The Impartial Judgement of God--Part II

APRIL 16, 2023 STUDY NOTES ROMANS 2:8-11 BIBLE TEACHER: CLIFTON JONES THE IMPARTIAL JUDGMENT OF GOD—Part 2 INTRODUCTION We began our study in verse 5 with the subject of “The Impartial Judgment of God” In verse 5, we found that judgment is deserved, sinners deserve to face God’s judgment, Rom 2:5 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; In verse 6, the future judgment before God is explained, Rom 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds: The judgment will be according to the life that a person has lived, “according to his deeds” The future judgment will not be to determine whether a person is saved or lost A person must be saved before they die, salvation is in this life before the eternal state The saved will stand before Christ and give an account of their life after they were saved The lost will stand before God and give an account of the life they lived without Christ Both saved and lost are accountable for the life they live upon this earth The saved will stand before the “Judgment Seat of Christ,” 2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. In the context of this verse, “for we” refers to the Christians, the same “we” as in, 2Co 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. (Christians are those who will be with the Lord when they die) All believers have an appointment to “appear before the judgment seat of Christ” The purpose will not be to determine whether one is saved or lost The purpose will not be to determine if one is going to Heaven or Hell The purpose is “that everyone may receive the things done in his body” “Everyone” of 2 Cor 5:10 does not mean all of mankind but “everyone” who is saved Only the saved will “appear” which means for the purpose of revealing or to make known The life of the Christian will be “made manifest,” 1Co 3:13 Every man's work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man's work of what sort it is. That which will be made manifest is “the things done in his body” (2 Corinthians 5:10) The “things done” does not refer to the sins of the Christian life Sin is never classified as to whether it is “good or bad” all sin is evil before God It will not be a judgment of sin, but a judgment of your service for the Lord after your salvation “According to that he hath done” refers to the life you lived as a Christian Were you faithful to Christ? Living a daily Christian life? Were you of Christ-like character? The deeds of our daily life can be “good” or “bad” Was your service for the Lord good? “Good” means “acceptable” and “useful” Are you living your Christian life is such a way that it is of spiritual benefit unto others? The deeds of our Christian life must be “good” for our neighbor, Rom 15:2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. “Edification” means building up, it is the act of building one another up spiritually, Rom 14:19 Let us therefore follow after the things which make for peace, and things wherewith one may edify another. (Edification requires spirituality, living daily for Christ, the life worth living) Page 1 of 4 “Bad” is the opposite of the good and in this case the meaning is that which is “worthless” Instead of a deed being a strength, an encouragement, and helpful to others, it is harmful to them Not necessarily harmful in the physical sense, but that which can be damaging to the spiritual life Our rewards will be for the deeds of our life that are spiritually helpful and beneficial unto others There will be a loss of reward for the deeds of our life that are useless and worthless to others Christians are accountable for our daily life, our life is to represent Christ in all that we do, 1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: (“Peculiar people” means people purchased by Christ for the purpose of living for Christ) The lost will stand before the “Great White Throne Judgment,” Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. The Great White Throne Judgment will not be to determine whether one is saved or lost The purpose will not be to determine if one is going to Heaven or Hell, their eternal state is Hell Their judgment will be according to their works which will determine their eternal punishment JUDGMENT OF THE LOST--Rom 2:8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, “But unto them,” those on the other hand, introducing the contrast between the saved in verse 7 “Contentious” means they are “self-seeking,” seeking only their own self-interest, self-willed They are not seeking glory for God, they are seeking glory for self, they are lovers of self The characteristic that leads the list of ungodly deeds in the last days before Christ returns, 2Ti 3:2 For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, (Read 2 Timothy 3:1-5) Living a self-centered life without any thought of God’s Word or God’s will for their life The evidence of their contentious life is their disobedience to God’s Word “And do not obey the truth,” their selfish ambitions have no desire to be obedient to God The lost do not obey God’s truth, “but obey unrighteousness” They yield themselves to that which is not according to the truth of God “Unrighteousness” is evil, iniquity, wickedness, sin, and dishonesty of every kind The lost are living for the things that are wrong and out of harmony with God’s will “Indignation” is listed among the characteristics of the flesh, Gal 5:20 Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, (same word) strife, seditions, heresies, The original word is often translated wrath in the NT or found with the word wrath Paul’s point is that “indignation” will lead to wrath, such as a loss of temper or outburst of anger The word “indignation” often refers to the righteous anger of God The same word is often translated “wrath” in Revelation, Rev 14:10 The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath (same word) of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: The same word is used in reference to the winepress of the fierceness of God’s wrath, Rev 19:15 And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness (same word) and wrath of Almighty God. God’s righteous wrath will come, it will be fierce judgment against sin (Rev. 14:19; 15:1,7; 16:1) Rev 16:19 And the great city was divided into three parts, and the cities of the nations fell: and great Babylon came in remembrance before God, to give unto her the cup of the wine of the fierceness (same word) of his wrath. In Romans 2:8 “wrath” describes an emotional anger, an internal resentment of God’s Word Page 2 of 