Verses:
Romans 2 : 1 - 16
My thoughts about the verses:
This book is written to the Gentiles in Rome. When the Jewish community read the law and saw that the Gentiles were not following it they were judging them. They believed to be a true Christian you had to obey the laws that were given to Moses. The simple answer is that if you decide to judge individuals you are actually committing sin.
Individuals know they have committed sin within their own heart. If they know that something that they are doing is against the will of God they are committing wrong. When you have accepted God into your heart you will feel the guilt that comes with going against the will of God. If you do well you will know that you are doing the will of God.
All people whether or not they have accepted Christ in their life. Will feel when they are doing wrong. Yet, it isn't until they build a relationship with Christ will they truly understand the consequences of sin. People need to understand that only God can judge you. If you judge others you are taking on the role of God which is also against the will of God. The Jews that felt that the Gentile Christians were outside the boundaries were missing the very first commandment. You need to Love your God and to place nothing before God. Assuming that you can make the decision of whether or not what someone does is sin is taking on the role of God. This in itself is breaking the first commandment.
The most important lesson we can take away is to worry about our own issues and not concentrate on what others are doing. Making sure that you keep from doing wrong in your own heart is the most important thing that you can do. Thinking that you are better than another person or assuming that they have committed more wrong than you have is against the will of God.
Now you may ask why I chose this picture for today's post, but I want you to think of what you first thought about when you saw the picture. I would guess some had the hair on their arms stand up because of fear. Others probably thought how gross and why in the world did she take a picture of that. While others probably saw this as a much needed insect. These are judgments that we are making about the spider. Do we know the real reason that God placed them on the Earth? Do we know what it is thinking deep down? We are basing why they do what they do on our own judgment.
I am still shocked that I got this picture. I am petrified of spiders, well most insects. Yet, when I have a camera in my hand I see the beauty of what I am taking pictures of. It doesn't matter if it is a plant, an insect or a person I see the beauty of God's creation. In fact, it helps me connect to God in a deeper way. This little part of God's creation wasn't bothering me. It was my intrusion into his world. I wonder if it judged me for taking its photo and showing it off. So the next time you go to judge someone remember that you are making this decision based on your own prejudices. That you need to remember that only Christ knows the true way someone feels. That their life may not live up to your standards yet if they are doing what God wants them to do who we to judge are.
Prayer:
Dear God thank you for being a very fair and just God. We praise you for accepting us even though we have faults. We praise you for loving us enough to build a relationship with us. Now we ask that you help us not judge others. Help us concentrate on what you want us to do. Help us remember that the final judgment isn't up to us, but rather that is your job. In the name of the Risen Savior we pray. Amen
Questions:
Have you ever judged someone because of their appearance? Have you ever judged anyone because they did things differently than you? Are you doing what God desires you to do?
My thoughts about the verses:
This book is written to the Gentiles in Rome. When the Jewish community read the law and saw that the Gentiles were not following it they were judging them. They believed to be a true Christian you had to obey the laws that were given to Moses. The simple answer is that if you decide to judge individuals you are actually committing sin.
Individuals know they have committed sin within their own heart. If they know that something that they are doing is against the will of God they are committing wrong. When you have accepted God into your heart you will feel the guilt that comes with going against the will of God. If you do well you will know that you are doing the will of God.
All people whether or not they have accepted Christ in their life. Will feel when they are doing wrong. Yet, it isn't until they build a relationship with Christ will they truly understand the consequences of sin. People need to understand that only God can judge you. If you judge others you are taking on the role of God which is also against the will of God. The Jews that felt that the Gentile Christians were outside the boundaries were missing the very first commandment. You need to Love your God and to place nothing before God. Assuming that you can make the decision of whether or not what someone does is sin is taking on the role of God. This in itself is breaking the first commandment.
The most important lesson we can take away is to worry about our own issues and not concentrate on what others are doing. Making sure that you keep from doing wrong in your own heart is the most important thing that you can do. Thinking that you are better than another person or assuming that they have committed more wrong than you have is against the will of God.
Now you may ask why I chose this picture for today's post, but I want you to think of what you first thought about when you saw the picture. I would guess some had the hair on their arms stand up because of fear. Others probably thought how gross and why in the world did she take a picture of that. While others probably saw this as a much needed insect. These are judgments that we are making about the spider. Do we know the real reason that God placed them on the Earth? Do we know what it is thinking deep down? We are basing why they do what they do on our own judgment.
I am still shocked that I got this picture. I am petrified of spiders, well most insects. Yet, when I have a camera in my hand I see the beauty of what I am taking pictures of. It doesn't matter if it is a plant, an insect or a person I see the beauty of God's creation. In fact, it helps me connect to God in a deeper way. This little part of God's creation wasn't bothering me. It was my intrusion into his world. I wonder if it judged me for taking its photo and showing it off. So the next time you go to judge someone remember that you are making this decision based on your own prejudices. That you need to remember that only Christ knows the true way someone feels. That their life may not live up to your standards yet if they are doing what God wants them to do who we to judge are.
Prayer:
Dear God thank you for being a very fair and just God. We praise you for accepting us even though we have faults. We praise you for loving us enough to build a relationship with us. Now we ask that you help us not judge others. Help us concentrate on what you want us to do. Help us remember that the final judgment isn't up to us, but rather that is your job. In the name of the Risen Savior we pray. Amen
Questions:
Have you ever judged someone because of their appearance? Have you ever judged anyone because they did things differently than you? Are you doing what God desires you to do?
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