March 31, Romans 2
Once upon a time, there was a judge who had two small children. On Saturday mornings, the children sometimes went with their father to his office in the courthouse. The children liked to play in the empty courtroom. One day, the little girl was brave enough to slip her father’s robe off its hanger in his office and put it on. It was much too large, but she paraded into the courtroom pretending to be a real judge, just like her father. She stumbled over the pool of robe at her feet and mopped a path with the black fabric that trailed in her wake. Her brother went up the steps behind the judge’s bench and climbed into his father’s chair. His feet could not touch the floor and he could not see over the bench. So he stood in the chair and looked over the empty courtroom. He saw his robe-stealing sister, took his father’s heavy gavel into his small hand and banged it down, crying “Guilty! Guilty!” He hit his finger with the gavel and cried out in pain. The old custodian came to investigate the disturbance and found the junior judges holding court. Suppressing his laughter, he marched them down the hall to their father. The real judge stifled a grin at the sight of his pint-sized jurists, and warned them about impersonating a judge.
You understand, don’t you? Who do we think we are when we judge one another? We are not big enough to wear the robe, sit in the chair and hold the judge’s gavel. We are not qualified to be the judge. In pronouncing sentence on our peers, we hurt them and condemn ourselves.
People who see themselves as religious or spiritual are sometimes quick to judge others, pronouncing sentence on lawbreakers who don’t respect God’s law. And in that moment of judgment, by the standard applied to others, the judge condemns himself. He, too, is a lawbreaker. He may not be guilty of the same transgressions he sees in others. But no imperfect human can afford to climb up in God’s judgment seat and convict other lawbreakers.
The legalist knows what the law says and measures others by it. But when he finds them guilty, he condemns himself. Every person whose trust is in his affiliation with some group or obedience to some ritual faces this dilemma. God’s impartial judgment will cut through every external layer of qualification and distinction to
discern the heart of every person before him. He knows all our obedience is flawed. That’s why Christ came. It’s why he died. He will be looking for those who have trusted Christ and turned to him in loving faith and obedient surrender.
The gospel is good news for notorious and respectable sinners alike. Righteousness from God through faith in Christ is every sinner’s only hope. Our Father will not be smiling if we have to account for impersonating the Judge when we stand before him.
From The Abiding Companion: A Friendly
Guide for Your Journey Through the New Testament,
Copyright © 2010 by Michael B. McElroy. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Today in God's Word—March 2024
East Tallassee Church of Christ
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