Note for 20241102 - Romans - Part 03 - The Truth of Judgment

 

Romans - Part 03

The Truth of Judgment

The Audio Version of today’s note is advised

The House of Bread · Voice Note for 20241102 - Romans - Part 03 - The Truth of Judgment

Romans 2:1-29 KJV

[1] Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. [2] But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. [3] And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? [4] Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? [5] But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; [6] Who will render to every man according to his deeds: [7] to them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: [8] but unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, [9] tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; [10] but glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: [11] for there is no respect of persons with God. [12] For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; [13] (for not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. [14] For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: [15] which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) [16] in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. [17] Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, [18] and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; [19] and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, [20] an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. [21] Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? [22] Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? [23] Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? [24] For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. [25] For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. [26] Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? [27] And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? [28] For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: [29] but he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Note for 20241102

This morning, as I was praying the Lord's prayer before I started my reading, I considered in the Spirit why the Lord Jesus Christ included the "forgive us our trespasses as we forgive them that trespass against us" section of the prayer. If it is to be a daily prayer, as I believe it to be, then surely it is revealed in that, that we would contend with trespasses against the Lord, while we still live here in this world. Surely, in a similar way, we would have those that trespass against us for the same duration too, lest we separate ourselves entirely from this world and live as hermits. This world, and also us, would remain imperfect and continue on until the Day of our Lord; even as we strive for perfection in the righteousness of Christ.

Yesterday we looked at the Wrath of GOD, and who it is revealed to from heaven. We were given a list of transgressions that are unpleasant to the Lord, against who do such, the wrath of GOD shall come. This scripture in today's reading is a continuation from that, as I remember that Chapters and verses were introduced to the Word of GOD by mankind. This letter to the Romans would thus be read, back then, as a single letter, without the numbering and title headers. When Paul thus right here in verse two that the judgment of GOD is in truth against those who commit such things, it includes that list we read of yesterday together with judging others by it, being guilty of the same. Once more, we have in today's reading the concept of being hypocritical and informed that there is a judgment of GOD for that too.

Are the trespasses against us not like those things where we transgressed against others too? Do we not do the same, praying to the Lord that we may be forgiven? Forgiving others of the same, are we then not forgiving as GOD forgives, all for the same transgressions. Do you remember Matthew 25:40 yet? Whatsoever ye have done for the least of these my brethren, ye have done unto Me. What is it then to judge others? What is it to love each other as we love ourselves? If we love ourselves enough to beg GOD for forgiveness, should we not beg GOD to forgive our brothers and sisters, our neighbours? Why else are we taught to pray, forgive US OUR trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Are we in our faith not all called to pray the same? What is it then to judge others who commit such acts as Paul writes about here in Romans 1 and 2? Seeing that even in ourselves we are not perfected yet, but all, together, awaiting the coming Glory of Jesus Christ our Lord.

Friends, I am not bringing a new gospel to you at all, I am making an argument for that which Christ spoke and is confirmed by Paul. We struggle against these things in ourselves, and as we know that struggle (unless we are deceiving ourselves) we can find compassion in our hearts for those who struggle with the same, right? Does that mean that we now approve of evil? No! GOD forbids, but we forgive as we pray to be forgiven in Jesus Christ. That means too, that instead of condemnation, we help others who struggle with the same, even especially of that which we have already overcome in Jesus Christ and been delivered from. Even while we remember that all fall short of the Glory of GOD, even we ourselves. As GOD is long-suffering with us, we should be with one another. We do not forgive that which is perfect, but that which is in error, a transgression and sin. It does not make the act right, but it releases the charge of it before the Lord our GOD, no longer bringing an accusation in it, but forgiving it in the Love of GOD. Did you not read that Christ said that what we bind here on earth will be bound in heaven and what we loosen here, will be loosed in heaven? Were we not called to continue His ministry here on earth? Did He not die for us, so we may live? 

Don't you know that by bringing accusation you stand in assist of the accuser; and who is that? I speak here not in judgment, but in bringing the Truth to the front for consideration in our lives. That we might choose to do what is right. So that we can forgive as we have been forgiven. So that love can cover a multitude of sins by forgiveness, not in tolerance or love of evil, but to extend that which we have received of GOD to others.

As we thus learn in the Word of GOD about righteousness, we learn about it together. We walk in a united front in the love of GOD unto the Salvation of all mankind. Just because I am forgiven of my sin, does not mean that I am not a sinner, but that the Love of GOD saved me from the penalty of death by paying the price of my sin. And as we forgive those that transgressed against us, do we not pay the price of their transgression. If something is stolen from us, do we receive back what we have lost when we forgive? When assaulted, do the scars disappear from our bodies because we forgave? No it doesn't. At least, usually it does not, mostly. I was miraculously healed after I was beaten to death, and yet, there are scars that remained behind in the flesh. But, in the Spirit now, all that remains is gain, profitable to me in the lessons that I have learned. The wealth of that is unseen in the physical, only testified of by the mouth to others in a hope that they may learn the same without having to go through the pain of it. Understand?

If we are indeed united in Christ Jesus, as we ought to be, are we not united in the struggle here on earth? If we seek forgiveness from GOD, should we then not extend it to each other? Christ said, there is no greater love than to lay down your life for a brother. Can we at least monitor our opinions, our judgments? And serve mankind as we ought to do, according to the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Shalom

The House of Bread

Verse of The Day

From the YouVersion Bible App (Expanded from verse 10)

1 Corinthians 1:10-13 KJV

[10] Now I beseech you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you; but that ye be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment. [11] For it hath been declared unto me of you, my brethren, by them which are of the house of Chloe, that there are contentions among you. [12] Now this I say, that every one of you saith, I am of Paul; and I of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. [13] Is Christ divided? was Paul crucified for you? or were ye baptized in the name of Paul? 

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