God’s Treasure Chest – Romans 2
I am having so much fun writing down my thoughts from my study on the book of Romans.
Here is some of the treasure I discovered from reading and studying Romans chapter 2. I hope this helps you!
Romans 2:1 says,
You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! When you say they are wicked and should be punished, you are condemning yourself, for you who judge others do these very same things. (NLT)
Here the Apostle Paul is referring back to things he said in chapter 1 and warning others not to look down on people with judgement and condemnation. He warned them that in condemning others they are condemning themselves.
If I wanted to, which I don’t, I could tell you SO many stories that would further prove that those who are consumed with judging others end up opening the door for the devil to wreak havoc in their own lives.
I cringe when I hear how some people publicly criticize others. I cringe because I did the very same thing…for years. I probably did it less publicly and more privately, but I was still being judgmental. In fact, as I have mentioned in other posts and talked about in my book, I used to really be a pharisaical (hypocritically self-righteous and condemnatory) type of person. I would often compare what I thought my level of spirituality was to what others were doing and conclude that I was better than them. I was deceived.
For so many years I was that person who would see someone struggling with a certain sin and say things or think things such as this: I can’t believe their behaving that way. What is wrong with them? But did I have compassion on them or pray, Dear God, I know this person is only acting this way because they don’t know how much you love them and how you are for them and not against them. No, I did not. Guess why? I didn’t even have a revelation of these truths for my own life.
But thankfully God has changed all that. Now, when I hear about someone making a poor choice in any area I just think: if not for the grace of God there go I. In fact, it was when I truly came to the end of myself (my own self-righteousness) and began understanding and receiving God’s grace toward me that I was able to more generously extend His grace to others.
I believe love is the very best way to treat people. It’s the bottom line as far as I’m concerned. In fact, us McCollom’s have a family motto. If we hear of someone who is caught up in sin or struggling in a certain area, we say to each other, let’s pray for them and love them. Right then we stop what we are doing and we lift them up in prayer.
Pray and Love – that’s our motto!
Romans 2:4 says,
Don’t you see how wonderfully kind, tolerant, and patient God is with you? Does this mean nothing to you? Can’t you see that His kindness is intended to turn you from your sin? (NLT)
Wow, the notes on this verse in Andrew Wommack’s Living Commentary are so good, so true and so important! Check them out.
“This is a radical statement that the Jews of Paul’s day and the religious legalists of our day reject. They refuse to accept that the goodness of God is sufficient motivation for people to turn from sin. They insist that fear of punishment is a superior motivator.
It is true that fear is a more familiar motivator to most people. Even a lost person or carnal Christian can identify with fear and respond to it. But as 1 John 4:18 states, Fear hath torment. Those who respond to God through fear will also be tormented with thoughts of doubt and condemnation as to whether they have done enough. Fear will move some toward God, but it is inferior to love. There is nothing that fear can do that love can’t do better and without the side effect of torment. (I Love This!)
Those motivated to seek God because of fear if they didn’t will cease to be motivated when things are going well. They become the ones who only pray when they are in trouble. Those who come to God because of His goodness will see God as the source of their success and continue to serve God in the good and the bad times.
The world, and especially religion, has used negative reasons to motivate us. The Gospel uses the positive reason of God’s great love to draw us unto God. We need to renew our minds to line up with God’s thinking.”
Romans 2:8 says,
But He will pour out His anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness. (NLT)
Admit it, even as Christians, sometimes verses like these can completely terrify us. In fact, they used to scare me, but now I know better. I know this is not God’s heart.
Some people may say differently. They may believe that God does mean to terrify us into holiness, but nothing could be further from the truth. God is love!
After reading this verse some Believers who do not understand that God is love – this used to be me – may also say to themselves, Oh my gosh, sometimes I do live for myself and fail to be obedient. This verse says God’s anger and wrath is going to be poured out on me if I don’t straighten up. This wrong believing sends us into anxiety mode, making us think if we would only try harder, maybe we could avoid God’s anger and wrath.
Let’s look at Andrew Wommack’s Living Commentary notes on this verse.
“God’s Word is truth (John 17:17). But no one has ever kept all the precepts of God’s Word perfectly except Jesus (Hebrews 7:26). So, this cannot be interpreted in a way that removes Jesus and salvation by grace through faith.
Therefore, I think a proper way to interpret this would be to say that those who refuse the great salvation offered freely through faith in Jesus will receive indignation and wrath.”
I agree and this is another great reason for us Believers to live in awe and thankfulness for God’s great grace toward us and why we should be grace-oriented toward unbelievers instead of judgement-oriented. After all, we do want unbelievers to desire to accept Christ as their Savior… and they will if we focus on loving them, praying for them and sharing with them the true nature of God.
These words from Third Day’s song Trust In Jesus explain what our position, as Believers, is to be on that day when we stand before God:
“One of these days we all will stand in judgment for
Every single word that we have spoken
One of these days we all will stand before the Lord
Give a reason for everything we’ve done
And what I’ve done is
Trust in Jesus
My great Deliverer
My strong Defender
The Son of God
I trust in Jesus
Blessed Redeemer
My Lord forever
The Holy One, the Holy One”
I believe this is exactly what God will want to hear from us when we stand before Him. In fact, I’m convinced that He will simply want to hear us say that we trust in the perfect and complete work of His Son, Jesus Christ, on the cross!
If you are a Believer in Jesus, trust me, God will not be showing His anger and wrath toward you my friend; for Jesus already took all the punishment for your sins when He died on the cross. What He did for you is not only enough, it is more than enough. He over-payed your debt because He loves you that much!
Romans 2:16 says,
And this is the message I proclaim, that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone’s secret life. (NLT)
Again, Christians do not have to be afraid of this verse. Instead, we can trust God to be our keeper according to Jude 1:24-25.
24 Now all glory to God, who is able to keep you from falling away and will bring you with great joy into His glorious presence without a single fault. 25 All glory to Him who alone is God, our Savior through Jesus Christ our Lord. All glory, majesty, power, and authority are His before all time, and in the present, and beyond all time! Amen. (Jude 1:24-25 NLT)
Man, the Good News gets me excited!
Next God’s Treasure Chest post will be on Romans 3.
If you have not yet made Jesus your Savior and received the wonderful joy that His finished work on the cross has provided for you to live in, please visit my page here titled Jesus In The Driver’s Seat. On this page I explain the good news of the gospel and you will have the opportunity to pray a prayer of salvation, making Jesus your Savior! Jesus loves you and His arms are wide open!
Sandra McCollom
