Introduction
I never grow tired of the story of the man who came down from the North Carolina Mountains. He was all dressed up and carrying his Bible. A friend saw him and asked, “Elias, what’s happening? Where are you going all dressed up like that?” Elias said, “I’ve been hearing about New Orleans. I hear that there is a lot of free-runnin’ liquor and a lot of gamblin’ and a lot of real good naughty shows.” The friend looked him over and said, “But Elias, why are you carrying your Bible under your arm?” And Elias replied, “Well, if it’s as good as they say it is, I might stay over until Sunday.”
Transition
In his commentary on Romans, John Calvin, the reformer of old, introduces this section of Scripture this way: “This reproof is directed against hypocrites, who dazzle the eyes of men by displays of outward sanctity, and even think themselves to be accepted before God, as though they had given him full satisfaction. Hence Paul, after having stated the grosser vices, that he might prove that none are just before God, now attacks saintlings (sanctulos) of this kind, who could not have been included in the first catalogue.”
The central theme of Romans chapter 2 is that God alone is judge. That is, accordingly, the central theme of this message. God alone is qualified and justified to be the judge of sinful humanity.
Exposition
Remember I told you last week that the church at Rome was made up of a mixture of Jewish and Gentile believers. Throughout the book of Romans we will see that major reason for Paul’s writing this letter to the Romans was to deal with tensions between Jewish and Gentile believers.
There is a great deal of evidence in the text to suggest that there were tensions between these two groups of believers within the church. There is even solid evidence to suggest that there was much of tension within the city of Rome between Christian and non-Christian Jews.
The ancient Roman historian Suetonius writes that Emperor Claudius “expelled all the Jews from Rome because they were constantly rioting at the instigation of Chrestus.” Chrestus is likely a corruption of the word “Christ.” It is most likely that the rioting on the part of the Jews was between Orthodox Jews and Jewish Christians, with perhaps even Gentile Christians involved.
Added to the tension outside of the church between Christian and non-Christian Jews, was the tension which seems to have existed between Gentile and Jewish Christians within the church. The expulsion of the Jews in A.D. 49 is well attested in the Bible as well, as it fits the account found in Acts 18:2.
“There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them.” (Acts 18:2 NIV)
After the Jews, all Jews were forced to leave Rome because of the tensions between Christian and non-Christian Jewish people, they no doubt began to trickle back in after Claudius death in A.D. 54. In the time that they were away it is certain that the Church at Rome had become less and less Jewish in nature.
Upon returning, the tensions begin to grow between Jewish and non-Jewish Christians. We see this evidenced throughout the New Testament; even in the debate between Paul and Peter at the Jerusalem Council in Acts 15.
Similar thoughts are expressed in Romans 2 and Acts 15. Speaking to the Peter and the council Paul says, “Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the necks of the disciples a yoke that neither we nor our fathers have been able to bear? No! We believe it is through the grace of our Lord Jesus that we are saved, just as they are.” (Acts 15:10-11 NIV)
Similar thoughts are reflected in Romans 2. After spelling out the “bad news first” for the Gentiles in Romans 1, Paul now reminds the Jewish Christians in the Church that they are in no better shape before the righteous judgment of God.
In Romans 1 Paul says that the pagans and heathen peoples are without excuse. They have the revelation of God which He places in every human heart.
They will be judged fairly and adequately on the basis of that revelation. Surely every Jewish Christian would have applauded the Apostle for his rebuke of the Gentile unbelieving world.
Paul doesn’t stop there, however. He then turns his attention in Chapter 2 of Romans to the Jews, pointing out that their historic lineage as being of Abraham’s seed and God’s chosen people will not, by itself, save them from judgment.
They were God’s chosen people. Indeed this is true. However, they were God’s chosen people through whom God would deliver a savior to the world. They are in as much need of grace and forgiveness and mercy as are any other.
In chapter 1 Paul tells Gentiles they are without excuse; unbelievers who practice all kinds of vile wickedness. They represent the world. In chapter 2 Paul tells the Jewish Christians that even though they work hard to keep the law, they too are without excuse; their legalistic outward righteousness has led them to hypocrisy and they are equally without excuse and condemned before God.
He even says that when they self-righteously judge Gentiles for their lack of ability or willingness to keep the law, they judge themselves because they are equally unable to keep the law perfectly. The law is a perfect standard. Even breaking the spirit of the law makes one guilty of breaking all of the law.
“For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it. For he who said, "Do not commit adultery," also said, "Do not murder." If you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a lawbreaker.” (James 2:10-11 NIV)
There is a distinct parallel between the Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians in the Roman Church and the modern Church and the unbelieving world.
These Jewish Christians sat in judgment of their Gentile brothers and sisters in Christ, though they were equally unable to keep the law perfectly.
Often, the Church, rather than serving, loving, reaching out, to the lost world, judges it for its vile wickedness.
We judge them for their sin, being guilty of a judgmental spirit and hypocrisy, when we should be reaching out to them, willing to go to any lengths to win them to a saving relationship with Jesus Christ!
Conclusion
A man sat down to supper with his family and said grace, thanking God for the food, for the hands which prepared it, and for the source of all life. But during the meal he complained about the freshness of the bread, the bitterness of the coffee, and the sharpness of the cheese. His young daughter questioned him, “Dad, do you think God heard the grace today?” He answered confidently, “Of course.” Then she asked, “And do you think God heard what you said about the coffee, the cheese, and the bread?” Not so confidently, he answered, “Why, yes, I believe so.” The little girl concluded, “Then which do you think God believed, Dad?” The man was suddenly aware that his mealtime prayer had become a rote, thoughtless habit rather than an attentive and honest conversation with God. By not concentrating on that important conversation, he had left the door open to let hypocrisy sneak in.
God judges according to truth and He is always consistent. When condemn others for their wicked behavior we must take great caution; we are guilty sinners as well. There is one judge. There is one who is righteous.
We are all in desperate need of salvation by grace. We are all helpless sinners. O, how I long to see the body of Christ cast off the heavy bonds of judgment in favor of the freedom of grace. It is only when we recognize how deep our own need for grace is that we will be free to offer it to others.
Right assessments, wise choices, are good. Jesus told us to be wise as serpents and harmless as doves. (Matthew 10:16) Hypocrisy and judgment, on the other hand, are a dark stain on our witness which tells the world that we do not believe or practice that which we profess!
How can we claim to follow the master of mercy and yet offer only condemnation, rather than grace? Truth? Yes! Truth is genuine love!
We are in need of more than outward conformity to religious rules and regulations. We are in need of radical, sweeping, heart transformation!
“As for conforming outwardly, and living your own life inwardly, I do not think much of that.” – Henry David Thoreau (1817–1862) What is needed is something which happens in the heart and then bears fruit.
In 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 the Apostle Paul writes, “Therefore we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.” (NIV)
One commentator speaks well when he writes that, “The Apostle Paul speaks plainly in order to startle the Jew out of his lethargy of self-deception.”
Friends, my aim here is similar. Have we mistaken judgment of the unbelieving world for righteousness that is pleasing to God? If so, let us repent.
Have we mistaken our religious pedigree, our cradle roll church membership, or our outward goodness, for a right standing before God? If so, let us repent and rely only upon the grace of God.
The ground is completely perfectly level at the foot of the Cross, both for its judgment upon sin, and the free offer its salvation, “For God does not show favoritism.” (v.11) Amen.
