2024.7.14
Romans #4
God’s Judgement Without Favoritism
Romans 2:1 - 29
Good morning, everyone.
How are you doing?
Those of you who are worshiping through the internet and CDs also, how are you?
Today is the fourth in our series on the Epistle to the Romans. Today, let’s learn together from 2:1 to 29 by the title of, “God’s Judgement Without Favoritism.”
Our previous sermon was from 1:18 to 32. Let’s review it a bit.
In the passage we looked at previously, the miserable image of people separated from God was described vividly. Instead of worshiping God the Creator who created them, humans began to worship and serve things that were only created things as gods. We humans were originally created in the image of God. To be created in the image of God means that we humans were created in the likeness of God’s nature. However, when we fall into worshiping idols, we humans lose sight of how we should be. As a result, sexual morality deteriorated, and humans fell into all kinds of sins.
We Christians worship the one true God, but we all have weak parts where it is hard for us to obey God’s Word. However, as it is promised in Psalm chapter 1, there is great blessing where we obey God’s Word in all areas of our lives. We learned from the previous passage about worshiping Jesus, and to pray and think on how Jesus wants us to be.
In today’s passage of chapter 2, Paul teaches that God judges without favoritism whether a person is a Jew or Gentile. Let’s first look at the background of Paul writing chapter 2.
As I mentioned before, in the church in Rome, Jews and Gentiles were mixed together. For the church to go forward in unity in such a situation, it was necessary for the gospel of grace to be taught systematically.
In chapter 1, Paul mainly talked about the sins of the Gentiles. In the following chapter 2, he points out with severity the sin of hypocrisy of God’s chosen people, the Jews. The Jews had a sense of superiority of being the chosen people, and tended to look down on the Gentiles, judging them. So, it was necessary to teach the Jews and Gentiles alike that God judges without favoritism.
However, rather than naming “the Jews” right away, Paul begins by talking about the principle of God’s judgment which is common to Gentiles and Jews.
Let’s read chapter 2:1 and 2.
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.
First, Paul speaks on the principle of God’s judgment, that those who judge others will be judged. Jews judged the sins of the Gentiles, and looked down on them. They criticized the idol worship and immorality of the Gentiles, but the Jews were also sinning against God. Paul teaches here that God’s judgment will also be brought upon those who judge others.
Jesus also taught as follows. Let’s read from the Gospel of Matthew 7:1 and 2.
“Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.
“To judge” that Jesus taught here means to criticize and condemn others. The Jews had criticized the sins of the Gentiles and looked down on them. Paul is teaching the Jews the same thing that Jesus had taught in this passage.
In fact, originally, the Jews thought that because they were God’s chosen people, they would be exempt from God’s judgment. Let’s read verses 3 to 5.
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? 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?
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.
Originally, the Jews thought that because they were God’s chosen people, they would be exempt from God’s judgment. Paul teaches that thinking in that way shows contempt for God’s kindness, forbearance, and patience. He warns that such stubborn heart of the Jews would accumulate God’s wrath until the time of God’s righteous judgment.
In the following verses 6 to 11, Paul teaches that God’s judgment is without favoritism. Let’s read verses 9 to 11.
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.
Here, Paul teaches that whether we are Jews or Gentiles, regardless of our race, God will judge us.
Paul is not teaching here that “those who do good deeds will be saved.” Paul taught that there is no one who can be saved by their good deeds. There is no other way for us humans to be saved than by believing Jesus to be one’s Savior, and be accepted as righteous by God. What Paul is trying to teach here is that God’s judgment is not something the Jews will be exempt from, but regardless of race, God will judge without any show of favoritism.
However, there being no favoritism in God’s judgment was something that was hard for Jews to understand. They had a misunderstanding of themselves for having the law. They considered themselves to be different from other people, being special for having the laws, and had a mistaken sense of pride. It was possible that such misunderstanding would have a negative impact on the Jewish Christians in the church in Rome. Therefore, Paul corrects the misunderstanding of the Jews in verses 12 to 16.
The first misunderstanding the Jews had was that they would be saved because they had the laws. About that misunderstanding, Paul answers in verses 12 and 13. Let’s read verses 12 and 13.
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.
Paul teaches here that having the law is not what is important, but that those who obey the law will be declared righteous. So, people are not saved just by having the law, as the Jews thought. Those who obey they law is declared righteous. However, of course, no one can obey the law perfectly. There are no Jews who can obey the law perfectly and be declared righteous. Jews are also declared righteous by believing in Jesus as their Savior.
