Do you ever find yourself reveling in your success at the expense of others who are less fortunate? Today on Insight for Living, Juxwindahl reveals how keeping a scorecard exposes flawed thinking. Drawing from Romans chapter 2, he shows that when we judge struggling people, we're actually revealing our own spiritual poverty. The antidote isn't self-improvement. its humble dependence on God.
In this study, we'll be challenged to replace our scorekeeping with compassion. our criticism with kindness. and our self-righteousness with gentle humility. Chuck titled today's message, Chuck. Judgment for the Judgmental.
Yeah. Already, we've learned two things about God's judgment. Number one, it's inescapable, verses one to four. 5 through 11, we learn it's righteous. It's righteous.
It's right. Another motive is in verse 8, but to those who are selfishly ambitious. And do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath, and indignation, there will be tribulation and distress. It's a good time for me to pause and describe the scene here. A couple of things I think need to be clarified.
First, what's the underlying theme? Of this section, chapters one and two, it's clearly the judgment of God. The righteous Judgment of God. And in case you haven't thought about it lately, let me teach a little theology. Can I do that?
God is all-seeing.
So he misses nothing, he ignores nothing. God is absolutely just. and right and fair. And true. His judgment is all of the above.
And third, God is completely, verse 11, impartial. Doesn't favor one over another. As we'll learn next time, not even the Jew is favored over the Gentile when it comes to this matter of depravity. When your life is characterized by grace, And prompted by love, Judgment flees away. You're not the boss.
You're not even a qualified judge. Because you don't even know motives. When you put yourself in the other person's moccasins, it does an amazing thing to you. As you take that journey inside their lives. But if you're self-righteous, you're not all that interested.
In fact, you put out of your mind that God sees it all, God hears it all, God uh knows it all. But the writer here, Paul, says now you got to face the fact. You are equally Lost. When we get to the end of the chapter, we'll see that when you add religion, it only makes it worse.
Some people do their cover-up through religious activities, none worse than the Orthodox Jews. who are pointed out in verses 17 to 29. The results? What's the result of living like this? Verse 9.
There will be tribulation and distress. for every soul. Stop right there. See the word tribulation? It's the word for pressure.
It means living under intensified stress and pressure. That is a part of the lifestyle of a person given to judging others. Several years ago I was doing a a meeting one evening with Cliff Barrows, the Billy Graham team. They were in town in that area of Southern California, and we were at Knott's Berry Farm. A delightful evening with friends of the Billy Graham ministry and Cliff led singing, in fact sang uh a solo and when he finished I brought a talk, and then afterwards, we just kind of chatted.
He said, You know what, Chuck? As you know, my wife, Billy, is very sick. And I um I've just thought a whole lot about a relationship with a wife and husband. And he said, I've come up with 12 words that make a marriage work: keep it strong. Of course, I was all over that since I married and wanted to keep mine strong.
I said, What are they?
Well, I am wrong. I'm sorry. Please forgive me. I love you. Yeah.
Whoa. That would fit Sunday's sermon. It didn't, but I jammed it in on Sunday morning and Everybody just like you and oh wow. And I thought, well, Sunday night, I'll do it again. I am wrong.
I am sorry. Tuesday night, went to Bible study, and did it again. I'm really using these words. And by the Wednesday night at a prayer service, I use it again. What a lady who was in all four of those meetings.
She came to me afterwards with a twinkle in her eyes. She said, really, Chuck, there are 16 words. Really? Yeah, I'm wrong. I am sorry.
Please forgive me. I love you. This is a recording. You can walk away from a message like this and humming the tune, it's not my brother, nor my sister, but it's me, oh Lord, standing in need of prayer, and you can say it enough to where it just comes across as if it's a recording. That's not what God wants.
He wants you to realize that this message is like a father's. Lecture to a son. who has just been Arrested. For doing a number of things that are wrong, and he visits him in jail. Saying, I'm not letting you out of the jail.
I'm going to let you sit here and think about it, but before I leave, I'm going to tell you some things I hope you never forget. And he he drills them with them. One after another. I want you to hear it like that. I want you to say when you have finished with the 16th verse, that's me.
