People have an amazing capacity for seeing the faults in others while overlooking their own. We know about sin – because we are all sinners – and we readily condemn it, except sometimes when it comes to ourselves. When it comes to sin we are usually easier on ourselves than we are on others.

“You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for you who pass judgment do the same things.” Romans 2:1

We take advantage of God’s grace and expect him to forgive our sins, while we hope he deals with sin in other people’s lives. But God doesn’t excuse any sins; he wants people to get free of them. He is patient and gracious so we have time to repent.

“Do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to bring 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. God will repay each person according to what they have done.” Romans 2:5-6

Our sins are forgiven when we accept Christ as our Savior, but the evidence of our rebirth and new nature is our sensitivity to personal sin and desire to overcome it.

The Day of God’s Wrath

“God will repay each person according to what they have done.” Romans 2:6

It will be an awesome and terrible day when we stand before the Lord to hear our works reviewed and rewarded. As John Stott says,

“Such a public occasion, on which a public verdict will be given and a public sentence passed, will require public and verifiable evidence to support them. And the only public evidence available will be our works, what we have done and have been seen to do. The presence or absence of saving faith in our hearts will be disclosed by the presence or absence of good works of love in our lives.” (The Message of Romans, by John R.W. Stott).

In 1 Corinthians 3:12-15 Paul talked about how our faith in Jesus is the foundation of our salvation, but we must build on that foundation. The work we do that pleases the Lord is like building with precious metals and rare gems.

“If any man builds on this foundation using gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay or straw, his work will be shown for what it is, because the Day will bring it to light. It will be revealed with fire, and the fire will test the quality of each man’s work. If what he has built survives, he will receive his reward. If it is burned up, he will suffer loss; he himself will be saved, but only as one escaping through the flames.” 1 Corinthians 3:12-15

Here in California we’ve seen what it’s like for people to live through a wildfire that destroyed their home. They’re grateful to be alive, but they mourn over what the fire consumed. That’s a glimpse into what it will be like on Judgment Day for those who are saved by faith, but invested their lives in things that have no eternal value.

The Bible tells us that there are two things that last forever: The Word of God and the souls of people. Paul encourages his readers to invest in things that last forever.

The Standard of Judgment

God gave the Law of Moses to teach people what righteousness is. The law can’t save people, but it‘s a measuring stick by which people’s works will be evaluated.

The Jews who first received the law put a lot of stock in keeping it, but no one could keep it perfectly, and the law condemned them when they failed. So they emphasized the parts of the law that provided visible proof that they belonged to God, like Circumcision of baby boys. There were other outward proofs as well, but Paul was more concerned about private sins.

“You then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? As it is written: ‘God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.’” Romans 2:21-23

Stealing, adultery, and robbing pagan temples were such serious sins that it’s hard to imagine that the Jewish leaders would practice them, but Paul knew his audience and he knew what they should examine in their lives.

“A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.” Romans 2:28-29

God’s Light Against Our Darkness

Ironically, the darker our sins are, the brighter God’s holiness and righteousness shine. Is God pleased by the contrast of his perfection with our sinfulness?

“ But if our unrighteousness brings out God’s righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? . . . Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world?” Romans 3:5-6

Our sins condemn us; there is no redeeming value to them, not even in making God’s righteousness appear brighter. In Romans 3:10-18 Paul cites nine Old Testament passages to make his point that God is never pleased with sinners. Psalm 14:1-3 is one of them:

“All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one . . . Therefore no one will be declared righteous in God’s sight by the works of the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of our sins.” Romans 3:12

Since everyone falls short when judged by the law, we need more than the law can give us.

“But now apart from the law the righteousness of God has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This righteousness is given through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe . . . For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. God presented Christ as a sacrifice of atonement, through the shedding of his blood – to be received by faith.” Romans 3:21-25

The Law, that gift of God to reveal our unrighteousness, no longer has the power to condemn us when Christ’s redeeming blood covers our sins.

Salvation in Christ Proves the Law

Remarkably, when we receive salvation by faith we prove the requirements of the law to be true.

“Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.” Romans 3:31

The law says that we are sinners; it tells us our sins deserve the death penalty; it reveals that God graciously forgives those sins if a blood sacrifice is made in our place, and it tells us that we are saved by putting our faith in God’s grace. Salvation through Jesus Christ fulfills the law, proving its truth.

King David celebrated this wonderful grace in Psalm 32:1-2

“Blessed are those whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered. Blessed is the one whose sin the Lord will never count against them.”

The Father of Our Faith

Abraham is the perfect example of someone who received salvation by faith. Before the Law of Moses was given, before anyone knew about circumcision, long before Jesus died on the cross, Abraham believed God and “Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness.” Romans 4:9

Abraham’s faith was proven when he believed God’s promise that God would give him a son and innumerable descendants even when that seemed impossible.

“Without weakening his faith, he faced the fact that his body was as good as dead – since he was about a hundred years old – and that Sarah’s womb was also dead. Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God, being fully persuaded that God had power to do what he had promised. This is why ‘it was credited to him as righteousness.’” Romans 4:19-23

Abraham was the first man credited with righteousness because of his faith but not the last. God promised him more descendants than could be counted and everyone who places their faith in God through Jesus Christ is among those descendants.

“The words, ‘it is credited to him’ were written not for him alone, but also for us, to whom God will credit righteousness – for us who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead. He was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” Romans 4:23-25

Paul Staked His Life on This

The book of Romans tells us why Paul gave up everything to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ. Paul knew the Law of Moses inside and out and he knew better than anyone that it could not save him.

But his life was changed forever when he met Jesus Christ and realized that Jesus was God. He spent the next fourteen years preaching Christ and discovering how completely Christ fulfilled the requirements of the Law and the predictions of the Prophets. When he hit the road as a missionary he saw the power of the gospel in action and was even further convinced.

Paul staked his life on these truths, he proved them, and he wrote them down for us “who believe in him who raised Jesus our Lord – who was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification.” Romans 4:24-25