Often We Hear, "Judgment Is Coming." Today, I Tell You, "It Is

January 26, 2018

Often We Hear, "Judgment Is Coming." Today, I Tell You, "It Is Finished."

Romans 2:1–5

Sarah Fifer

Central Truth

Because God is just, He must ultimately judge our sin. But because He is also love, He provided a way.

God's Righteous Judgment

1 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. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 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? 4 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? 5 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.

The first part of this passage speaks to our judgment of others. It reminded me of the first 20 or so years of my life. I knew I was saved by grace, but had believed that beyond that it was up to me to be a “good girl.” Until about 17, I was doing a pretty good job (according to MY standard). It was very easy to look at others around me and judge their weaknesses and faults.

Thankfully, God allowed me to go through a time when I was the one being tempted, when I could no longer be the “good girl” on my own. I had come to the end of my works-based self and saw my desperate need for a Savior, not just for my eternal salvation, but also for my everyday life. This began the process of the Lord teaching me that only He can change me, only He is good, and even my best efforts are like “filthy rags” (Isaiah 64:6, NLT) to Him. God has used my mistakes, unmet expectations, marriage, parenting, and fostering to continually show me my need for Him. Because I know I need Him, when I’m tempted to look at others in judgment, I’m reminded of all of our need for grace.

The second part of this passage talks about God’s judgment. Taking this out of context, we might see God as a dictator or an angry father sitting in heaven ready to zap us for our sin. But the Truth of His Word shows us something much different. We will see as we journey through Romans that we are all sinners (Romans 3:23) and that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). But God, in His great love for us, sent His Son to die for us while we were still sinners (Romans 5:8); and if we believe that, we will spend eternity with Him (John 3:16). Our judgment is no longer based on our works, but on His Son's work on the cross. He said, “It is finished” (John 19:30). Our faith in His grace has set us free from the judgment of sin (Ephesians 2:8-9).

This month's memory verse

9 because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10 For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved.

– Romans 10:9–10

1. How easy is it for you to judge others with a standard that you don't even hold for yourself? Are there areas where you need to repent and admit your tendency to judge those around you?

2. Have you recognized your sin and need for a Savior? Have you accepted God's amazing gift of grace knowing that when you do, He no longer judges you?

3. What are steps you can take today to lead you to trust Him completely and allow you to see others through the lens of His grace?