Passage
ESV Romans 2:1 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.
2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things.
3 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?
4 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?
5 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.
Outline
Using the diatribe style of rhetoric, Paul addresses the pride of Jews who believed they were morally superior than the Gentiles. Christians are not immune to this same kind of thinking, and can be ungracious to others. A self-righteous judge will justify their heart attitude towards unbelievers, and even Christians not like them. Instead, the humble Christian will exhibit the opposite qualities of these verses:
- Vs. 1-3 The humble Christian recognizes he deserves the same judgment as unbelievers
- Vs. 4-5 The humble Christian extends the same kindness to sinners that God has extended to us