The Goodness of God's Righteous Judgment

Romans 2:1-16

1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. 3 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 

5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who "will render to each one according to his deeds": 7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; 8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, 9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; 10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 

11 For there is no partiality with God.

12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law 13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; 14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) 16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

Here no excuses are acceptable.  We cannot judge others without condemning ourselves.  No matter how much we would like to think we are better then another or could never do what heinous thing we observe in those we would judge, our hearts and minds conceal the same degraded patterns of sin inherited from Adam (Romans 5:12, 18) and we are without excuse (Romans 3:10-12).  God’s judgment is true and just to hold everyone accountable to Him for those sins inward as well as outward, which is why Jesus spoke of the heart as the source in the beatitudes and elsewhere (Matthew 5:27-28, 15:18).  Continuing to sin without turning from sin to Him leads to death.  Repentance from sin and faith in receiving Christ who stepped in between sin and judgment to take the penalty on Himself for us is the only hope we have to escape the eternal consequences of unending punishment.  It is His goodness and patience in drawing us to Himself that we should understand as we part with the passing pleasures of sin (Hebrews 11:25) and count it best to be with Him now and not wait until death.  It is foolish to despise His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering (2 Peter 3:9) that bring us to repent and believe (Mark 1:15) the good news we call the gospel.  If we do as many in the world who reject Jesus as the Son of God and Christ, we only lay up earthly treasures that fade and rust away and turn into the wrath of God’s righteous judgment and cosmic justice of an eternal sentence in the torment to come.  If, however, we lay up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:19-21), we will find lasting peace with God and joy inexpressible instead.  Our deeds define our eternal destiny in that the works we do contrary to God’s law earn the same as Adam did (which we also have inherited being born in sin), while the work of God in Christ’s work on our behalf (John 6:29) if believed is our salvation from sin’s power and penalty forevermore.  Those who continue to pursue the works of darkness (John 3:19-20) and do not turn to God when they hear the gospel (John 3:21) but reject and mock it only prove that they have sealed their sentence.  God shows no favors; we are all equally accountable to Him for inherited and committed sin.  Being a member of a church or doing penance do not earn salvation.  Only Jesus Christ earns our deliverance from God’s wrath on our sin.  Do you know Him, dear reader?  Nothing else will do to save you and I but the work of Christ in His life, sacrificial death on a tree of our curse for sin, and resurrection as proof of eternal life beyond the grave!  Accept no cheap substitute or you risk the peril of eternal consequences.  There is no other way to the kingdom of heaven but Jesus Christ the divine Son of God (John 14:6, Acts 4:12, 1 Timothy 2:5-6) who died and rose again as we celebrate Easter each year as a reminder for all His sheep to listen and heed His call (John 10:27-28).  This is not revocable (John 10:29) because Jesus is God (John 10:30).  This is also why no other religion or philosophy can deliver us as only the divine Christ is able to do for us through the self-sacrifice on the cross to take our curse (Colossians 2:14) and give us unending life in God’s presence (Jude 1:24, Revelation 21:3, 22:4-5) in the kingdom life to come.  No cult or half full gospel can do this.  He writes His law on our hearts with the finger of His Spirit when we are reborn as proof and power to endure to the end when we are judged for who we truly know in our new hearts and not according to outward appearance and good works to convince our and others contrary to the truth.  God knows those who are His and we who are conform to Christ in Hos righteousness by righteous obedience in response.  This is the true God and eternal life (John 17:3, 1 John 5:20) in Christ in the goodness of God’s righteous judgment and grace.