1 So enough about the culture of the pagans. I want to address the sin of judgemental-ism which is just as insidious as the most blatant sin. Remember God's standard. When we judge, we bring condemnation on ourselves.

2 God's judgement, plain and simple, is based on truth. He's not interested in dressing up messes.

3 So if you indulge in the same things that you judge in others, do you think God will give you a free pass?

4 Do you resent and rebel against grace which is God's gift, without realizing that it's grace that will lead sinners back to God? When we view the Kindness of God we are drawn into repentance.

5 This shunning of God's grace is what stirs God's anger. It's like making deposits into your personal self-destruction bank. It makes no sense to be so self-righteous that you resent the grace of God.

6 God rewards those who practice grace. In other words, your future in God depends on what you do with the grace He has given us.

7 A believer's life should perform mercy and grace relentlessly. This Christ-follower desires nothing less than giving God the glory. He is an object of God's grace and love and he knows it. And it seals the believer's life in eternity.

8 Then what about those who are stuck on themselves and deny God, refusing to acknowledge His sovereign rule? What about those that willingly turn away from God? They'll have what's coming to them- the fierce anger of a Holy God!

9 There will be running, screaming, panic, and pain for every person that chooses evil and rejects Creator God. The end of their rebellion will be very different than the arrogance of the start.

10 And race of origin (Jew or Non-Jew) has nothing to do with it. Sin is sin, no matter where you're from or what you look like.

11 God doesn't play favorites. He knows what He's doing.

12 But what about those who live their lives without knowing the laws of God? He takes that into account. But when you choose a lifestyle of sin knowing full well what's right and wrong, that's a whole different story all together.

13 Do you expect to get a medal for hearing the law? Of course not! What so special about passively listening. Obedience is active. Stubborn obedience translates into righteousness.

14 When people who live apart from the Torah and yet live righteous lives, it's a clue that the law works. It makes sense. They really weren't apart from God.

15 The law of righteous living is preprogrammed into every human being. It's that sense of right and wrong that is in the spiritual DNA of humans. And it's that moral code of life that either finds them not guilty or submits a stunning indictment upon them

16 on the day God reveals the naked truth of a person's life story and how it matches the good news of grace that came through Jesus.

17 Now let's assume that you count yourself as a law keeper- a member of God's chosen people whom God rescued your ancestors from slavery. Furthermore, let's assume you even lean on the law and , at times, get a little high and mighty about your good standing with God.

18 If you know his will and know what's best because you've been to Scripture school,

19 If you make it your call to be a soul of enlightenment to a dark word,

20 If you teach infants and fools because you feel you've got a full and complete picture of what God's word means,

21 If that's where you are and you are teaching others, it's a given that you are also teaching yourself. Right? If that's where you are, be careful. If you teach on living in truth and you steal, all that teaching, guiding and do-going is all for naught.

22 If you teach, "Don't cheat on your wife, then by all means make sure that you, yourself aren't fooling around.

23 Do you hate idolatry? If you do, go right now and do a quick check of your private world and sweep it clean. Remove all objects of idol worship!

24 Like the scripture says, "The name of God is put to shame by the way you live your lives before the world." The truth is, when it's all about how much you know, how holy you are, and yet outsiders detect your hypocrisy, it's no wonder that they say to themselves, "If that's what being the people of God is all about, I'll pass."

25 If you are a Jewish believer, is there any value in the fact that your parents dedicating you to God through cirumcision? Why yes! Of course it has value

26 Or what about those that weren't circumcised and yet kept God's law?

27 The answer is simple. Jumping through religious hoops means nothing if you steal, cheat, break the law of the Sabbath and continue submitting to personal idols! In fact, if that's the case the righteous non-jew is infinitely more please to God than is the circumcised hypocrite!

28 In fact circumcision or any other religious accolade means nothing if the inside of you rots in the pit of unconfessed sin.

29 The greater ritual of the faith is not the cutting away of human flesh. It's the heart surgery that cuts away the sin and purifies the inside. That's real progress! Not a written code of conduct. Not a better-than-thou symbol of race. It's relationship not ritual. It's not confirmed by the applause of men. It is the applause of God as He sees you covered in the righteousness of Christ.