Rom 2:3-4 And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?

There are two important lessons we can learn from these verses.

We can be very comfortable looking at others and judging that they are doing wrong. But this so often avoids the fact that in some way or other we are guilty of the same sin. Furthermore, while we may not have actually done those things, given the right circumstances, we would be just as capable of doing them. When we realise that we stand just as condemned as guilty before God as anyone else, then we stop judging others and instead attend to the need to know for God’s constant forgiveness and cleansing. It is only through the power of the risen Lord that we have any hope of overcoming things that entrap others, and therefore, instead of judging others, can pray that God would similarly set them free from sins oppressive hold.

The second point is one of the greatest mistakes that we can make about God. We do not see Him acting on the obvious sins that are commitment and believe that He either doesn’t care, or in its extreme view say that, “God does not exist.” But herein lies a great error! It is not inaction on God’s part that we are seeing when sin occurs and nothing happens, but rather grace. For if God was to act on the evidence of sin, and He sees everything, then it would always be to judge and instantly condemn. But God does not act, but rather waits hoping that each and everyone will repent and turn away from their sins which cause Him grief and anger and seek His forgiveness. If we continue to refuse, there will come a day of judgement and what a terrible day that will be, but until that time God waits with forbearance and longsuffering in the hope that we all will come to our senses and repent!