It was a Tuesday in July, 1996, at Tardy Furniture Store in Winona, Mississippi. Four people were gunned down in broad daylight. Bertha, the store’s owner, and three employees, Robert, Carmen, and Bobo. Police arrested Curis Flowers for the murder, a 26-year-old young Black man who loved to sing gospel music at his church.

The prosecutor of the case put him on trial, six times. Same man, same crime, same prosecutor. Over the six trials, 42 Black citizens were called in as potential jurors, and 41 of them were sent home. The verdict had been decided before a single word of evidence was even heard.

Curtis was sent to death row in Parchman, Mississippi. He said later in an interview, “It was like the worst dream you’ve ever had, and you double that.” Through all of it, there was one person who didn’t give up on him: his mother, Lola. Curtis said, “Even when I wanted to give up, she wouldn’t let that happen. But in 2018, his mother Lola died at 70 years old.

But one year later in 2019, the Supreme Court of the United States found Curtis not guilty. The key witness to the murder admitted that they had lied. And on that December afternoon, Curtis Flowers walked out of jail, with his sisters holding his arms. He was 49 years old, he had gone into jail at the age of 26.

When the state finally dropped every charge, Curtis said “Mom, I hope you’re smiling down on me from heaven. The day we’ve prayed for is here at last.”[^1]

Now, when we hear this story, something rises up in us: That’s not right! We want a judge who doesn’t care about your skin color, your last name, or your zip code, Judges should only care about the truth. Hold on to that feeling, because in our text tonight, Romans is going to tell us that we have a judge who only cares about the truth. For those of us in Christ, that is the best news we’ve ever heard. For those who are not in Christ, it’s the most uncomfortable news you have ever heard.

So take your Bibles and turn with me to Romans chapter 2, we’re going to begin with verse we ended on last week, Romans chapter 2, verse 11.

For there is no favoritism with God.
–Romans 2:11

It makes no difference to God what condition you arrive to Him. You could come to Him in any condition we’ve read about so far in the book of Romans. You could be an ethical person or an unethical person. You could be honest, or you could be a liar. You could be a policeman, or you could be a criminal. It makes no difference to God what you did before you were saved. There are two sections of your life when you are a Christian. There is the time you were separated from God, when you were lost, and then there is the time when you are united with God through your faith and trust in Jesus Christ, and you are found. And the thing that separates us from God, is sin. Sin is disobedience from the call of God on your life. Romans lists specific sins. Sin might come in obvious ways, like stealing, lying, murder, sexual impurity. Sin comes more often in subtle ways: putting other things before God, pride, lust, greed. It makes no difference your appearance or your resume, we’ve all sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).

For all who sin without the law will also perish without the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.
–Romans 2:12

Let’s remember the context of Romans. This was a letter that God wrote to us through the words of Paul. One more detail to mention that will help the structure of Romans make more sense as your reading is that Paul dictated this letter. This is the only New Testament letter of Paul that we have evidence that Paul used a scribe to write its words, that’s one reason why its structure is differently than other New Testament letters. Picture Paul preaching in a room, and his scribe Tertius furiously writing down his God-inspired words. For all who sin without the law will also perish without the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.

Sin is a no-win situation. If you don’t know the law, you’ll perish, if you do know the law, you’re judged. I want to point something out that will help you interpret what we’re reading. I want you to separate the concept of judgment from the concept of rewards. As a Christian, you’re outside of God’s judgment. There is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus (Romans 8:1). There are eternal rewards in heaven for faithful living. Remember there are five crowns that are listed in the New Testament that we can receive in Heaven as rewards for the things we do for the Lord while we’re here on earth. Crowns for faithful living, crowns for evangelism (sharing the gospel with people), crowns for making disciples, crowns for perseverance, crowns for losing your life on the account of the gospel. Now if you’re wondering if you’re eligible for these crowns, there is only one thing that will qualify you for these rewards: the work of the Holy Spirit in your life.

For the hearers of the law are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified.
–Romans 2:13

Knowing the law, the things the Bible tells us to do, is not enough. When Romans refers to the law, it’s referring to the law of Moses, which is Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy in the Old Testament. These books contain 613 laws! 248 of them are things you’re supposed to do, and 365 of them are things you’re not supposed to do.[^2] How in the world are you supposed to keep that straight? Well, you can’t. That was the problem God’s people were facing in the Old Testament. They couldn’t keep it straight! You won’t be able to keep them straight either. There is only one way that you can make this work, and that’s through giving up your own will, you live for Christ, and the Holy Spirit lives in you and guides you.

