Tax collectors had poor reputations in ancient Palestine; and rightly so. They were shady operators that knew how to use their position for extra financial advantage. They worked for Rome, collecting the requisite taxes upon the population whether resident aliens, travelers, or merchants. They secured their position by bidding with others for the office with the one promising the highest tax collections for Rome given the job. That led to unscrupulous practices on the part of the tax collectors—making sure they fulfilled their obligations to Rome and anything over that amount they pocketed. And they did the latter part quite well! To top it off, they had the Roman military backing them. Whatever they required from the taxed they got. Jews felt betrayed by tax collectors from their own people siding with the Romans in such a heavy-handed way, living in ritual uncleanness by involvement with Gentiles, and stooping to unethical practices to fill their coffers under the permission of Rome [cf. D. A. Hagner, “Tax Collectors,” ISBE, vol. IV, 742-743].
So, it is no surprise that as a Pharisee entered the temple region to pray that he looked smugly at the tax collector that drew back out of fear of God. “God, I thank You that I’m not like other people: swindlers, unjust, adulterers, or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week; I pay tithes of all that I get.” As a matter of fact, the more he thought about himself in light of this despicable tax collector, the more impressed he was with himself!
Yet it was the repentant tax collector, who could scarcely raise his head, who wouldn’t dare look to heaven that found grace before the Lord. He felt the ugliness of his sin and separation from God. He cried, “God, be merciful to me, the sinner!” I’m the sinner in this place. I’m the one in need of mercy! (Luke 18:9-14)
The Pharisee’s attitude did not die out on that occasion. It has passed through the centuries to a multitude of like-minded people. Quick to point the finger of blame and condemnation toward others, it is blind to its own sin.
Let’s admit it: we can spot a Pharisee a mile away—unless, of course, we happen to be the Pharisee! Then we can look in the mirror just as smugly as the Pharisee that Jesus described. Excusing sin before God while quickly condemning others commonly finds home among the most moral and religious of every culture. But God doesn’t accept excuses; only humble repentance toward Him. How does the Bible show even the most moral to be in need of repentance before God?
The question that must stand at the threshold of our text is this: what has Paul sought to communicate to us? The “therefore” that introduces the first verse demands that we see the connection in Paul’s argument. He has set forth the gospel as “the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes,” and as the revelation of “the righteousness of God” (1:16-17). The gospel is necessary because judgment is certain. God’s wrath “is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men who suppress the truth in unrighteousness” (1:18). Every type of ungodly behavior, every act of unrighteousness, and every aspect of suppressing God’s truth meets with His wrath.
But, one might say, that’s no problem for me! As I look around, I’m a pretty godly person! I’m quite moral and ethical and not given to the bad habits that enslave so many.
Sure you are, Paul says, but that cannot shield you from God’s judgment. His argument is shocking. Judgment is not just for those engaging in the most reprehensible sins. It’s for respectable sinners, too!
New Testament scholars debate Paul’s aim in chapter 2:1-11. He identifies Jews, for sure, in his argument of 2:17-29 but what about the verses before that clear marker? There’s no question that he exposes the Gentile world in 1:21-32. He might as well have put a title at the head of this section: Here is the Roman World! But did all Romans fit the description? We might think that everyone practiced outward idolatry or homosexuality or wickedness. However, some Romans were quite respectable. Some would even have agreed with Paul’s assessment of the wickedness of the Gentile world.
Among them, the Stoic moralist, Seneca, one of Paul’s contemporaries and the tutor of Nero, would have concurred with Paul’s judgment. He deplored the excessively immoral behavior of the Romans. Practicing regular self-examination, Seneca ridiculed idolatry, prejudice, and hypocrisy. He considered himself to be a moral guide for Romans that would dare to follow him [F.F. Bruce, TNTC: Romans (1963), 86-87].
Yet, Seneca, though moral in his own eyes, tolerated sin at every turn, especially with Nero. He had been earlier banished by Emperor Claudius for an adulterous affair with the emperor’s sister. For the sake of controlling Emperor Nero, who made him fabulously rich, Seneca funneled “comedians and women” with whom the corrupt emperor satisfied his wicked desires. Seneca also joined by complicity in Nero’s murder of his own mother, Agrippina [Michael Grant, The Twelve Caesars, 153-165]. Of course, he offered philosophic reasoning for why he did all of these things, thus self-excusing his sin.
