WEEKLY
SUNDAY SCHOOL LESSON
An
international Sunday school lesson commentary
For
Sunday August 5, 2018
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168,000 readers worldwide
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GOD’S
JUSTICE
(GOD’s
judgment of sin)
(Roman’s
2:1-16)
In
the beginning, GOD uniquely placed into the human side of HIS creation, seven “communicable
attributes”; they are Life, Personality, Love, Truth, Wisdom, Justice, and
Holiness (a share of HIS nature), which enables mankind to worship HIM, obey
HIM, and have a personal, experiential relationship with HIM. In other words,
in the beginning, out of all of HIS other creations, GOD made “only man” to be
compatible with HIMSELF in this way, in HIS OWN “spiritual image”.
These communicable attributes allow us to
be “set apart” from all of GOD’s other living creations (animals, birds,
insects, etc.), so that we might have dominion over the earth that HE made. This
is what GOD meant when HE said that HE would make man “in HIS OWN image” (Gen.
1:27). And since JESUS says that “GOD is spirit” (John 4:24), that means that
HE does not have a physical image, and so the statement by GOD in Gen. 1:27
does not mean that man’s “physical appearance” is like GOD’s, but rather his
“spiritual makeup” is compatible with GOD’s.
By way of these communicable attributes,
man instinctively knows (in spirit) when he’s doing right or wrong (Rom. 1:19
& 2:14-15) in accordance to GOD’s law. That is why JESUS says that we have
to worship GOD, not only in the physical “truth” of HIS Word, but also in the
“Spirit” of HIS divine nature.
In Romans chapter 1, verses 18-20, the
Apostle Paul talked about how GOD is angry and disappointed with all of us,
Christians and non-Christians alike, because of our sin, and because of the
innate sense of truth that we constantly push away from ourselves. Paul says
that the truth about GOD is known to every man “instinctively”, because GOD has
placed this knowledge in our hearts from the beginning. Paul also says that, by
those facts, man has always been able to see GOD’s invisible qualities, HIS
eternal power, and, HIS divine nature, and we have no excuse whatsoever for not
knowing and obeying GOD.
Here in Romans 2:1-16, Paul, now sensing
the arrogant attitudes of the Jewish Christians, who may have over-indulged in
his previous criticism of the Gentiles, and unbelieving Jews, warns against
judging other people in the way that only GOD qualifies to judge. In the
biblical Greek, we find three different words that are used to describe three
very different kinds of “judgment”.
The first is “krino” judgment, and it is a
judgment that only GOD can render, it is “the power to condemn”. The most basic
reason why man can’t judge another man in this way, is simply because, we are
all, ourselves, people under judgment from GOD. This type of judgment is a
judgment of “final condemnation”, and only GOD is qualified to condemn a man’s
soul, beyond physical death.
The second kind of judgment is “diakrino”.
It is one of two judgments that GOD not only allows, but actually expects us to
make. “Diakrino” judgment “is using the standards set by GOD in order to help
one determine that which is right, from that which is wrong” in a person,
place, or a thing. It is the “common sense of morality” that GOD’s instills in
us so that we can make sound righteous decisions regarding, not only people,
but any and all of the human situations that we may find ourselves in, in life.
And then finally, there is “anakrino”
judgment, and it is a “self-examination” by which we use GOD’s standards to
“examine ourselves” to make sure that we, ourselves, are living within the Will
and plan that GOD has laid out for us as human beings. Wise people go to this
kind of judgment “first”, and thereby end up not having very much time left to
worry about the other two. Paul says that, by condemning others, we also
condemn ourselves (v.1), because, after all is said and done, all have sinned
and fallen short of the glory of GOD.
GOD, in HIS justice, will punish anyone who
does evil, whether they be Jews or Gentiles, Believers or unbelievers. Every
one of us will have to make an account for the deeds done in our lifetime
(v.6), and whether or not we believe that GOD exists, therefore, is totally
irrelevant. GOD does not play favorites in HIS judgment of HIS highest creation
(v.11). HE will not withhold HIS disciplinary actions against sin from anyone,
regardless of who they are.
In fact, Paul says that, GOD will even
start with the Jews first (v.9), because the law was given to them first. For
it is not merely knowing the law, that brings GOD’s approval, but rather, it is
those who obey the law, based on faith and trust in GOD, that will be declared right,
or righteous, in the sight of GOD (v.13).
Because GOD has placed HIS nature in all
human beings, believers and unbelievers, HE holds no man blameless for his own
sins. We have no excuse for not knowing GOD, even if we have never picked up a
bible in our lives (v.12), because we all share GOD’s wonderful nature from
birth, that desire bestowed upon us by GOD, to want to do the right thing.
That
is the advantage that we hold over all of the rest of GOD’s creation. Even as
an unbeliever, man, before he has ever read or heard GOD’s Word, will
instinctively want to do what the law says, because GOD’s nature is in him.
That divine nature will convict him, if it hasn’t been suppressed by him for
too long.
Man demonstrates that GOD’s law is written
within him because his conscience will either accuse him by telling him he is
doing what is right, or, he is doing what is wrong (Vs. 14-15). Paul’s message
here is very clear; the day is coming when GOD, through HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST,
will judge, even everyone’s secret life, because HE is able to see all, hear
all, and know all that we do, every second, of every day (v.16).
A Sunday school lesson
by,
Larry D. Alexander
LARRY D. ALEXANDER-
Official Website
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