Friday 20th 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)
Good movies are said to be those that have complex characters rather than simplistic caricatures. Yet, at heart, Paul splits humanity in half. There are those who do evil and those who do good. There will be all sorts of grief for those who pursue evil and ultimately peace for those who do good.
This judgment or salvation is completely impartial. It does not matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, both face the same punishment or promise. The priority of ‘the Jew’ is a function of the knowledge they have. If they know more and still pursue what their hearts desire rather than desiring God Himself – then wrath and anger will follow as surely as it will for the Gentile. The Gentile may know less, but they know enough.
There is nothing unfair in how the final day will unfold. Good will be rewarded and evil punished. A complex caricature indeed.
