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Romans 2:1-4
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. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 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? 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?
New International Version (NIV)
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“Do you feel the world is broken?” sings Andrew Peterson. We answer in unison, “We do.” One needs only to read the news to see how broken the world is. At the end of his first chapter of this amazing letter to the believers in Rome, Paul points out that if we continue to push to get our own way, God may judge us by letting us go where we want to go. When the sinful people in ancient times chose to sin, “God gave them over,” to idolatry, immorality, and disobedience.
How do we know if we have been “given over” to our own sin? If we look at the sins of others but ignore our own sins and become comfortable committing them, we may be in the very place Paul describes. Reading Paul’s list selectively, we may think, “Phewww. I’m glad I’m not guilty of those sins.” Like Amos did to people of old (Amos 1), Paul turns our false assurance on its head, when he asks, “Do you think you will escape God’s judgment?” Then he asks the painful question, “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?”
As part of the broken world, we are broken people, making broken choices each day. We protest, "If we have done so much wrong, then why is God still being kind to us?" Jesus taught that God causes his sun to shine on the evil and the good and sends rain on the righteous and unrighteous (Matthew 5:46-47). When things are going particularly well for me, that does not necessarily mean that God is perfectly pleased with me. By the same token, a time of global pandemic may not be a specific judgment on some particular group of people who contract the virus. God is being kind to all of us right now. He gives us sunshine, rain, air, food and drink. How then shall we respond to God’s goodness today? We should repent – change our minds about sin in ways that change our behavior.
As we prepare to pray, I pray a dangerous prayer of my own: “God show me my sin so that I may turn from it and turn to you.” As Henry Blackaby said, “We must hold ourselves accountable to a life that is pleasing to the Lord.” Join me in that prayer, if you dare.
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Pray with me, starting with the ancient “Jesus prayer”:
“Lord Jesus, Son of the Living God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” Thank you for your kindness, forbearance and patience with us. Forgive us for showing contempt for it. Lord help us to turn until turning is our delight so that we may finally come around right. We ask it in the name of our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ who chose willingly to die for our sins. Amen.
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Join us in memorizing the Word. Scripture for this week:
Matthew 5:45-46
that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?
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| Our 2020 Every Day with Jesus readings will follow the Foundations New Testament reading plan. Copies of the reading plan are available at Tallowood Baptist Church, or download your copy at REPLICATE.ORG
We would love for you to join us as we read the New Testament through this year, five chapters a week. In addition I will continue my long-standing practice of reading one Psalm a day through the year. Use Robby Gallaty’s H. E. A. R. plan to study each chapter (also found at REPLICATE.ORG). Highlight verses which speak to you, explain what they mean in your own words in a journal, apply them to your own life, then respond by doing what God tells you to do.
Joyfully,
Duane
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