The second misunderstanding of the Jews is that they believed since the Gentiles did not have the law, they had no choice but to perish. The Jews had such a misconception.
“Humans can only know what good and bad is in light of the law. Jews have the law, so we know what is good and what is bad. However, the Gentiles don’t have the law. Because they don’t have the law, they don’t know what is good and what is bad. Because they don’t know, the don’t repent. They just go down the path to destruction. Compared to Gentiles, Jews are undoubtedly especially chosen by God.” That’s the way they thought.
To that misunderstanding, Paul answers in verses 14 to 16. Let’s read verses 14 to 16.
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.
Paul says that it’s true that the Gentiles do not have the law, but even so, they have conscience in their heart. For the Gentiles, Paul says that conscience plays the role of the law.
Granted, the standard of human conscience is imperfect compared to the law established by God. However, even in light of that imperfect standard of human conscience, we cannot always keep to the standard, and are made aware of our sins. Being kind to others is what our conscience tells us to do, but when we are cornered, it is human nature to put ourselves before anything else. However, we still feel guilty for that in our conscience. Even if we don’t have the law, we can be aware of having sinned through our conscience. So, even Gentiles without the law can be made aware of their sins, Paul is saying that the Jews must not look down on them.
In the following verses 17 to 29, Paul finally calls the Jews out by name, and criticizes them in a strong tone about the false basis for salvation they had.
He condemned two false bases.
The first false basis for salvation Paul condemned was, as I mentioned earlier, that they were given the law by God. However, even if the Jews had the law, they were far from ever fully observing its teachings. Paul declared that Jews were also sinners before God. Let’s read verses 17 to 24.
17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; 18 if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19 if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
The Jews prided themselves on having been given the law from God, and looked down on the Gentiles. The Jews were proud thinking of themselves as in verses 19 and 20, “a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children.” The phrases, “the blind,” “those in the dark,” “the foolish,” and “little children” all refer metaphorically to the Gentiles. Though the Jews were proud of having been given the law, they were not able to obey the law themselves. There were even those who did not even try to obey them. The pride of having the law and their actions in reality were a far cry. Their pride in having the law had even become a stumbling block to the Gentiles.
The second false basis for salvation the Paul denounced was the ritual of circumcision. Circumcision is a ritual in which on the eighth day after birth, Jewish boys get the foreskin that covers the tip of the male genital cut. As a sign of being a Jew, they circumcised their children.
However, originally, circumcision was not just a ritual. God had set circumcision as a sign of faith to God. Not just being born a descendent of Abraham, the father of the Jewish people, but it was established so that the child could confirm his belief in God whom Abraham had believed in.
However, the Jews considered the ritual of circumcision itself the way to be accepted by God, and thought because they were circumcised, they were accepted by God.
To that, Paul said that what is important is not circumcision itself, but the circumcision of the heart, that is, faith in Jesus, the Savior, is what is important. Let’s read verses 28 and 29.
28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.
“Circumcision of the heart” in verse 29 refers to a person believing Jesus to be their Savior, and for the Holy spirit to dwell in their heart. That is, even if they are Gentiles and not circumcised, Paul is saying that those who believe Jesus as their Savior and the Holy Spirit resides in them, they are the people truly circumcised in their heart, those who have been saved.
Up to here, we looked at today’s passage together. With false basis for salvation and mistaken pride, the Jews had looked down on the Gentiles.
We were saved, having believed Jesus to be our Savior. We stand on the correct basis of salvation that we are saved only through believing Jesus to be our Savior. In today’s passage, learning that the Jews had the wrong basis for salvation and looked down on the Gentiles with mistaken pride, we feel, “How terrible of the Jews.”
However, when we look into our hearts, do we not also try to find the value of our existence in what is within us? Like the Jews, we may not look down on other people. However, do we not at times try to find the value of our existence in money, abilities, social standings, or birth? However, such things do not show our true value.
What shows our true value? That is the cross of Jesus. The cross where Jesus, the Son of God sacrificed himself to save us from everlasting destruction. The cross on which God willingly sacrificed the life his only Son Jesus in order to save each and every one of us, expresses how important our existence is to God. By believing that cross was for the forgiveness of our sins, we are saved and are fully accepted by God.
You know this Scripture passage, well, but let’s read Ephesians 2:8 and 9.
