The Word Made Plain

Guest (Male): Welcome to the word made plain with senior pastor Tony Clark of Calvary Chapel Newport News in Virginia. Currently, Pastor Tony is teaching through the book of Romans. Please open your Bible to Romans chapter 2 verses 1 through 5.

Tony Clark: All right, let's dive into the word of God together. Turn with me in your Bibles to Romans chapter 2 as we continue our verse by verse look at the book of Romans on Sunday mornings and as you know, we're in the book of 1st Samuel on Wednesdays going through the Old Testament on Wednesdays going through the New Testament on Sundays. Uh we just finished up chapter 1 and it was a doozy and um now we're keep marching. We're in chapter 2. We're going to be looking at verses 1 through 5. Father, thank you so much for this time in your word.

We pray that nothing or no one will hinder the word of God from going forth. Clear our hearts and our minds. Lord, that we may receive your word. We may hear what the spirit of God is going to say to us today. Give us ears to hear we pray in Jesus name. Amen. Romans 2 looking at verses 1 through 5. The title of this message is no excuses. No excuses. Now by way of definition, an excuse is an attempt to lessen the blame attaching to a fault or offense. Seek to defend or justify. Uh another definition is to release someone from a duty or requirement.

And in this chapter, Paul is addressing the church that was looking down upon the world who are committing sins that God will judge them for. They were under the assumption because they were the people of God, they will be exempt from God's punishment and Paul will quickly correct them of this false belief. Look at the very first word uh there in chapter 2 verse 1. It says therefore. As you know, you've been with me long enough. Therefore is a a transitional conjunction that takes us back to what was previously said. In Romans 1 in verses 18 to 32, Paul uh paints a a grim picture of those God's wrath will come upon.

He ended in verse 32 by saying who knowing the righteous judgment of God that those who practice such things are deserving of death. The believers in Rome felt that they were exempt from God's judgment because they were not committing those things. But Paul ends verse 32 by saying not only do the same but approve of those who practice them. They were saying well, we aren't doing those things, Paul. We aren't doing any of those those sins. And Paul will respond by saying, but do you approve of those practicing them? And this is why Paul said in verse 1 notice therefore you are inexcusable, oh man.

Whoever you are who judge for and whatever you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge practice the same things. I want you to I want to draw your attention to the phrase, you are inexcusable, oh man. It is clear from verse 17 of this uh chapter that Paul had the Jews in mind when he said these things. These are Jews who became Christians but still held a prejudiced view towards the Gentile believers in the church. They, the Jews, felt that they, the Gentile believers were inferior to them. And so the subject of this message is drum roll please.

Judging. Something we just love to talk about and hear about and we don't have a clue of what it means. So Paul said, whoever you are who judge another, you condemn yourself. Uh in other words, you are quick to judge the homosexual culture that is addressed in Romans 1 in verses 26 and 27 but you are bitter and angry at someone who had hurt you and you are holding a grudge and unrighteousness towards them. He said, which is also addressed in Romans 1 29 to 31. And Paul said in judging you condemn yourself. For you who judge practice the same things meaning the same things that will bring God's judgment.

Judging. Judging. Oh how bad our sins look on someone else. How hard we come down on someone who is committing the sins we're guilty of. Uh just ask David. Do you remember in 2nd Samuel 12 in verses 1 through 15, the prophet Nathan came to him with a story of how a rich man who had a lot of sheep lived next door to a poor family who had a little lamb. It was like a family pet to them. They kept the little lamb in their house and even would let the little lamb sleep in the bed with them.

And on one occasion, a traveler came to the rich man's house and instead of taking one of his many sheep that he had, he took the one little lamb that was like a family member to that family and he killed it and fed it to his traveling friend for dinner. Nathan said, King David, what should be done? And when David heard this story, he was furious and said, the man who did this shall surely die and he shall restore fourfold for the lamb because he did this thing and because he had no pity. And the prophet Nathan paused and stuck his prophetic finger and said, David, you are the man.

