Who is Paul writing to as we open this second chapter?
“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” (Romans 2:1-5).
Who is he writing to? Just as there are in every period of time, Paul is writing to every person who is a moralizer … someone who passes judgment on other people. He was writing to the Jews who assumed that their history was enough to make them right before God. He was writing to Gentile who had become well-known as moralizers … setting themselves up as an authority on all things right and wrong.
He is writing to each of us throughout history who pass judgment on another’s moral decisions. And Paul is not hesitant in declaring that to each who does that, they will receive the same judgment from God.
Those who live for the glory of God will be given eternal life. Those whose lives are spent seeking those things which bring themselves glory will face wrath and fury.
Paul is quite clear as he begins this letter … God is the only one who is to pass judgment on our fellow man. Our job is to live in a relationship with Him that brings glory to God’s name every day.
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