Who Me? Romans 2:1

Often Christians will use Roman’s chapter 1 to condemn people who practice "sinful lifestyles.” Homosexuality, fornication, drunkenness... you know, the stuff that we Christians would never do. But I wonder if it ever occurred to those folks that Paul didn’t write chapter one to give us ammunition for our Holy Cannons.  He wrote it to make a point:  We’re all guilty!  Notice who Paul says is inexcusable:

Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. Rom 2:1

Let me translate:  Those who judge the “sinners” in the world are guilty of the same sins!  Maybe they didn’t commit the exact same sin, but I’ll bet if not it was pretty close.  Or they thought about it, which is the same as practicing it (Matt 5:28). Paul went on to say:

As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none who understands; There is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no, not one.”  Rom 3:10-12

I’m thinking that Paul wasn’t excluding Christians from this declaration - including himself.

See, apart from the grace and mercy of God, we’re all doomed.  None of us has lived up to the standard of God’s holiness.  The only difference between the Christian and the “immoral sinner” is that the Christian has experienced being "justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus."

But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets,  even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference;  for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,  being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus,  whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed,  to demonstrate at the present time His righteousness, that He might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.  Rom 3:21-26

Our goal should never be to get people to stop sinning, but to introduce them to Jesus Christ, because that changes everything!  The truth is, those folks are trapped in their sin.  They don’t need to be judged, they need to be set free!  (if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed… John 8:36)

So be careful Christian, don’t judge people, rather pray for them, and ask the Lord to grant you an opportunity to share with them what God did for you.

“Lord, grant me the eyes to see past peoples actions, grant me the heart to care for their soul, and grant me the opportunity and the courage to share Christ with them.”

When we pray this way, we can change the world, one life at a time.

Pastor Clay