God's Righteous Judgment

(Genesis 4:1-7; Jude 1:3-16)

1Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whoever thou art, that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest, doest the same things. 2But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth, against them who commit such things. 3And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them who do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 4Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and long-suffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5But after thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasurest up to thyself wrath against the day of wrath, and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7To them who by patient continuance in well-doing, seek for glory, and honor, and immortality; eternal life: 8But to them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness; indignation and wrath: 9Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10But glory, honor, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile; 11For there is no respect of persons with God.

12For as many as have sinned without law, shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law, shall be judged by the law, 13(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. 14For when the Gentiles, who have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not the law, are a law to themselves. 15Who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing testimony, and their thoughts the mean while accusing, or else excusing one another) 16In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

The Jews and the Law

17Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, 18And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law, 19And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them who are in darkness, 20An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, who hast the form of knowledge, and of the truth in the law: 21Thou therefore who teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? 22Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? 23Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonorest thou God? 24For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles, through you, as it is written.

25For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keepest the law; but if thou art a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. 26Therefore, if the uncircumcision keepeth the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? 27And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfilleth the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? 28For he is not a Jew, who is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men, but from God.