So, when Gentiles, who do not by nature have the law, do what the law demands, they are a law to themselves even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts. Their consciences confirm this. Their competing thoughts either accuse or even excuse them on the day when God judges what people have kept secret, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.
–Romans 2:14-16

People will be judged according to what they know. God is fair. And God knows everything. He knows your thoughts. All of creation testifies to God. And through the work of the Holy Spirit, God writes His law on our hearts. Do you remember, in the Old Testament, when the Jewish people were at absolute rock bottom? They had fallen away as a nation, they had not kept the law, and the temple was completely destroyed by Babylon? God made them a promise. It was a promise for them, and it’s a promise for you too.

“Look, the days are coming” —this is the LORD’s declaration—“when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah. This one will not be like the covenant I made with their ancestors on the day I took them by the hand to lead them out of the land of Egypt—my covenant that they broke even though I am their master”—the LORD’s declaration. “Instead, this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days”—the LORD’s declaration. “I will put my teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
–Jeremiah 31:31-33

God’s promised Holy Spirit guides us in to truth. You don’t have to keep a written list of all 613 laws, the Holy Spirit guides you into truth (John 16:13). You know, the Jewish people, since Jesus came, have been doing their best to keep all of the laws. Jewish people have made books that can be carried around containing all the laws and their explanations. The earliest of such books was written in the 800s AD.[^3] Later editions were written. Can you imagine living your life consciously thinking about every micro-decision you make, wondering if you’re stacking up to God’s standard But they miss the point: It is impossible to keep the whole law without the Holy Spirit.

When you’re saved, you’re full of the Holy Spirit. When those first Christians heard that first sermon preached in Jerusalem after Jesus ascended to heaven, do you remember what Peter, the preacher, said to them when they asked what they should do?

Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
–Acts 2:38

The first thing the Holy Spirit does in the live of the Christian, is He convicts us of our sin. We no longer live under the law, we live under grace, and we’re guided by the Holy Spirit. When you’re a Christian, and you commit sin, which you will, but you won’t ever want to continue in sin, because you have conviction that comes from the Holy Spirit. Remember that we’ve separated the concept of judgment from the concept of rewards. As Christians, we’re rewarded for our good works. The way you’re witnessing to others, the way you’re raising your children, the way you’re leading your spouse, the way you’re serving the Lord. But there is no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus because we’ve received the gift of eternal life. Without being in Christ, you’re under God’s judgement. When you’re in Christ, you’re justified. Not guilty. And you trust the work of the Holy Spirit in your life to guide you in to truth. Romans paints a bleak picture for the people who are trying to make it on their own without Christ:

Now if you call yourself a Jew, and rely on the law, and boast in God, and know his will, and approve the things that are superior, being instructed from the law, and if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light to those in darkness, an instructor of the ignorant, a teacher of the immature, having the embodiment of knowledge and truth in the law—you then, who teach another, don’t you teach yourself?
–Romans 2:17-21a

Notice this is identifying the number one problem with people: we think we’re all that and a bag of chips. We think the future is up to us, that results depend on us. The future depends on God. Results depend on God. Any knowledge or wisdom that I might have, which isn’t that much, by the way, comes from what God has been gracious enough to give me. That’s true for all of us. This is saying, practice what you preach! And every one of us here in this room is a preacher. You’re preaching through your words and your deeds. Every word that comes out of a person’s mouth is preaching a message. When I first read this years ago, it hit me like a brick. I had a question hit my heart, and I want to ask you tonight. What message are you preaching? Are you words and actions exalting Christ, or exalting yourself? Do you trust God with everything, or are you trying to succeed in life based on your own efforts? You know that old saying, “Jesus take the wheel?”[^4] Well, every one of us who are in Christ know that we’re saved by grace through faith (Ephesians 2:8), but the work of the Holy Spirit in our lives shows us that we’re called to completely depend on God for everything. And it can take a long time to wrap our minds around that.

Next, Romans is going to point out that no one is righteous, not even one (Romans 3:10), and it’s going to get pretty serious for the people who haven’t trusted Christ and are trying to get righteous on their own. Romans is about to launch three torpedo missiles, one from the Old Testament, then another from the New Testament, and then another as a reflection of our heart condition:

You who preach, “You must not steal”—do you steal?
–Romans 2:21b

Show of hands, anyone ever stolen anything? Been a part of a heist? Just kidding, don’t raise your hand. You know, it’s natural for us to read this and think, I don’t steal stuff, I’m good. But what about stealing from God? During the Old Testament time period where God’s people had fallen away, there’s a moment in the book of Malachi where they ask “How can we return?” God answers,

“Will a man rob God? Yet you are robbing me!” “How do we rob you?” you ask. “By not making the payments of the tenth and the contributions. You are suffering under a curse, yet you—the whole nation—are still robbing me. Bring the full tenth into the storehouse so that there may be food in my house. Test me in this way,” says the LORD of Armies. “See if I will not open the floodgates of heaven and pour out a blessing for you without measure.”
–Malachi 3:8-10

All of the things that God is asking you to do, are for your benefit and not His. We tithe at Our City Church not because God needs our money, but because there is a tremendous blessing attached to tithing. And tithe means tenth. I wanted to point that out, because I find there’s sometimes a misconception with Christians that tithing means giving any amount. I don’t want anyone to be misled by not getting to experience the blessing that is attached to the tithe, if you’re not actually tithing.