4 Anger against the truth of God which goes against what the lost want to believe The “wrath of man” is in-contrast to the “righteousness of God,” Jas 1:20 For the wrath of man worketh not the righteousness of God. Man’s wrath does not promote God’s righteousness, wrath will not attain unto righteousness “Wrath” will not bring about what God wants in our life which is righteousness God’s wrath is the reward for the unrighteousness of man REWARD OF UNRIGHTEOUSNESS--Rom 2:9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; The thought of “tribulation” is trouble, those who live an unrighteous life are in trouble Sin itself is a troublesome life resulting in pressure, oppression, affliction, and distress The troubles of sin will eventually cause a person to break physically and mentally The unsaved of today are continually bringing “tribulation” upon the saved Ultimately, God will repay those who afflict Christians with tribulation, 2Th 1:6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you; And God will comfort the saved who are afflicted, 2Th 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels, The tribulation that falls upon the lost will result in “anguish” which is an inward distress In the heart that could have experienced the rest and the joy of Jesus will be “anguish” “Anguish” will ultimately be a misery of the mind for every lost soul “Upon every soul of man that doeth evil” refers to those who have rejected Jesus Their choice of life is “evil” rather than the life of the righteousness of Christ Not one single act of evil will escape the eyes of God, 1Pe 3:12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil. The righteous are in a face-to face relationship with God God is watching over the saved to bless them, to care for them and to protect them God is listening for the saved to speak to Him, God is waiting to hear their prayers The eyes and ears of God are also upon the lost and no evil word will escape the ears of God For the lost no evil deed will escape the eyes of God, regardless of who that lost person may be “Of the Jew first” refers to their birth, the Jews physical relationship with Abraham They will not be exempt from God’s judgment because they had Abraham as their father They will not escape God’s judgment because they belong to the chosen race They must have a spiritual relationship with Christ, Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. People will not stand before God based upon physical relationships with one another All will stand before God based upon their spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ Including the Gentiles, “and also of the Gentile” A Gentile is anyone who is not a Jew, referring to anyone who is a non-Jew The N.T. also identifies the Gentiles as Greeks In the eyes of the Jew, every person was either a Jew or a Gentile/Greek God’s judgment will be without regard to ethnic background God’s judgment will be without regard to religious background You will not face the judgment as a Jew, as a Gentile, not even as a Baptist, or any other religion Jew and Gentile will face God based upon their spiritual relationship with God The lost will face the wrath of God and will be rewarded with punishment Paul now describes the REWARD OF RIGHTEOUSNESS--Rom 2:10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: Page 3 of 4 “But glory,” in verse 7, Paul presented the saved as those who “seek the glory of God” Paul moves from those who do evil because they are lost, to those who are right with God Righteousness is not always an easy path of life, scripture teaches it will be difficult, 1Pe 1:6 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: But living for Christ will ultimately be a life of glory, 1Pe 1:7 That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ: Paul tells us that “honor” shall be bestowed upon all faithful Christians Christians “honor” Christ through their life because of who He is, 1Ti 1:17 Now unto the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only wise God, be honour and glory for ever and ever. Amen. Christians who honor Christ will experience “peace” with God Because we have been made right with God we have “peace” with God, Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: “Peace” is given unto the faithful Christian as a blessing from God, Rom 15:13 Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. God gives peace to those seeking to do what is right, “to every man that worketh good” Christians are to take every opportunity to do that which is “good” for others, Gal 6:10 As we have therefore opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith. And remember that we shall be rewarded for that which is “good,” 2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. As God’s chosen people “Jews” were first to receive God’s promises unto man “To the Jew first, and also to the Gentile” The Jews were first in opportunity to receive the message of the Messiah The Jews were to receive the Messiah and then present Jesus to the Gentiles Being first in opportunity means that they will be first in judgment The truth is that Jews are without excuse and the Gentiles are without excuse IMPARTIAL JUDGMENT--Rom 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God. Our world is guilty of favoritism today, putting some people above others Society today gives special consideration to a person because of who they are and what they have Preferring the rich, educated, cultured, prominent, influential, and physically attractive And despise and neglect those who are poor, uneducated, weak, and unsuccessful People feel that there is a great personal advantage by showing favoritism to some But not so with God, God does not show partiality or favoritism toward human abilities We will not stand before God with an earned educational degree or a financial statement We will not stand before God as the one who was voted the most popular in their class You will not stand before God to present Him with a resume of personal success How you will stand before God is determined by your personal relationship with His Son The truth of “there is no respect of persons with God” is plain and clear in, Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. God is no respecter of person, Rom 10:12 For there is no difference between the Jew and the Greek: for the same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him. Will you stand before God at the Judgment Seat of Christ because you are saved? Or will you stand before God at the Great White Throne Judgment because you are lost? Page 4 of 4