Sermon Tone Analysis

*Good for Nothing*

 

(2:1-16) *Introduction*: this is one of the passages that covers several subjects and can be studied from the viewpoint of any one of them.

It is an excellent study on judging, criticizing others, the judgment of God, self-righteousness, the moralist, and the legalist.

It also deals with the judgment of the heathen, and answers the question so often asked: "What will happen to the heathen, to the person who never hears about Jesus Christ?" (Romans 2:11-15).

The present study is entitled: "God's Case Against the Moralist."

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*Romans 2:11-15 (KJV) * \\ 11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

\\ 12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; \\ 13 (For not the hearers of the law /are/ just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

\\ 14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: \\ 15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and /their/ thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)

*1.* (2:1) *Moralist— Judging Others— Criticism*: the moralist.

In the eyes of Scripture a moralist is a person who lives a moral and clean life, but he judges others because they do not live as /he thinks/ they should.

He is moral, upright, just, good, decent, and honorable.

The moralist has strong values, standards, and principles.

He is well disciplined and able to control his life.

He lives just as everyone thinks he should.

He knows right from wrong and he lives it.

He knows how to behave and he does it.

In the eyes of society he is just what a person should be.

He is a good neighbor, an excellent worker and provider, and an ideal citizen.

But note three things.

1.

The moralist judges others.

The word "judge" (krino) means to criticize, to find fault, to condemn.

This is the terrible flaw of the moralist.

Note: any person becomes a moralist when he sets himself up as a judge of others.

Any time we judge another person, we are declaring that we...

·  are living by some rule that another person is not living by.

·  are more moral than someone else.

·  are better than someone else.

·  are superior to someone else.

·  are more righteous than someone else.

·  are more acceptable to God than someone else.

Judging others says, "I am right, and he is not; I succeed, but he fails."

Therefore...

·  "Look at me, but ignore him."

·  "Draw near to me, but shun him."

·  "Esteem me, but put him down."

·  "Approve me, but condemn him."

·  "Be my friend, but withdraw from him."

Very simply, judging others raises self and lowers others, exalts self and debases others; and in the eyes of God this is wrong.

It is sin.

It is being full of self-righteousness, pride, and arrogance.

It sets self up as a moralist, and it makes a person judgmental and critical.

*"Judge not, that ye be not judged" (**Matthew 7:1**).*

*"Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth.

Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand" (**Romans 14:4**).*

*"Let us not therefore judge one another any more: but judge this rather, that no man put a stumblingblock or an occasion to fall in his brother's way" (**Romans 14:13**).*

*"There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?" (**James 4:12**).*

2.

The moralist is inexcusable, and he condemns himself because he does the very same things.

He fails just as the man whom he judges fails.

Scripture says...

 

*"Thou that judgest doest the same things" (**Romans 2:1**).*

*"[All] temptation is common to man" (**1 Cor.

10:13**).*

*"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment: but I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment" (**Matthew 5:21-22**).*

*"Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: but I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart" (**Matthew 5:27-28**).*

In God's eyes, sin is a matter of the heart and mind, not just an act.

The thought and desire makes a person just as guilty as the act itself.

God knows that many would carry out their thoughts /if they had the courage or opportunity/.

God knows the heart, the mind, and the thoughts.

Sin, whether thoughts in the mind or acts in public, comes short of God's glory.

All stand guilty before God; therefore, the moralist, the person who judges, is as guilty as the one judged.

It is for this reason that we are not to judge, criticize, and find fault with others.

*"And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?" (**Matthew 7:3**).*

*"Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself?

thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery?

thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?"

(**Romans 2:21-22**).*

*"But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?" (**Galatians 2:14**).*

*"They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate" (**Titus 1:16**).*

*"Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted.

Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ" (**Galatians 6:1-2**).*

*"Him that is weak in the faith receive ye, but not to doubtful disputations [to criticize and judge]" (**Romans 14:1**).*

*"We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves" (**Romans 15:1**).*

*"To the weak became I as weak, that I might gain the weak: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some" (**1 Cor.

9:22**).*

*"Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men" (**1 Thes.

5:14**).*

*"If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit?"

(**James 2:15-16**).*

*"Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing.

My brethren, these things ought not so to be" (**James 3:10**).*

*2.*

(2:2-5) *Judgment— God, Misconceptions of— Man*: the judgment of God—of the only living and true God—is according to truth.

God's judgment will be executed in perfect justice.

The word "truth" (/alētheian/ PWS: 4085) means true as opposed to false.

It means what really is; what actually exists; what exactly takes place.

God's judgment is /perfectly/ just, exactly what it should be, nothing more and nothing less.

His judgment is based upon...

·  what really happens.

·  what the facts are.

·  what actually takes place.

·  what a person really is within his heart and what the person actually did.

*"The Lord seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart" (**1 Samuel 16:7**).*

God knows the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth; therefore, He will judge according to truth.

His judgment will be perfect, conforming exactly to our deeds.

It will match our deeds perfectly.

Note four points.

1.

The moralist thinks he will escape.

His offense is much greater, for he is like all other men: sinful and short of God's glory.

Yet he criticizes and judges those whose failures are discovered and exposed, and he thinks he will escape.

He forgets that God sees the /inner recesses/ of the human heart, and that God will judge men not only for their deeds but for their thoughts...

·  for the lust of the flesh.

·  for the lust of the eyes.

·  for the pride of life (1 John 2:15-16).