Romans 2:2-3

Romans 2:2-3 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. (3) Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?

In Chapter one, Paul gives the following list for which God’s judgment rightly falls: envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness, gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. The photo above illustrates a life style from the old Wild West days where these things were practiced unashamedly. Paul is making the point that all men practice such things. Even men who think of themselves as religious, righteous, and good practice such things. Although Paul is referring to all men, he is primarily referring to the religious Jews of his day. They considered themselves righteous law keepers, and were quick to judge others who fell short of the Law of Moses. However, Paul says they did the same things. They were judging the open practice of sin in others, but ignoring their hidden sins of deeds and of the heart. They had the law and believed by affirming the law and partially keeping it, they were right with God. They were assuming God graded on a curve and their righteous performance was sufficient to escape the judgment of God.

Paul, in the rhetorical question of verse 3, gives the emphatic answer! No one can escape the wrath of God through the law of Moses. Paul makes that crystal clear in chapter 3 of Romans and elsewhere in his Epistles. After giving the bad news of human sin and God’s wrath and judgment in Chapter 1, Paul removes any hope that the law of Moses offers any solution in Chapter 2 and 3.