Today’s reading: Romans 2:1-4:25
My selection: Romans 2: 3-5
Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or 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? 5 But 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.
My reflections: What is the mindset of the judgmental person? Paul says here that one who judges others while doing the same things may hold two very dangerous thoughts:
1. I am an exception to the rule. Judgment is for others, not me. God will not judge me. I will escape the judgment of God (v. 2).
2. God is love and His present blessing on me proves I will always be blessed, never judged.
These thoughts are dangerous because, first, the one who has them ignores the fact that God’s present kindness is intended to lead to repentance, not false security. Secondly, while the present life of the judgmental person may seem blessed and pleasant, his hard and impenitent heart is resulting in a mounting up of wrath for himself on the “day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed” (v. 4). That judgment will be complete and just as it will be based on the “secrets of men” (v. 16).
My challenge: Check your heart. Do you hold, one or both of, these dangerous thoughts? Do you judge others who seem more evil than you? Could you be guilty of a hard and impenitent heart? Repent of your sin, daily. Make confession of sin a part of your daily prayer. Recognize that you deserve His wrath. Ask God’s forgiveness. He justifies, declares righteous, by grace, which is undeserved favor, as a gift through the redemption, or purchase of freedom, made by Christ as a propitiation, that is, an offering to satisfy the wrath of God. All this is received by faith (3:21-26). Do you believe?
Tomorrow’s reading: Romans 5:1-8:17
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