It's me, O Lord. It's me. It's not that other speaker. It's not that neighbor two doors down. It's not that other driver.
It's not that other Christian, it's not that person who's somehow taken up a cause against me, it's not. Then it's me in need. In greatest need. I am the man. Perfect response from David.
and it turned the corner, though the sword never departed from his house.
Well, what does God promise?
Well Verse 2, he says that Judgment will rightly fall on those who Practice these things. He says in verse 3, You who pass judgment on those Do the same thing yourself, you will not escape the judgment. Verse 5, because your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you're storing up wrath for yourself in the day of. Wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God. I mean, let's face it.
God's judgment is cut. Coming. And he will not overlook, it's universal, verse six: he will render to each. Person, put your name there. If you're without Christ and you're trying to make it through life and you're given to this kind of lifestyle, your name belongs right there.
Who will render to each person according to his deeds? Verse 9: There will be tribulation and distress for every soul. Verse 10: everyone. Verse 11: There is no partiality with God. It's like a dad talking to his son.
I want you to remember this. I want you to remember this. I want you to remember that. I don't want you to ever forget that. And he kind of lays it all out so the boy will never forget.
the lessons to be learned in his situation. The basis of it, verse five. Because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you're storing up the wrath. For the day of wrath and revelation, the righteous judgment of God. Remember, with God, verse 16, there are no Secrets.
No secrets. Yeah. You can't hide. Day and night are the same to him. Outward and inward, just as visible.
I sat down at my study and I put down the verses that mention this, just a few of them. Just listen. No secrets with God. 1 Samuel 16:7, God sees not as man sees, for man looks at the outward appearance, the Lord looks at the heart. 1 Kings 8.39, Solomon's prayer, You, O Lord, act and render to each one according to all his ways, for you alone know the hearts of all the sons of men.
1 Chronicles 28:9, the Lord searches all hearts and understands every intent. of the thoughts. Psalm 139:3, You scrutinize my path and my lying down, and you're intimately acquainted with all my ways. Jeremiah 17:10, I, the Lord, search the heart, I test the mind, even to give to each man according to his ways, according to the result of his deeds. Jesus said, You are those who justify yourself, Luke 16:15.
You justify yourself in the sight of men, but God knows your hearts, for that which is highly esteemed among men is detestable in the sight of God. Hebrews 4:13, there is no creature hidden from his sight. All things are open and laid bare to the eyes of him with whom we have to do. Wow. No secrets.
You know what I thought of when I read those verses? An ant farm. Other people think deep, profound thoughts. Not me, boy. I go right to ant farms.
Years ago, we used to give our kids ant farms for Christmas. One side is a sheet of clear plastic. And a little thin area on the other side is clear plastic and you pp. Dump the sand in there along with ants. They get all over, you know.
Hundreds of little ants. And you thought all they did was sting. But that's what they do when you're looking at them. But when they go down in that hole, What are they doing? And this ant farm lets you get down in that hole.
Yeah. That's what you guys do. And you get to look at it. I remember giving it to one of my kids. I said, give me that.
I'm going to look at that tonight.
So I studied it through the evening as I watched all these ants move around. You think you're getting away with that? I'm watching everything you're doing. But that's an ant. Our lives are ant farms.
You'd have thought he didn't hear you last week. You'd have stopped that little word that you dropped.
Sort of went by unnoticed. Are you kidding? You just heard it. All things are opened and laid bare to the eyes of Him. with whom we have to do.
It's not the other person, it's you. When will we get that? My point, whether or not we are ready to admit it, we are guilty before our all-seeing, ever-present God, and there's no gospel given. There's no hope. We're left behind bars.
And dad walks out. And we're sitting there.
Now more than ever aware We're exposed. We can't hide it any longer. Doing the drugs or Or, whatever may have been the reason for my getting in here, I'm in here in the whole. Family knows it now. Romans 2, 1 to 16.
Everybody knows. And by the way, you who say, well, I'm a Gentile, I wouldn't have any way of knowing. You're mentioned in verse 12. All who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law. How can that be?