Seneca did not stand alone. Other Gentiles held to moral standards in the face of the open debauchery of the Empire. But would their position excuse them from God’s judgment?
So, could Paul have had at least some in the Gentile world in mind when he wrote, “Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things”? I think that we have to agree that he did.
On the other hand, the mindset of moralistic Jews could be the Apostle’s target. Outwardly, Jews held to higher standards of morality than the rank and file Gentile world. They still had the Law, the Temple rituals, and a strong sense of nationalism and patriotism that rallied around their religious heritage. No doubt, some among them could be described in similar terms to Romans 1:24-32 but for the most part, the ostentatious displays of idolatry, homosexuality, murder, and hatred of God would not be found—at least outwardly. Their moral standards set them apart from the Gentiles; a fact they regularly gloried in by calling Gentiles “dogs.”
It is clear that Paul addresses the Jews who leaned upon their smug moralistic position in vv. 17-24 and their heritage as “covenant people” relying upon circumcision for their standing with God in vv. 25-29. He answers those issues quite clearly. But in vv. 1-4, Paul uses a rhetorical device known as “diatribe,” in which he dialogues with an imaginary person known simply as “O man” [o anthrope]. He doesn’t tip his theological hat at this point to show if he’s addressing Gentiles or Jews. Later, he brings both into the equation (vv. 9-10) to show that both are on equal footing when it comes to facing the consequences of evil or receiving the rewards of righteousness.
Though the weight of his argument probably falls more on the Jews, simply because of the strong moralistic framework of their religious lives, I think that Paul considers both moralistic Jews and Gentiles in his argument. In other words, what he wrote was not just for first century Jews but also for 21st century people of all backgrounds.
That’s a legitimate question; and it’s one that we must consider since so many think that they can talk their way out of judgment by appealing to their morality. Notice how Paul pegs every morally-minded person. “Therefore you have no excuse, everyone who passes judgment”; and the reason is quite simple, “for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.” Here’s the description of the moralist, who quickly condemns idolatry, homosexuality, greed, arrogance, and the rest of the list that Paul identifies in 1:24-32. They point their finger at the rude corruption of those indulging in such sins! Yet, the problem is that the same ones doing the condemning actually condemn themselves. Paul points out, “for you who judge practice the same things.” Does he mean that they do every one of the sins that he named? Not necessarily; instead, the point he makes is that though appearing outwardly moral, inwardly, even the moralist is corrupt. He heaps more judgment on himself as he condemns those who outwardly commit sins while he only commits them in his mind or at least from public view.
It’s easy to condemn someone arrested for public intoxication while at the same time the one doing the condemning may be unrestrained in some other appetite or action. He condemns the drunk while indulging in gluttony. He condemns the homosexual while carrying on a voyeuristic affair. He condemns the brawler and murderer while he inwardly seethes with bitterness and hatred.
Excuses are stripped away by the reality that all sin doesn’t show up in the local news headlines. The condition of the unregenerate heart, whether displayed in grandiose openness or tucked away in the attitude of the heart, is still under God’s wrath. No matter the shape, size or style, whether outward or inward, sin raises an angry, defiant fist in the face of God the Creator. Such transgressions demand the judgment of God.
But some would object. How can God judge me when I pay my bills, treat my fellow man with dignity, remain faithful to my wife, and offer help to the poor? How can He judge me when there are so many that live immorally, steal and kill without regard for property or person?
Consider what Paul explained: “And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.” While this conveys the sense of the original language, I think it might be better to translate it as, “But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth on such ones as those practicing these things.” The emphasis is that God’s judgment is never a stab in the dark or capricious or unfair. He knows all the facts. He sees every act. He observes every attitude and thought. He recognizes the gravity in every word, deed, or thought. He notes the details of every violation of His holy Law. He understands the divinely judicial requirements to bring every act of unrighteousness to justice.
The problem in our failure to see this is due to two reasons. On one hand, we have a low view of God. We think of Him as one of the boys, maybe just a little bit better. We can approach Him casually and off the cuff; or we can pay no attention to Him as though He holds little importance in our lives. Where is Isaiah’s portrait?
