Impartial Judgment: The Call to Self-Examination

Devotional

Day 1: The Illusion of Self-Righteousness

Self-righteousness is a dangerous trap that blinds us to our own faults while we judge others. The Jews in Romans chapter 2 believed their heritage and adherence to the law exempted them from God's judgment. However, Paul reveals that they are guilty of the same sins they condemn in others. This hypocrisy is a reflection of the human condition, where we often see the faults in others but are blind to our own. True righteousness comes from faith in Christ, not from our own efforts or moral standing. We must recognize that all are guilty before God, and our heritage or moral standing does not exempt us from His judgment. [02:00]

Romans 3:9-10 (ESV): "What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, as it is written: 'None is righteous, no, not one.'"

Reflection: Consider a time when you judged someone else for their actions. How can you apply the same standard of judgment to yourself and seek God's grace for your own shortcomings today?

Day 2: The Unchanging Truth of God's Judgment

God's judgment is impartial and based on truth, unlike human judgment, which is often flawed and biased. This challenges us to examine our own lives and recognize that we cannot hide behind our status or good deeds. God's standards are unchanging, and His judgment penetrates beyond outward appearances to the heart. We must understand the necessity of justification by faith and the atonement of Christ, as God's judgment is always according to truth, without favoritism or partiality. [21:17]

Hebrews 4:12-13 (ESV): "For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart. And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account."

Reflection: In what ways have you relied on your status or good deeds to feel secure in your relationship with God? How can you shift your focus to seeking His truth and grace?

Day 3: The Root of Sin

Sin is not just about committing specific acts but is rooted in ungodliness—failing to glorify God and acknowledge our need for His righteousness. This understanding calls us to a deeper awareness of our spiritual condition and the need for Christ's atonement. We must recognize that the essence of sin is in the failure to glorify God and acknowledge our need for His righteousness, which leads us to seek His forgiveness and cleansing. [08:20]

Isaiah 64:6 (ESV): "We have all become like one who is unclean, and all our righteous deeds are like a polluted garment. We all fade like a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, take us away."

Reflection: Reflect on an area of your life where you have failed to glorify God. How can you begin to acknowledge your need for His righteousness in that area today?

Day 4: The Peril of Antinomianism

Believing that our status as God's people exempts us from the consequences of sin leads to antinomianism. We must remember that God's grace does not negate His righteousness, and obedience is essential to experiencing the fullness of His blessings. This misunderstanding can lead to a lack of spiritual growth and a failure to experience the fullness of God's blessings. We are called to live in obedience, understanding that God's grace does not negate His righteousness. [25:03]

James 2:17-18 (ESV): "So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead. But someone will say, 'You have faith and I have works.' Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."

Reflection: Identify one area in your life where you have been relying on grace without pursuing obedience. What practical steps can you take to align your actions with your faith?

Day 5: The Necessity of Self-Examination

We are encouraged to examine ourselves honestly, recognizing our own sinfulness and the need for God's mercy. This self-awareness leads to genuine repentance and a deeper relationship with God, who is faithful to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. While God is merciful, He is also just, and His standards do not change. We are invited to seek God's forgiveness and cleansing, assured that He is faithful to forgive those who genuinely repent. [42:42]

2 Corinthians 13:5 (ESV): "Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not realize this about yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test!"

Reflection: Take a moment to honestly examine your heart and actions. What is one area where you need to seek God's forgiveness and make a change? How can you begin this process today?

Sermon Summary

In our exploration of Romans chapter 2, we delve into the profound truth that God's judgment is impartial and based on truth, a principle that challenges both Jews and Gentiles alike. The Jews, in their self-righteousness, believed they were exempt from God's wrath due to their heritage and adherence to the law. However, Paul dismantles this notion by highlighting that they, too, are guilty of the same sins they condemn in others. This hypocrisy is a reflection of the human condition, where we often see the faults in others but are blind to our own. The essence of sin is not merely in the outward actions but in the failure to glorify God and acknowledge our need for His righteousness.

Paul emphasizes that God's judgment is not like human judgment, which is often flawed and biased. Instead, it is always according to truth, without favoritism or partiality. This truth is foundational to understanding the necessity of justification by faith and the atonement of Christ. Without recognizing the truth of God's judgment, we risk falling into antinomianism, believing that our status as God's people exempts us from the consequences of sin. This misunderstanding can lead to a lack of spiritual growth and a failure to experience the fullness of God's blessings.

The sermon calls us to self-examination, urging us to recognize our own sinfulness and the need for God's mercy. It is a reminder that while God is merciful, He is also just, and His standards do not change. We are encouraged to live in obedience, understanding that God's grace does not negate His righteousness. As we reflect on these truths, we are invited to seek God's forgiveness and cleansing, assured that He is faithful to forgive those who genuinely repent.

