1 You therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere man, 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, tolerance, and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward 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. 6 God "will give to each person according to what he has done" 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. 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. 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. 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 since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) 16 This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
Paul was writing to the Jews first and foremost. They were the ones that "had it all". Jews were God's chosen people and apparently enough of them felt like they had an "in" with God so they didn't seek God wholeheartedly. They looked down their noses at the Gentiles-those sinners. They judged them. They exalted themselves. Paul sets the record straight. God will judge all. He does not discriminate. We all have some form of knowledge of God's law (wether it is Moses' law or a moral law) and God will kick your butt if you are going to play the who is so perfect game. God always wins-you are not good enough.
How many times have I looked down my nose at those who are "sinners"? How many times have I looked down on fellow believers? Too many to count. We are so deceived if we think that we are better than someone else. God didn't save you because you were good enough or better than someone else. We are not saved by what we do it is a gift-freely given by God. We are not made more like God because we follow rules or try to be super good. God's kindness leads to repentance. Never forget who you are (a sinner) and what God did for you-BECAUSE YOU NEEDED IT! God doesn't want our actions nearly as much as our heart (he would pick heart over actions every time). It is in submitting a broken heart to God that we become useful to God. The church would be wise to humble itself before God and other people and ask forgiveness for this pridefulness that we so often fall into.
I hope that I did God's word justice. I felt God challenging me to continue on with Eric's blog through Romans. I have resisted for a couple of days because I felt inadequate for this type of thing but at the end of the day it doesn't matter how well this turns out- it matters more that I obey.
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