SUFFICIENT CAUSE FOR JUDGMENT
Romans 2:1-16
Have you ever tried to make sense out of trends on Wall Street?
Things have been confusing in recent yars!
Years ago I received a cartoon– newscaster giving evening stock market report:
"On Wall Street today, news of lower interest rates sent the stock market up,/
but then expectation those rates would be inflationary sent market down,/
until realization lower rates might stimulate the sluggish economy pushed the market up,/
before it went down on fear overheated economy leads to reimposition of higher interest rates."
"If you can keep a level head in all this confusion, you just don't understand the situation."
Strange, book dedicated to “good news” starts out with so much bad news.
First chapters of Rom. reveal sad condition we live in.
If we don't understand how bad off we are–how desperately we need God's grace–we’ll never understand how good the good news is!
To appreciate value of God’s gift, we must understand our tragic state.
Last week: sad STATE OF THE RACE–serious consequences of rejecting God
Human race has chosen this course and its results are tragic!
After last week’s message, some of us may have breathed a sigh of relief.
Aren’t you glad WE don’t live like PAGANS in Rom 1?
We’re tempted to join Pharisee in Luke 18:11: “‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men
—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.“
Events of past week–what terrible things THEY do! I’d never do anything like that!
Good sins vs. bad sins–the ones I don’t commit!
List in Rom 1: alongside of the “baddies: murder, malice, ruthlessness, homosexuality;
come OURS: envy, pride, gossip, disobedience, heartlessness.
If we respond: “I’m glad I’m not like them,” we’ve missed Paul’s point.
“Having it my way!” produces an evil, ugly picture! We’ve ALL been infected by the disease!
This week we continue to look at humanity's tragic situation but instead of seeing man at his worst, we want to see man at his best.
What about US--good people who don’t live that way?
Certainly we’re different from pagans we saw last week, aren't we?
I'll never forget Sol. Jewish man I worked with years ago. He always tried to convince me how good people are! That was hard to do. We were surrounded by religious people with arrogant, bigoted attitudes–the kind of people who would single out a particular race in time of national tragedy–and mistreat them.
J. Vernon McGee tells story of man on top of a hill who looked down at a man at bottom of hill. He’d say, “Something should be done for that poor fellow down there. We ought to start a mission to provide him with soup, clean clothes, and a bath. I’m glad I live up here and don’t need those things.” He didn’t realize that the hurdle we have to jump to meet God’s demands is as hard to jump over from the top of the hill as it is from the bottom. Difference: person at bottom will probably see his need sooner!
McGee’s game of “Jumping to Catalina”
Religious people, self-righteous people, “good people”, we all need a Savior.
None of us can make it on our own. God’s standard is way over our heads!
Rom 2: even those who look down their noses at others
and condemn conduct in Rom 1, have a problem:
All stand before righteous God, whose standard is absolute perfection.
Faced with that kind of judgment, none of us is going to make it!
Rom 2-3: all people, even religious people, stand before God condemned.
We’re not as bad as we could be, but we’re ALL as bad off as we could be!
Use whatever standard you want.
None of us has a leg to stand on before God–we all have sufficient cause for judgment!
CRITERIA FOR JUDGMENT 2:1-16
Paul begins by showing us the criteria God uses to judge people.
God's judgment not based on human criteria–He doesn’t judge way we judge people!
His judgment is always just. [ 3 bases for God’s judgment: ]
GOD'S JUDGMENT IS BASED ON OUR CONSCIENCE 2:1-5 2:1
God judges according to our understanding of and right and wrong
When we criticize others for what they do, we condemn ourselves.
As we judge others, we reveal our own understanding of good and bad
God judges us on the basis of standards we use when we judge others.
Our own words will do!
Parent helping child build vocabulary, came to “conscious” and “conscience.” Asked difference, he responded, "'Conscious' is when you’re aware of something and 'conscience' is when you wish you weren't."
"It's easy to have a clear conscience--all it takes is a fuzzy memory."
Our memory is fuzzier when it comes to our faults, than those of others.
God's memory never gets fuzzy.
He uses our own criticism to judge us.
Criteria we use to judge others are sufficient to condemn us.
When we judge others, we criticize them and excuse ourselves.
When God judges, He doesn’t use prejudiced glasses.
He looks honestly at what we’ve done.
He won’t make excuses for us.
God judges based on truth. 2:2
Do you want to stand before God on that basis? I don’t!
If we’re not able to keep standards we’ve set up, how much less will we be able to keep those God has established.
Alfred Adler: "It's easier to fight for one's principles than to live up to them."
Think for a moment about someone you have criticized. What did you criticize them for?
Have you ever done the same thing?
Application for driver's license asked: "Have you ever been arrested?"
Applicant answered: "No." Next question: "State why."
Applicant answered: "Never been caught."
Let's not kid ourselves thinking we can escape God's judgment.
Numerous ways exist to escape conviction for breaking law in modern society.
None of those work with God. There’s no escaping His judgment!
Human courts are capable of making all kinds of mistakes:
Evidence open to question Witnesses prone to error
Juries can be misledJudges make mistakes
In God’s court there’s no misunderstanding, no misinterpretation, no miscarriage of justice, and no mistakes
If we judge others, how much more will God judge us? 2:3
There will be no escape—no getting away with something—no getting off light!
No one finds loopholes in His laws.
No one makes a plea bargain.
No one escapes His judgment!
Reason God hasn’t already judged us: gives us chance to turn to Him. 2:4
Don’t misinterpret God’s patience!
