God is the righteous judge.

We continue our journey through the book of Romans. And today we up to chapter two. The issues that we will discuss today, are very old but in the same time still very relevant. You see, apparently not everything improves over time. Even with science and psychology rapidly advancing, today we face the same issues people have had over 2000 years ago. Because our hearts are fundamentally broken and without God and his guidance we never gonna be able to overcome those issues. So, let’s be sensitive to a Holy Spirit tonight and let’s let God change our way of thinking as we dive into his word.

START THE TIMER WILL YOU?

Last week we read about Paul describing the state of the society. Explaining how did people end up in such poor state. Interestingly enough we can observe that our societies not too much different 2000 years after. And it is very important observation. Why? Because, our society still rejects God. Our educational system claims that people came out of monkeys. There were very primitive and stupid and developed over time. And only the smartest would survive and that is why WE ARE the smartest people ever existed. And those lost tribes who still leave in the jungles hardly having any culture or language are the proof. And therefore there is no God. And therefore WE ARE “Gods” and shell worship ourselves only.

But we can see that Bible argues otherwise. There is an alternative view, or shell we say original view. That when people refuse to submit to God and acknowledge and worship him, they step away form wisdom and degraded. They roll back to the primitive state. Just as we read last week. And those tribes ARE the proof. They are an example of what happens to the society that do not worship God. And we can see all the signs of rebel again God in the world around us today. Lat’s look again at verses 29 to 32 of the chapter 1

Romans 1:29-32

29 They are filled with every kind of sin, evil, greed, and hatred. They are full of jealousy, murder, fighting, lying, and thinking the worst things about each other. They gossip 30 and say evil things about each other. They hate God. They are rude, proud, and brag about themselves. They invent ways of doing evil. They don’t obey their parents, 31 they are foolish, they don’t keep their promises, and they show no kindness or mercy to others. 32 They know God’s law says that anyone who lives like that should die. But they not only continue to do these things themselves, but they also encourage others who do them.

Perfect description of the state of the world isn’t it? We CAN SEE all this things. They are easy quit identify and point your finger at. This is how the society of the day of Paul were. And a lot of same attitudes is in the world today. This is what you see looking out of our church window. Right? Last Sunday we talked about corruption. Corruption of minds of individuals and corruption of the society as a whole.

Example

But you now what. There is a hope for this world! Not everyone are as bed as verses 29-32 of chapter 1 describe. Praise God I’m nothing like that! I go to church at least twice a month, I’m a regular fella. I pray every day(almost). Sometimes I even read the bible. And you know what? I give tithe! God should be happy with me. Praise God I’m not like those sinners.

Ever though that? Of course not. But there were a parable that Jesus told people:

Luke 18:10-14

¹⁰“Two men went up into the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.¹¹The Pharisee, standing by himself, prayed thus: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other men, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector.¹² I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I get.’¹³But the tax collector, standing far off, would not even lift up his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me, a sinner!’¹⁴I tell you, this man went down to his house justified, rather than the other. For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, but the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”

Reading this we can see 2 different ways to approach your righteousness, shell we say. This parable is somewhat relevant to our topic today so, please keep it in mind.

The Problem

Back in the day as well as now society were in the bad state before God. But on the other hand the Church of the day had a problem too. The stumbling block which to this day tripping people over. Moralism that goes hand in hand with Hypocrisy:

Romans 2:1

¹Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.

Let’s start from an easy one a Hypocrite: * A hypocrite is someone who preaches one thing but does another—they don’t live by the same rules they impose on others.

Who is Moralist?

A moralist is a person who:

• Believes in and promotes a strict set of moral principles, often focusing on what is right and wrong behavior(underlined).

• Judges others based on moral standards, especially concerning issues of conduct, ethics, or propriety.

• May sometimes be seen as overly concerned with morality, especially in a judgmental or preachy way.

Moralism && Hypocrisy. Dangerous mixture. And unfortunately churches are historically known to be subjected to this issue. Jesus often criticized Pharisees for exactly that. But it is not specific to any particular nation or people group. Let’s see the verse 1 again:

Romans 2:1

¹Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges.

You see, it were not exclusive to Jewish believers only, as some might argue. No, this is the disease that can affect anyone.

High moral standards are good

Let’s clarify that high moral standards are NOT Evil. God sets this standards. And those who live in God’s kingdom should strive to adhere to His expectations. To be more like our Father. Those standards, as we call them, are simply are guard rails that do not let us hurt ourselves and others. So, it not like we try to be good boys and girls to keep our God happy, behaving appropriately at the church and if we particularly holy in public too. While on the inside burning with all kinds of desires. Rotting inside out. No, that’s not the goal. Our behavior should be a representation of our inner change. Outer state, our conduct, our behavior, should reflect inner state, state of our heart. Not the other way around.

Example

If I’m staying loyal to my spouse because “God says so”. And I’m hiding and suppressing desires that live inside of me. Try to be a good boy. It will work for a time, but then it will collapse.

It’s like cheap renovation. If you paint a good paint over a rusty surface, it will stick for a little bit, but it is going to fall off very soon exposing that rust again. This is not the way to fix it.

Let’s keep reading:

Romans 2:1-3

For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.²We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things.³Do you suppose, O man — you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself — that you will escape the judgment of God?