And then he goes on to say, thus saith the Lord. He said, I anointed you king over Israel. I gave you all that was King Saul's, his his goods, his wives. And here's the statement that blows me away every time I come across it. And God through the prophet Nathan said, and if all of that wasn't enough, I would have given you more. Oh how bad our sins look when someone else is committing them. Oh this is heavy because what this verse what this first verse is saying is condemnation of another person. Watch this. Is an indication of an area we're guilty of.

See the Greek word for judge is krino and it means to judge to condemnation with a sneer on the face and a finger angrily pointed at a person like David in this story. And this kind of judgment is wrong because although it might be in a little different form, the same sort of sin is going on within us whenever we judge in this way. Jesus speaking on the subject in in Matthew 7 in verses 1 through 6 to be more specific verse 3, he said, and why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye but do not consider the plank in your own eye?

In other words, Jesus is saying the speck of wood or the splinter that you see in your brother's eye is made of the same 2 x 4 that is in your eye. That is why you see pride so easily in people because pride is what you struggle with. The reason why you can say that someone has an anger problem is because you have a problem with anger. Maybe to a lesser degree but it is still there. You can point out jealousy in people because you have a jealous and and suspicious spirit in you. Look at her over there.

Look at her wearing that. She's wearing that to try to get the men's attention. How do you know that? Because it's probably something you're doing secretly in your own heart. And so Paul is saying to these Jewish Christians who were so quick to talk about the wickedness going on in the city of Rome but they were without excuse because these were sins that they were guilty of as well. Look look what it says there in verse 2. It says, but we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.

I want to draw your attention to the phrase, but we know that the judgment of God is according to truth. The Greek word for know is oida and it carries the idea of awareness of that which is commonly known or that which is obvious. And Paul is saying God will judge and his judgment will be according to truth. Now why did Paul tell them this? Because we can't know what is inside of a person's heart. But what we do know is that God knows everyone's hearts. The Bible says in John 2 verse 24 is not on the screen for you note takers.

It says that God he didn't commit himself to the people because God knew what was in every man. He knows every man's heart. Hebrews 4 verse 13 says and there is no creature hidden from his sight but all things are naked and open to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account. And so our job is just to love people, share the truth of God's word with them and leave the judging to God. Who will judge perfectly, Paul said here in verse 2 according to truth. Now this is referring to judging those.

Don't miss this point. Judging those, are you ready? Judging those who are outside of the church. But Paul will later tell the believers in the city of Corinth that we are supposed to judge those inside of the church. Uh 1st Corinthians 5 verses 12 and 13, 1st Corinthians 6 and verse 3 says we are supposed to judge those inside the church. So often we say, oh you you're judging me. Well, you're a Christian, right? Yes. You you go to our church, right? Yes. Then what I'm supposed to do that? I'm supposed to do that. And we're supposed to do it in love.

We're we're supposed to do it. We're supposed to do it. Look what it says there in verse 3. And do you think this oh man, you who judge those practicing such things and doing the same that you will escape the judgment of God? Notice the phrase, do you think? The Greek word for think is and it means calculating, estimating. It's where we get our English word logic from. Paul is saying that these self-righteous Jewish Christians were falsely calculating their own sinfulness and guilt thinking that they will escape the judgment of God and Paul is saying that your logic in this area is totally wrong.

It is totally off. And I love that he said that. Now it is so easy for us to look at this world with a self-righteous anger with our spiritual noses up in the air all the while we have the same or similar sins in our own lives. We are greatly deceived if we think that God isn't going to judge us in the church. Church people, Christians. Oh boy, this is what we do. This is what we do and I you know, I'm an equal opportunist meaning that I just I just teach the word of God and let it do what it's going to do.

