Wednesday 18th March
Read Romans 2:5-11
“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. 6 God ‘will repay each person according to what they have done.’ 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honour and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. 9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honour and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favouritism.” (NIVUK)
We often don’t realise just how well Paul knew Jesus. His heart and mind were steeped in knowledge of Jesus and His teaching. So much so that I suspect Jesus’ teaching has penetrated through even to these words before us.
Consider Jesus’ words from the Mount… “‘Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21) (NIVUK)
The phrase Paul uses here in Romans, ‘storing up’ (v5), is almost invariably used of accumulating treasure, as Jesus Himself uses it. What you store up reveals your heart’s desire. In Paul’s thinking, a heart that is stubborn and unrepentant, stores up wrath. The irony of believing they are escaping God’s judgment (v3) when they look down upon those engaged in depravity is only revealed on the final day when they discover they have been storing up judgment for themselves. In their hearts they treasure feeling superior and they refuse to accept they are equally condemned. Paul and Jesus both ask the same question: what are you storing?
