The Monday after Populus Sion Sunday, The Second Sunday in Advent
Posted on December 9, 2024 by under
Scripture: Romans 2:1-16 (NKJV)
2:1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. 2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. 3 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? 4 Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? 5 But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, 6 who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: 7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; 8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, 9 tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; 10 but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God.
12 For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law 13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; 14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) 16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.
Devotion
As we prepare our hearts in this Advent season for the coming of our Lord, we do well to hear the Apostle’s warning against false security. In this passage from Romans, Paul makes it clear that those who wish to condemn others without looking at their own sins are already tangled in the sin of false security; a sin which assumes they are right with God without trusting in the promise of God.
This thought is pressed even further as Paul points the reader to the certainty, impartiality, and completeness of God’s righteous judgment. For those who rely on their own judgment, they will fail. To have false security is to believe that the sinful man is in charge of his standing with God, and, ultimately, to believe that they have no need for the promises of God in the Gospel. Instead, this false security relies on building yourself up by a standard of works and condemning others for doing the very same sins that the accuser is guilty of doing.
Knowing what we prepare to celebrate with the coming of our Lord, both in His first Advent and His second coming, we as baptized believers should not rely on a false security. We must rely solely on Christ, knowing that we are poor miserable sinners, saved by grace through faith in Christ alone. Those who are in Christ do not measure worth by their works, but by the works and promises of Christ.
Collect: Stir up our hearts, O Lord, to make ready the way of Thine Only-begotten Son, so that by His coming we may be enabled to serve Thee with pure minds; through the same Jesus Christ, Thy Son, our Lord, Who liveth and reigneth with Thee and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Collect for the Season of Advent
Stir up, we beseech Thee, Thy power, O Lord, and come, that by Thy protection we may be rescued from the threatening perils of our sins, and saved by Thy mighty deliverance; Who livest and reignest with the Father and the Holy Ghost, ever One God, world without end. Amen.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
