Condemnation is Not for Us.

In the last passage, Paul talked about the guilt of the Gentiles before God. He said that even thought the knowledge of God was in everything around them, they rebelled anyway. They created idols. They were gossips, slanderers, and all around miserable people. They knew that their actions could only result in spiritual death. Not only did they not care, but they delighted in others who did the same. The sad fact is this happens even today. Today’s passage, Romans 2:1-16, deals with the natural reactions of the believers to these things.


Naturally, people look at what Paul describes in 1:18-32 with disdain. What kind of a person does this, we ask. How terrible they are. Someone who does this to others, and delights in others doing the same surely deserves their punishment. Destroy them, oh Lord, for they are unworthy of you.

Now we, as believers, are compelled to evangelize the unbeliever. We see these actions and we hold to our calling to spread to them the gospel of Christ crucified. One form of evangelism that is popular, and also drives me up a wall, is the “turn or burn” style. Everyone has heard this one. It goes like this: “Well, if you don’t accept Jesus as your personal savior, then you’ll just wind up in hell.”

Hold the phone here! Who, exactly, are you to pronounce hellfire and damnation on someone? Did we not cover that they already know they are condemned? Did we not cover that they don’t care? And did we not cover that all men are just as guilty in God’s sight as they, believer and unbeliever alike?

How arrogant we are to presume to know the mind of God, that we can pass such judgment on someone else? We, being just as guilty, were shown mercy by God that he gave his son in edification of our sins. Do we know whether God will choose to have mercy on these people we so easily judge? Here is the fact; by judging an unbeliever, we heap condemnation on ourselves.

So many times have I seen and heard this turn or burn evangelism. And no matter how many times I say, “Do not judge lest ye be judged,” the argument returned is the same; “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world?” This verse, used by the evangelist for the argument of why to use the turn or burn evangelism, comes from 1 Corinthians 6:2.

The problem the evangelist faces in this case is the argument using this particular verse does not hold water. Neither is it a contradiction. To understand fully what Paul is saying both in Romans and in the letter to the Corinthians, we need to look further at the words used in the original manuscripts.

In Romans 2:1, Paul says this: “Therefore you have no excuse, O man, whoever you are, when you judge another; for in passing judgment upon him you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, are doing the very same things” (RSV). The words Paul used here in the original manuscript are krino and krima, meaning judge and judgment respectively. These words can also be translated as condemn and condemnation. So, looking at it in this sense, to whom does condemnation belong?

Consider this: a man comes home one day to find his wife murdered. The police do an investigation and there is some evidence that points to an extramarital boyfriend of this man’s wife. There is not, however, sufficient evidence for the police to arrest him.

The widower, on the other hand, is absolutely convinced that this boyfriend of his wife is guilty of the crime. He sits for days and broods on how this other man who had no business being with his wife came along and stole her from him. He becomes so convinced of this man’s guilt he passes the sentence of death on the boyfriend and carries out the sentence. He is now guilty of that which he believed the boyfriend of doing. Who is to say that, if the boyfriend was found guilty in court, that the court would not have chosen mercy? In the same respect, when we judge someone in the form of condemning them, are we not putting ourselves in the place of God? By committing such a sin, we are placing ourselves in the same place as the person whom we are condemning; much like the bereaved husband became guilty of murder when he killed his wife’s boyfriend.

1 Corinthians 6:2 reads as such: “Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you incompetent to try trivial cases” (RSV) In this context, Paul uses the Greek word, “diakrino.” This can also be translated “to discern.” So, yes, we as believers will judge the world. When we do, however, we will be discerning that which is holy from that which is unholy. The thing we will not do in judging the world is condemnation.

Thing is, both condemnation and reward will come from God. We as men will receive from God according to our works. Those who do what is contained in the law, though they do not have the law, will show that it is written on their heart. Likewise, if someone who has the law does not do what is contained in it, he will be condemned by the law.

This, too, can be seen even today. I have met many a person who call themselves Christian in one breath, and then start gossiping about someone in the next. I have met many a person who are not professed Christians who would go out of their way to help someone in need. Who, in this case, do you believe exemplifies more how Christ taught us to live? Do you think that because someone did not pray a little prayer with you, yet they exemplify Christ’s teachings, will be left wanting on judgment day? Mercy and love are key. If we show mercy, we will receive mercy.

I have a friend who is one of the most amazing men I have ever met. His story, however, does not start out so well. He spent much of high school drinking and smoking weed. He dropped out of college to start a career as an iron worker. One day, upon coming home early, he found his wife in bed with another man.

After the divorce, he went into a downward spiral that included alcohol and cocaine in large quantities. After one night of partying, he was riding his motorcycle home and attempted to pass a tractor trailer. He hit the back wheels of the truck and his motorcycle spun out of control. He was going about 85 miles per hour and was not wearing a helmet.

This event caused him to go into a coma for an extended period of time. While he was in the coma, he had a vision of Christ Jesus. He was told by Christ that it was not his time to die, but rather his mission was to help widows and orphans. Today, he volunteers at a local church and with Youth for Christ. He is truly a light shining in the darkness. Regardless of what he did, Christ came to him, showed him mercy, and now this man lives his life according to the teachings of Christ. I get text messages from him every day with a small passage from the book, “My Utmost for His Highest.”

If we say, I belong to Christ, and we condemn others who do not say the same, we are only condemning ourselves. We cannot just say that we are Christian, but we must also do that we are Christian. We do that by loving our neighbor as ourselves. Love and mercy are what the Christian life is about. It is by serving others that we serve God. My challenge to all, including myself, is that we should keep our eyes open for opportunities to give mercy to someone else, just as we have been shown mercy. And once we see that opportunity, we need to step outside of ourselves and do it. This is said at my church service every week, and I reiterate it now. Walk in love as Christ first loved us.