Romans Chapter 2
Now before you religious folks congratulate yourselves for not being guilty of what all those other people are, you need to look more deeply at your own lives before you judge them and thereby condemn yourselves. You better be sure that you aren't actually guilty of the same root sins because we know that God will judge us all according to the naked truth. If you are proven to be a hypocrite, how will you escape his judgment? Just because he has blessed you and shown you his rich favor in many ways, don't take these things for granted- it doesn't automatically mean that you're okay. Don't you know that God may be showing you his goodness and patience in order to woo you into repentance. Don't mistake tolerance for approval!
But in fact, you have done this very thing. Because of your hardness of heart and religious pride, you are accruing a "wrath account" that will come due on the "day of wrath" when God's righteous judgment comes down. He will give to every person what is due him. To the believing, who by patiently and persistently doing right, show that they are seeking the things above—glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. But to the unbelieving, who stubbornly refuse to submit to God's truth, but embrace unrighteousness, he will dispense his hot and holy vengeance. Yes, it's true, for Jews first and also for Gentiles. (A past history with and greater knowledge about God implies a greater opportunity to "receive" from him. It also implies a greater accountability to him for not receiving from him- this is the great equalizer!) On that day, God will pour out trouble and torment upon every person who cherishes evil in their hearts. Yet he will pour out glory, honor and peace on those who pursue righteousness. God has made this opportunity for salvation available to all ethnic groups, for there truly is no racism in his heart.
Comments:
The passage doesn't need much commentary as it speaks loudly for itself. After exposing the spiritual darkness of the gentile world in chapter 1, Paul now turns, in his case, to the religious, but self-righteous, Jewish folk--of which ilk he had been a prime example. One thing that stands out to me in this section of Romans is how God sees down into the deep heart of matters and of every person. He is looking into human hearts seeking to find genuinely humble, vulnerable and childlike trust in him, his Son and his Spirit and...nothing else will do. Not careless self-indulgence. Not careful self-righteousness. Both extremes are unacceptable--and down in our own spirits we know the ugliness and distastefulness of both debauchery and religious pride/racism in our world.
What pleases God is a person, of literally any sort, who sincerely and repeatedly turns to him, desires to receive his truth into her/his deep heart, comes to trust alone in who Jesus is and what Jesus has done and responds with heartfelt gratitude and affection. (And all this is later discovered to be inspired by the Holy Spirit himself!) This simple foundation for getting along with God never changes--no matter how spiritually mature we might become. Truly spiritually mature people don't attempt to measure or project their maturity--they're too caught up in the wonder of God's love, kindness, presence and service to others in his name to notice or care.
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