THURSDAY May 21, 2020

The Judgment of God

….whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.
Romans 2:1-2

Paul addressed those who were moral pagans--the moral person living in the world. They did not want to have God in their lives, and yet they set themselves up to bring judgment against other people. They were self-righteous. Even though they knew right from wrong, they imitated someone else’s sinful ways and were often guilty of doing so much worse.

This was the second time Paul had mentioned that those who practice the same things will be judged exactly the same way as those practicing sin. Paul gave them God’s judgment “guilty as charged,” because they were guilty of hypocrisy. God turned the tables around on those who were self-righteous. They were guilty of double hypocrisy, because they were doing worse sinful behaviors than the people they were judging.

Paul knew men were guilty before God, and he gave them a serious charge of high treason. They were as traitors, having depravity of heart. Yet a moral person will judge themselves acquitted on the grounds that they are not as bad as a pagan person. It is a grave mistake to compare ourselves with another person. Christians can be so judgmental, even as there is a law of liberty (Romans 14). Compare yourself with the Word of God! Thank the Lord we are under grace because the judgment of God is swift! Make sure your own life is clean and pure before Him.

Realize that if you are not a believer, one day after you die, there will be a day of reckoning––a day of wrath. Nobody likes to speak about the wrath of God or hell, but God wants to make Himself clear when He speaks about heaven or hell, judgment or forgiveness. Once you close your eyes, it is over. Either you are being comforted or tormented. Those in hell still have to face the White Throne judgment. People tend to forget that.

None are more unjust in their judgments of others than those who have high opinions of themselves.
~Charles Spurgeon~

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