In kindness God offers escape from the wrath to come

2 Therefore, every one of you who judges is without excuse. For when you judge another, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgement on those who do such things is based on the truth. 3 Do you think – anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same – that you will escape God’s judgement? 4 Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognising that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? 5 Because of your hardened and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgement is revealed. 6 He will repay each one according to his works: 7 eternal life to those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honour, and immortality; 8 but wrath and anger to those who are self-seeking and disobey the truth while obeying unrighteousness. 9 There will be affliction and distress for every human being who does evil, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek; 10 but glory, honour, and peace for everyone who does what is good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no favouritism with God.

Romans 2:1-11

Introduction

A preacher gave a fiery sermon on sin, condemning the evils of his time.

Afterward, a dear older lady approached him and said, “That was wonderful! Those people really needed to hear it.”

The preacher replied, “Yes, and so did you.”

Romans 2 speaks directly to those of us who, like that dear older lady, are quick to judge others, but slow to examine ourselves.

Today, allow God’s Word to search your own heart as we consider His judgment and His kindness.

In kindness God offers escape from the wrath to come.

No one escapes: God’s judgement will be universal

1 Therefore, every one of you who judges is without excuse. For [when you judge another], you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things.

Therefore. In Romans 1:18-32, Paul explained why salvation is necessary–basically, mankind is under the the wrath of God because they have rejected Him. The result is that they know God’s just sentence—that those who practice such things deserve to die. In Romans 2:1-11, Paul explains that its not just Gentiles who will face the wrath of God, self-righteous Jewish law breakers will too, because God is impartial.

The church in Rome was a mix of Jews and Gentiles (Romans 1:16). Jews who had returned to Rome from exile, and Gentiles who had recently come to faith and been grafted into the church. Jews, who had grown up with the Law of Moses, circumcised their boy children, abstained from food that was not kosher, and maintained the Sabbath. Gentiles, who were unlikely to have circumstanced their boy children, ate bacon, and came together on a Sunday to worship instead of a Saturday. You can imagine the tension between the Jews and the Gentiles. It would seem that here Paul has a Jewish believer in mind, who, in self-righteous reliance on the Law of Moses, might point to their strict observance on a set of rules as a badge of honour, and claim that the Gentile Christian sitting next to them was either unsaved because they didn’t follow the traditions of Moses, or deficient in their sanctification.

But while these folk have the Law, turns out they’re no better than the people they judge. And in this way we’re not too different to them. Maybe they turned their noses at the way the Gentiles spoke with their lips. The Gentiles may have used harsh language. But with their lips they were given to lie, or gossip, or slander. Maybe they turned their noses at the way the Gentiles raised their children, always loud, and around people’s feet. But their own children were far from the faith, in rebellion. Maybe they turned their noses at a sexual immorality that had become public knowledge. But their own minds were a cesspool. They were hypocrites. Judging the big public sins of others, while harbouring private sin at home.

The self-righteous hypocrite faces the same judgment as those they condemn because they do the same things, just in different ways.

2 Now we know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is based on the truth.

Illustration: The gap. When we judge we judge by our human standard. When God judges He judges by Himself. He is the standard of righteousness. And we all fall short of His glory.

God judges in truth.

3 Do you think—anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same—that you will escape God’s judgment?
Jewish identity was based on the covenant relationship between the LORD and Israel. Gentiles were considered outside of God’s covenant, distant from His promises. Paul turns this cultural understand on its head by asserting that Jews, like Gentiles are accountable to God. And that all may receive favour, or wrath.

John the Baptist rebuked the religious leaders for their assumption that their physical descent from Abraham automatically made them right with God. Listen to what he said in Matthew 3:9, Don’t presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones.

In Matthew 21:43 Jesus rebuked rebuke on the Jews was even stronger, I tell you, the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people producing its fruit.

Paul’s point, Jew and Gentile, black and white, old and young, rich and poor, all will stand before the righteous judge at the end of the age.

Revelation 20:11, 11 Then I saw a great white throne and one seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them.

No one will escape His judgement.

4 Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognising that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?

Jewish religious identity was strongly connected to external rites such as circumcision, dietary laws, and Sabbath keeping. In an honour shame culture maintaining these external appearances might give one a sense of security, comfort, or prideful haughtiness. In contrast, Paul emphasizes that God’s judgment is not based on external ritual, religiosity, but on an internal heart transformation. True righteousness comes from the inside out.

God is kind. It is an attribute of divinity. A perfection of His nature. God is patient. God is longsuffering. God is self-restrained. God does not presently, or immediately, give you what you deserve. Because of His kindness, there is this moment in time, right now, this present age, where the Spirit of God is wooing men. Drawing them to Himself. Stirring within them repentance.
Repentance is a change of mind…

God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance.

5 [but] [Because of your hardened and unrepentant heart] you are storing up wrath for yourself [in the day of wrath], and God’s revealed righteous judgment.

