GOD’S JUDGMENT IS BASED ON TRUTH

Passage: Romans 2:1-5

Key verse: 2

NIV

God’s Righteous Judgment

2 You, therefore, have no excuse,(A) 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.(B) 2 Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 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(C) of his kindness,(D) forbearance(E) and patience,(F) not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?(G)

5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath(H), when his righteous judgment(I) will be revealed.

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Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

God's Righteous Judgment

2 Therefore you have (A)no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For (B)in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do 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? 4 Or do you presume on (C)the riches of his kindness and (D)forbearance and (E)patience, (F)not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are (G)storing up (H)wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.

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The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

Paul here is talking to the Jews. They judged others who didn’t have the Law, thinking that, because they had it, they were immune from God’s judgment. They didn’t realize that by judging others, they were only condemning themselves because, while they judged others, they did the same things. So, by judging others, they just ended up condemning themselves! They were not escaping God’s judgment because God’s judgment is based on truth.

Why do people judge others? It is because they are stubborn and unrepentant. And because of this, they end up showing contempt for God’s kindness, forbearance, and patience with sinners. People judge others because they don’t think God’s judgment is reliable or quick enough. But God’s judgment is postponed because he wants everyone to repent and be saved.

God’s word should never be used to judge others. We should remember that we, too, are sinners and that we stand only by the kindness and patience of God. So, we should never judge others but guide them to repentance with the word of God.

Prayer: Father, you are full of kindness, forbearance, and patience with sinners because you want them to repent. Help us not to hold your kindness in contempt but to repent and show your patience and kindness to others.

One Word: God wants us to repent!