Key Takeaways

1. The Danger of Self-Righteousness: The Jews' belief in their exemption from God's judgment due to their heritage serves as a warning against self-righteousness. We must recognize that all are guilty before God, and our heritage or moral standing does not exempt us from His judgment. True righteousness comes from faith in Christ, not from our own efforts. [02:00]
2. God's Impartial Judgment: God's judgment is always according to truth, without favoritism or partiality. This challenges us to examine our own lives and recognize that we cannot hide behind our status or good deeds. God's standards are unchanging, and His judgment penetrates beyond outward appearances to the heart. [21:17]
3. The Essence of Sin: Sin is not just about committing specific acts but is rooted in ungodliness—failing to glorify God and acknowledge our need for His righteousness. This understanding calls us to a deeper awareness of our spiritual condition and the need for Christ's atonement. [08:20]
4. The Risk of Antinomianism: Believing that our status as God's people exempts us from the consequences of sin leads to antinomianism. We must remember that God's grace does not negate His righteousness, and obedience is essential to experiencing the fullness of His blessings. [25:03]
5. The Call to Self-Examination: We are encouraged to examine ourselves honestly, recognizing our own sinfulness and the need for God's mercy. This self-awareness leads to genuine repentance and a deeper relationship with God, who is faithful to forgive and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. [42:42]
** [42:42]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[00:13] - Introduction to Romans Chapter 2
[01:07] - The Self-Righteousness of the Jews
[02:00] - The Need for Justification
[03:07] - Convicting the Jews of Sinfulness
[04:00] - The Jews' Hypocrisy
[06:34] - Ungodliness and Unrighteousness
[09:56] - The Essence of Sin
[12:22] - The Blindness of Sin
[16:01] - Nathan and David: A Lesson in Judgment
[19:16] - God's Judgment According to Truth
[23:52] - The Importance of Understanding God's Judgment
[30:19] - God's Unchanging Standards
[33:31] - God's Penetrating Judgment
[37:49] - The Futility of External Offerings
[42:42] - The Call to Self-Examination and Prayer

Sermon Clips

Therefore Thou Art inexcusable oh men whosoever thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another thou condemn thyself for thou that judgest doest the same things but we are sure that the Judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things and thinkest thou this oh men that judgest them which do such things and doest the same that thou shalt escape the Judgment of God. [00:00:22]

The real trouble in the last analysis with the Jew was that he did not grasp and understand this doctrine of the wrath of God upon all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men and it was because he couldn't see that he couldn't see the need of justification and couldn't see that that was the only way whereby a men could ever be right with God. [00:02:20]

The essence of sin is to refuse to give to God the glory that is his right that is his due and it doesn't matter how we fail to do it that is the very essence of sin now it took the Apostle Paul himself a great deal of time to understand this I mean by that that when he was sa of tsus he didn't see it at all. [00:10:31]

The Pharisees said as long as we hav literally actually physically committed adultery we are free from adultery not a bit of it says our Lord if you look on a woman to lust you've already committed adultery with her in your heart so you see there are most highly respectable people guilty of adultery according to our Lord's teaching. [00:11:36]

We are sure says the apostle that the Judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things now the translation here is very important here it is in the revised as I've read it in the authorized as I've read it you we are sure that the Judgment of God is according to truth. [00:19:16]

God's judgment isn't like men's judgment man's judgment is an unrighteous judgment judgement it's never a true judgment it is never according to a great Eternal standard of Truth man's judgment is not only faible it's always false the Judgment of God is always according to truth he's got an entirely different standard. [00:20:22]

If we don't grasp this teaching that the Judgment of God is always according to truth we shall of course not believe in the doctrine of the wrath of God and there are many today as we saw who don't like this doctrine of the wrath of God why don't they like the doctrine of the wrath of God because they have not realized that the Judgment of God is always according to truth. [00:23:52]

Antinomianism is this we shall get into that position into which so many people have often got of saying ah because we are God's people it doesn't matter what we do of course if we were not God's people these things would be tremendously important but after all I'm a child of God and therefore I'm right with God my salvation's assured it doesn't matter what I do. [00:24:47]

There are many people in the Christian Life I believe who are not enjoying the full blessings of Salvation simply because they have grasp this principle it is because they're disobedient to God or are sinning against him in some way that they are causing God to withhold his Blessing from them he will not bless while we disobey while we are sinning against him. [00:25:50]

God's judgment is always according to truth whether you're a Believer or an unbeliever Sin is Sin and don't you think in the light of all this that perhaps one of the main explanations of the life state of the Christian church today is just this this unconscious antinomianism of which we have become guilty because we are always talking about taking it by faith and saying we must never examine ourselves. [00:42:23]

We thank thee that with thee there is Mercy that thou mayest be feared that though thou dust correct us and chastise us thou Hast for us the way of Deliverance and of Escape but oh God forbid it that we should attempt to make merchandise of the blood of Christ put this over against righteousness and truth and Justice and holiness us God have mercy upon us. [00:43:12]

Give us Grace to know for certain that as and if we do so Thou Art faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness and now May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship and the communion of the Holy Spirit abide and continue with us now this night and ever more amen. [00:44:49]

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