Thursday 19th 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)
Jesus goes on in the Mount sermon to outline precisely the principle Paul picks up here. “‘Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way as you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” (Matthew 7:1-2) (NIVUK). Folk who look down on the depravity of those around them with supercilious judgment will reap what they sow.
This principle is not exclusive to Jesus and Paul though. It is a principle that originates in the Hebrew scriptures and flows through to the Christian correspondence with alarming consistency. Works are the public evidence of a faith and trust in God that has transformed our hearts and fixed them on things above.
“Truly my soul finds rest in God;
my salvation comes from him.
2 Truly he is my rock and my salvation;
he is my fortress, I shall never be shaken…
…Do not trust in extortion
or put vain hope in stolen goods;
though your riches increase,
do not set your heart on them.
11 One thing God has spoken,
two things I have heard:
‘Power belongs to you, God,
12 and with you, Lord, is unfailing love’;
and, ‘You reward everyone
according to what they have done.’” (Psalm 62:1-2, 10-12) (NIVUK)
