“You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? You who say, ‘Do not commit adultery,’ do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law?” (Romans 2:21-23).
A highly successful wile of the devil is to distract us from obeying God’s command of self-examination (1 Corinthians 11:28; 2 Corinthians 13:5). How easier (and enjoyable) it is to focus upon another’s shortcomings and failures to live in harmony with God’s word. Spiritual blind spots are real and most dangerous.
The greatest blessing of engaging in righteous judgment as specified by our Lord in Matthew 7:3-5 is the win-win situation it creates. When Jesus is carefully obeyed, a plank of sin is removed from your own life. This results in the needed clarity of vision and cultivation of meekness (Galatians 6:1) to productively help another remove a speck from his eye.
Paul’s condemnation in Romans 2:21-23 is not of failing to speak as the oracles of God. The clear condemnation of stealing, adultery, and idolatry is sound doctrine. However, failing to practice what you expect others to, as per your own preaching, is unacceptable. It blasphemes the name of God (Romans 2:24).
Do YOU fail to practice what you preach?
