Romans 2:1 - Judgment

This chapter is sometimes treated as something of an embarrassment, as it talks about judgement of works, and so at a superficial level seems to go contrary to salvation by grace and faith. As such many evangelical commentators have treated it as being aimed at the "moral pagan". NT Wright (and others) take a "new perspective" on the chapter. The new perspective focuses on Romans being about how God's plan of salvation is fulfilled, whereas the more normal evangelical approach is to focus on salvation of the individual. Here I think Wright's approach is very helpful, and complementary to the Salvation of the individual. 

We also need to focus on what salvation is. Salvation is not a "ticket to heaven". Nor is it just about forgiveness. There are two key aspects to salvation (there are of course many aspects to salvation, but we will stick with the two most important here): one is the forgiveness of sins, and the other is the sanctification of the person. You cannot have one without the other. The Bible knows nothing about someone "making a decision" and then carrying on living as before and being saved. Now it is possible for someone to be saved on their deathbed, for the criminal on the cross next to Jesus was saved, but in the Bible salvation involves forgiveness for what we have done, and transformation of what we are.

This is yet another example where it is useful to "ignore the chapters". I know I go on about this a bit, but it is important. Chapter 2 follows on directly from Chapter 1 and is a natural progression of the argument. So the preceding section has described a pretty depraved state. Now there can be various reactions to this. One is just to scoff and ignore it, that is not what Paul is dealing with here. Another is to think "well I am not like that" and "those people are terrible and deserve all they get". Paul is addressing such a response, and warns such a man or woman that they are in no better position. For in judging others we bring judgement upon ourselves for we are just as guilty. 

Now understand here that the warnings here and from Jesus on judging others does NOT mean we should not use discernment about what is right and wrong. The problem is not with saying that people who do the things outlined in chapter 1 are wrong, the problem lies in saying that they are worthy of judgement and we are not.
Now someone might object that "I might not be perfect, but I am not as bad as that." But remember that Jesus said in the sermon on the mount that if we look at someone lustfully we are guilty of adultery, or if we hate someone we are guilty of murder. At the same time consider this carefully. Clearly I would much rather you had a hateful thought towards me than actually murdered me! And one person in a couple would rather the other just looked at someone else than actually slept with them. So why did Jesus say this? It is because the goal is that we become just like Him, without a single wrong thought or motive inside us. When we look at it like this it it becomes much clearer why having wrong thoughts is so serious when the goal is perfection.