The Judgment of God and Human Hypocrisy

As the world is ignorant of the divinity of Christ, he proclaims it. And why does he appropriate the common to himself? Because many, having seen the Lord or not having seen him, believed, but Paul is called from heaven, 'Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?' (Acts 9:4). And there is added to him something more than the other apostles; for the Lord himself had called Peter, James, and John as disciples, and did not immediately make or name them apostles, but he called Paul likewise and led him into apostleship. And that the gospel is proclaimed by the will of the Father.

He said of his prophets—since there are also prophets of idols—commanding by his own voice, prophesying prophets and the gospel of gospels; for there are many gospels, but they are mortal and temporary, whereas the one of Christ promises the enjoyment of eternal goods in the holy writings. Therefore, both the prophets and the gospel are of him, and not of another god, but of the Father of Christ.

And it is not said simply to the holy ones, but—since many are called and few are chosen; for not all remained in the calling—lest he cast the holy things to the dogs (Matt 7:6). According to the heretics: if Christ is Lord and our God is Father, then the Father will be a slave to Christ; for as the Son is, so is the Father. But it is not so; for our Father said, in order to show grace, and Lord Jesus, in order that, not thinking highly of themselves as being sons of God, they might not bring down the glory of the Son or exalt themselves above nature. He called God Father, because he judges no one; but the Son Lord, because he is the judge. He says Father, so that he might show the care concerning us; but calls the Son Lord, so that we may know that we are called sons by the goodness of God, while Jesus himself, as being God by nature, truly, is our Lord.

Romans 1:13 K

And again, because many hurried to Rome for certain human reasons, they show their desire, and that this one is pious in his addition. But it appears that he intends to reproach the Romans, perhaps because the faith of the Romans was becoming a greater exhortation to all those under them.

That God truly is God, but the idols with which they worshipped are falsely addressed as gods (Ro 1:25). He does not merely remember such shamelessness, but that he heard in Rome that there was a company of males (Ro 1:27).

He says that the righteousness of God is his just retribution, which he gives to each according to his merit (Ro 1:32–2:1). This is what he says: even if men know from their natural reason that those transgressing have deserved to be punished by God, nevertheless they do not desist from the more skillful evaders, and the whole matter is that they also agree with those doing these things. Therefore, the righteousness of God he says is this very thing: that those doing such things are worthy of death, whether through his righteousness simply, or the commandments, or the Mosaic law; for thus he most boldly and decisively commands that those doing such things are judged worthy of death. Therefore, you are without excuse, O every judging man; for in what you judge the other, you condemn yourself; for you do the same things.

He showed through the storing up of sins gathered in parts a treasury of punishment to be made through the patience of the Judge for those suffering unceasingly (Ro 2:5). He does not say that God is angry, accusing a passion of God, but using the habit of men, he discourses concerning the judgment of God, which is covered and hidden during the present life, being stored up for a time of judgment. He does this wisely, managing God's economy, not according to the order of the righteous, since the ungodly are not even ashamed of suffering well now, nor do the righteous, having been tested by the evils of life, change their way of piety, which some, not knowing...