"Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judges." Romans 2 v 1
Now for something completely different! There is a marked change in emphasis in chapter 2, yet with exactly the same result.
This new section runs from Romans 2 v 1-Romans 3 v 8, and focuses on the position of "self-righteous" man before God. In chapter 1 pagan man is "without excuse", and in chapter 2 religious man is also "inexcusable".
In chapter 1 we had pagan man's approval of sin, and encouragement to others to sin:
In chapter 2 we have religious man's disapproval of sin in others.
In chapter 1 present wrath is emphasised, in chapter 2 future wrath is emphasised. Chapters 1 - 2, Paul moves from the general to the specific - from addressing they/them, he now addresses them as you.
The link between chapter 1 and chapter 2 is in the bridging word "therefore" . What is that link? He finished chapter 1 stating that men who live in open sin, careless of the consequences of sin, KNOW THAT GOD WILL JUDGE THEM. When we come to the opening of chapter 2, Paul is thinking of people who are judging others. The pagan man knows that God is the judge, and accepts that it will happen; the religious man sets himself up as a judge of others, and denies that God will judge THEM.
Not so, says Paul God will judge the whole world, pagan and religious, and this message runs throughout the entire section.
verse 2 - " the judgment of God."
verse 3 - "do you think you will escape the judgment of God?"
verse 5 - "the day of wrath and the revelation of the righteousness judgment of God."
verse 16 - "the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ."
Ch 3 v 6 - "God will judge the world."
The message is surely clear, God is the judge, religious/moral man is setting himself up as a judge of others, and has no right to do so, because the only man fit to judge the world is Jesus Christ (please read Revelation chapter 5 in its entirety). GOD is on the throne, not you!
Jesus was very firm on this in the sermon on the mount Matthew ch7 v 1 - 5 the matter is very solemn, and is worthy of our study, because Jesus is saying that we have enough sin in ourselves to consider, without judging others. Indeed He says that, not only will we be judged for judging others, but we will be judged by the very same measure that we use to judge others. Obviously, there is a need for societies judging people, for the sake good public order, whether it be the criminal courts or churches, or any other society, rules have to be laid down and judgments must be made, but judging another human being is not in our gift to do.
God will judge all men no matter who they are. The man who was given more riches and power and wisdom than any man recorded this " let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: fear God, and keep His commandments; for this is the whole duty of man. For God shall bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Ecclesiastes ch 12 v 13-14.
The clue to the section lies in chapter 2 v 16 "God will judge the secrets of men." The charge is made by Paul (and Paul should know because he was a very religious man) that religious men, while judging others, are doing exactly the same things, except they hide it, they cover it, they do it in secret, and in many cases use their religion as a cloak to cover up their sins. The point is no-one will be able to hide from God. (read Psalm 139).
The whole section Romans 2 v 1 to Romans 3 v 20 is all about the judgement of God on so-called "self-righteous people".
It is abundantly clear, that God will judge the world, the whole world,whether pagan or religious.
In chapter 2 v 1 - 16 - we have the principles of judgement.
In chapter 2 v 17 - chapter 3 v 8 - we have the objections to God's judgement.
In chapter 3 v 9 - 20 - we have the verdict of God's judgement.
The whole section ends with "every mouth stopped" no-one standing before an omniscient Holy God will have anything to say. There are plenty of mouths open today, saying what they will do and what they will say if they meet God. They will say nothing, their mouths will be stopped. Better to listen to what He is saying today.
In short, all men are inexcusable, and God's judgment is inescapable!
Tomorrow d.v. the principles of God's judgement.
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