There are people, friends of mine on Facebook out in California. They're white evangelical Christians who are yelling about abortion. And there are blacks who are yelling about racism. And we're yelling and we we we we got our sides and we're pumping and you know and we're and you know abortion the unborn you know and then over here racism and and we're doing all that. We're yelling out in the world yelling about these sort of things but inside the house we're getting drunk. We we we we we're doing drugs. We're we're hooked on porn. But though we going yell out there about racism and yell about the unborn and we got secret sins in our own heart and in our own lives.

And this is something that a lot of folks not don't want to talk about. But this is the truth. Because this sort of thing is is going on constantly that I'm seeing as I speak around the country. I 'm seeing these things happen constantly yelling. And we're no different than these self-righteous Jewish Christians who are looking down upon the world and we got our own secret sins we're struggling within our own lives. And this is why God's going to deal with us. This is why 1st Peter 4 17 says, for the time will come for judgment to begin at the house of God.

And if it begins with us first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? And Paul is saying we will not escape the judgment of God. And we're seeing unfortunately seeing churches closed from last year. Their churches just closed up. I'm a part of a group on social media abandoned abandoned homes and and buildings throughout Virginia. And and constantly abandoned churches. Churches that once had spiritual life in them are now boarded up. Cobwebs on the inside for those who can get in and look. Pews have cocked and turned over.

Ceiling con- caving in. And I just and then I listened and I read the comments of the people. Oh you ought to be turned into apartments. You ought to be turned into a brewery. And and folks who are Christians are like a a What? A brewery? I'm Judgment has begun at the house of God. It's already begun. It's already taken place. It's already happening. God won't let us get away with mess that he's going to judge the world for and we're doing the same thing. We think we going to escape the judgment of God. Paul has said, no no no you you're not going to get away with that.

Look what it says there in verse 4. He says, or do you despise the riches of his goodness, his forbearance and long suffering not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? Paul is telling them when they commit sin that God is going to judge the world for and they are doing doing similar things that they are despising the riches of God's goodness, his forbearance and long suffering. The Greek word for despise is an amazing Greek word is and and it means to think down on something or someone and to underestimate the true value of something.

In other words, Paul is saying that many people including Christians misinterpret the patience and long suffering of God. Saying within our own heart saying that God has not wiped wiped us out in judgment when they you know when we sin they are looking down on God's goodness, his forbearance and long suffering. God's goodness and his forbearance and long suffering, they're giving people time to repent. This is why God doesn't immediately come down on us when we sin because he's given us time to repent. Revelation 2 21 says God gives people time to repent. This is why God doesn't immediately just wipe us out.

As soon as we sin just wipe us out. Thank God God is now still doing what he did in Acts 5 with Ananias and Sapphira. They lied to God and God just wiped them out. Thank God he's now still doing that and doing it like that. So we we we ought to be thankful and God has given us time to repent. I just wonder what is God giving you time to repent from? Is there something that you're presently doing that he hasn't come down on you yet in judgment? Just know he's giving you time to repent.

He isn't approving of what you're doing. He isn't indifferent to what you're doing. He isn't powerless to do something about what you're doing. He's giving you and I time to repent. Please repent today because you don't know when his patience, forbearance or long suffering will run out. I love the definition of the word patience in this verse. The Greek word is makrothumia and it was used to describe a powerful ruler who voluntarily withheld vengeance on an enemy or punishment of a criminal. And this is what God is doing when he's being patient with us. He's a powerful ruler who is withholding his judgment by his grace and mercy upon us.

He can easy wipe us out. But he is patient toward us and it is through God's goodness that will lead us to repentance. Oh what a good God we serve. Every day we should look up and and see how God has now wiped us out and realized that God is a good God. He's been good to us and he is waiting on us to repent. Look at the the very first word of verse 5 but. But is the conjunction of contrast and Paul is saying, if we continue in sin, our hearts are getting harder and harder and unrepentant in this area.

