Romans 2

1. Background

After Paul’s introduction, he wastes no time getting to the point. The church in Rome is a mixed church with both Jews and “Greek” Christians. As a church planter all over the world, he knows what kind of problems the Roman church must be facing. So how does he deal with the self-righteous attitude of the Jewish Christians? He responds by giving the world one of the most influential arguments for the Gospel.

2. What Can we observe about God?

God’s is patient and kind with rebels so that they would turn to Him in repentance.

“..despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering: not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”

Verse 4

By the end of chapter one, Paul had set a literary trap for his Jewish readers. He knew they would be nodding their head at all the terrible things sinners do, even the sins Paul had specially written. But at the turn of the page in chapter two Paul delivers a piercing argument to the self-righteous. “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things” (v1)”

The problem self-righteous people have is they cannot see how God is to them because they cannot see their own guilt. If you reject God’s assesment of your life and fail to admit your guilt before Him, you will see little need for His grace and forgiveness.

It is far easier to see the guilt of everyone else. When Paul referred to sinners and what they do in the third person, there was not conviction in this at all for someone not considering their own selves. But Paul has abruptly turned the argument on the reader so now every thing that is true about sinners in chapter one is also true about the reader in chapter two.

For the self-righteous Jews, this puts them on even ground with the “sinners” in their midsts. But the wonderful truth found in God’s heart is that He is kind-hearted and patient. His patience serve the purpose of giving you time to realize the depth of your sin and perhaps confess God is right in His assessment of you.

Even though God is great in mercy, He will not make room for sin to continue.

“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 .”

Verse 5

There will be a day that God has decided when all the sin that hasn’t been atoned will be brought to judgment before Him. In this judgment all sin will be accounted for and dealt with as He will “render to every man according to his deeds”, v6.

In that day of judgement, there will be a general separated of those who have done well unto eternal life against those who have perished in their sin unto “tribulation and anguish”. This is what every Jewish member of the church would know, but Paul’s point is in verse 11, “For there is no respect of persons with God.”

There may be those in the Roman church who feel their righteousness before God is already established and is to be expected. After all, they are Jews, God’s chosen people, and have known the laws of God since birth. But Paul continues to say that those who sin knowing the law also are judged the same as those who sin without knowing God’s law. Knowledge of the Bible or of God’s law does not provide oneself with righteousness neither does it atone for sin.

“For as many as have sinned without the law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law.”

Verse 12

With this dichotomy, Paul is concluding the religious and the irreligious to all be under sin and death without distinction though they would seem completely opposite to an average person. That is why the goodness of God cannot be said it only leads to religious knowledge or an understanding of God’s laws.

If the weight of one’s sin only provokes oneself to study and gain knowledge, then God’s wrath would still abide on such a person even with all his knowledge. The purpose of the law is not knowing it but fulfilling it. Just as the next verse says, “For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.”

Such a statement begs the questions, is there anyone that can fulfill the law and justify themselves before God? Wouldn’t those who stand the best chance at this be God’s chosen people, the Jews? In Paul’s time being Jewish meant one had the privileges of growing hearing God’s law, but only those who fulfill the law will be justified before God. Hearing it often does not in itself add virtue to one’s account.

Finally, there will be a day when God’s patience has run it’s course and there will be judgement even of the secrets of every man’s heart. On this day, it will not matter how well someone manage to keep up appearances to seem virtuous, but will draw out the sinful thoughts and attitudes of the heart.

“In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.”

Verse 16

God desires a true and authentic relationship with His people.

“But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”

Verse 29

Is it so hard to image that God desires real commitment in His own relationships? Parents love their kids to trust and obey them. Spouses cherish faithfulness above all else in their relationships. This genuine relationship with God manifests itself in the way we carry His words and His law.

There is no relationship with God outside of the way He has revealed Himself with His Word. He is God and we are not which suggest that if we are to continue with God, we must be able to accept His evaluation of our lives. It would not seem to be such a difficult thing today knowing His love is unfailing and He thinks on our good. But sin has damaged us. We cannot without His help trust His like as we were created to do.

3. How Does the Passage Point to Jesus?

God’s patience points to Jesus Christ.

