No Excuse, No Escape

We continue "Opening up Romans" by moving into chapter 2, where Paul begins to apply the devastating critique of fallen humanity's sin to the Jewish people. Because God's judgment is important and based on truth, none of us- not even the moral and religious- can escape condemnation for hypocrisy apart from genuine repentance and faith in the gospel of Christ. Intro: From he openly idolatrous and immoral to the sanctimonious and hypocritical moralist Paul's logic in Romans 2:1-3 1. hypocrites practice what they condemn v. 1 2. God's judgment rightly falls on all who do such things v. 1, therefore 3. the self-righteous hypocrite will not escape God's judgment v. 3 NO EXCUSE (v.1) NO ESCAPE (v.2-3) FLEE TO CHRIST: There's no escape from Gods.s judgment except in God- into the wounded side of Jesus. * to the newcomer: your decent morality can't save you * to the long-time believer: don't sit on the judge's bench- live in daily repentance * to the self-righteous: God will not let you use other people's sins to hide your own * to the discouraged sinner: God's judgment is real, but so is his mercy- run to him Conclusion: Romans 2 drives us to Romans 3