Romans 2:1-16
Be Still: Lord Jesus, as I wait for you to speak to me today, would you fill me with your peace, centre my mind on your Word, and send me out into what you have in store for me.
Read: Romans 2:1-16
You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. (v1-5)
Encounter: American author Brennan Manning said: ‘The greatest single cause of atheism in the world today is Christians: who acknowledge Jesus with their lips, walk out the door, and deny him by their lifestyle. That is what an unbelieving world simply finds unbelievable.’
I suspect that you read that quote and nodded along in sincere agreement. And yet, I know that I am one of the Christians that Brennan Manning is talking about. All too often I catch myself saying one thing and doing another. Just recently my family and I were driving back home from a trip when a car aggressively overtook us and some other before barging back into the lane ahead of us. You can probably tell what’s coming, right? Okay, yes, I confess – I made some hand gestures that weren’t very flattering. It wasn’t my finest moment.
We are, of course, all guilty of hypocrisy because there is a gap between what we say we believe and what we do. Hypocrisy is, to a large extent, an unavoidable reality for us. The key question is, how do we respond to it when we see it in ourselves? Do we brush it off and make excuses for it? Or do we take it seriously? These verses from Romans 2:1-16 are a stark warning against the dangers of entertaining hypocrisy in our hearts. When we see it, we’ve got to name it, repent it, and ask the Holy Spirit for transformation in the depths of our being.
Apply: Are there areas of hypocrisy that I am aware of in my own life? If not, I ask the Holy Spirit to search my mind and heart and to reveal anything within me that may need to be brought into the light.
Devote: Thank you, Lord Jesus, that you are so patient and gentle with us. It’s your kindness that leads us to repentance and to healing. Please continue to highlight any areas of hypocrisy in me in order that I might repent and be transformed by your Holy Spirit.