You know in your heart it's wrong. You don't need the book of God to tell you it's wrong. If you're a Jew, then you are those who have sinned under the law and you'll be judged by the law. And the little parenthesis that follows, 13 to 15, describes that in greater detail. Whether Jew or Gentile, you're out to lunch.
You're equally guilty. And it will happen on that day, verse 16: according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus. I like John Stott's way of putting it. No human being can plead complete ignorance. We have all sinned against the moral law we have known, whether we have come to know it by special or general revelation.
By grace or nature, outwardly or inwardly. in the scripture or in the heart is largely irrelevant. The point is that all human beings have known something of God, chapter 1, verse 20, and of goodness, chapter 1, verse 32. 2 verse 15, but have suppressed the truth in order to indulge in wickedness, so we all come under the righteous judgment of God. You say.
Please. I need help. Help will come in chapter 5. Until then, he'll keep bearing down. Because we have the religious group to talk to next.
And if you think it's tough leading a moral person to Christ, try leading a moral person steeped in religion. That's why you find it so difficult. To encourage those living clean lives and constantly involved in religious activities, believing that they're really lost.
So he leaves us here. But I won't. We now come to the place where we were judged before God, and it's time to fish or cut bait. Either or. Either I accept the truth And trust Christ for hope.
beyond the consequences. I accept the truth and I trust Christ in Him only. Since he paid the complete penalty for my sins, including my judging others. He is the way I am able to know God eternally. It's called the gospel.
Or, if I choose to reject that, then I reject the truth and I suffer the consequences. And they are not funny. The consequences of a life lived without Christ. are beyond dreadful. Every person who has gone on beyond and died without Christ.
If he or she could possibly come back, would say to you, still living. Don't copy. Come here. Don't let that happen to you.
Now, let me tell you one of the secrets of attracting the attention of the pagan. A person who doesn't know the Lord. who lives a lifestyle like this. And I'm always amazed that More aren't making a mess of their lives who are without Christ. But those who are without Christ You know where they're looking?
They're not looking inside the church. They're not seeking. They're watching Christians on the outside. They're watching you. They run the business where you have credit.
They're seeing how you pay your bills. They're watching you in traffic. They're observing you when the bottom drops out of your life. You're talked all the time about Jesus. How are you different from me?
David Roper, in a wonderful book titled Growing Wise Slowly. Writes, most people long for truth and righteousness. though that desire is often frustrated by what they see in certain Christians. Whom they perceive as self-righteous. Rigid.
Love less. Humorless folks who never crack a smile, who can't abide a joke. As Anthony Trollope said of his qualmish Miss Thorne. Her virtues are too numerous to describe and not sufficiently interesting to deserve description. The oddball behavior of such people only puts off the watching world.
Such Virtue. is far less interesting to unbelievers than vice. With the results that they cling to their vices, though they may hate them. That's a great sentence. They are overthrown not by the devil, but by Christians, they know.
Joy Davidman pushed. Puts a fine point on it when she writes: one sanctimonious Christian makes a hundred unbelievers. Will you please remember that at the office tomorrow? Will you please remember that when the group is talking about something rather vile? And you come across like Mother Teresa.
Like, uh. I would never. Think a thought like that. You've had thoughts like that. That doesn't mean you participate in them.
It means you learn how to handle yourself in the eyes of the lost person. Otherwise you'll never have a chance to witness. with any success. They may be lost, but they're not blind. They may be without Christ, but they're not ignorant.
They didn't sniff self-righteousness like a like a hunting dog.
So Next time you're around a Christian who comes across like that, Okay? This is what you do. You walk up close to him and you're saying, It's not my brother, nor my sister, but it's me, oh Lord. Standing in the need of prayer. Two things will happen.
Number one, Conversation will end pretty quickly. Secondly, you'll remember. It's me. It's me. Until we solve our habit of judging, we will not have much success reaching this community.
or that campus. or our neighborhood. or our family. Judging. Yeah, yeah.
Off. If I could stop the activity in a church in one area, it would almost always be in the area. of the tongue. This little muscle hiding behind it. Ivories.
That runs far too loose. boasts great things when in fact It reveals. Our hearts. Your heart is a well and the tongue is a bucket. That brings out what's there.