And tithing is not just for the Old Testament. When Jesus rebuked the Pharisees for their heart condition, this was in Matthew 23:23 and Luke 11:42, he said, “You should tithe, but don’t neglect the love and mercy of God.” God is not asking you to tithe for Him. All the silver and gold belongs to Him (Haggai 2:8). God is asking you to tithe for you. Now don’t mishear this as a prosperity gospel message, this doesn’t mean you’ll experience worldly prosperity by tithing. But it does mean that you will experience blessing beyond your expectations with you obediently tithe.

You who say, “You must not commit adultery”—do you commit adultery?
–Romans 2:22a

Remember Jesus’s sermon on the mountain, in Matthew 5 & 6. There is not a single person in this room who has not committed adultery. Jesus said that when you look at another person lustfully, you’ve committed adultery.

You who detest idols, do you rob temples?
–Romans 2:22b

This part is somewhat cultural for the first century, during the period of unrest between the Jewish people and the Roman empire, it was common for rogue Jews to rob pagan temples.[^5] But how often do we want to mess with the people who are across the table from us ideologically? How often are Christians smearing democrats in ways that are not productive and not a reflection of Christ. Don’t hear this the wrong way, you know I’m always going to be testifying in public square and advocating for our biblical values, but remember that in Christ, we’re called to stand our ground, and we’re called to proclaim truth in love.

So we’ve seen these three situations where, one might judge another person while committing the same sin that they’re judging. No one is righteous, not even one (Romans 3:10). And then, Romans drops the holy hammer:

You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? For, as it is written: The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.
–Romans 2:23-24

Romans is using very words spoken by the Lord through the prophets Isaiah and Ezekiel during the time when they had turned away from God and the temple was destroyed. Romans is saying, “Don’t let this happen again! Be faithful!”

You know, there was one thing that the Jewish people did that separated them from all the people of all the rest of the world: circumcision. I know, this passage is about to take a turn from what we were talking about, but it’s here in the text, so I’m called to preach it. Anyone want to come up here to give a demonstration of what circumcision is? Just kidding. That was a joke. But up next in Romans, we’re going to talk about circumcision. Romans is about to tell us that it doesn’t matter whether or not a person is a circumcised Jew, what matters is the condition of their heart.

Circumcision benefits you if you observe the law, but if you are a lawbreaker, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. So if an uncircumcised man keeps the law’s requirements, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? A man who is physically uncircumcised, but who keeps the law, will judge you who are a lawbreaker in spite of having the letter of the law and circumcision. For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, and true circumcision is not something visible in the flesh. On the contrary, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart—by the Spirit, not the letter.
–Romans 2:25-29

Romans is telling us all of this because it’s building up to the main point of the entire book of Romans. Your righteousness is not figured by what you do on the outside. Your salvation is not figured by what you do on the outside. Your walk with the Lord is not figured by what you do on the outside. Your righteousness, your salvation, your walk with the Lord, is about what you have on the inside.

You see, it’s a common trap for the Christian to neglect their relationship with God in the name of works. Doing all sorts of things, even for the Kingdom. Remember that’s what the Pharisees were doing. We can be in groups, we can attend church, we can lead ministries, we can be really busy in roles that we have, and all in the name of God. But is all we are is an outward expression of works, we’re inwardly dead. Christ wants you. All of you. He demands your heart. Our human condition causes us to seek the approval of people, but there is only one approval that matters. We run for the audience of one.

That person’s praise is not from people but from God.
–Romans 2:29

In 1992, an Olympic runner named Derek Redmond lined up for the 400 meter Olympic race in Barcelona, Spain. The starting shot fired, and he was off to the race. But 250 meters in, his hamstring tore. Struggling to get up, he realized quickly that he would not be finishing the race. With a silent crowd and a moment of pure despair, a man appeared from the crowd, hopped the fence, and ran to Derek, lifting him up, arm over his shoulder. That man was Derek’s father. Derek could not complete the race on his own, but his father was there to lift him up. Together, they made their way down the track and finished the race. Derek was disqualified from the race, marked DNF. But after the race, he told the interviewers he didn’t care about the crowds, about the statistics, about the results, he didn’t care about any of that. What meant everything to him, was that when he fell down, his father was there to lift him up.[^6] Just as Derek was content with his father, we’re called to live our lives to be content with our Father in Heaven. We run for an audience of one.

Who are you running for?