ARE YOU READY FOR THE JUDGEMENT?

The epistle to the Romans is a great treatise on the basic message of the entire Bible: justification is only in the Gospel of Christ. In chapters 1-3, the apostle Paul shows that all are under sin, both Jew and Gentile. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit inspired Paul to plainly declare that even God's people of old, the Jews, would be judged. In the NKJV, notice how Paul states this fact in verse five of chapter two; "But in accordance with your hardness and impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God."

Unfortunately, Israel before the cross had come to the erroneous conclusion that they were so special that salvation was automatically granted to them, simply due to the fact that they were fleshly descendants of Abraham. Paul bluntly dispels this false notion in this section of Scripture. Furthermore, many Jews never sought repentance and, in so doing, were bringing God's wrath upon themselves.

Some may have been cheering Paul on in this context - glad that he was setting the Jews straight. However, everyone will be judged by their deeds, and all shall be recompensed according to how they lived their lives. "...but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness - indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also the Greek" (Romans 2:8-9 NKJV). Are you ready for the judgement day? It is coming.

Steve Harris