BSF Tuesday--a day late!

So it's Wednesday, the lesson is still the same, maybe I'm avoiding talking about Chapter 2 in Romans because it hits too close to home! Paul starts the chapter out by by telling us "we have no excuse!" Yes, you, "who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things." Wow, and we thought we avoided God's wrath because we don't have "depraved minds" and" we aren't full of every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity or full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice," Romans 1:29 We need to be careful that we are not to eager to judge another, because we may be guilty of the same offense. I'm guilty of gossip, envy, jealousy, the list goes on, but I have no problem stopping my girls when they start to talk about someone from school or each other in an unkind way or when they are complaining about not having something the other one may have. It' s easy to see it in them, but not so easy to see in myself.
In chapter 2, we learn from Paul that, we all deserve God's wrath, however, we need to be aware of God's kindness, patience, and tolerance that leads us to repentance, and if we are persistent in seeking Gods' glory and honor he will reward us with eternal life. As christians all of our sins have already been judged, and they have already been forgiven!!
However, we must be be careful not to become hypocrites. We can't take God's forgiveness for granted and continue in our sin when we know the difference between right and wrong. We need to be careful not to show contempt towards God and think we have a right to God's patience, tolerance, and forgiveness. It should be the goodness of God that leads to repentance.
If God never did another good thing for me, would he have done enough?
Finally, God is more interested in our heart than in our outward signs of christianity. One of our questions this week was to substitute the terms, "baptism," "confirmation," or "church member" for the word "circumcision" in verses 25-27, How do people today rely on these outward signs for their relationship with God?" Paul, says that "a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly, and circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God." Romans 2:29 God's judgment is based on truth and reality, not on perception. God judges the heart.