What is the difference between God’s patience and delayed justice? If delayed justice is evil, then how do we reconcile God’s patience in dealing with the sinful human race? Doesn’t humanity continue to store up more evil deeds every passing day? Even in the Scriptures itself bears witness that delayed justice only promotes more evil:

¹¹ Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.

Ecclesiastes 8:11

However when we speak of “delayed justice” we assume that the crime or sin has been left unsettled and a debt remains to be paid. On the New Testament side of the cross, we readily look to the cross for the full payment for the sins of humanity. On the Old Testament side of the cross, there was yearly reminders that the debt had yet to be paid in the day of atonement, but the payment from God’s Lamb is forth coming.

When John saw Jesus walking he declared, “Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world!” This action was “finished” on the cross. The cross is where justice was delivered in full for the sins of the world. Some would say this is arguing for universalism, a belief that all will be saved because Jesus atones for all.

The Bible doesn’t teach Jesus atoned for all sin, but He did die for sin in that if anyone turns to God in repentance, they will find atonement to be available to them without any further cost to what Jesus has already paid. God’s goodness patiently points sinners to repentance and faith in Christ!

God’s mercy and judgement meet at the cross of Christ.

God waits for sinners to repent in His patience. At the cross, we see what God was waiting to do and is now patiently drawing people to. Jesus took the wrath of God against sin for us so we might be justified in escaping the penalty, but for those who only harden themselves with “impenitent hearts”, for them, there is only God’s wrath such as the wrath Jesus experienced on the cross. The penalty against sin was clearly sin at the cross as God judged His own Son.

Therefore, there is coming a day of reckoning against those who refuse the final goodness of God, the sacrifice of His own Son. The clock on God’s patience will have its final tick and all sin that has not been atoned for at the cross will be judged finally.

Through the resurrection and the giving of the Holy Spirit, God brings about an authentic relationship with His people.

Paul refers to inward Jews and outward Jews, but what does that mean exactly? It means God desires knowledge of Himself to be inside a person rather than just an outward conformity. God wants obedience and allegiance to Himself flow from a willing heart rather than coercion or desire for self-advancement.

Can there be a genuine relationship between two people if one party is only using the other for sell advancement? Can there exist genuine friendship when one feels as though the are forced to say nice friendly things to the other? God’s solution to this was Jesus.

God became a man and offered eternal life to men in a way that separates those who would use God and those who would genuinely come to love God. Those who come to God predicate their faith on God’s faithfulness to His word, His authority, and His kindness. All of this is expressed by Jesus as He taught God’s word as unyielding truth but yet showed compassion to broken sinners. Jesus authority was clearly demonstrated as the dead were raised, sick were healed, and demons cast out.

Now that we serve a risen Jesus Christ, He stands alive today directing through the Holy Spirit the business of transforming lives. The transformation that takes place in a believer is such that ultimately brings about a genuine relationship with God.

While we yet live, we still have earthly desires, but with the presence of the Holy Spirit, there is clearly a work being done that is changing hearts and minds towards God, not just outward compliance, but an inward yearning to love God and seek His approval.

Application:

Many verses can be found that teach how the above truths ought to be applied:

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me

Galatians 2:20

If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. ² Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 

Colossians 3:1-2

Because Jesus has accomplished all that I can not, I have my identity built firmly in Him. But there is left for me to discipline my life after my new identity. Just as muscles can be strengthened so my faith in Christ can be exercised, stretched, pulled, or even damaged.

Simply living life will provide enough opportunities to trust God and live for Christ. In such cases one will either choose self or one will choose God. Choosing Christ will mean setting aside earthly things by sacrifice, giving, and discipline. Just as it takes discipline to lose weight, so discipline and sacrifice is needed to set our already earthly affections on things of God. But it can be done because those in Christ have the help of the Holy Spirit!

In response to these truths I will list out areas of my life that can be given to God. These “areas” are mostly likely blocks of time in my life that are unyielded or in conflict with God’s direction. Many baby Christians learning to trust God may need to yield their jobs and hobbies that conflict with Church times. Other may need begin yielding their tithes or “firstfruits” over to the Lord.

For me I will take inventory of my time, ministry, family life and judge for myself what disciplines I’m missing. I am sure the Holy Spirit will help me understand what I’m missing. With His help, how can I know what I don’t know?