Romans 2:3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
There were those in the day of Paul, particularly the pharisees, who were in the business of self-justification. They taught this and lived this. They wanted to look good among men. They saw there adherence to the law as their salvation. They saw themselves better than the common man because they were “better.” They did not see themselves as sinners. They could not see their sin. They had been given over to a heart of stone. They did not have eyes to see and ears to hear. They did not know God. They were ignorant of righteousness as Paul would write in Romans 10. Paul wants us to know that even the most moral of people cannot escape the judgment of God if left to themselves. Look at what Jesus would have to say.
Matthew 5:20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.
The righteousness that man needs is not one that he can earn. Adherence to the law by man is not a righteousness that pleases God. It does not please God because man cannot do it. He cannot fulfill God’s law. When man believes he is fulfilling God’s law he is fooling himself. He is a hypocrite. Paul wants us to feel helpless because we are.
Those who do not repent and lean upon Christ are those who take for granted the goodness and forbearance and longsuffering of God. They do not see their own condemnation. They see God as not judging them in the moment not knowing what is in store for them. They continue on in sin, treasuring up wrath against the day of wrath. One day they will see what God has required and will be looking at this from the outside. God has not asked man to earn his way into His presence. God has chosen man and redeemed Him in the blood of His Son. This is the righteousness that God accepts. Anything less than the shed blood of Christ is for naught. All those who expect God to accept them based upon their deeds will be rendered a just reward for those deeds.
Isaiah 64:6 But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.
What do you think God would do with an unclean rag? He would toss it away out of His presence never to be seen again.