So in other words, if in judging you show that you do know right from wrong. You have no excuse if afterwards you do wrong. Paul is assuming that yes, you have in the past and will in the future do the same things.
Paul is here speaking to Christians, presumably saved by the blood of Jesus. I think my first reaction is to say, "uh uuuhh!" I would not be hypocritical and judge someone for something that I am doing myself. Yet on second thought we do. We are much easier on ourselves than we are on others.
Paul mentions stealing and adultery. If we include mentally fantasizing, yes we all have committed adultery in our hearts. And in this culture we steal without even thinking about it. We take pens and don't bother to return them. We "graze" in the grocery store. It is stealing. We just excuse ourselves without even thinking about it. Yet if we condemn others we also condemn ourselves. We have no excuse.
Paul ends this chapter by speaking of the seriousness of this. These things may seem little to us but they cause non-believers to judge us as hypocrites. We cause God's name to be ridiculed. I don't want that. Living rightly even in the little things is important.
Paul says, "God will render to every man for his deeds." (2:6) We can persevere in doing good or we can allow ourselves to fall into doing whatever selfish acts come our way, taking the past of least resistance. We take advantage of God's long suffering patience.
Paul says, "Don't you know God's kindness and forbearance are meant to lead us to
Paul says there will be judgment. (2:5) Remember he is speaking to Christians. He is addressing the mostly Jewish church now living in Rome. Brothers and sisters, we are saved by grace. But there will be a judgment on our selfish sinful acts here on earth. Let is persevere in doing right. And let us be careful not to judge others.
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