He isn’t having second thoughts.
He isn’t letting people get away with something.
Peter tells us: God’s in no hurry. For him waiting 1000 years is liking a day.
He’s giving us time to turn back to Him.
But, make no mistake about it—Payday WILL come!
He waits to give us one more chance, but He won’t wait forever!
Robert Ingersoll delivered lectures against God– drew large crowds. One night after attacking faith, he took out his watch and said, "I'll give God a chance to prove He exists. I challenge Him to strike me dead within 5 minutes!" First there was silence, then people became uneasy. Some left; one woman fainted. At end of time, atheist exclaimed derisively, "See! There is no God. I am still alive!" A young man said to a Christian lady, "Ingersoll proved something tonight!" "Yes," she said. "He demonstrated that even the most defiant sinner cannot exhaust God’s patience in just 5 minutes!"
Don’t misjudge God!
He waits, to give us time. Turn to Him while you can!
Thomas Jefferson: “God who gave us life, gave us liberty. Can the liberty of a nation be secure when we have removed a conviction that these liberties are the gift of God? Indeed I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just, that His justice cannot sleep forever.”
Hard hearts result in condemnation when God’s judgment comes 2:5
“Hardening of the heart is more serious than hardening of the arteries.”
No one has cause look down on others because of their lifestyle–we have enough problem with our own choices.
A “holier than thou” attitude is out of place.
We are ALL guilty before a righteous God-we ALL stand condemned!
Our conscience is sufficient basis to condemn us before God’s judgment!
[ 2nd basis God uses to judge . . . . ]
GOD'S JUDGMENT IS BASED ON OUR ACTIONS 2:6-11
Those who do good according to God's standard receive eternal life;
Those who do evil are condemned.
Absolute justice is God’s standard.
He will judge each person on the basis of what we’ve done.
There are no privileged elite.
God is just. He doesn't ignore our works.
If we do good, God rewards us accordingly.
If you want to be judged based on your deeds, God can do that.
But His standard is absolute perfection!
R.G. Lee told of a mole which tunneled into base of levee in Arkansas. When water rose, mole's small hole far beneath the surface caused only break in system . 50 ft of the levee system crumbled!.
Our problem: we don't do what is good! Divine standard condemns us.
God never shows partiality; He never plays favorites!
When impartial Judge judges our works, no one is free from sin.
We all deserve God’s wrath!
[ If God judges us based on our own standards–our conscience: we’re guilty!
If God judges us based on our performance–on our actions: we’re guilty!
3rd criterion for judgment: . . . ]
GOD'S JUDGMENT IS BASED ON LIGHT RECEIVED 2:12-16 12-13
Ignorance is no excuse!
Those who’ve never heard law are condemned by God’s absolute standards.
Those who’ve had it all their life are condemned by God’s absolute standards.
Those knowing law deserve more severe judgment than those in ignorance.
Those who know God’s law and disobey it deserve judgment.
Those who don’t know God’s law and obey it receive life.
The fact that we know God’s law isn’t enough to save us.
We all know enough about God's law for it to condemn us.
PEOPLE WHO ARE JUST IN GOD'S SIGHT
AREN'T THE HEARERS OF THE LAW
BUT THE DOERS OF THE LAW
Pagans who don't know law, but who obey what they do understand about God and His laws–because it’s recorded in their heart–are blessed 2:14-15
God has written enough in our heart for all to realize we’ve sinned.
That light is sufficient to condemn us. No one has an excuse!
When God lets our dirty little secrets out of the closet, we’ll all stand embarrassed before Him, for no one does good, not even one of us. 2:16
Jesus mentioned one of the little secrets God’s going to let out.
He’ll judge our thoughts about women. Not just deeds, but even our secret thoughts!
IRS received letter from a person explaining he hadn't slept well since 1970 when he cheated on his taxes. Enclosed in letter were 5 $100 bills. He concluded: “If I don’t sleep better now, I’ll send the rest.
We’ve heard of “outing?” On judgment day God will be “outing” us all!
It’s going to be embarrassing when He lets secrets out of our closet!
But it will just verify that no one reached the mark. We all come up short!
Though we aren’t as bad as we could be, we’re ALL as bad off as we could be!
Realizing how bad off we are, should drive all of us to Jesus!
After He reveals our secrets, none of us will have a leg to stand on!
However good we may be, it’s not good enough!
We don’t even measure up to our own standards of right and wrong
We don’t do what is good
We don’t live by the light we’ve received
Therefore, we’ll never be able to stand before a holy, righteous God.
We all have sufficient cause for judgment–and for condemnation!
WHAT ARE IMPLICATIONS OF THIS TEACHING FOR PEOPLE LIVING IN 21st CENTURY?
WHAT DIFFERENCE SHOULD THIS PASSAGE MAKE?
1) It should cause us all to realize that we can never make it on our own. It should drive us to the Savior.
2) Those who come to the Savior realize we have no basis for boasting.
We need to remember from whence we’ve come.
3) We should respond with gratitude, because what we’ve received is unmerited. It’s the gift of God--NOT fair wages of our lifestyle.
Paul concludes this section with the statement “according to my gospel.”
This agrees with the “good news” Paul came to announce.
It’s good news that we can’t make it. =>That news drives us to Christ.
What we could never pay, He has paid for us. => # 189
Calvary covers it all—my past with its sin and stain.
My guilt and despair, Jesus took on Him there.
So that now, Calvary covers it all.
Has calvary covered it all for you this morning?
Why not come to the Savior, and receive the gift Jesus came to give you?