Title: You who judge (Romans 2:1-11)
Contents
one who judges
Bible: Romans 2:1-11
1. Who is this scolding for?
Then, saints!
Does the Apostle Paul's criticism of the Jews apply only to the Jews?
It's not like that. This applies to all who profess to believe in Jesus Christ today. How much superiority is entrenched in our hearts for our own sake, asserts that we too are God's chosen people?
"I see in my members another law fighting against the law of my heart, bringing me captive under the law of sin that is in my members. O wretched man I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?"
The most fundamental and fundamental of our Christian doctrines is total depravity. Full acknowledgment of one's sinfulness. This is the beginning of our Christian life. Without this kind of recognition, if only you are right and only you are righteous, so you stand in a position where you only judge others, it is an extremely wrong form of faith. What we can know from verses 2 and 3 is that God's judgment becomes the truth. In other words, no one escapes the judgment of God. God's judgment makes no distinction between the chosen people, Jews, Gentiles, or Greeks. There is no one who will not be judged by God.
In particular, if you look at verses 6-9 of today's text, you can see that this part is described in detail in a more vivid way.
Verse 6 says, “God will reward each one according to his deeds.” First, verse 7 says, “To those who by persevering in doing good seek glory and honor and immortality, eternal life.”
Second, in verses 8-9, it says, "But to those who are selfish and not after the truth, but after unrighteousness, there will be wrath and wrath, and there will be tribulation and distress for every spirit who does evil."
2. After hearing God's rebuke in this way and discovering who you are, what should you do now? Romans 2:13 tells us the answer.
“It is not the hearers of the law who are righteous in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified.”
If you have heard and realized that it does not end with hearing and understanding the law, you must now put what you have heard and realized into action. If we have forgotten our duty and judged, we shouldn't judge anymore. James 4:12 says:
"There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, who is able to save and to destroy. Who are you that you judge your neighbor?"
What does this mean? These words are a terrifying warning that those who judge others by slandering their brothers are arrogant people who ascend to the throne of God and exceed them.
On May 7, 1856, German Chancellor Bismarck was attacked by the enemy while he was leaving the palace. Fortunately, the bullet didn't hit. As this rumor spread, many people, including the government's dignitaries, visited for condolences. Bismarck's wife, who had been visited, was delighted and held a banquet, saying, "-- What a filthy bastard. Even if he dies, he will not go to heaven!" did At this time, Prime Minister Bismarck said, "Hey! You'll have a hard time going to heaven even if you say things like that!"
Those who slander others are not worthy as citizens of heaven. As one theologian said, "A slanderer and a judge are threefold poisoned: the slanderer himself, the slanderer, and the slanderer."
Dear saints!
Our Sansan Network Church started in 1995 under the slogan of a church advancing through the Word. In order to become such a church, I think the first thing to be implemented is the content of today's Word. No matter how beautiful a chapel is, if it is a church that judges others, it will become a dirty church that is beautiful on the outside but rots inside. However, even if you do not have a beautiful chapel from the outside, a church that fulfills the words of 1 Peter 4:8, "Above all, love one another, for love covers a multitude of sins" will become a beautiful church in God's sight. We hope that our Sansan Network Church will be the latter. I hope that it will be a beautiful church in the eyes of God, not a church that is beautiful in the eyes of people.
Now, I will close by telling you one last story of Aesop, which is related to today's sermon.
Saints!
I think we've already figured out what this story means. If you slander other people's mistakes, the consequences will eventually come back to you.
The evil devil is looking for someone to devour, even at this hour. We must not become the prey of the evil devil by judging by slander.
In any case, I hope that 1995 will also be a year in which our members do not stand in the judgment seat, but provide for each other and cover each other with love.