Romans Chapter 2:1-3

The Bible plainly teaches that we should not judge or condemn others the moment you begin to be set free from the more the setting more obvious why then you become very the following to the temptation felt like and then look at others and go don't do that anymore. I used to do that when I was lost. Welcome to cross the bridge with David as the senior pastor of the bridge in Kernersville, North Carolina throughout Scripture we find your today look and not so much in judgment and condemnation. Find out how we can do that today is Pastor David continues in the book of Romans chapter 2 but before getting to today's teaching from beginning to end. The Bible shows the special nature of God's relationship with the nation.

What does that have to do with you today. Romans chapter 11 tells us that God's covenant relationship with Israel has huge implications for you to help you understand Pastor David wants to see his teaching video recorded in the holy land called Israel Bible. This powerful resource will encourage strength and learn how connected you are with God's Israel Bible is our gift donations to help more people on this station and beyond cross the bridge from death to life's visit cross the bridge.com question again cross the bridge. Now, here's David with his teaching judgment. Romans chapter 2 verse one says therefore you are inexcusable, old man, who ever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself for you who judge practice the same things out is an amazing placement of you think about in a week.

We just finished up chapter 1 chapter 1 points out some of the unrighteousness of man and is just a beautiful placement here in chapter 2 the course.

Understanding the verse divisions came later chapter divisions came later. So I understand. Chapter 1 flows in the chapter 2 chapter 2 begins to deal with what begins the deal, self-righteous people as you go through chapter 1 and and maybe you course. We talked about last week.

Nobody gets out alive after chapter 1, you know, in that little list friend you're in there somewhere. Let me assure you, if you need some minor point out your failings and that last just ask your wife or children.

I'm sure will be happy to point out you know where you're messing up but maybe want to start with asking God. You know that my event at the end of that you know some of us can go with TL. Not that I haven't done that are done this and we can actually come in the spiritual pride in chapter 2000 go Paul speaks to the self-righteous is when we speak to you guys and we do with these things out the new living translation.

In this verse is this you may be saying what terrible people we've been talking about, but you are just as bad and you have no excuse when you say they are wicked and should be punished. You are condemning yourself or you do these very same things probably heard the saying, but that any time you point a finger at somebody.

You've got three more pointing back at you. It's a good thing to remember is, what the policy and in here because understand there is a theme in and I'm gonna balance this out. There is a theme in the Bible that are not Swiss to consider ourselves better than everybody else. It's amazing what happens because were were lost were we don't know God we we don't know God's will, we come to a saving knowledge based on race and faith alone, and then often what begins to happen as we begin to develop spiritual pride. Now, based on what has been given to us by the Lord. I think everybody struggles with this and everybody goes through that phase really think and perhaps God save them because he saw some spark of innate human goodness there. There was some gifting on us that the Lord wanted to use, but the fact is, it was by grace and grace alone, and we should all be aware of our own sinfulness in our own weaknesses some beautiful thing about going to the Bible as you.

You see these attitudes that we have the Bible confronts us in these things because see if you're sitting there worried about everybody else's sent you know what happens. You're not as concerned about your own sin as you should be.

Often we tell the guys in the men's ministry. You know what if something gets shared with you during a prayer time or devotional time yet what happens at the men's meeting, stays at the men's ministry. I've told you guys look if you're going to go home and talk about somebody send with your wife.

Talk about your own sin with your wife. I'm sure she'll be interested in that. Don't go home and talk about somebody else. Sin. But you know what happens is you can talk about somebody else's sent and there's no conviction there's no prompting of a need for change in your life where factor somebody has done something dark enough or something stupid enough you actually feel better about you when you talk about the Bible says don't do that. Don't do that because according to this book.

According to chapter 1 in other places. We all stand condemn we all stand guilty, often times what we do is we stand often go look at the public at that point will look at that person will look at them first. But what I found friend in following Jesus is much better to light a candle than curse the darkness much better to light a candle than curse the darkness. What I mean by that is if I'm walking in the Lord's love mom walking in his joy. If I'm living this stuff out. That's what's really going to help somebody else that struggling not coming up and wagging my finger in their face. The lifelessness see in the evil and others does not root out the evil and you see in the evil and others does not root out the evil in the sea.

