The Impartial Judgment of God
Notes
Transcript
Romans 1 Recap
(v.1-16)
While in Corinth, Paul writes to the church in Rome and identifies himself as a servant of Christ who was set apart for the gospel of God, and proclaims Jesus as Lord whose name must be made known among the nations.
Paul thanks them for the encouragement of their faithfulness to Christ. He was praying it to be he Lord’s will for him to one day come to them. He was eager to be with them and encourage them through the Gospel.
The gospel is the power of God unto salvation to all who believe. First to the Jew and then to the Gentiles.
(v.18-32)
We are all suppressors of the truth about God. We are futile in our thinking with foolish, darkened hearts.
God’s Wrath, revealed against all ungodliness and unrighteousness, is His righteous anger that is a just, holy response to the sin and injustice of humankind.
We avoid and reject His existence, and furthermore his authority. God has given us over to our debased thinking where we have exchanged Truth for a lie.
A prominent sign of our departure from God’s will is our constant boast in and invention of new ways of evil. We even praise those who do such things.
Romans 2 Introduction:
What comes to your mind when you think of Judgment?
You may naturally think of a courtroom scene where the Judge is making his/her final declaration of a verdict. Maybe you think of Judge Judy or Judge Mathis.
You may think of someone looking down on someone because of their opinion, preferences, status, or position in some situation.
You may remember a time where your sibling was receiving the righteous judgment of your parents, and you remember either being so happy it was not you, or just happy in general your brother or sister was getting in trouble.
What comes to your mind when you think of God’s judgment?
When we spend time considering or meditating on the great Creator God, the only One with all authority in heaven and on earth, there are many things that come to our mind.
He is the First and the Last, the Alpha and Omega, the King of Kings, the Lord of Lords!
He is our Covenant Keeper, the Truly Faithful One, the Giver of Life, the Designer and Master of Creation!
Isaiah 9:6 “6 ...and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”
How often do we consider Him as the righteous, perfect, just Judge of sin and sinners?
This is likely not where we spend most of our time. We love hearing of the steadfast love of God, His mercy and grace towards the sinner. These are indeed wonderful and incomparable attributes of our God worthy of praise!
BUT..... to fully appreciate these things, the apostle confronts his audience with the reality of sin before a Holy God.
The first 2 chapters of Paul’s Epistle to the Romans are far from being a soft, feel-good, butterflies and rainbows opening. It is bold and powerful! It exalts God’s righteousness and justice towards sin, before bringing the audience to the truly good news of the GOSPEL.
I pray today that we are confronted once again, or maybe some for the first time, with our position before a holy God without faith in Christ. In doing so, I pray this drive us to our knees in immense gratitude for the blood and death of Christ on our behalf at the cross.
God’s Righteous Judgment and the Law
1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.
12 For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
PRAYER
Background: Who is Paul addressing here?
Looking back at v.18-32, the apostle appears to be addressing the Gentiles more directly than the Jews. The section opens with God declaring His wrath stands against all ungodliness and unrighteousness (v.18), but the idols of pagan nations come into view soon after in v.22-23.
Romans 1:22–23 “22 Claiming to be wise, they became fools, 23 and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.”
Then in v.26-32, Paul goes on to describe a people that not only engage in all kinds of godless living and behavior, but they are haters of God that give approval to those who reject Him.
To the Jews hearing the opening of this letter, we can only imagine them giving Paul mental fist pumps! “Get ‘em Paul! Put them in their place!”
1. Judgement According to Truth (v.1-5)
1. Judgement According to Truth (v.1-5)
The context of this section shows a shift in who Paul is addressing. The address shifts from a general address to “Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges”. (v.1).
The Jewish hearers of this letter had already absorbed what was communicated in Romans 1, but likely thought that little or maybe none of it applied to them This shift in Paul’s focus is confirmed from what we see later in this same chapter in v.23-24.
23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. 24 For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”
No Excuse
Can you imagine what they were thinking when Paul metaphorically turned to them saying: “you…practice the very same things” (v.1) as the Gentiles you despise so much.
We know that the Jews were proud to be the people of the living God! Even though it was nothing in them that made our Lord chose them, or even nothing in Abram that made God chose him.
