Romans Devotional #13: You are under Sin.

This is the summary picture for Romans 2:1-3.  It's message is: You are without excuse because you, the judge, are under sin. 

Review:

Chapter one's theme is, "They are under sin."  The theme for chapter two is, "You are under sin."  Today's study cannot be understood unless it is read in the context of Romans 1:28-32.  As you read these verses, think of someone you know who lives like the verses you are reading.  

28. "And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. 29. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice.  They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness.  They are gossips, 30. slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, 31. foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.  32. Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things desire to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them" (Romans 1:28-32).  

Fill in the blank:

Do not read further in today's study until you can fill in the blank below.  

  

Romans 1:28-32 reminds me of how           Name of person           lives his or her life.   

You are under Sin:

In devotion #8, I wrote these words:

"In the Old Testament there was a famous king named David.  David's greatest failure was his adulterous relationship with Bathsheba, resulting in her pregnancy.  The king used everything at his disposal to cover his sin.  After exhausting all other means, David arranged to have Bathsheba's husband killed.  Following Uriah's death, David married Bathsheba and thought his troubles were behind him.  That was, until God spoke to the prophet Nathan.  

God gave Nathan the assignment of confronting the king's sin.  Nathan was very wise in how he spoke to David.  Nathan told David a story of someone else's sin before confronting David's sin.  When King David heard the story of a rich man's cruelty toward a peasant, David's anger flared and he demanded the rich man be brought to justice.  David's judgment opened the door for Nathan to say these heart chilling words, "David, you are that man" (2 Samuel 12:7).

Imagine what it felt like for David to hear Nathan say, "David, you are that man."  For the first time, David was confronted with his sin in a way that he could neither deny nor bypass.  Nathan's prophetic message to David is the same message Paul has for us today.  In short, today's message is, "You are that man or woman."  

Now that you have read Romans 1:28-32 and have thought of a person that it personifies, you are ready to hear Paul's convicting words to you. 

Today's Scripture Reading:

"1. Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges.  For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you the judge, practice the very same thing.  2. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things.  3. Do you suppose, O man - you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself - that you will escape the judgment of God?" (Romand 2:1-3)

Look at chapter two's summary picture.  Which person in this picture best represents you?  The aim of chapter one is for you to look at someone else's sin and see it so clearly that you conclude, "they are truly messed up and deserve the judgment of God."  Chapter one, by design, puts the reader in the judgment seat and brings them to today's message.  Paul doesn't leave us in the judgment seat long before he pulls the chair out from underneath us and speaks words of truth that cut straight to our heart.  Paul's message to us is, "You are that man / woman that is described in Romans chapter one.  You have a sin problem and unless your sin is dealt with, you will experience the wrath of God on Judgment Day."  Did you notice the judge's hands are chained in the picture?  They are chained because the judge is guilty of the same sin as those he is judging.  

Mark your Bible:

• Write this title above Romans chapter 2, "You are under sin." 
• Underline the words, "you have no excuse" in Romans 2:1.
• Next to Romans 2:1 write, "You are without excuse."

Prayer to pray:
Father, I confess that I am a sinner.  Today, I see my sin clearer than I ever have before.  I know that my sin is offensive and it separates me from You.  I know I deserve Your judgment, but I am asking for Your grace and mercy.  Please forgive me.  Please take my sins, though they are many, and erase them from Your books.