War (Part 3): No More Masks

Photo by John Noonan on Unsplash

We all know someone who has a compulsive judging disorder (not a medically diagnosed condition, as far as I know). You know, the person whose sole purpose in life seems to be looking for something wrong with what everyone else is doing? If you’re like me, you have fallen victim to the graceless and vicious condemnation of some such person, perhaps even many times. Or, maybe you have even realized that you, like me, often have that same tendency (isn’t it weird that we often take on the very traits we dislike the most?). Regardless of which side you’ve been on, this post is for you.

In this third installment of the “War” series, I am focusing on Romans 2:1-11. If you have been following along on my journey thus far, you may remember that Paul begins to set up his argument in Romans 1, and has started out by giving a little bit of a history of humankind’s rebellion against God, describing some of the specific sins we gravitate toward in our sinful nature. Just prior to this passage, Paul had pointed out that humankind had rejected the Creator for the created, and due to that, every kind of wrongdoing has been condoned. The point being that everyone does these things. So, Paul moves on to the next step, which is to point out that no one has an excuse for judging anyone else. We all practice these things.

 “Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.

It is one thing to do wrong, repent of it, and renew our relationship with God. It is another to do wrong, refuse to repent, judge others for that same unconfessed sin, and still act like you’re okay. That’s not how things work. There are consequences, and we do have to face them.

However, because of God’s love, He demonstrates kindness toward us, patiently waiting for us to come back to Him and repent of our wrongdoing. Elsewhere in Scripture, it talks about how God is slow to anger and abounding in love. This is what Paul is talking about. God patiently waits for us. But it is still our responsibility to confess our sin and turn away from it. 

He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality” (ESV).

When it comes to sin, God shows no partiality toward any one particular person or group of people. Each of us will be dealt with according to whether or not we have obeyed God. In the eyes of God, we are all on level ground. No one has any special privileges. We don’t become righteous just because we grew up in church, had the “right opportunities,” or lived a moral life. If we don’t obey truth, and choose to disobey God’s commands, we must face the consequences of that choice.

It might be a sober way to end, but let’s dwell on these truths. The truth that we all sin; we have no right to judge others for things we don’t repent of; that when we come before God, we have no special privileges. The truth that God’s kindness and patience with us is meant to bring us to the point where we will turn from our sin and seek His will. Friends, it's time to drop our masks and stop hiding the fact that we are habitual sinners, in desperate need of repentance.

(War: Part 2)

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