It is amazing that mankind has a hierarchy of sins that we deem worse than others. I mean, it seems clear that our driving laws deem just a “little” speeding as a smaller infraction than reckless driving. How about crimes that are misdemeanors or felonies? We do not have to study the law much to know that felonies are more serious offenses. Even when we look at the Old Testament laws, we see more serious consequences for certain infractions.
1. Are there infractions that you do not deem very serious but are technically wrong?
2. If you only struggle with “lesser” offenses, do you look down on people with “bigger” offenses? Why or why not?
Kent Hughes writes, “Mankind does not accept God’s assessment of human sin and the imperative of divine judgment. This is not to say that men will not admit they are sinners,...but it is almost impossible to get him to realize the gravity of his sin.” It is often said that civilized mankind will agree when there are sins like murder or treason against the country. Hughes goes on to say, “However, that God’s wrath should fall on those guilty of such lesser sins as envy or arrogance does not seem quite right to them.”
3. Do you agree with Hughes’ statement that mankind struggles with God’s realizing that lesser sins are a problem towards God’s holiness? Why?
4. What is the reasoning behind this struggle? Please explain.
In our continued study of the book of Romans, we are looking at Romans 2:1-16 where the Apostle Paul explains the need for “religious people” to be saved from their sins, even if we rationalize that our sins are not as bad as everyone else’s sins. Romans 2:1-4 reads, “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. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 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? 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?” Especially at this time, the Jewish people believed that their sins were not of the same level because they were God’s chosen people of the Old Testament. They were the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. So, they let the fact that they had a covenant with God blind them to the facts of their own sins or sinful behavior. They could not rationalize that God cared about their sins as He cared about the sins of other peoples (the Gentiles).
5. Have you ever seen situations where people believed their privileged status made their wrongs not as serious? Explain.
6. It almost seems like childish behavior to believe that our position with God would allow Him to accept our sins as okay. Do you believe Christ’s followers today rationalize their sins in the same way? Explain.
Romans 2:5-11 reads of God’s impartiality toward different peoples, “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. He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality.” Here, we see a warning directly from the Lord that God’s holiness demands that He is impartial to humans. We are in a condemned state, but Jesus came to save the world. For those of us who believe and have accepted Jesus Christ, we will account for and be rewarded for our works but not saved because of them. However, the unbeliever is condemned by the evil works that they do.
7. Why do people struggle with the understanding that mankind is in a condemned state?
8. What will be your defense before a holy God concerning your condition or state?
We know that many people, including believers, struggle with the question of the condemnation of people who have never heard God’s Word. Romans 2:12-16 reads, “For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.” Hughes writes, “We see the perfection of God’s judgment because He judges everyone with faultless discrimination. Again, our text stresses that whether a person has access to God’s Word or not, he will be judged by his deeds and when he falls short he will indeed be lost.”
9. At this time, this question is causing many young people to struggle to believe the Scriptures. Do you believe the Scriptures even when the Scriptures offend your sense of fairness? Explain.
10. Did you notice that God will judge the “secrets of men”? Usually, man is only punished for his actions, but God will judge the thoughts and intents of the heart. Remember that our justification comes through the payment of Christ’s death on the cross and that payment covers the secret thoughts and intentions.