Paul tells them they have no excuse! As they look upon and scoff at the Gentiles in their sin, they ultimately condemn themselves. With their blindness to their own sinfulness, they meticulously call out the faults of others around them.
Jesus’ teaching in Matthew 7 comes to mind.
Blindness to Sin
1 “Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.
APPLICATION
Romans is going to continue to be heavy in doctrine! But let’s not miss key application points along the way.
The key to understanding Romans as a whole, the GOSPEL, and the chapters to come is the simple idea that Paul is indeed talking about you and me in Romans 1-2.
We are not excluded from this text, but instead we find ourselves in our nature right in the middle of it. In our debased thinking (Rom 1.28) we are all naturally haters of God who end up doing what is right in our own eyes, falling perfectly in line with the description of the Israelites at the end of the Book of Judges.
25 In those days there was no king in Israel. Everyone did what was right in his own eyes.
Like the Jewish people receiving the teachings of our Lord through Paul, we cannot become so focused in identifying the faults of others that we fail to consider our own in light of the TRUTH.
In doing so, we condemn ourselves.
Truth
Verse 2 provides the basis by which the Lord judges all of us. The ESV details that God’s judgement rightly falls on all who practice such things, meaning God’s judgment is all-together RIGHT.
In His perfection, our God cannot do anything wrong. His judgments is right and just at all times.
Righteous Judgment
7 But the Lord sits enthroned forever;
he has established his throne for justice,
8 and he judges the world with righteousness;
he judges the peoples with uprightness.
What is the basis of His judgment of sin and sinners?
Christian Standard Bible (CSB) Translation
2 Now we know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is based on the truth.
God judges rightly according to TRUTH.
This is the Lord’s first divine standard for His judgement.
Paul has lumped both the Gentiles and the Jews into one group, and declares that “We know…” that the judgement of God is in accordance with Truth. We may be thinking……If we know this, why are you telling us Paul?
Romans 1:18 “18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.”
We know this but we suppress it! Like the Jews, we do not want the judgment of God to be based on Truth because if it is, then we are confronted with the reality of our spiritual position before a Holy God.
Consider the Jews’ Position
1. We are the Israelites, God’s chosen people!
2. God gave us the Law.
3. We bear the circumcision, the sign of God’s covenant with us.
Judgment according to Truth, and not someone’s nationality or connection to the Law, did not comfort those hearing this letter who were Jewish. A standard other than truth is what they sought!
Something based on attempted obedience to the Law or purely their belonging to the chosen people of God is what they desired!
In judgment according to an objective standard, they stood condemned with the rest of mankind before a Holy God.
EXAMPLE: An earthly Judge
When it comes to the judgment of an earthly Judge, his/her job is to uhold justice according to the established law. In most cases, we support this. We desire for his/her judgment to be good and right and just!
It is funny how our position changes when we are the one being judged! We desire some other standard that does not convict us in our position. Often, this is a standard we have we have devised in our own debased and futile minds.
Escaping God’s Judgment? (v.3)
Paul continues to break down the skewed understanding of the Jews who thought even though God may judge all people according to Truth, surely the people of Israel, the descendants of Abraham would not be judged.
Paul’s wording towards the Jews is very direct here as he attempts to persuade them to see the stupidity of their position. After all of the Lord’s pronounced judgment on His own people in the OT and His faithfulness to HIs word, how can they have confidence in appealing to their heritage???
EXAMPLE: God’s Character
Would a God who is not faithful to His word in all things be worthy of Worship?
Isaiah and Micah, proclaiming God’s judgment to a rebellious people
1 Samuel, God’s judgment of Eli’s house
An Appeal to God’s Character? (v.4)
Paul continues, calling out their presumption in this position that they would escape God’s judgment based on: Kindness, Forbearance, Patience
These are certainly wonderful attributes of the God of Israel that highlight His inherent goodness.
God’s Goodness in Creation
Genesis 1:31 “31 And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day.”
God’s Goodness in Provision
Genesis 50:20 “20 As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good, to bring it about that many people should be kept alive, as they are today.”
God’s Goodness in Action and Truth
Psalm 100:5 “5 For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.”
