Romans 2:1-2 MSG
Judgment! We all know people that think that as good Christians they have a right to point fingers and condemn others. They are snooty and they run their churches like country clubs. They don't really want to reach out to the poor and the needy because then those undesirables might end up attending their church. Then their select group of high society elect would be invaded by imperfect people. Heaven forbid.
But Paul says in his letter to the Romans that every time we criticize others for their failures we condemn ourselves. People criticize others to take the spotlight off of them selves. If you are gossiping about these less desirables its easy to ignore the blemish on your own heart. But God sees through this trick. He isn't suckered into the country club tricks. He will judge you on your heart, not your pedigree.
You didn't think, did you, that just by pointing your finger at others you would distract God from seeing all your misdoings and from coming down on you hard? Or did you think that because he's such a nice God, he'd let you off the hook? Better think this one through from the beginning. God is kind, but he's not soft. In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change.
Romans 2:3-4 MSG
God is kind... but God isn't soft. He isn't weak. He is just. In His loving and caring He wants us to be transformed. He wants us to have RADICAL LIFE CHANGE! He wants people that don't point to others to cover up their own sins.
You're not getting by with anything. Every refusal and avoidance of God adds fuel to the fire. The day is coming when it's going to blaze hot and high, God's fiery and righteous judgment. Make no mistake: In the end you get what's coming to you—Real Life for those who work on God's side, but to those who insist on getting their own way and take the path of least resistance, Fire!
Romans 2:5-8 MSG
Two paths. They don't all lead to heaven. There is an easy path to destruction, of denial and avoidance of God and His ways. The other road is for those who chose to take up the cross of Jesus and work for Him. They get life, real life. But the alternative to real life is sobering. Hell! Hot and blazing Hell!
If you go against the grain, you get splinters, regardless of which neighborhood you're from, what your parents taught you, what schools you attended. But if you embrace the way God does things, there are wonderful payoffs, again without regard to where you are from or how you were brought up. Being a Jew won't give you an automatic stamp of approval. God pays no attention to what others say (or what you think) about you. He makes up his own mind.
Romans 2:9-11 MSG
It doesn't matter your station or your status. It doesn't matter if you are in the club. You aren't in because you have membership in the big brick church in town. It doesn't matter if you got all the instruction in the Word and then walked away. It doesn't matter the rituals you do or the amount of money you donate. That is not what God looks at. He wants another type of devotion.
God wants you to embrace His ways. He doesn't listen to the reputation of man. He judges by His own standards. He doesn't look at the outside. He looks at the inside, He searches your heart.
If you sin without knowing what you're doing, God takes that into account. But if you sin knowing full well what you're doing, that's a different story entirely. Merely hearing God's law is a waste of your time if you don't do what he commands. Doing, not hearing, is what makes the difference with God.
Romans 2:12-13 MSG
Knowing the story isn't enough. Going to church isn't enough. Devotion to the building isn't enough. Serving on committees isn't enough. Raising funds for a new roof isn't enough. God isn't impressed with Churchianity. He is longing for something else. He's looking for real Christ-followers. People who have stepped outside the little box built to make man comfortable and truly experienced the Living Lord.
More on that tomorrow!
No comments:
Post a Comment