It's a a a useless, if you will, spiritual exercise, just point out the flaws of everybody again this the word here is gonna balance itself out. We need to understand that we should not condemn other people because what happens is that leads us to spiritual pride.

Now we talked were going to use the word condemn a lot so let's make sure that we understand what this word condemn means. The meaning is condemn us to pronounce judgment or sentence against to consider unfit so that's condemning to pronounce judgment or sentence against to consider unfit, biblically speaking, everybody gets judge do they get judged by you know they get judged by God they can judge by the truth. The truth that same truth that sets us free.

Also leads us to the conclusion that we stand guilty under the law, which places estimate in a position of needing Jesus, but to understand if Yvonne if I'm looking at somebody and I'm pronouncing sentence over them and I'm saying you know what year your your your never going to have your sins forgiven your never going to go to heaven and said absolutely. There's no hope in Jesus for you. I can't share the good news.

I can't say there's hope in Jesus for you. Meanwhile, you're completely condemned and you have no so there's a balance here that we need to understand and a lot of times we think will. It's our ministry that the unit we got a runaround teller by what's wrong with John 316 we quote a lot because we leave all 17 and 18 says for God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have everlasting life with friendless, read on. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through him might be saved.

He who believes in him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he is not believe in the name of the only begotten son of God. Nonmembers the unbeliever 316 English people familiar with that verse. Here you see it in John 316. The football games and stuff so you know a lot of us are familiar with the members. The only Marine that verse read in the 17th for Jesus didn't condemn you come into the world to condemn the world, I thought.

Praise God, I found the ministers the ministry of condemnation jobs set out to condemn everybody else thinking that was a flaw in Jesus plan that he had left. God doesn't need you to condemn her boyfriend because according to the law if they are not believing in Jesus, they stand condemned already, I think most people are aware of this. Most people that I've ever ministered to Artie knew they were messing up already knew that they needed forgiveness all occasionally you'll come across somebody amazingly enough, they will argue that they don't send any more's amazing conversation. If you've never had that conversation, you will be amazed at what will come out of people send anymore. I don't do wrong anymore. Now here's the bizarre thing you understand what pool of people. Those folks come from from churches never call somebody coming out of the bar that will debate the sin question with me. I've never call somebody that's in that valley of life that will debate that's in question with kind of interesting.

You're listening to Pastor David McGee on cross the bridge will be back with more powerful insight from God's word in just a moment but first, God's grace and mercy is greater than any of us could ever fathom.

That's why he's been so faithful to the nation of Israel throughout the ages. He's not finished.

He's promised to remain true to them to the end. We want to show you what God's faithfulness toward Israel says about his relationship with you by sending you Pastor David's teaching video Israel the Bible and you in this exciting teaching recorded in the heart of the holy land. Pastor David unpacks important truths from God's relationships with Israel that impact your life today. Israel the Bible and you is our gift to thank you for your donation to help more people on this station and beyond cross the bridge from death to life's visit cross the bridge.com to request yours again. That website is cross the bridge.com. Now back to today's teaching verse two but we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.

We know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such as a friend. There is right and wrong. There are long-term consequences to continuing to do wrong.

Continuing to do evil sometimes are short-term consequences.

But again, part of what Paul is speaking a speak in the self-righteousness and say be careful in this area because here's the thing.

The moment you begin to quit doing this and that the other and you begin to be set free from the more besetting the more obvious sins and your wife then you become very proud to fall into the temptation self-righteousness and then look at others and go I don't do that anymore. I used to do that when I was as lost as you are. I don't do that anymore and were not really offering grace and mercy and hope somebody next life lessons.

The Bible plainly teaches that we should not judge or condemn others again on the balances out just a minute with the Bible plainly teaches that we should not judge or condemn others.