Psalm 119:68 “68 You are good and do good; teach me your statutes.”
In appealing to the Lord’s goodness as their reason for not being under His judgment, the prove themselves to not understand the intent and purpose of the Lord’s common goodness to all people.
Romans 2:4 “4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?”
The common grace of God is poured out each moment of every day on all people. Our Lord Jesus taught this idea during His Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5.
44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.
He continues to sustain the lives of all people, those who do both evil and good. This is His forbearance and patience on display. In the scriptures, the Lord rarely judged people in their sin immediately, but instead graciously gives them breath day after day. Why????
9 The Lord is not slow to fulfill his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance.
The primary error of the Jews here is their blindness to their sin, and the persistence in their sin while appealing to God’s goodness and patience.
“The goodness of God is not a license to sin.” - Martin Lloyd Jones
What is repentance?
For the longest time, I think I have misunderstood the idea of repentance at least in part. When we consider the word REPENT, we hold the idea of turning away from sin and turning to God, and I do think this is true. BUT…this does not offer a more full picture of this biblical idea or command.
We naturally think of REPENTANCE as a change of behavior, but this is the fruit of repentance. In looking at the Greek term used here, and the later used Latin term, the idea of repentance primarily means a change of mind and one’s orientation in following God.
The Latin term specifically calls the hearer to “think again”. The call of God towards the hard and impenitent heart is to THINK AGAIN based on the truth regarding God, man, and sin.
His goodness to all people is meant to lead us to such a reality! The Lord desires all to come to repentance out of His love for His creation in His image, but He knows and we know that many remain in their hardness of heart towards the truth.
If God desires all to come to repentance, why does He not do this?
This kind of thinking rests on very loose and unsure footing. It creeps towards the idea that God is potentially acting unjustly and absent of love in not saving everyone from sin and death.
We inch closer and closer to the idea that we are owed something, or even more, owed salvation from God. These ideas are lacking a biblical view of both God and sin.
God does not owe us anything! In His grace and mercy He has provided the Way and Truth of salvation through Christ alone.
Romans 2:5 “5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.”
Does God’s Wrath seem heavy here? Consider an example with me.
EXAMPLE: Parent and child relationship
Parent establishes a clear boundary not to be crossed, but does nothing when the child disobeys?
Is this loving?
The reality is, this child does not have the respect of the parent nor the fear of correction. Like this, the God of the Bible is only be worthy of our praise and worship if He is faithful in all of his promises, even the ones promising judgment for disobedience.
APPLICATION
What does this mean for us?
Like the Jews, we need to be careful we are not standing firmly on our identity as Americans, church attenders, church members, bible readers, good people, not bad people…… whatever gives us false confidence…… as not deserving the judgment of God.
In His grace, He has long withheld his judgment against sin so that some may come to repentance and faith in Christ for their salvation.
Like the Jews, we are all without excuse. HE is just and He will judge according to TRUTH.
(v.5)
2. Judgment According to Deeds (v.6-11)
2. Judgment According to Deeds (v.6-11)
Romans 2:6 “6 He will render to each one according to his works:”
The beginning of this next section likely gives us pause when Paul says that God will render, or His judgement will be based upon each person’s works.
Is Paul asserting that we are saved by our works??? Certainly not!
How are we saved?
Our Lord Jesus Christ came into the world to seek and save the lost (Luke 19:10) and the primary focus of his teaching was centered around what we call the GOSPEL.
Beginning of Jesus’ Earthly Ministry
15 and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
End of Jesus’ Earthly Ministry
1 One day, as Jesus was teaching the people in the temple and preaching the gospel, the chief priests and the scribes with the elders came up 2 and said to him, “Tell us by what authority you do these things, or who it is that gave you this authority.”
We are saved by repentance and faith in the GOSPEL of Jesus Christ, the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew and also to the Greek (Romans 1.16-17)
What is the GOSPEL?
