Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgement on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice te very same things. We know that the judgement of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man- you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself- that you will escape the judgement of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forebearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impertinent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgement will be revealed.
-- Paul unleashes, in the verses just prior to these, a whole laundry list of things that fall under the heading "all manners of unrighteousness" these include sexually immoral things, evil, covetousness, slander, malice, boastfulness, haughtiness, foolishness, faithlessness, and so on... then the Apostle jumps into this diatribe in which he jumps down the throat of those who consider themselves to be holy, blameless before God, righteous, His chosen people. Paul's words here are to the church.
They are words warning us to tread carefully when choosing to stand in judgement of the world, and of those whom we have deemed unworthy of the love of God. There is warning for us, the church, not to stand in judgement of the world simply because they do those same things that we are guilty of doing. Paul commends the church also, saying that we are right in knowing that God's righteous anger will fall on those who do "such things". The warning, however is that we, the church, need to be careful of making sweeping comments on the damnable on the coming judgement of the world and then sweeping our own sins under the rug of God's love and patience for His people. We tuck our sins in nearly to our back pocket and proclaim that we are better than the world because our sins are no longer sins. To thus Paul says, in not so clean words, be careful church...
If we live by the standard of the world, and rest upon the love, patience, and forebearance of God towards those who He loves, we better be certain that we understand the purpose of his patience, his love, and his holding back of the wrath we so very much deserve. It is in order that we might be driven to repentance, and that we might be used to shine light onto the path of repentance to the world. It is so that our prayers do not mimick those of the Pharisee, thanking God for making us better than the lowly sinners around us.
We shall not stand in judgement of the world for their sins, we stand in heartbreak over the sins of this world, wishing, hoping, and praying that through our redemption and adoption as sins and daughters, the world might see and know the love of a father who forebears Hi righteous judgement for those whom he calls children.
Father God, let me not look upon this fallen world, judging them for the same sins I commit without first coming to the cross of Christ, and there allowing you to bare my heart and mind to the level of atrocity that you have forgiven in me. Lord, in your lovingkindness I find forgiveness and peace which stir my soul to joyful repentance for the things I do. Lord, let the light of your peace shine through me, allow my words against the sins of this fallen world resonate with the love of your gospel. Let them see forgiveness of sins like theirs that you light awaken them from darkness and death. Let me see the glory of the fullness of joy found in Christ.
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