BIG Idea: God’s judgment is impartial—He does not judge based on appearances, heritage, or self-righteousness but by the reality of our hearts and actions.
Application: Instead of condemning others while excusing our own faults, we must humbly examine ourselves, repent, and live in the transforming grace of Christ.
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Romans 2:1-16 (NASB) The Impartiality of God
1 Therefore you have no excuse, you foolish person, everyone of you who passes judgment; for in that matter in which you judge someone else, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. 3 But do you suppose this, you foolish person who passes judgment on those who practice such things, and yet does them as well, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and restraint and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who will repay each person according to his deeds: 7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality, He will give eternal life; 8 but to those who are self-serving and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, He will give wrath and indignation. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of mankind who does evil, for the Jew first and also for the Greek, 10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who does what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God.
12 For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; 13 for it is not the hearers of the Law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the Law who will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law instinctively perform the requirements of the Law, these, though not having the Law, are a law to themselves, 15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience testifying and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, 16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of mankind through Christ Jesus.
“He is talking about a specific audience in Rome – the Weak – and the Weak is a group who knows Torah, believes in Torah, practices Torah, and expects gentiles believers to convert the whole way and join them in Torah observance because they know the will of God. They know because they are God’s elect, God’s remnant, the messianic people of God. Because the gentile believers, the Strong, are not doing the Torah, the Weak judge them as inferior and uncommitted to the fullness of God’s revelation in Moses. Yes, Torah observance is a boundary marker, but it’s not simply that issue that concerns Paul; it is boundary marking used against the Strong, the gentile believers, that concerns Paul.” —Scot McKnight
Matthew 7:1-2 (NLT)
1 “Do not judge others, and you will not be judged. 2 For you will be treated as you treat others. The standard you use in judging is the standard by which you will be judged.”
When we judge others without examining
God’s kindness is not an
God will
God judges
“A man’s destiny on Judgment Day will depend not on whether he has known God’s will but on whether he has done it.” —A.M. Hunter
2 Corinthians 5:10 (NLT)
10 For we must all stand before Christ to be judged. We will each receive whatever we deserve for the good or evil we have done in this earthly body.
The Chiastic Structure of Verses 6-11:
A. God will judge everyone equitably (v.6)
B. Those who do good will attain eternal life (v.7)
C. Those who do evil will suffer wrath (v.8)
C. Wrath for those who do evil (v.9)
B. Glory for those who do good (v.10)
A. God judges impartially (v.11)
James 1:22-25 (NLT)
22 But don’t just listen to God’s word. You must do what it says. Otherwise, you are only fooling yourselves. 23 For if you listen to the word and don’t obey, it is like glancing at your face in a mirror. 24 You see yourself, walk away, and forget what you look like. 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don’t forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it.
James 2:18 (NLT)
18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.”
God will judge everyone’s
Paul is explaining that
“Reading Romans 1 without Romans 2 leads to misreadings sometimes of both chapters. Paul’s intent was not so much to cast judgmental eyes on gentiles in general as it was to guide Phoebe’s eyes onto the Weak in the person of the Judge and to inform them that they, too, will be judged by God in an impartial judgment. His words are unequivocal: when the Weak sit in judgment on the Strong, they are opening themselves up to the same judgment!” —Scot McKnight
Our human tendency is this. It is to excuse