Let it be love. Let it be grace. Let it be understanding. Let it be fun. And you'll have the lost say, Hey uh.
Got a minute. How have you learned to live like that? Because I can't seem to get it. I've learned really that my biggest problem on the planet is me. Nobody else.
This would be a great church if everybody believed that. This'd be a great place to be. Starts with you, starts with me. I want you to bow your heads, please, and I'd like you to just sit quietly for a couple of minutes. I won't be long here.
It really isn't your wife or husband. It really isn't your brother or sister. It really isn't the preacher or the deacon. It really isn't the usher or the neighbor. It really isn't.
It's you. Like Pogo, we have found the enemy and he is us. It's you. It's me. You spend your time handling that one.
And get your life set straight before Christ. It's amazing. the ministry you can have. Just amazing. People will want to be around you like flies on a watermelon.
they won't be able to stay away. If you've never trusted the Lord Jesus Christ, what in the world are you waiting for? Why would you put off that decision that'll get you through life in a far more pleasant manner, giving you peace and relief? and victory, whereas now you know none of that. And it'll take you into eternity.
When you finally be home, with the Lord forever. The alternative to that is so bad, you don't even want to hear the details. Christ paid the complete penalty for your sins. He paid it all. Oh.
That was owed. He paid in his death. Nothing is left for you but to trust Christ. It's the gift. The gift of eternal life.
That's the first step toward dealing with your self-righteousness. Father, thank you for speaking to us in ways that even we can understand. In a world of chaos and confusion, thank you for making it. plain and clear. Thank you for the reminders through this time.
that you are very patient. Long suffering. Heavenly Father, That you really don't leave us locked behind the bars of our conscience. But you have set us free. Through the blood of Christ.
So, may we find that sense of hope and peace that can come only through Him. I pray, really pray for those who have been dislodged and offended by. Christians. that you'd give us a second chance with them. Give us an opportunity to help them realize that Christ does and can and has changed lives.
and pray that you'd use us. in introducing them to him. Remind us, Lord, that you are easier to live with than anybody else in the room. That you are far more accepting, and understanding, and loving, and full of grace than anybody we've ever met.
So may we not be afraid of you. but to come in great respect and trust. and accept your gift. Jesus. I ask it in his crazy.
Great. Name. And all of his people said, Amen. This is Insight for Living, featuring the Bible teaching of Chuck Swindahl. Chuck titled today's message Judgment for the Judgmental, a study in Romans chapter 2.
If you're ready to learn more about Paul's letter to the Romans, Insight for Living has assembled a great collection of study tools for this series. The first is Volume 1 of our Searching the Scriptures Bible Study Workbook for Romans.
Next, Chuck's entire commentary on Romans from the Living Insights Commentary Collection. And third, the audio C D's and MP3s for every single sermon in the study of Romans. To check out this special bundle of resources, just go to insight.org/slash offer. or call us at 800-772-8888. But that's not all.
If you're looking for a book that fills your mind with soul-satisfying truth, we want to recommend a new hardback book from Chuck Swindahl. It's called looking in all the right directions. This book is only available through Insight for Living, and it features the final five sermons that Chuck delivered to the congregation that he shepherded for over 25 years. In these emotion-filled messages, Chuck shares his heart on matters common to all of us. getting through seasons of unwanted hardship.
Standing firm for the truth in a world that rejects the truth. and using your God-given gifts to bring meaning and purpose to your life. To purchase a copy of Looking in All the Right Directions by Chuck Swindahl, Call us at 800-772-8888 or go to insight.org slash offer. Finally, if you'd like to write to us with comments or questions or to make a contribution to support Insight for Living, here's our address. It's Insight for Living.
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I'm Bill Meyer. Join us when Chuck Swindahl presents what he calls the dark side of being super religious. Thursday on Insight for Living. The preceding message, Judgment for the Judgmental, was copyrighted in 2006, 2010, and 2025, and the sound recording was copyrighted in 2025. by Charles R.
Swindahl, Inc. All rights are reserved worldwide. duplication of copyrighted material for commercial use is strictly prohibited.
