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NT

Romans 2:3

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

But

do you suppose this,

O man,

Gn/Sp

a) when you pass judgment on those

who practice such things

Gn/Sp

[b&] and

Csv

b) do the same yourself,

that you will escape the judgment

Id/Exp

of God?

Gn/Sp

nasb

mine

phrasing

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Romans 2:3 NASB

Romans 2:3

3 But do you suppose this, a O man, 1 when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?

notes

No one can escape the judgment of God, and everyone stands guilty before Him

Let's remember the audience Paul is addressing here. Paul started with the unbelieving Gentile who embraces their sin without shame. Then, without specifically naming the Jews, Paul moved on to the moral person who would stand in judgment over those sin-embracers. This would most definitely include the Jews, but could also be any person who claims that they are a "good person," not nearly as evil as those described in Romans 1. One of the main points that Paul is working up to, is that every single human being stands guilty as a sinner before a holy and righteous God who will judge them. No one is a "good person." Everyone has sinned against God, and as James makes clear that anyone who "keeps the whole law and yet stumbles in ONE point, he has become guilty of ALL" (James 2:10). Paul first established common ground with this part of his audience by saying "We know that God will rightfully judge those who live in ongoing, unrepentant and willful sin." What Paul is saying now to the morally good person, which includes the self-righteous Jew, is this - "Do you presume that you, who have and will sin, will somehow escape God's judgment? The judgment which you so easily say others deserve?" The self-righteous Jew would be answering "Yes, I will escape God's judgment!" Think back to Jesus' interaction with them in John 8:31-59. Jesus said to them that the truth will set them free - free from the yoke of sin. How did they respond? "We are Abraham's descendants, and have never been enslaved!" Jesus responds, "I say to you, everyone who commits sin is the slave of sin." Look at what he calls them during the interaction - "You are of your father the devil, and you want to do the desires of your father." He says rightly, "If God were your Father, you would love Me," and as we saw Him saying later in the same gospel, "If you love Me, you will keep my commandments." Let's not miss the main point of what Paul is saying in Romans 2:3 - a) NO ONE will escape God's judgment. Having Abraham as your descendant means nothing. Being called "Christian" means nothing. Being baptized as a child, means nothing. Nothing will exempt anyone from standing before God and answering for the things we have done in this life. Paul will factually declare a few verses later that we will all be judged according to our deeds (Rom 2:6). b) EVERYONE who is judged by God stands guilty before Him. Paul will factually declare later that "there is NONE who does good, there is not even ONE" (Rom 3:12). Many Christians think wrongly that God will measure us according to our good deeds versus our bad deeds, and if the good outweighs the bad, He will graciously allow us into heaven. This is a completely unbiblical notion. The standard against which we are measured is God's holiness and righteousness (Matt 5:48; 1 Peter 1:16), and each one of us falls short. If you think you are a good person, please do this exercise with me. 1) How many sins per day would you say, on average, have you committed throughout your life? I would say that it is fair, even generous, to answer 3 sins a day on average. It would MOST likely be WAY more than 3. But let's settle on 3 for the sake of the argument. Remember that we are talking about sins in deed, word, or thought. Remember Jesus' words - "if you look at a woman with lust, you have already committed adultery with her in your heart," and "if you become angry with your brother..." 2) How old are you now? I am 40 years old right now. 3) Now take your average amount of sins per day (3), multiply it by your age (40), and then multiply it by the amount of days there are in each year (365). My total is 43 800. What is yours? This means that, if I were to die today, I would stand guilty before God for at least 43 800 sins. And that was being generous with the amount of sins I commit per day on average. "But God is merciful! He won't judge me according to my sins!" some would say. My friend, the Bible teaches otherwise, for "God will bring EVERY act to judgment... whether it is good or evil" (Ecc 12:13-14). The story doesn't end here however. There isn't ONLY bad news. There is good news also, otherwise the meaning of the word Gospel wouldn't be "Good News"! But, in order for something to be good news, we first have to hear the bad news. We have to be broken on the Rock first, for "a broken spirit, a broken and contrite heart God will not despise" (Ps 51:17). Paul speaks only of the bad news from Romans 1:18 up to 3:20, before he starts giving the Good News. Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 The conclusion, when all has been heard, is: fear God and keep His commandments, because this applies to every person. For God will bring every act to judgment, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.