Those who in defiance reject the Spirit of God, who suppress the truth, who quench the flame, who resist the call, who become seared to His voice, will be handed over to wrath. It is as if the time you’re given on this earth, will bear witness against you. Every time you hear the gospel. Every time your heart says no to God, when you know you should have said yes to God. You add up for yourself further judgement on that day.

Illustration: The storm at Bantry Bay. A storm of God’s fury is coming, turn!

Those who reject it compound His wrath.

Examine your heart today, for God’s judgment is inescapable, and now is the time to turn to His kindness before it’s too late.

No favourites: God’s judgement will be impartial

6 He will repay each one [according to his works]:

Romans 2:6 quotes Psalm 62:12, or Proverbs 24:12. Psalm 62 is a prayer of trust and hope in God’s deliverance, expressing confidence in His power and faithfulness. In Psalm 62:12, the closing verse, we are reminded that God will repay each person according to their deeds, encouraging the faithful to trust in God’s justice and timing. Proverbs 24:11-14 discusses the importance of rescuing those who are in danger, particularly the innocent and oppressed. In Proverbs 24:12, the reader is reminded that God, who knows the heart, holds people accountable for their actions, including their failure to act in situations of injustice or harm. Both passages encourage righteous actions rooted in faithfulness; and that their will be a reckoning.

Revelation 20:12-13, I also saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged according to their works by what was written in the books. 13 Then the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them; each one was judged according to their works.

Because He is impartial God repays according to works.

7 eternal life to those [who by persistence in doing good] seek glory, honour, and immortality; 8 but wrath and anger to those [who are self-seeking] and disobey the truth while obeying unrighteousness. 9 There will be affliction and distress [for every human being who does evil], first to the Jew, and also to the Greek; 10 but glory, honour, and peace for everyone who does what is good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.

What’s at stake? Everlasting life, or eternal conscious torment. Glory and honour and peace, or wrath and anger and affliction and distress.

In judgment, God gives us what we want. Those who seek glory, honor, and immortality, those who earnestly seek Jesus and desire a relationship with Him, God gives them Him—for eternity, His presence, abiding, alway.

But for those who are self-seeking, who reject the truth and embrace unrighteousness, God also gives them what they desire too: a life apart from Jesus. In eternity, the unsaved soul wouldn’t want to walk down heaven’s streets, for heaven is saturated with the presence of Jesus, whom they have rejected. When you choose in this life, to turn away from His light, His love, and His lordship, God gives you a place devoid of Him, devoid of His goodness, joy, and peace. And eternal separation from Jesus Christ. They would find no comfort in heaven, for it is filled with the very presence they sought to avoid on earth. Instead, they are given a place where the light of His face does not shine, where His voice does not ring, and where His peace is unknown.

Revelation 20:14, 14 Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire.

Eternal life to those who do good by seeking glory, honour, and immortality, and wrath to those who do evil, by being self-seeking, disobeying the truth, and obeying unrighteousness.

11 For there is [PAI] no favouritism [with God].

Jew and Gentile, black and white, old and young, rich and poor, republican or democrat, African National Party or Democratic Alliance.

Revelation 20:15, 15 And anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
Illustration: The traffic fine.

He is impartial.

Your choices in this life echo through to eternity. Chase Jesus, live for Jesus, celebrate Jesus, enjoy Jesus.

In the future, God will impartially judge self-righteous Jews and unrighteous Gentiles alike. But right now, because of God’s kindness you choose to repent and receive eternal life, or go on to judgement and face divine wrath.

Connect to the gospel

God will impartially judge everybody by the things we do. The things we do is a reflection of the state of our heart. As Jesus said to the Pharisees (Matthew 12:34-35), “Brood of vipers! How can you speak good things when you are evil? For the mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart. A good person produces good things from his storeroom of good, and an evil person produces evil things from his storeroom of evil.” Evil is spills from the inside out. How can you be saved from the wrath that is to come? Jesus died on the cross, a substitute for your sin, what a kindness of God! And Jesus rose from the grave, the first born of salvation, what a kindness of God! You are called to repent from your sin. Repent means to turn away, from our sin, and self-righteousness.

It is a kindness of God that today you may put your faith and trust in Jesus Christ. As Paul said in Acts 17:30-31, “Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God now commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has set a day when he is going to judge the world in righteousness by the man he has appointed. He has provided proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.”

Application for believers

You who have experienced the kindness of God leading to repentance and salvation must surely be compelled by that same kindness to share your faith with your family and friends, especially as we see the day of wrath approaching.

Application for unbelievers

Do you want to escape the day of wrath? It is near! And you will stand before the judge. Repent now, urgently, and put your faith in Jesus.

Conclusion

Romans 2 speaks directly to those of us who are quick to judge others, but slow to examine ourselves. We really needed to hear what it has to say.

May God’s Word to search your own hearts as we consider His judgment and His kindness.

In kindness God offers escape from the wrath to come.

Amen.