Romans 2:1-16 is the Holy Spirit anointing the Apostle Paul to command Christians not to become judges of the people in chapter 1 that are addicted to lustful sins that blaspheme God and His word, because although we do not commit this lustful, disobedient sin, yet we also think, say, and do sinful things; thus, to judge another’s sin is just as bad as doing that sin, or a worse, sin; so be patient, pray for people who are sinning, forgive them, and let God deal with their sin.
Romans 2:17-24 is the Holy Spirit commanding Christians not to be judges of other people, for the “religious pride” of being “right with God by being righteous” only condemns Christianity, for “we speak with forked tongue”, meaning “we say but do not do”; thus, we mock holiness, by the way we judge others, while doing things just as bad as their sin—Christ is the only Judge.
Romans 2:25-29 is the Holy Spirit revealing how Christian doctrines and practices are not what makes us “right with God or righteous”, because only Christ can make us right with God, just as 1 Corinthians 1:26-31 says.
1 Corinthians 1:26-31 (NLT)—26 Remember, dear brothers and sisters, few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. 27 Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish to shame those who think they are wise. And He chose things powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28 God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 29 As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God. 30 God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made Him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; He made us pure and holy, and He freed us from sin. 31 Therefore, as the Scriptures say (in Jeremiah 9:24), “If you want to boast, boast only about the LORD.”
When Christians “pridefully judge and condemn others”, we reveal our “self-righteous way to think we are right with God”, when we are as bad or worse than those on whom we pass judgment, so let Romans 2:1-4 speak to us and let us listen and obey what God says here.
Romans 2:1-4 (NLT)—1 You may think you can condemn such people (as revealed in chapter 1), but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. 2 And we know God, in his justice, will punish anyone who does such things. 3 Since you judge others for doing these things, why do you think you can avoid God’s judgment when you do the same things? 4 Do you not see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can you not see God’s kindness is intended to turn you from your sin?
Then it only stands to reason, if God’s kindness, patience, and loving care is intended to turn people from their sin and to right standing with God, through Christ, by the Holy Spirit, then it is possible, Christian kindness, patience, and loving care, is God working through us to turn people from their sin…..but can we see how blind we have been through the years? But we can ask God’s forgiveness and allow the Holy Spirit to change us from “judges” to “prayers”.
And since the Lord Jesus, in John 14:12-14 and John 16:16-24, promises He and the Father will do whatever we ask in His name, then ask the Lord Jesus to remove from you everything not like Christ and replace it with the mind of Christ (1 Corinthians 2:14-16 and Philippians 2:5-8).We cannot change ourselves, but God can change us into the person He created us to become, so ask Him to do it, and then believe and expect Him to do it, His way, at His time. God can make the impossible become possible, so expect the impossible to become your miracle.
Jim Nabors
