In Romans 1 Paul commended all in Rome who were loved by God and called to be saints, because of their faith which was being proclaimed in all the world. But then he mentioned that he was under obligation both to Greeks and to barbarians, both to the wise and to the foolish to preach the gospel to them, as well. And then he went on to talk about all those to whom God had revealed himself but who suppress the truth about God by their unrighteousness and ungodliness, who follow after the lusts of their flesh.
And then he went on to describe the kinds of sins they were engaged in deliberately and habitually, beginning with idolatry, homosexuality, envy, covetousness, all manner of evil, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness, gossip, and slander. For they were haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless and ruthless. Even though they knew God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only did them but gave approval to those who practiced them (see Romans 1:1-32).
Then we read in chapter 2…
“Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 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? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?” (Romans 2:1-4 ESV)
Now this is not an indictment against all judging. For we are to judge good and evil and right and wrong and lies from truth. And we are to judge if someone is wandering from the truth, and we are to bring him (or her) back. Or if he is caught in a sin, we are to help restore him (or her) to a right relationship with the Lord. And we are to judge immorality and then exercise church discipline when someone in the gatherings of the church is unrepentant. So we are to judge those inside the church.
But we are not to judge hypocritically, which is what this is talking about in Romans 2. We are not to cast judgment on others when we are doing the same or worse. But first we are to take the log out of our own eye so that we can see clearly to take the speck out of someone else’s eye. And we are not to judge by appearances, or without first giving the accused a hearing. And we are not to judge by the flesh, or by our own selves, but by the teachings of the Scriptures and the commandments of our Lord.
[Galatians 6:1-5; James 5:19-20; 1 Corinthians 5:1-13; Matthew 7:1-5; John 7:24,51; John 8:15-16; Romans 2:3; 2 Corinthians 10:12; Jude 1:22-23]
So, in this context, it is clearly teaching that we must not judge hypocritically. We have no right to cast judgment on others if we are doing the same or worse. So if you are pointing a finger at others for their immorality but while you are lusting after others to whom you are not married and while you look at images and watch movies and videos which are sexually suggestive or extremely lewd or which glorify adultery and sex outside of marriage or same sex unions, then that is hypocritical.
“But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality.” (Romans 2:5-11 ESV)
Basically what this is teaching us is that regardless of who we are or what faith we profess in Jesus Christ, if we are living in deliberate and habitual sin, especially that which is premeditated, and if we do not repent of those sinful practices, forsaking our sins in order to now walk in obedience to our Lord and to his commands, then we will face the wrath of God just like those who make no profession of faith in Christ who are living in deliberate and habitual sin against the Lord.
For many people who profess faith in Jesus Christ live no differently from those who have never made a confession of Christ as Lord and Savior. And many of them continue in deliberate and habitual sin against the Lord because of their hardened and unrepentant hearts. So we all need to know that we are all going to be judged by God according to our works. And yes, God does indeed require works of us which he had planned in advance that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10; Titus 2:14).
So, we can’t just make a profession of faith in Jesus Christ and then assume that all our sins are forgiven and we are now on our way to heaven regardless of how we live. For how we live determines where we will spend eternity. And so we can’t assume that we are going to heaven while “Non-Christians” are all going to hell, and that really is the message here. For it is not lip service that gets us into heaven. It is faithful walks of obedience to our Lord in holy living and in dying to sin daily. For if sin is our practice, we will not inherit eternal life with God, regardless of our statements of faith.
[Matt 7:21-23; Lu 9:23-26; Jn 6:35-58; Jn 15:1-11; Rom 1:18-32; Rom 2:6-8; Rom 6:1-23; Rom 8:1-14; 1 Co 6:9-10,19-20; 2 Co 5:10,15,21; Gal 5:16-21; Gal 6:7-8; Eph 2:8-10; Eph 4:17-24; Eph 5:3-6; Col 1:21-23; Col 3:5-11; Titus 2:11-14; 1 Jn 1:5-10; 1 Jn 2:3-6; 1 Jn 3:4-10; Heb 10:23-31; 1 Co 10:1-22; Heb 3:1-19; Heb 4:1-13; Rev 21:8,27; Rev 22:14-15]
Oh, to Be Like Thee, Blessed Redeemer
Lyrics by Thomas O. Chisholm, 1897
Music by W. J. Kirkpatrick, 1897
Oh, to be like Thee! blessèd Redeemer,
This is my constant longing and prayer;
Gladly I’ll forfeit all of earth’s treasures,
Jesus, Thy perfect likeness to wear.
Oh, to be like Thee! full of compassion,
Loving, forgiving, tender and kind,
Helping the helpless, cheering the fainting,
Seeking the wandering sinner to find.
O to be like Thee! lowly in spirit,
Holy and harmless, patient and brave;
Meekly enduring cruel reproaches,
Willing to suffer others to save.
O to be like Thee! while I am pleading,
Pour out Thy Spirit, fill with Thy love;
Make me a temple meet for Thy dwelling,
Fit me for life and Heaven above.
Oh, to be like Thee! Oh, to be like Thee,
Blessèd Redeemer, pure as Thou art;
Come in Thy sweetness, come in Thy fullness;
Stamp Thine own image deep on my heart.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KrYhiK2nQBg
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