Romans 2 Lesson

HYPOCRISY

Perhaps the best word to sum up Romans Chapter 2 is, “Hypocrisy.” 

Hypocrisy means saying one thing and doing another. 

Hypocrisy is identified as sin, and Jesus condemns it in the following three scriptures:

1. “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses; therefore all that they tell you, do and observe, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them.” - Mathew 23:2-4,
2. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence. You blind Pharisee, first clean the inside of the cup and of the dish, so that the outside of it may become clean also.” - Mathew 23:25-26,
3. “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.” - Mathew 23:27-28.

OTHER BIBLE VERSES ABOUT HYPOCRISY

1. “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.” -Mathew 7:5,
2. “If anyone thinks himself to be religious, and yet does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this man’s religion is worthless.” -James 1:26,
3. “Why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?” - Luke 6:46,
4. “You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy about you: ‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. But in vain do they worship Me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.” - Mathew 15:7-9.

TELLING THE TRUTH

God wants us to always tell the truth.

When we say something, people need to know that they can count on what we are saying to be honest and true.  

Consider the following three scriptures:

1. “Little children, let us not love with word or with tongue, but in deed and truth.” - 1 John 3:18,  
2. “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who deal faithfully are His delight.” - Proverbs 12:22,
3. “Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no;’ anything beyond these is of evil.” – Mathew 5:36-37.

JUDGMENT

The second major theme that we see in Romans 2 has to do with judging others. 

Simply put, do not do it!

When we stand before God on Judgment Day, we will be held responsible for how we treated others. 

Did we show them mercy, or did we demand justice?

If we demand justice when it comes to others, but expect mercy when it comes to ourselves, we are being hypocritical, and we will suffer harsh judgment at the appropriate time. 

Jesus said in His Sermon On The Mount:

• “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you.” – Mathew 7:1-2.

Other scriptures about judgment include the following three verses:

1. “For judgment will be merciless to one who has shown no mercy; mercy triumphs over judgment.” -James 2:13,
2. “But you, why do you judge your brother? Or you again, why do you regard your brother with contempt? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. For it is written, ‘As I live, says the Lord, every knee shall bow to Me, and every tongue shall give praise to God.’ So then each one of us will give an account of himself to God.” – Romans 14:10-12,
3. “Therefore let us not judge one another anymore, but rather determine this—not to put an obstacle or a stumbling block in a brother’s way.” - Romans 14:13.

CONCLUSION

Romans Chapter 2 can be summed up in the following two statements:

1. Do not be a hypocrite.
2. Do not judge others.

The way that we judge others is the way that God will judge us on the Day of Judgment.

If we want to receive mercy, we need to show mercy to others.

If we want to receive compassion, we must be compassionate ourselves.

We will end today’s study with the following scripture commonly referred to as “The Golden Rule.”

• “Treat others the same way you want them to treat you.If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you expect to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners in order to receive back the same amount. But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High; for He Himself is kind to ungrateful and evil men. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful.” -Luke 6:31-36.