Godbey's Commentary - Acts - Romans - Enter His Rest

ROMANS
CHAPTER II.
Whereas, the first chapter is to the heathens or the outsiders, the second chapter is addressed to
the lay or popular church members, whom sadly he finds in the same dilemma with the besotted
heathens, i.e., in Satan’s kingdom along with them.
ATTITUDE OF THE CHURCH MEMBERS.
1. “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, every one that judgest; for in whatsoever thou judgest
another thou condemneth thyself; for thou that judgest art doing the same things.” How vividly this
verse not only describes the formalistic pew, but the iceberg church-member of the present day! The
popular preacher stands in the pulpit condemning the outsiders, calling them to repent and join the
church; while in the same discourse he confesses that he and his people sin every day in thought,
word and deed, and denounces the holiness people as heretics for preaching and professing a religion
that saves from all sin, actual and original. Do you not see he is the very man in the text who
confesses judgment against himself? True religion in Paul’s day was just what it is now, and so is
the counterfeit identical with itself in all ages.
2. “For we know that the judgment of God, according to truth, is against those doing such
things,” i.e., all who commit sin are under the same condemnation, whether church members or
outsiders.
3. “But O man, that condemneth those doing such things and art doing the same thyself, do you
consider this, that you shall escape the condemnation of God?” The answer is an awful negative.
The church member by his very attitude condemns the worldlian for sin, at the same time actually
making a profession of a sinning religion. The inconsistency literally makes him a laughing-stock
for devils, because his very attitude as a sinning Christian puts him under the same condemnation
along with the sinful world, and sends him to the same hell.
5. “Pursuant to thy hardness and impenitent heart thou treasurest up to thyself wrath against the
day of wrath and the revelation of the righteous judgment of God.” The great Judgment Day will
know no difference between the infidel and the sinning church member. They will all be sent down
to hell together when they meet the righteous judgment of God, here contrasted with the false,
pusillanimous judgments of men in the pulpit and in the pews, “who will give to each one according
to his works,” not according to his profession. In that awful day every tub will stand on its own
bottom. God receives no man’s face (Galatians 2:6). No clerical dignities and offices there. The
worldly preacher and officer will go down with all worldly people, as you know none but the church
will stand, and that means the ecclesia, from ek, “out,” and kaleoo, “call.” Hence none are members
of God’s church but those who have responded to the call of the Holy Ghost, come out of the world
and separated themselves unto God for time and eternity.
7. “To those who according to patience of good work, seek honor, glory and immortality, eternal
life.” This world is probationary. We must decide between the animal and the angel. If we live for