Impartiality of God Part 2

Summary Statement

If we don’t get the gospel right, then everything else will be wrong in our faith and Christian life. You cannot be wring about the gospel and be right with God. To be right about the gospel is to be right about everything that truly matters. Getting the gospel right is that important.

These to whom Paul is confronting were Jewish moralizers claiming to exist in a superior category to the lesser category of pagans caught in immoral acts, Romans 1:18-32. But while proclaiming their virtues, and lofty ideas, they overlooked the fact they were guilty of the same immorality and inconsistencies.

Statement of Clarification

God indicts all forms of hypocrisy regardless of race or religion, culture or creed! There is a need within the whole human race for the righteousness of God in order to establish a proper standing before God.

Objective

Paul’s objective becomes our objective in our study of Romans; to proclaim the power of the gospel to change people’s lives, Romans 1:16-17.

Gentiles have a great need of obtaining the righteousness of God.

Jews have a great need of obtaining the righteousness of God.

Jewish people are not God’s favorite! Jews are not an exception to the rule. They don’t receive exemption based on nationality, ethnicity, or religiosity.

Study Outline

I. Partial Judgment, Romans 2:1-7.

II. Impartial Judgment, Romans 2:6-10.

Romans 2:5 revelation of the righteous judgment of God.

Justice of God

Justice has to do with conduct in relation to other people. Behavior that is right and fair. Justice is quality of doing what is right.

Deuteronomy 32:4 “The Rock, his work is perfect, for all his ways are justice. A God of faithfulness and without iniquity, just and upright is he.

What is the “justice of God?”

An attribute of God that allows God to exercise perfect equity.

Equity and Equality?

Equity, Psalm 9:8 (first mention) “equity,” the Hebrew noun meyshar (מֵישָׁר). It is an architectural term that denotes straightness, levelness, and evenness in measurement. The word carries with it the concept of judging with a straight line, one that is devoid of ethical or moral defects, irregularities, or deformities, such as partiality, prejudice, or bias.

Equity seeks first to discern what is objectively true and, consequently, to render a ruling or verdict solely on that basis. Everyone receives what is DUE to them based on truth.

Equality, on the other hand, prioritizes pursuing a desired or preferred outcome without regard to what is objectively true. Everyone receives equally despite what is true.

God rules over the universe in justice, Psalm 89:14 Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne; steadfast love and faithfulness go before you. For God to act unjustly is to go against His very nature, Psalm 99:4 The King in his might loves justice. You have established equity, you have executed justice and righteousness in Jacob.

God acted justly when it came to Adam and Eve and them being punished for their sin.

God showed them mercy, Genesis 3:21, by providing coats of skins to cover their nakedness.

God’s justice always demands He deals with sin. God was just in permitting Jesus to die on the cross for the sins of the world.

The sin’s of the world were laid on Jesus, Isaiah 53:4-5.

Jesus became a propitiation or satisfaction to God’s justice, Romans 3:25.

God could not ignore sin, justice required as penalty.

The penalty fell on Jesus, Romans 3:2.

But on the cross, God’s mercy was on full display as well as His love, Romans 5:8.

The cross is the intersection of God’s mercy and justice, Isaiah 45:21.

Hebrews 9:27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment,

Our lives move toward a final judgment, Hebrews 10:27, 30-31. Everyone will be judged.

The question we must answer, what is the standard for the judgment everyone will face? On what basis will some go to heaven while others go to hell?

Romans 2:1-16 give the basis for judgment; knowledge, truth, guilt, deeds, impartiality and motives.

Before a person can receive the “Good News” or the “Gospel,” that person must be prepared to receive the “Bad News.”

Romans 1:18-3:20 is the “Bad News”

Man is sinful and immoral.

Even at their best, people still fall short, Romans 3:19-20.

Whether Immoral or outward moral, religious, self-righteous people, everyone will stand before God and be judged.

Romans 2:1 God judges on the basis of Knowledge.

Romans 2:2-3 God judges on the basis of Truth.

Romans 2:4-5 God judges on the basis of Guilt.

Romans 2:6-10 God judges on the basis of Deeds.

