why they have secret handshakes, pins, and symbols. They can signal to someone they are a member of this secret society and then people will show them favoritism and they get the job, they get promoted. This is how the deep state works. The gospel of glory is different, the word touches your spirit and operates from within. We do not have to operate in secret, in the dark, rather we can walk in the light.
12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14 (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. 15 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.) 16 This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
This is the New Testament. God writes His laws on our heart. Yes, people have secrets, but the day will come when God will judge people’s secrets. People assume if you have a secret it must be something wicked. Seeking glory, honor and eternal life can also be the secret of your heart. During Jesus’ ministry He had a secret, He was the Son of God yet He forbid the demons from sharing this secret. He healed people but often wanted that to be kept secret as well.