(Don’t Hold Back, David Platt)
The gospel is the good news that the one and only true God, the loving Creator, sovereign King, and holy Judge of all, has looked on men and women wonderfully, equally, and uniquely made in his image who have rebelled against him, are separated from him, and deserve death before him, and he has sent his Son, Jesus, God in the flesh, to live a perfect and powerful life, to die a sacrificial and substitutionary death, and to rise from the grave in victory over sin, Satan, and death. The gospel is a gracious invitation from God for sinners from every nation, tribe, people, and language to repent and believe in Jesus for the forgiveness of their sins, turning from all idols to declare allegiance to Jesus alone as King and trust in Jesus alone as Lord. The gospel is a guarantee that Jesus will come again in glory to consummate his kingdom for the redeemed from every nation, tribe, people, and language in a new heaven and a new earth where all things will be made new in the light of his holy presence and where his perfect rule and reign will have no end. According to the gospel, all people who do not trust in Jesus will experience everlasting judgment from God, and all people who trust in Jesus will experience everlasting joy with God.
APPLICATION - Call for those in COTV to THINK AGAIN!
The entirety of Scripture teaches that we are saved by grace, through faith, in Christ alone, and it rejects the notion that we are saved by works.
10 For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.” 11 Now it is evident that no one is justified before God by the law, for “The righteous shall live by faith.” 12 But the law is not of faith, rather “The one who does them shall live by them.” 13 Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us—for it is written, “Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree”— 14 so that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we might receive the promised Spirit through faith.
4 But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6 and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
So then….How does faith work in unison with Paul’s words in v.6-10?
Although the salvation of sinners is dependent on faith, Scripture clearly teaches that God’s judgment is always on the basis of a person’s deeds.
Judgment for Judah through the Prophet Isaiah
10 Tell the righteous that it shall be well with them,
for they shall eat the fruit of their deeds.
11 Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him,
for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him.
The Sin of Judah Declared through the Prophet Jeremiah
9 The heart is deceitful above all things,
and desperately sick;
who can understand it?
10 “I the Lord search the heart
and test the mind,
to give every man according to his ways,
according to the fruit of his deeds.”
The Authority of Jesus
28 Do not marvel at this, for an hour is coming when all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and come out, those who have done good to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil to the resurrection of judgment.
Paul clearly is talking about two distinct groups in this section of Romans 2: the Redeemed and the Unredeemed.
It is trustworthy then to say that the deeds of the Redeemed by which we will be judged are not the basis of our salvation, but the evidence of it.
Acts 1:8 “8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth.””
Ephesians 1:13–14 “13 In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, 14 who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.”
Galatians 5:22–23 “22 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.”
1 “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned.
The continued work of God by the indwelling Holy Spirit brings about the fruit or evidence of what has occured. This process of Sanctification is a believer’s gradual growing in righteousness as they abide in Christ.
In contrast, the deeds of the Unredeemed reflected in Romans 1 are evidence of their continual rejection of God and the truth He has clearly revealed in creation. They are without excuse (Romans 1.20, 2.1)
(v.7, 10) Those who patiently seek the glory and honor due the name of Christ, those who deny themselves and take up their cross daily, they will receive eternal life.
(v.8-9) The self-seeking that continue to reject the Truth of God that is plain to them and instead obey unrighteousness and do evil, God will justly judge them with wrath and fury.
God Shows No Partiality (v.11)
If it was not clear to the Jewish audience at this point, Paul says it plainly. God does not give special consideration in his judgment to anyone! Not even God’s chosen people group of the OT.
God judges all things justly! According to His character, He cannot judge in any other way.
Acts 10.34, Peter’s eyes are opened to the family of God including the Gentiles. God shows no partiality.
1 Peter 1:17–19 “17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, 18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.”
APPLICATION
Knowing the Lord judges justly according to our deeds, we must ask: Do I see evidence of the Lord’s transformation through the gospel in my life?
2 Corinthians 5:17 “17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.”
Call for COTV to examine themselves. Do you see evidence of the Lord’s salvation in your life?
3. Judgment According to Divine Standard (v.12-16)
3. Judgment According to Divine Standard (v.12-16)
Paul opens our final section of verses today drawing a line of distinction between the Jewish people and all other nations. The Jewish people received the divine standard of the Mosaic Law from God through Moses, and in the Lord’s covenant with them He required their obedience.
In their obedience, He would bless them, but in their rejection of Him, blessing would be withdrawn.