It's interesting if you understand are certain things that you cannot say about other people without judging yourself. I grew up in what I would term a religious home and it gave me a love the Bible when I went to went to a Lutheran day school for my young years grew up knowing the parables and saffron and wish to pray over the males on their forget one time we were praying over the male week we got finished praying and I said I had two older brothers Bill and Tom and I said to dad when we were praying. Tom had his eyes open that Diana I discerned it in the spirit that I just I just could sentence in my spirit I was burdened no in his eyes heat damage to their I am with my eyes open, accusing him of having his eyes open usually do that sometimes innocent or certain things as a believer you can't really say you can't really save you know so-and-so they are so unloving because that statement is unloving.

Here's another Christian classic you know so-and-so. They are such a gossip.

You can't say that I've had people say that to me and you either my line really paying Patty another got what you should've heard the things that they sent.

Also, you were sitting there listening. It takes two people to gossip.

Somebody talking somebody listen, and if you're not listening to gossip.

Then you cut that off now. I had people that have tried to engage me gossip not interested in hearing but interesting here sometimes of the got a good head of steam built up.

They try to keep going to note really I don't want to hear and of the rare occasion I just said and walked away because I don't hear and see if I stand there and I listen I'm participating in the certain things and can't you say yes. Each week we jump up the say somebody else is guilty of gossip. When we are just as guilty because we sat and listened friend. I know that you probably have those conversations you talk to people on the phone after you.

You know you you hung up the phone never seen Nickelodeon when the people get slimed they got that green slime port on you know you probably like I have phone conversations.

I don't have many more.

You know what happened to ligaments is like oh my gosh it was such a fine conversation and learn to cut those things off again.

Chapter 2 is beautiful balance to Romans chapter 1 because chapter 1 points of the unrighteousness. Chapter 2 deals with the self-righteousness of man. Now enter some churches that you know all they won't hesitate to teach on Romans chapter 1 build their life around members of how everybody else is messed up, but they will leave off chapter 2 the talked about the self righteousness of us of people of our bend torch that and then there's other churches in the chapter didn't say all yet we need to be very careful with two self-righteous and judgmental and condemning people but then they leave off chapter 1 which talks about the unrighteousness is just a beautiful balance really teaching the Bible this way studying the Bible. This way, what keeps us out of a lot of trouble.

Romans chapter 2 verse three then do you think this old man used to judge those practicing such things, and doing the same that you will escape the judgment of God judge those practicing such things, and doing the same.

I looked at listen to doing the same place understand something not only deals with her actions.

But if you just deal with your actions that leaves you will will friend you can be hypocritical if you're just deal with your actions. We tend toward emphasizing action got to show I want to go deeper than that. I will go to the heart to do with your attitude when Jesus talked about hey you know you told not to kill somebody.

But if you have hatred and anger towards her money. It's like murder now. Probably a lot of us in here have not committed murder but is there anybody in here is never been angry at somebody or been hateful toward somebody probably not. Maybe you read that list you never committed adultery. And yet Jesus says if you've ever lasted somebody in your heart are in your mind you've done as much as committed as I was a show of hands. The snow everyone understands guilty that point because Jesus is going to the heart sing.

Look, have you had these attitude when you start to look at your own heart and start to look at the attitude you go, not the person I should be, but I hope you can add friend praise the Lord left person I used to be God's doing something in me, and he continues to do. Jesus spoke about this judgment issue in Matthew chapter 7 and he says this is just stop judging others, and you will not be judged on the stop there because this is probably one of the most quoted verses in the Bible.

They usually use the King James version. Judge E Judge not lest ye be judged are don't judge me as kinda interesting that you know they kinda leave out other scriptural concept was read on for others will treat you as you treat them. Whatever measure you use in judging others.

It will be used to measure how your judge and why worry about us back in your friends when you have a log in your old. How can you think of saying, let me help you get rid of that speck in your when you can't see past the log in your own verse five is very important for contact say hypocrite, first get rid of the log from your own then perhaps you will see well enough to deal with us back in your friends a skin. Interesting that verses in their it's not quoted. Usually when people say judge if we get, but according to this passage. It says hey if you've already dealt with an issue or an area of your life. Now you've been set free to help somebody else with one of those issues. But why you're still struggling in the area you're probably not in a position to really help somebody. In other words, if you give your struggle with alcoholism and you're still drinking.