8 For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9 not by works, so that no one can boast.
We were saved through faith by grace. It did not come from us, but we were saved only by God reaching out himself. By grace, and through faith, we were fully accepted by God. Through this cross of Jesus, we can know the value of our existence correctly and clearly. What we hold as our pride is Jesus. Pride in Jesus is the right pride to have.
What does it mean to have pride in Jesus specifically? It is to value what Jesus values. To care for what Jesus sees as important.
In order to do that, we need to learn the values that Jesus has through the words of the Bible every day. We need to learn how Jesus sees things, how he thinks about things. And we need to pray and wish to walk in accordance with the values of Jesus.
The reason Paul talked about and severely condemned the mistaken concept about the law and the basis for salvation of the Jews was so that the church in Rome could move forward in unity.
As I said at the beginning of the sermon, the church in Rome was a mixture of Jews and Gentile Christians. If Jewish Christians were to go on with their church life being negatively influenced by the mistaken pride the Jews originally had, there was a possibility of a clash between Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians in the near future. There was a danger for the church to split. In order to avoid such danger in advance, Paul dealt with and criticized the misunderstanding and the mistaken basis for salvation of the Jews.
In our church, we are trying new things now. There is the Summer Fest. In the fall, the Autumn Fest is also scheduled. We have also started a program called “Student Focus” for students. It is at times exactly like this that the unity of the church is called for.
What brings about unity of the church? It comes from each one of us living with pride in Jesus. When we look towards Jesus together, and take pride in Jesus, there is unity in the church.
As Paul fervently wished for unity in the church in Rome, let us walk in unity in our church. Let’s move forward with pride in Jesus who is the head of the church.
Let’s pray.
Like the Jews, are there not times that we too, rely on what is within us? Do we not rely on things such as money, abilities, social standing, or birth, that we have? If so, let’s tell that to God. And let’s pray for our hearts to be transformed to take pride in Jesus. Let’s pray in our hearts individually.
(Individual prayer)
In order to live with pride in Jesus, may we be able to learn the values of Jesus from the words of the Bible. May we value what Jesus values. And may our church move forward in unity. Let’s pray individually.
(Individual prayer)
Heavenly Father God, today, we learned with the title of, “God’s Judgment Without Favoritism.” Like the Jews, there are times we also rely on things that are within us. However, the thing that shows our real worth is the cross of Jesus. We thank you that Jesus died on the cross for the forgiveness of our sins. Thank you for showing us clearly how much we are worth through the cross of Jesus.
May we live with pride in Jesus every day. May we value the things that Jesus values.
And we pray that our church may move forward in unity, taking pride in Jesus.
We pray these in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Amen.
Today, there may be people who are not sure if you are accepted by God. The God that the Bible teaches wishes for us to believe Jesus Christ as our Savior, and receive forgiveness of sins from God.
The God of the Bible created us humans. Humans were created to be loved by God and to love God. However, Humans forgot the existence of God who created them, and lived as they pleased. The Bible teaches that living as we please, forgetting the existence of God who created us, is sin.
Humans living as they pleased came to have bad thoughts in their hearts like hatred, envy, and pride. Such sins became a separating wall between God and humans, and humans were torn away from God’s love.
People with sin must receive penalty for sins after their life on this earth is over. The Bible teaches that humans have to go into everlasting destruction where God’s love will never reach them after they die.
However, God loves us deeply. So that we would not have to go into everlasting destruction, he sent a Savior to this earth to bear the penalty for our sins. That was Jesus Christ. Christ had not a single sin. However, he died on the cross. It was to receive in our place the penalty for sins that we ourselves were supposed to receive.
Whoever you are, if you believe this cross of Christ was for the forgiveness of your sins, you can receive forgiveness of sins from God. And make your own the eternal life with which you can walk with God even in heaven.
Now, I would like to pray a prayer to believe, “Jesus Christ is my personal savior.” If you will, please close your eyes and join in prayer. I will lead the prayer. You need not pray out loud, but please pray with me in your heart. Now let’s pray.
“Dear God in heaven, before you I, too, have sins. The reason Christ died on the cross was in my place to forgive me of my sins, I thank you. I now believe Christ to be my Savior. Amen.”
Those of you who prayed with me now have received forgiveness of sins from God. You have become Christians. Please continue coming to worship. Let’s learn together from the Bible how great the love of God is.