We have seen that the Bible is written under Three primary points of momentum.
1. The existence of Supreme Being – God, Deity, not Allah, not Buddah, etc. but GOD, in three persons: Father, Son, HS
2. The existence of super natural beings called angels; who are important to all that proceeds in history.
3. Courtroom setting, courtroom language.
This is seen in the first book of Bible given to us: Job, all the way to Revelation.
Vs 2 judgment of God is according to truth
Vs 5 judgment will be according to the heart God judges the heart
Vs 6 according to his deeds since God alone knows /heart of man, He alone can rightly judge the deeds of man
Vs 16 God will judge…according to my Gospel
When will God judge?
In context: 2:5: you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,
Day of Judgment
2:16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.
In the day; on the day there is an appointed day of judgment
3:6 May it never be! For otherwise how will God judge the world?
A day is set when God will judge the world
2 Pet. 3:7 But the present heavens & earth by His word are being reserved for fire, kept for the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.
Again, a day is set! Appointed by God for judgment
For the record, Divine Judgment is not only appointed for all believers or all unbelievers,
But also for angels
2 Peter 2:4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;
Judgments by God
1. of all sins of world; at the cross
2. of believers: Judgment Seat of Christ
3. unbelievers: White Throne Judgments
4. of angels
Judgments by man
of self
Judgments by God
1. Judgment of the sins of the world
Christ was judged for the sins of every human being from Adam to last person in history. Every sin that you have or will commit past—present—future was paid for on the cross.
2 Cor. 5:21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.
1 Pet. 2: 24 and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed.
John 3:16-18
Either you believe this or not!
many Christians like to talk about the cross,
then proceed to judge others & make great issues out of sins.
II. Judgment of believers
not of their sins, these were taken care of at the cross
1. Judgment Seat of Christ (Church-Age) 1 Cor. 3:11-16;
Rom. 14:10
2 Cor. 5:10
Rapture, Heavenly Worship then J-S-C
2. Judgment of believers of OT & believers & Tribulational saints will occur at Second Advent; & those of saints of Millennium; end of Mil.
Again, sins will not be the issue of the believer only faith reliance on Holy Spirit.
III. Judgment of Unbelievers
1. Judgment of living Jews at 2en Advent
Ezk. 20:22-38; Ten Virgins Matt. 25:1-13
2. Judgment of living gentiles at 2en Advent
This judgment removes all unbelievers from the earth at the beginning of the Millennium. Only believers will go into Millennium for the Reign of Jesus Christ
3. Great White Throne Judgment –Final Judgment of all unbelievers Rev. 20:11-15
IV. Judgment of Satan & Fallen Angels
At the end of Millennium Rev. 20:8-10
Recorded in Matt. 25:41
V. Present Judgments
Self Judgment by believers
1st we are not to judge others
2. we are not to judge ourselves:
1 Cor. 4:3 But to me it is a very small thing that I should be examined by you, or by any human court; in fact, I do not even examine myself.
I do not even examine/judge myself—not only does Paul not judge others, he does not even examine himself anakrino to discern, to judge, to examine in order to pass judicial sentence; judicial examination;
Believers are not to judge themselves for condemnation.
Many believers judge themselves for condemnation, for not performing as they assume they should then develop SAD or guilt, or shame. This is why we are not to judge ourselves, looking for sins.
But we are to judge ourselves but not for condemnation
But then we are to ‘examine’ ourselves
1 Cor. 11:31 But if we judged ourselves rightly, we should not be judged. Context: taking communion
If we judge ourselves rightly Diakrino this word, in this context means to look at oneself & discern if they are in Holy Spirit or not!
We should not be judged krino: this judgment is by God & He is judging as to whether or not you are in power of Holy Spirit as you take Communion or as you live day by day.
We are not to judge ourselves,
yet we are to judge ourselves
1. We are to look at our thoughts, actions & words, & discern if they are of SFL or of the flesh.
2. We are not to judge ourselves for condemnation! This is prerogative of God alone, not ours, not even in judging ourselves.
We are not to judge self (or others) to find fault, to criticize, to condemn. Judging self for condemnation—leads to SAD
3. We are to get into habit of looking at ourselves, listening to our selves, (Self Talk) to see if our words, actions & thoughts are from Holy Spirit, in line with Sp. Love or not. If not…then get into SFL. by Faith.
4. This also guides us in dealing with others: parents; friends marriage etc. We are not to judge others for condemnation, but we are to observe & discern if actions are in accordance with SFL. & if not restore & pray.
4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?
Or this vs starts out with disjunctive particle h & the disjunctive particle separates opposites which are mutually exclusive. This is the purpose of a disjunctive. Here we have a separation between the judgment of God in vs 3 & the kindness of God in vs 4
Here is the great choice you can make: you choose between the judgment of God & the kindness of God
In vs 3 we have condemnation from God
& by this disjunctive particle we have in vs 4 the Kindness of God
If you choose the Judgment of God—
you will always be trying to satisfy it or to escape it…
if you choose the Judgment of God you will judge others, & self & God Himself
You can always tell those who choose judgment because they will judge others, self & God
On the other hand you can tell those who choose the Kindness of God, they do not judge others, self or God Himself.
Or do you think lightly this is one word in the Greek. Present Active Indicative compound verb katafronew kata down or against; plus fronew to think: to think against; to think down on; To hold in contempt, to think lightly of; to despise; to scorn; to disregard!
While man chooses to fear the judgment of God
He has contempt for the kindness of God
Present tense: characteristic present: this is characteristic of those who reject the Gospel of God; reject the Grace of God; reject the kindness of God.