You can't really minister to somebody that's drinking but once God has delivered you know you you accepted God's deliverance and you're no longer drinking then you're in a very special place to minister to people that are still struggling in that area so there is at oh since spiritually speaking that you can sense right and wrong and then you can help somebody else be in overcome her in that area. But if you're still struggling in that area you're not in a position to speak to somebody else's life about that that that center that area, but less understand and and there is a sense that the Bible talks about iron sharpening iron as as we interact as we have a relationship there's friction because it is my peer teaching talking about these issues and and you know were being prepared to for life journey will be prepared if you will for battle and part of this as we go through the Scriptures is how you know I'm still I'm still struggling in that area.

This is still an issue. The word brings were preparing each other for battle and we can sense what is right.

The Marines do something a been told never been a Marine, probably tell by the hair put the that they square off about 6 feet apart from each other and look each other from head to toe before the going about. And if there's anything out of place or not.

Right then, they tell one another. Hey, this is you know your boots not done right, you need to do are your your your belt thing you know you and they tell each other that one because they want to be prepared to go another battle now again I'm not been a Marine, but I cannot imagine to Marines doing that I got going hey you know you really need to tell your boat and they got turned to the judge to be charged. Thank you, probably should tie these moods before going to battle your you know what you don't have your gun go get your gun you're going into battery are going to need your so understand when were talking about this type of judgment were talking about condemnation, not discernment is important for us to realize because the next life lessons. The Bible plainly teaches us that we can know right and wrong and that will love Porton statement with love. We can teach others what is right. We can know right and wrong, and we can in love teach others what is right in and while I should not continue. People I can discern if I'm talking to so many go all yeah you know I did that whole born-again thing. I pray that little prayer and they're not in fellowship or not attending a church like the Bible talks about their not having financially given to a church like the Bible talks about their not serving others and serving God like the Bible talks about in that conversation.

I can't say what absolutely are still going to hell, even though your tell me you've been warning it, but I can discern that there's not fruit is not condemning them. That's not saying that you're going to hell, even though you asked Jesus to forgive you present but I can say you know what I discern. There's not a lot of fruit in your let's not condemning that discerning first Corinthians 215 says this, but he who is spiritual judges all things he who is spiritual judges all things that that's not judgment in the sense of condemning that's judging in the sense of discerning judging in the sense of discerning and that's something that we need to do in should do what the passages point out is that according to the law.

We are all condemn whether were unrighteous or self-righteous scene.

That's a thing is God begins to work in her life.

There is a tendency to develop spiritual prime. We need to be careful in this area from because everyone is how how how are we going to escape this so why just of a judgment. This standard, God has of perfection for that none of us can meet. How do we escape because the usual ways of thinking that you can escape maybe get beyond the powers of extradition you do something in this country there certain countries you can go to that they won't pull you back here less.

I really to work with God is maybe the statue of limitations runs out.

That doesn't apply to God either renders only one real plan of escape is Jesus is only one way out. When you realize that all of us stand condemn. There is only one way to be partnered before the Lord, and he's given us that way. He's given us his sign so that we can be declared innocent, and we can be set free, but if you reject that for your choosing to be condemn friend. You know for sure that your sins have been forgiven.

You can know right now own Legion. A short simple prayer simply telling God you're sorry and asking him to help you to live for him.

God wants you to pray this prayer so much that he died to give you the opportunity and the ability to ask him to forgive you. Please pray this prayer with me out loud right now. Dear Jesus, I believe you died for me that I could be forgiven and I believe you were raised from the dead that I could have a new life not done wrong things I have sent and I'm sorry. Please forgive me of all those things.

Please give me the power to live for you.

All of my days in Jesus name, amen friend.

If you prayed that prayer according to the Bible you've been forgiven you've been born again, so congratulations for you just made the greatest decision that you will ever make. God bless you, if you prayed that prayer with David for the first time we'd love to hear from you.

You can call us toll-free at 877-458-5508 to receive our first steps package with helpful resources to help you begin your walk with Christ before we go, we want to encourage you in your faith so that you can experience more of the grace and love of God for you.

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