Day 163, Romans 2
Yesterday we took care to read the passage about God’s judgment of sin with a tone of sorrow. Sadly, too many Christians have not done this, instead declaring judgment on sinners. Clearly they failed to read Chapter 2!
We are ALL sinners, and there are no grades of sin (whatever the Roman Catholic Church has taught historically). Sin is missing the mark of God’s standards. We have all done this.
In other words, no human can claim righteousness (alignment with God’s perfect holiness). To do so is an error.
There is another error, which says that God doesn’t care about sin, and that He will forgive everything anyway. That is also a path to disaster because it minimizes what God hates: the defilement of His image in His children.
So following religious systems (whether Jewish circumcision and laws or Christian traditions) is merely outward conformity and effort. It is an inward change that God desires for all of us, and that only comes by allowing the power of the Holy Spirit to transform our hearts. When that happens, any person can be aligned with God’s perfection and experience the washing away of all defilement. That’s good news!
PS: there’s a great deal more in this chapter - why not read it again and note in your journal the truths God highlights for you?
Have a great day!
Mark.