Who has measured the waters in the hollow of His hand,
And marked off the heavens by the span,
And calculated the dust of the earth by the measure,
And weighed the mountains in a balance
And the hills in a pair of scales?
Who has directed the Spirit of the LORD,
Or as His counselor has informed Him?
With whom did He consult and who gave Him understanding?
And who taught Him in the path of justice and taught Him knowledge
And informed Him of the way of understanding?
Behold, the nations are like a drop from a bucket,
And are regarded as a speck of dust on the scales;
Behold, He lifts up the islands like fine dust.
Even Lebanon is not enough to burn,
Nor its beasts enough for a burnt offering.
All the nations are as nothing before Him,
They are regarded by Him as less than nothing and meaningless (Isa. 40:12-17).
Where is Paul’s doxology? “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.” (1 Tim. 1:17)
On the other hand, we have an elevated view of man, especially of ourselves and our self-righteousness. We can point a condemning finger at others while smugly satisfying our minds that we would never do such things like others do. Paul knew better. That’s why he later echoes the prophets, “There is none righteous…there is none who does good, not even one” (3:10, 12). And it’s also why he cries concerning himself, “Wretched man that I am! Who will set me free from the body of this death?” (7:24)
When God judges, He does so “according to truth”; His aim of judgment never misses its mark; it is never done carelessly or unjustly. It is fair in every sense of the word.
“Therefore you have no excuse.” The God who sees everything, who knows every attitude and motive, and who sees through the façade of smiles and pleasant words to the darkness of the heart, will brook no excuses! He is not persuaded by clever arguments that would excuse our guilt before His holiness.
That, my friends, is why we must have the gospel of Jesus Christ! It’s not just those who outwardly are big sinners that need the gospel. It’s all of us who cannot shield ourselves from God’s judgment by a cloak of morality that hides the wretchedness of the heart.
Paul begins to probe the nature of one human judging another. Why do we judge others? Is there any occasion when judgment is appropriate?
Obviously, we all exercise judgment to some degree when we acknowledge sin, whether in ourselves or others, and confess it as wrong. We must distinguish what is sinful and what is not, so that we don’t indulge in sin. In that respect, we do judge sin—that is appropriate and necessary.
We also cast judgment on others anytime we call sin—sin—in another’s life. But in doing so, we are to bear in mind what Jesus taught. “For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you” (Matt. 7:2). In that context, He warned against judging someone else without applying the same measure of judgment to oneself. We must be careful about trying to get a speck out of another person’s eye when there’s a log in our own!
So, we walk a fine balance. We must not tread lightly on sin. We must not put ourselves in a position to fan the fires of sin in our lives or in others. Consequently, we do make judgments. Yet the problem comes when we judge others but we do not apply at least the same, if not more stringent standard to ourselves.
That’s the danger that Paul warns of—pretending to be God by passing judgment on someone else while, unlike God, being guilty of the very same or similar sin. “But do you suppose this, O man [notice his continuation in the “diatribe” language with his imaginary partner], when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?” Will God let judgment slide on you because you can point out faults in others? Will He accept your wagging finger of condemnation that attempts to cover or ignore your own sin? Is He won over to ignore your sin because you can quickly and even accurately pinpoint faults in others?
Paul’s answer to these questions is quite clear: NO! Passing judgment on another does not put you out of judgment’s eye. You are not God. Your act of judgment, at best, will still be inaccurate since you do not know the heart of anyone—not even your own. Pretending to be God by casting judgment on another, more often than not, is a cover-up for one’s own sins. It’s easy to turn our thumbs down in judgment of another person but much more difficult to take a serious look at our own condition before God. Paul reminds us that there’s no escaping God’s judgment. Later he writes, “But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, “As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.” So then each one of us will given an account of himself to God” (14:10-12).
How does most judging take place, anyway? Typically, it is a ruse to get the scrutiny off of ourselves. We can always find those with glaring sin issues in their lives. By focusing on someone else’s sins, we deftly turn the attention away from our own sins. Yet all the while, we likely stand guilty of the same sins, even if they happen to be shaded a bit differently. Even if we have not committed the exact same sins of the one we’re condemning, we must realize that we have the propensity to do even worse! Only God’s grace restrains us from the worst of sins imaginable!
