ACC ~ Romans 2 v3

JUDGMENT BEGINS IN THE HOUSE OF GOD. ORIGEN: For this reason it is right for each person to examine his own conscience first and then debate the deeds of the person whom he is judging. If this were to happen, all desire for high ecclesiastical office would vanish from those appointed to it, if those who want to preside over the people were more concerned to judge themselves than to judge others.

No one should imagine that he can escape the judgment of God, as the prophet also says: “Whither shall I go from thy Spirit? Or whither shall I flee from thy presence?”These things apply most of all to those who preside over the judgment of the people. Scripture also says elsewhere that “judgment will begin at the house of God.” … Therefore judgment begins with the children of God first of all, for God chastises everyone whom he accepts into the number of his children. Indeed, I think that even if it were possible, nobody should try to escape God’s judgment, for not to come to God’s judgment is not to come to improvement, to health or to a cure. COMMENTARY ON THE EPISTLE TO THE ROMANS.

THE ABILITY TO JUDGE. AMBROSIASTER: Paul does not want them to hope that they can be pardoned, since that would be unjust, when they have been given the ability to judge evil and wrongdoing and to avoid it. If they cannot manage to avoid it in this life, they will not be able to escape the judgment of God in the future. For God, with whom there is neither flattery nor respect of persons, will judge them on his own authority.

If someone thinks he ought to be immune from such punishment, let him say so. But if it is right that he should not escape, let him trust that God will judge and judge rightly, and that God, the Creator of the world, will offer proper attention and care to his creation. If God had made the world and then neglected it, he would be called a bad Creator, because he would be demonstrating by his neglect that what he had made was not good. But since it cannot be denied that God made good things—for it is unworthy and impossible for one who is good to make evil things—it is necessary to say that he is concerned about them. It would be a crime and a reproach to him if he were to neglect the good things which he had made. Life itself is governed by his servants the natural elements, who act according to his pleasure and plan, as the Lord himself says: “he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Therefore, if he does all that, will he not take care to look after what he has made, so as to reward those who love him and condemn those who reject him? COMMENTARY ON PAUL’S EPISTLES.

FALLING INTO THE SAME SINS ONE HAS ACCUSED OTHERS OF COMMITTING. CHRYSOSTOM: Paul argues that these people, because they have condemned themselves by their condemnation of others, will not escape the judgment of God. For how can it be reasonable if they condemn themselves and then expect God to approve of them and praise them?

Sinning, by itself, is not as serious as falling into the sins one has accused others of committing. See how Paul makes the whole thing more serious! For if you punish a person who has committed smaller sins … how will God not turn the tables on you and punish you who have committed greater transgressions? … And if you say that you know you deserve punishment but think that because God is patient with you that you will escape it and therefore do not take it seriously, this is all the more reason to fear and tremble! For the fact that you have not yet suffered punishment does not mean that you will not suffer it but that you will suffer more severely if you do not repent. HOMILIES ON ROMANS 5.

BAD JUDGMENT AND EVIL MEN. [PSEUDO-]CONSTANTIUS: This talks about the bad judgment of evil men who judge according to the law of this world. THE HOLY LETTER OF ST. PAUL TO THE ROMANS.

GOD PERSISTS IN PATIENCE. AUGUSTINE: Is the fact that some persist in their wickedness any proof that God does not persist in his patience, punishing very few sins in this world, lest we fail to believe in his divine providence and, saving many for the last judgment, to justify his future decree? LETTER 153.

Rom