What role does works play, Romans 2:6.

God will judge people according to their works; Revelation 20:12-13; Romans 2:6.

Old Testament: Job 34:11; Psalm 62:12; Proverbs 24:12; Jeremiah 17:10; 32:19.

New Testament: Matthew 16:27; 1 Corinthians 3:8, 12-15; 2 Corinthians 5:10; Galatians 6:7-9; Romans 14:12.

God does not judge us according to our profession of faith, Jewish Abraham heritage, our relationship to the church. God judges by the product of our lives; obedience to God, Matthew 7:16 You will recognize them by their fruits. Are grapes gathered from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?

Two Classes of People.

There are two classes of people in the world; those who obey God and those who do not. There is not such thing as “perfect obedience,” but there are those who just don’t obey God. There are those who desire to obey God, but whatever the case, an impartial judge who holds the record of deeds, will judge and determine eternal destinies.

Facts Concerning Salvation

Salvation comes from God; monergistic, Psalm 115:1; Isaiah 48:11.

Salvation is confirmed by works. God will judge by our works, although we are not saved by works. Works play a vital role in our lives, cf. Philippians 2:12-13; Ephesians 2:10.

We are not saved by works, but saved for “good works.” When God judges, He will look at a persons work to determine whether a person is truly saved or not.

Unbeliever’s works reveal their unbelief. The unbeliever’s righteousness is filthy rags, Isaiah 64:6. Through faith, the power of God is given to produce good works.

Paul is not talking about salvation, Romans 2:6. Salvation is not mentioned until Romans 3:21. Paul is dealing with the element of judgment.

God looks at a person’s work; manifests righteousness.

If a person manifests righteousness, that person has bee regenerated.

If a person does not manifest righteousness, that person is not regenerated.

The Regenerated, Romans 2:7.

A person knows they’ve been regenerated who seeks; glory, honor, immortality, and eternal life.

Glory, the highest goal of the believer; to glorify God, 1 Corinthians 10:31. Honor, Honor is the result of glory.

The person who seeks to glorify God, will be honored by God.

Immortality/Eternal life. To seek glory and honor is to become like Jesus. The believer keeps a heavenly perspective. Believer’s live for what is eternal, Colossians 3:2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. It is living the life of God 1 John 5:20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding, so that we may know him who is true; and we are in him who is true, in his Son Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life. Eternal life is having the Christ live in the believer, Galatians 2:20 I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. Eternal life is all about quality rather than quantity.

The life of God in man produces a righteous pattern. Romans 2:10, what we seek, v7, God will give. Those who go to heaven are those who seek, v7; glory, honor, immortality, eternal life. Those who go to hell are those who do not seek what is in Romans 2:7.

The Unregenerate, Romans 2:8-9.

Unbelievers will be rejected, Romans 2:8a.

Contentious, person who is wrapped up in their own lives, 2 Timothy 3:2 For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy,

They do not obey the truth, self-seeking people will not listen to God, they’re not interested in what God says. One unrighteousness.

The road to hell is open antagonism toward the Lordship of Jesus. People don’t live in vacuum —the person either obeys or not.

God’s Reaction, Romans 2:8b-9.

Sin is an attack on God!

Indignation, the rage which swells with a person, Hebrews 11:27; Luke 4:28. God’s anger will burst like a consuming fire.

Wrath, reaching a pitch of fury. At this point, mercy and grace have ended. God is no longer tolerant.

Tribulation, affliction which results in personal suffering.

Anguish, means, “narrow,” narrow confinement. God is going to be angry. He fury will reach fever pitch. Resulting in affliction is a narrow place; hell, cf. Matthew 25:41, 46; 13:42, 50; Revelation 20:15; 14:10; Matthew 3:12.

Romans 3:21-24 is the only way to produce righteous deeds is to possess the righteousness of Jesus.

The only way to produce righteousness of Jesus is to have faith in Christ’s work on the cross.

Question: How?

Believe Jesus died for your sins.

Believe Jesus rose to justify the sinner.

Believe Jesus lives and intercedes for the believer.

Believe Jesus will return soon and complete redemptions plan.