Moralist expects right behavior on the outside. Condemning others for their visible sins. He can point his finger at those people and say “How could they do that?”. It is so wrong, I would never do anything like that. But, reality is that the state of his, moralist’s heart IS THE SAME as heart of the person he condemns. He commits the same kid of sin he judges others for. Maybe in a slightly less obvious way. In secret. The moralist’s math is broken. In their math 1/2 != 0.5. In their judgments the sentence is greatly depends on WHO is under the trial. Is it me, or someone else?

And every one of us prone to such attitude. And you can find yourself on that route. It is an easy one. It is so easy to judge others and justify yourself. Having a good excuse why YOUR sin is not as bed, why it does not count. Or even better, you can stay blind to your own flaws. But then, one day. If God is good to you, one day you will find yourself doing exactly the same things you judged other for. And then, if you are able to be humble, you will say “God, be merciful to me, a sinner!”.

RIGHTLY FALLS

Paul says that the judgment of God RIGHTLY falls on THOSE WHO PRACTICE such things(those things that we read in the chapter 1). ALL those who practice. Sometimes when we slip into a state of moralism and hypocrisy. We somehow think that God looks at our sin differently than on the sin of the world. We think it is OK for me because:

• I’m a strong christian.
• Because I have knowledge.
• Because I’m not under the law.
• Because, I’m lead by the Spirit.
• Pick your favorite excuse, or you can suggest your own.

We deceive ourselves if we think this way because judgment of God FALLS on those who practice. End of equation. There are no IF’s no additional or hidden conditions. The sin remains sin regardless of who commits it.

Why do we tent to think that our sin is somehow excused or that God treats our sins different?

Romans 2:4,5

⁴Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?⁵But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

Presume [καταφρονέω] kataphronéō - κατά = down, against && φρονέω = to think, to have an opinion or mindset

Meaning: To look down on, despise or to treat with disrespect.

God’s kindness get’s treated with disrespect. Get’s miss interpret.

Example with kids

If you have kids, they illustrate this principle extremely well. They know the rules of the house. For example they know they not allowed to play screens on school days. They have their turn to do the dishes. They should not though their cloth and toys all over the place. They know all that. Simple, reasonable rules that make life together possible.

But they do break them. And as a parents we not always immediately in their face about it. We give them grace and time. You know, deep in your heart you hope that they will actually do those things, fix their cloth and do the dishes and what not. Maybe later they will get to it. But often they do not. You can see them playing screens when they not suppose too. You do not tell them right a way, to give them chance to stop it on their own. But instead more often then not they only start doing more of it.

Somehow they do not appreciate you patience, they do not fix their behavior. Instead they interpret it as a permission to break the rules. Until the day of wrath as scriptures would call it. When judgment of the parents will RIGHTLY FALL on THOSE WHO PRACTICED such things.

• “Don’t you not know you not allowed to do screens?”
• “We know it”
• “Don’t you know you have to do XYZ?”
• “We know”
• “Then why don’t you do what you should?” And silence is the answer

And your kindness and forbearance were interpret as a cancellation signal. As if all the rules suddenly changed. I bring out the example from the life of a parent. But it is not only true for kids.

We as God’s children is very good at this as well. In the same way God give us chance to fix our ways. To stop doing evil. And he delays the day of wrath. Giving us chance to repent. To turn away from the wrong things we do. But somehow because we haven’t been stroked by the lightning very second we did wrong, we interpret His kindness and forbearance and patience as a permission to go ahead and continue.

We all know the rules. We look at the world around us and condemn those people, we judge the wicked system. But what about our own hearts?

Somehow we think that there is no more such thing as a sin for us. Because we going to church. Because we call ourselves “Christians”.

Example

We’ve seen examples of this when an unmerried couple live together, and they think they are OK with God, that they do not do anythings wrong, because they both consider themselves “Christians”, because they go to church. As if sin is not a sin anymore if you come to a certain building once a week for an hour and a half. No it is not.

And if you think you can live in sin and be ok with God.

1 John 2:4

⁴Whoever says “I know him” but does not keep his commandments is a liar, and the truth is not in him,

Because:

Romans 2:6,11

⁶ He will render to each one according to his works:¹¹For God shows no partiality.

We will leave this part for the next week. But as of today we remind ourselves:

Conclusion

We are not called to be Moralists on Hypocrites. Our mission is not to promote, judge or be overly concerned with the right behavior. It is not what’s important. We should not put on a mask or a good Christian when we come to church and we definitely should not try pretend before God, because he knows our hearts anyway.

Be real when you pray. If there is a problem in your heart. If you have have desires that God does not admire, tell God about it. Ask him for help. Have a trustworthy AND mature person in the Church(locally) to whom you can talk about it.

You can talk to a pastor. That’s what I’m here for. But if that guys it too scary, you can talk to your more mature christian friend as well. Who will be able to support you in the prayer. Maybe hold you accountable. There is a great power in opening our secret struggles before one another. I experiences and can testify that it is true.

We should let God to change our hearts, change our way of thinking, and those changes will reflect on the outside. And we would not have to force ourselves to do the right thing. We will have very little or no desire to do the bad things.

Moral standards do not save or change people. Following rules do not save or change people. Doing good works do not save people and not nesseserly change people. Faith in Jesus Christ saves people. Repentance and being born again that’s what changes people. Love that what changes people.