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: Paul said in verse 1 notice therefore you are inexcusable oh man. Whoever you are who judge for in 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 old man. It is clear from verse 17 of this 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. 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. Oh just ask David. You remember in 2 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. And 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 this said 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. Oh 1 Corinthians 5 verses 12 and 13, 1 Corinthians 6 and verse 3 says we are supposed to judge those inside the church. So often we say oh you're 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. Well 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 old 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 you know I'm a 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 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 in these self-righteous Jewish Christians who are looking down upon the world and we got our own secret sins we're struggling with in our own lives. And this is why God is going to deal with us. This is why 1 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 abandoning 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 come caving in.

And I just and then I listen and I read the comments of the people. Oh it ought to be turned into apartments. It 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 taking 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're 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 a doing similar things that they are despising the riches of God's goodness his forbearance and long suffering. The the Greek word for despise is an amazing Greek word is kataphroneo. 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 not still doing what he did in Acts 5 when Ananias and Sapphira. They lied to God and God just wiped them out. Thank God he's not 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 is an 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 forbearing 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 easily wipe us out. But he is patience 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 not wiped us out and realize 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 and it means a callousness or a stubbornness a hardness. It is where we get our medical term 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 you when you hear it you you just get a little hard and 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 a 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 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 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 it says submitting to one another in the fear of God. And have you hardened your heart in these areas stubbornness stiffness. And just said I'm just not the Bible described the Israelites when they rebelled against God. God described them being stiff necked. They just stiffen their neck and 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 a 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 unrepented heart. And all we are doing is treasuring up. You know what's amazing about that word treasuring up? The Greek word is is is where we get our English word thesaurus from which is 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. Whatsoever a man sows that shall he also reap. For if he sows to his flesh of his flesh he's going to reap corruption but if he sows 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. 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 they all put them up you know tell my grandma you you know you happy you know tell all that mess and stuff or they got their wings okay.

Nobody's getting wings. Stop with all that foolishness that you putting all on Facebook and social media you know they got their wings today. Tell my grandma my say hi and and you ain't talking your grandma much. She works for Jesus if she's there. She works for the Lord don't have time to look for your grandma. 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. Is that 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 don't mean no harm but no no no everybody doesn't. Let 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. I won't say that at a funeral you know but but we all thinking it. We think you just 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 out 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 to their two minutes. They end up turning to a sermon many sermon but I let those two minutes let them say whatever they're going to say about them and and most of us are just sitting there looking like this. Yeah. We all going to stand before God. Are you ready? You can be ready today by repenting of your sin and accepting Christ as your Lord and savior.

You can be ready. You've heard me say many times it's not how high you jump in here. It's how straight you walk when you leave here. And people and your family see you walking with God walking with the Lord at home and not just when you at church. And so we will see what else Paul had to say when we pick it up in verse 6 on God's will next time. Let me conclude with this. In this message entitled no excuses we saw how we have no excuse before God. If we are judging everyone for their sins and refusing to deal with the sins in our own lives all we are doing is storing up the source.

Remember storing up for ourselves God's wrath. We're also despising God's goodness and his forbearance and long suffering and thinking that hey God hasn't judged me so maybe he approves. Maybe he's powerless. Maybe he's just indifferent. He just doesn't care. Oh no no he cares. Just give him your a little time to repent. It's what he's doing. So if he's doing that for you today repent before you leave here and get things right before the day of judgment day of wrath comes. He loves us. That's why he drew you here today to hear this. He loves you and wants us to be right with him when we stand before him.

Let's pray. Father we do thank you for your word. Thank you so much for being so good to us for sharing these things with us. Thank you for giving us ears to hear what the spirit of God has said to us. And Lord I just pray for anyone here Lord that you've given them time to repent. I pray Lord that they repent of their sin turn from their sinful ways get things right with you. Lord if there's anyone here who has not Lord accepted you as their Lord and savior. If you're here if you're online if you're here just repeat this prayer after me just say Lord Jesus forgive me.

I believe you died on the cross and was buried and rose again just for me. Come into my heart. I make you my Lord and savior. Help me to live for you by the power of your Holy Spirit from this moment forward in Jesus name. Amen.

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