The Gentiles were quite different! They did not receive a divine standard of statutes and laws from the Creator God, detailing what He required of them as image bearers of God.
By what standard are the Jews and Gentiles judged?
Jewish People
Paul’s Jewish audience (and a small portion of Gentiles) who had access to the teaching of God’s Law would certainly be held accountable to it. Through the Law, they had received a greater knowledge and understanding of who God is and what He required of His creation. Through the Law came the Lord’s instruction for moral living, knowledge of His justice towards sin and disobedience, and a sacrificial system for the atonement of sins.
Paul further unfolds this idea for the Jews in v.13 saying: Romans 2:13 “13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.”
Mere knowledge of God’s existence and His Law does not make a person righteous. Knowledge of such things without action is foolishness.
Another Contradiction?
You may be thinking: Did Paul possibly contradict himself in v.13 in saying that the doers of the Law will be justified?
Like we mentioned earlier, Paul and the other biblical authors clearly teach that we are declared righteous (justified, v.13) by grace alone, through faith alone (Romans 3.20, 4.1-25, Gal3.6,11)
With this in mind and knowing that the Scriptures are from God and without error, the understanding then becomes more simple. The doers of the Law are those who empowered by the Holy Spirit, demonstrate the genuineness of their faith and the reality of their justification before.
James 2:20-26, the faith and works of Abraham and Rahab
Be Doers of the Word
22 But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 23 For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who looks intently at his natural face in a mirror. 24 For he looks at himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like.
A doer of the Word is one who is obedient to what the Lord clearly communicated to the Israelites in Deuteronomy 10 by Moses and again in Micah 6 through the prophet: Micah 6:8 “8 He has told you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you but to do justice, and to love kindness, and to walk humbly with your God?”
It was very easy for the Jewish people to remain in the pride of their knowledge, and yet continue in their deliberate disobedience.
The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 10: Romans through Galatians B. Principles of Judgment (2:1–16)
Paul’s purpose is to undercut the position of the Jew who is counting on his (limited) obedience to the law for acceptance with God. His compliance would have to be perfect if he were to be declared righteous by an absolutely righteous God
The Gentiles
Paul says that even without the Law the Gentiles will perish in their sin, meaning the existence of sin in a people is not dependent of the level of their knowledge of God.
The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Volume 10: Romans through Galatians B. Principles of Judgment (2:1–16)
The Gentile does not perish for the reason that he lacks the law which the Jew possesses, but because he sins
A Law to Themselves
Paul defends that as image-bearers of God, the Gentiles naturally do what the Law requires. This means that even in a pagan society that is far from God, people generally value and attempt to practice the most basics tenets of the Law.
The valuing of justice, honesty, compassion, and goodness towards others are generally celebrated. These things are reflections of the Creator God and His Law through them, even though they may may not realize it.
EXAMPLE: The Existence of Guilt
We all have an instinctive sense of right and wrong that produces guilt. Why is this?
Some defend this is a development of mankind over time that is culturally accepted by all people and shifts over time. Others go further into their debased thinking by saying “What is true for you may not be true for me.”
But I guarantee they would complain if someone stole their wallet or purse after such a statement.
Like the Jews, the conscience of the Gentiles bear witness against them before a Holy God who knows all things because He has created them in His image and has revealed himself in a way that is plain to them.
They are without excuse, as were the Jews, and as are we.
On that Day (v.16)
At the day of our Lord’s second advent, His forbearance and patience with His creation will abruptly come to an end. His time of using His church to call people to repentance (THINK AGAIN) will cease, and He will judge all peoples impartially according to Christ and His gospel.
This will be a glorious day for many as we will be called home for all of eternity. For those who have not repented and believe in Christ alone for the forgiveness of their sins, this is a day to be feared.
FINAL APPLICATION
Romans 2 is not a grand uplifting chapter like others in SCripture, but it is a gracious , essential presentation of Truth from our God that helps us better understand the rest of Romans.
This reality must be present in a presentation of the gospel. The bad news and reality of God’s righteous, impartial judgement of sin and sinners makes the Good News of His love, His provision, His Grace, His Mercy, and His Victory at the Cross all the more glorious and worthy of our never ending praise.