When anyone who rejects the gospel rejects the Kindness of God
Active voice: Self Righteous moralist produces the action of the verb; the Self-Righteous moralist has contempt for the kindness of God revealed in Gospel. This is why the gospel was presented first…in 1:1-17.
Indicative mood: we know that the Indic. is mood of reality, but here the reality is implied in the thing inquired about: or do you have contempt Their contempt is reality!
the riches ploutos riches, wealth –
This word refers to all the blessings God has in store for the one who believes in Jesus Christ as Savior starting with Eternal-Life Salvation.
God has so many rich blessings to give to every believer & even more to those believers who live Spirit Filled Life.
It refers not necessarily to material riches but riches in soul! Riches is status: In Christ
1. A parallel passage on the riches of the Glory of God associated with Salvation instead of judgment: Read Rom. 9:22-24
2. You can choose to receive the judgment of God or you can choose by faith to receive the riches of God. And receiving the riches of God begin at Salvation. Rom. 10:11-13
3. In Rom. 2:4 we will note the riches of His Kindness, in Rom. 9:23 riches of His Glory now lets look at riches of His Grace also associated with choosing His grace at Salvation rather than His judgment. Read Eph. 1:7 & 1:18 associated with Salvation 1 blessings
Eph. 2:7—Riches of His grace in Eternity-Future.
4. Riches of Christ also related to salvation 1.
Eph. 3:8
5. Riches of Glory are also related to Sal. 2:
Spirit Filled Life Eph. 3:16-17
Phil. 4:19-20
6. Riches of His Glory in Gentiles…Col. 1:27
7. Riches defined: Col. 2:2
8. Riches of world contrasted with Riches of
God 1 Tim. 6:17 & Heb. 11:26
Or do you have contempt for the riches of His kindness
crhstoths Chrestotes useful, profitable,, kindness
Used here for God’s Kind thinking & Kind Acts & Kind provisions toward sinners who deserve His judgment.
This is a genitive of essence, this kindness comes from God, from His essence flows kindness.
It is amazing how many people prefer the wrath of God, the judgment of God, rather than His Kindness.
The greatest quality of Kindness, is the rich, full, quality of Kindness that will provide the only means of escaping the judgment of God –
In vs 3, they sought to escape the judgment of God by judging others…
rejecting the only real means of escaping the judgment of God –
that is by responding to the riches of His kindness in the gospel.
Kindness is a most difficult word to define.
How would you define kindness?
Webster: Affectionate, loving; 2. a sympathetic or helpful nature; a forbearing nature; gentle; arising from or characterized by sympathy or forbearance; to give pleasure or relief.
Kindness is what is needed
love is longsuffing & love is kind
In fact we will have longsuffering in this list in Rom. 2:4,
Spiritual Love is Longsuffering so that it can be kind! If Spiritual Love is not longsuffering, it cannot be kind
The riches of His Kindness
1. God’s kindness is expressed to escape the judgment of the wrath of God.
But people reject the kindness of His love at a Salvation that comes from the kindness of His Grace by faith alone
& prefer to deal with His judgments.
& they will try to escape His judgment by judging others, to make themselves look better
rather than escape the wrath of His judgment by responding to His kindness.
2. Note that kindness is expressed to totally helpless & hopeless mankind who are under the wrath of His judgment.
Here we begin to learn about kindness. Kindness is what is given to those in some need.
& it is right here that most people have contempt for His Kindness.
They do not see themselves as hopeless & helpless, they can earn or do something to be righteous before God.
They can even judge others & by comparison they can earn blessings like Salvation from God.
3. But Kindness is expressed, offered to those who do not deserve kindness nor can they earn Kindness of God.
4. Kindness works in co-operation with other impacts or effects of Love.
Here in Rom. 2:4 kindness, forbearance & longsuffering we will note each of these individually but we will not miss the dynamics of all three working together here as manifestation of His divine love.
5. Here is the major point of kindness of God
Kindness has a desired result, stated at the end of vs 4
Not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance!
What you do not know about kindness will hurt you in your life!
Hurt you in marriage, family, social, local church all relationships in life
People are so ignorant about kindness; they think that kindness is weakness or that one who is kind is a sucker to be taken advantage of. Many ladies have refused a man who was kind—they took it as a sign of weakness, a weak male.
We often have contempt for kindness until we are in need of it!
Ignorance of Kindness, refusal of kindness means that you are without one of the grandest, most marvelous of all impacts in dealing with others in your life: family, friends, social, church & of course romance.
Your children learn kindness from you, as you learn of kindness from God.
Ignorance of kindness or refusal to be kind, or refusal to accept kindness is one of the greatest flaws in life.
You will be an unkind & arrogant, not knowing of the kindness of God.
6. People will refuse your kindness.
This is one of those things that it is so difficult to understand; why? Why would they refuse, reject your kindness?
But ask your self why do so many reject the kindness of God?
But so many do reject His kindness, so don’t be alarmed when your kindness is refused-rejected, even contempt for your kindness
Many reject God’s kindness: when anyone says no to Salvation or Spirituality by grace through faith they are refusing the Kindness of God & when you refuse the kindness of God you receive the condemnation of God.
When you reject Jesus Christ as the only means of Sal. you are rejecting the Kindest act ever extended to you.
So in your life, you will discover that people will reject, refuse your kindness, walk away from it, but do not react by withdrawing your kindness. Don’t take their rejection of your kindness personally remember multitudes walk away from the Kindness of God.