David developed inward blindness to his own sin against Bathsheba, Uriah, the nation, and the Lord. He had rationalized and excused himself to the point that he could not see his own wretchedness. So, the Lord sent the prophet Nathan to David. He told the king of a poor man that had only one ewe lamb but when a wealthy man, who had many flocks, had a guest come visit, the wealthy man took the poor man’s lamb to slaughter for his feast. David, incensed by this injustice, condemned the wealthy man’s action. Then, with penetrating words, Nathan replied, “You are the man!” He was no longer inwardly blind (2 Sam. 12:1-15)
Do you offer quick judgment of others while not applying the same scrutiny to your own heart? “But do you suppose this, O man…that you will escape the judgment of God?” Do you open your soul before the searching light of the Spirit and the Word? Do you see that your only hope and consolation is found in the grace of God through Christ in the gospel?
“But things are going very well for me. Why would you begin to suggest that something is amiss in my life and with my soul? God is blessing me with money, family, friends, and good health, so why would I even begin to think that I need the gospel?”
Jesus faced a group of Jews with this attitude. He told them, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.” They objected, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that you say, ‘You will become free’?” (John 8:31-33) Had they forgotten bondage in Egypt? Or in Assyria? Or in Babylon? Or to the Greeks and Romans? They hid behind “covenant people” language and failed to take seriously the condition of their souls. Unfortunately, they are not alone.
“Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?” It has often been pointed out that a full stomach, ample bank account, good job, and robust health tend to blind people to their need for the gospel. In many places where these things are not as frequently fulfilled there are strong gospel movements. Yet all about us, men and women and young people will not give an ear to hear the gospel because they do not see where they really need God. They know that they’ve sinned but God hasn’t done anything to crush them. Things are coming up roses for them.
Paul charges that such an attitude evidences one thinking “lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience.” The word “lightly” literally means to think down upon or to have a mind that despises. The Apostle refers to the “riches” of God’s “kindness” that provides for us, “tolerance” that forbears immediate wrath toward us, and “patience” that continues to hold out before giving way to His wrath. Such common grace should never be treated “lightly” as though deserved! That we should have good health, material possessions, jobs, and freedom doesn’t mean that we have no soul need or that we will not soon face the eternal wrath of God. It just means that God has chosen at this point to show us His kindness as a means to point us to repentance. Because we have “stuff” doesn’t imply that we can neglect our souls. Yet so often, rather than seeing God’s kindness in providing for us, we turn “things” into idols and despise the gracious hand of God. We equate “blessings” with a right condition with God. That’s what Paul warns against doing; he knows that the deceitfulness of the heart will use even good things as leverage against repentance. Does that ring a bell in your own heart?
Common grace is widespread. God shows great kindness by the freedoms we enjoy, the homes and cars and jobs that we have, and the health that we enjoy. Do we deserve God’s kindness in any of these things? Certainly not; our sin calls for divine justice but He shows patience and kindness. But does He do this so that we might go on in our sin and rebellion against Him? Not at all; “the kindness of God leads you to repentance.” Yet, in spite of God’s kindness, the heart rebels against His gentle hand, “not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance.” You can no longer claim ignorance in this regard.
Stop and think about the multiple ways that God has shown you kindness. Yet what have you done with it? You’ve consumed His air and sunshine, and you’ve eaten His food and worn His clothes, and you’ve lived in His house and worked at His job or attended His school. “The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains; the world and those who dwell in it” (Psa. 24:1). It’s all His! Yet He has shown you abundant kindness so that you might come to understand something of His graciousness that extends to eternity through Christ in the gospel. His kindness is a call to repent, to change your mind about your sin and your way of life, turning to Him so that you might receive forgiveness and life through Christ. Does He need to call you with thunder? Can you not hear His call in the gentleness of His kindness and patience?
God doesn’t accept our excuses. But He does accept humble repentance toward Him as we abandon our self-centered focus to rely upon Jesus Christ as our only Lord, Savior, Hope, and Life.
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