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? [romans 2:3]
paul issues a very stern warning here–and we must have an understanding of the nature of God’s judgement if we want to understand how serious this warning is:
we will all be judged:
for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. [2 corinthians 5:10]
the judgement is permanent:
and i saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. then another book was opened, which is the book of life. and the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. and the sea gave up the dead who were in it, death and hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. then death and hades were thrown into the lake of fire. this is the second death, the lake of fire. and if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. [revelation 20:12-15]
we will be judged by the standards that we used:
judge not, that you be not judged. for with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? or how can you say to your brother, ‘let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? you hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. [matthew 7:1-5]
the judgement will come without notice-and all will be exposed:
but the day of the Lord will come like a thief, and then the heavens will pass away with a roar, and the heavenly bodies will be burned up and dissolved, and the earth and the works that are done on it will be exposed. [2 peter 3:10]
God has placed judgement on his son, Jesus, as our substitute:
my little children, i am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. but if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. he is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. [1 john 2:1-2]
but this promise is only for those who trust in his son, Jesus Christ!:
there is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. [romans 8:1]
the answer to paul’s question above is definitive–”no! no one will escape the judgement of God”.
together, let us stand on the promises of scripture today–if we are guilty of sin, (and we all are), we can put our trust in Chris Jesus and then we do not have to bear the wrath and judgement of God. if you are not in him, today is the day of salvation!–put your trust in the only one who can save us from God’s righteous judgement.
~ce