Having shown the guilt of all humanity, Paul transitions and admonishes those who judge others for their sin as they are no better. Those who judge others will be judged by God and cannot count on His goodness to avoid it. God’s goodness is meant to led them to repentance, not to avoid judgment. Rather, the one who continues to condemn others for that which they do themselves will be righteously judged by God according to their fruits because God, who shows no bias, will always give the righteous and the unrighteous what they deserve.
Romans 2:1–11
[1] Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For 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 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.
[6] He will render to each one according to his works: [7] to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; [8] but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. [9] There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, [10] but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. [11] For God shows no partiality. (ESV)
Q: What was something that stuck out to you or that you appreciated in this week’s sermon?
Q: The passage opens by accusing many of hypocrisy. What sort of people tend to be the most prone to act like hypocrites? When do you see yourself most prone to act like a hypocrite?
Q: As sinful human beings, we tend to be hard on others who don’t meet our expectations, but then we always excuse ourselves when we don’t meet other people’s expectations. When this happens, what is distorted in the way we view ourselves and others? And how can we resolve it?
Q: Verse 4 says that God’s kindness towards the wicked is not because they have been judged righteous but rather is meant to lead them to repentance. How would kindness lead someone to repentance and have you ever experienced that in your own life?
Q:As Christians we believe that God saves us not because of our works but by our faith. How then do we understand verse 6 which says that God will give each what they deserve based on their works?
Q: “For God shows no partiality” (vs. 11). Is God’s impartiality good news or bad news for us? Why? And how should we reflect this impartiality in our own lives?
To learn more about the day of God’s righteous judgment (where he shows no partiality) watch this video from the Bible Project on the Day of the Lord.