Judge not lest you be judged. Romans 2

Romans is Paul's fullest, grandest, most comprehensive statement of the gospel. It's declarations of vast truths broaden our perspective and can help shape our lives. Chrysostom, generally considered the fifth century's greatest preacher (pictured to the left), had Romans read aloud once a week. Augustine, Luther and Wesley, three supremely significant contributors to the Christian heritage, all came to assured faith through the impact of Romans. All the reformers saw Romans as the God-given key to understanding all Scripture, since here Paul brings together all the Bible's greatest themes - sin, law, judgment, human destiny, faith, works, justification, sanctification, election, the plan of salvation, the work of Christ and of the Spirit, the Christian hope, the nature and life of the church, the place of Jew and non-Jew in the purposes of God, the philosophy of world history, the meaning and message of the Old Testament, the duties of Christian citizenship, and the principles of personal godliness and morality. From the vantage point given by Romans, the whole landscape of the Bible is open to view, and the relation of the parts to the whole becomes plain. At last there is a book of the Bible from which I can grow spiritually.

Here is Romans:2 sung word for word from the New International Version (NIV). Created as a bible memory tool by the artist, Greg Stultz, who offers it to God's people and to everyone to
whom God says "In the past God overlooked ignorance but now He commands all people everywhere to repent!"



We haven't heard from our friend Matthew Henry in a while. Here is his interpretation of these passages:

The Jews thought themselves a holy people, entitled to their privileges by right, while they were unthankful, rebellious, and unrighteous. But all who act thus, of every nation, age, and description, must be reminded that the judgment of God will be according to their real character. The case is so plain, that we may appeal to the sinner's own thoughts. In every wilful sin, there is contempt of the goodness of God. And though the branches of man's disobedience are very various, all spring from the same root. But in true repentance, there must be hatred of former sinfulness, from a change wrought in the state of the mind, which disposes it to choose the good and to refuse the evil. It shows also a sense of inward wretchedness. Such is the great change wrought in repentance, it is conversion, and is needed by every human being. The ruin of sinners is their walking after a hard and impenitent heart. Their sinful doings are expressed by the strong words, "treasuring up wrath." In the description of the just man, notice the full demand of the law. It demands that the motives shall be pure, and rejects all actions from earthly ambition or ends. In the description of the unrighteous, contention is held forth as the principle of all evil. The human will is in a state of enmity against God. Even Gentiles, who had not the written law, had that within, which directed them what to do by the light of nature. Conscience is a witness, and first or last will bear witness. As they kept or broke these natural laws and dictates, their consciences either acquitted or condemned them. Nothing speaks more terror to sinners, and more comfort to saints, than that Christ shall be the Judge. Secret services shall be rewarded, secret sins shall be then punished, and brought to light.matthew Henry