Notice, but in accordance with your hardness and impenitent heart, you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation at the righteous judgment of God. So he's saying when we continue in sin, our hearts are getting harder and harder and unrepented in that area. The Greek word for hardness is uh uh sclerotes and it means a callousness or a stubbornness, a hardness. It is where we get our med- medical term uh sclerosis from. And I just wondering, are you experiencing a sclerosis in some area of your life? A hardening in your heart to some biblical truth or some biblical fact you hear it or hear it talked about, hear it taught and and all of a sudden when you hear it you you just get a little hardened.

You you're experiencing a sclerosis in that particular area. You say, what do you mean? What about in the area of tithing? Have you grown a sclerosis in the area of hardening on the subject of tithing? What about living together as husband and wife and you aren't married? Have you just grown callous, a hardness uh to that? Have you hardened your heart in the area of daily reading the Bible? You know, I ain't reading that every day. Well, that's what's I ain't reading that every day. See there's definitely a hardening, a stubbornness in the area of submitting to your spouse at home.

Oh just in case just in case you get it twisted, the submission goes two ways. It's a two way street according to Ephesians 5 21 that says submitting to one another in the fear of God. And have you hardened your heart in these areas? Stubbornness, stiffness. And just set them just not. The Bible described the Israelites when they rebelled against God, God described them being stiff necked. They just stiffen their neck so I'm not going to do it. In the beginning when you first did it this sinful thing God's spirit convicted you and you felt a certain way about it if you are Christian.

But the more you did it or continued in this sin, the harder your heart is becoming. The more we will develop an impenitent or uh unrepented heart. And all we are doing is treasuring up. You know what's amazing about that word treasuring up? Uh uh the Greek word is is It's where we get our English word thesaurus from which was a a treasury, a book of words. And he said when we continue in sin, we be develop an unrepented heart and when we do that, we're treasuring storing up for ourselves God's wrath upon us in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.

The more we try to justify ourselves in a particular area, just remember what Paul told the churches of Galatia in Galatians 6 verses 7 and 8. It says, be not deceived. God is not mocked. What's over man souls that shall he also reap. For if he souls to his flesh of his flesh, he's going to reap corruption but if he souls to the spirit, spiritual things, you're going to reap life everlasting. I I I want to bring to your attention the term day of wrath. We don't know the day of God's wrath but what we do know is that no one will escape their final encounter with God.

Uh Hebrews 9 verse 27 says, it is appointed unto man to die once and after this the judgment. I just wonder, are you ready? Are you ready to stand before God and give an account of your life to him? If your life was taken today, would you say I'm ready? None of this sort of mess that's being taught that whenever you die everybody goes to heaven. You know, you go to every funeral and they put everybody no matter what that kind of life that person lived, no matter what they did, no matter how much of a bad human being they were, uh they all put them up.

You know, tell my grandma you you know you're happy, you know tell all the mess and stuff or they got their wings together. Nobody's getting wings. Stop with all that foolishness that you putting all on Facebook and social media. You know you got their wings today. Tell my grandma I say hi and and you ain't talking your grandmama. She works for Jesus if she's there. She works for the Lord. Don't have time to look for your grandmama. I'm just saying. Stop all that foolishness. My mama didn't get her wings almost a year ago. She went.

She's dancing at the feet of Jesus. It's what she's doing. So what's happening is there's a lot of bad theology that's going on that no matter how you live, you just going to go to heaven. No, I'm here to take No, you're not. And I say this at funerals too. I say I don't mean I I I don't mean no harm but no. No. No. Everybody doesn't. Just just go ahead and say, you know, pastor just go ahead and say, you know, y'all know he was a bad human being. He was a terrible human being.

Now I won't say that at a funeral, you know, but but we all thinking it. We think you there's a bad human being here. This guy was terrible. Rotten guy, just rotten, you know. So and we all thinking it. And that's why I never put folks I if unless I know them personally. Oh that person rejoicing with Jesus but outside of that, I don't say a word. I let all them people get up here into their two minutes. They end up turning to a sermon many sermon but I let those two minutes let them say whatever they going to say about them and and most of us is just sitting there looking like this.

Yeah. We all going to stand before God. Are you ready?

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