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Romans 2:1-5

i. Critique of Jewish Presumption (2:1-5)

Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.

And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.

But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?

Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

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Romans 2:1-5 - Paul's Critique of Jewish Presumption

In verses 1:18-32 we saw how the whole world is accountable to God for their sin, focusing on the unbelieving gentile who hasn't received special revelation from God, but general revelation about who God is as seen in creation. In verses 2:1 all the way through to 3:8, Paul will now turn to the Jews, who by arrogant presumption, counted themselves righteous by way of who they are - God's chosen people. He will show in this whole section that, just as the gentiles have turned from the truth God reveals in general revelation and have rejected Him by their sin, likewise the Jews have rejected the truth God revealed to them in special revelation, and have likewise rejected Him by their sin. This sin is not excused by God purely because they belong to the people of Israel. Their possession of circumcision or God's law does not help them. Instead, it would actually make them more accountable to God. They stand equally guilty before a righteous, holy, and JUST God, who will render judgment to every person "according to their deeds" (Rom 2:6-11). In verses 2:1-16, Paul will focus in more specifically on God's judgment over the Jews, and in verses 1-5, he will give a critique of their false presumptions. One can imagine how they would be standing there nodding their heads in agreement with Paul while he was going on about the unbelieving gentile in v. 1:18-32. Without naming the Jews explicitly from the start, he tactfully turns his attention to them to show them that they stand equally guilty before God, and that it is ONLY by faith and repentance that they can be justified before God. Exactly the same as the gentiles whom they are so quick to judge. While not being Paul's point, and at the risk of possibly reading too much into the text, while we study these verses, I want us, by way of application to think in terms of "chosen people" and "presumption." How does this apply to us in South Africa? How does this apply to us as Christians? As a nation, I believe many of us have made the same mistake as the Jews that Paul addresses in these verses. They presume justification because they are Jews. We presume justification because we are Christians. They presume justification, because they are circumcised. We presume justification, because we were baptized as a child. They presume justification, because their whole life is filled with Torah and law and customs and sacrifices. We presume justification, because we read the Bible once a week, maybe even daily, we go to church every Sunday, we tithe, and we take part in communion/the Lord's supper at church, or went through "aanneming en voorstelling" after "graduating" sunday school. Because our parents pray before we eat. And so on. We have become a nation of "Afrikaner Christene." We typically go through the whole week without any or much thought about God or His will. Getting road rage and flicking a taxi driver the middle finger is just a part of our culture... of our world. Having a braai Saturday night, swearing, blaspheming, getting drunk, and telling crude jokes around the braaivleis-fire with the "manne", and then going to church on Sunday to appease our nagging conscience, and make us feel OK to repeat the process the coming week. Deep inside, we're not sure what we'll say to God if His second-coming happens on a weekday before we've gone to church the next Sunday, and we really hope He doesn't come on a Saturday evening. Again, by way of application, Paul should speak to us directly. We will see here, if this describes us, how we will deserve severer punishment in hell, just like the Jews who had God's special revelation, yet trusted in all the little things they did, or the titles they held, to count themselves justified before God.