Works of the Righteous
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Please open your bibles and turn to today’s passage, Romans Chapter 2 verse 6. We are going to elaborate on the topic that we covered last week. Paul is laying out the gospel for the church, starting with the wrath of God being revealed against the unrighteous and the ungodly. He then developed how every person has rebelled against God and has no excuse for the actions that has earned the wrath of God.
Then he called out those who somehow think that they were better and had never earned God wrath but they too were without excuse. Before God, the final judgment will come for every person.
10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
We looked at the general teachings and scriptures that tell us that everyone will receive what their life has earned. We looked at verse 6 in the general sense.
1 Therefore, every one of you who judges is without excuse. For when you judge another, you condemn yourself, since you, the judge, do the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment on those who do such things is based on the truth. 3 Do you think—anyone of you who judges those who do such things yet do the same—that you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you despise the riches of his kindness, restraint, and patience, not recognizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? 5 Because of your hardened and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed. 6 He will repay each one according to his works:
That what people do matters. Because God says that everyone’s deeds matter to him and these deeds will be the basis for judgement.
If Paul’s leaves the conversation there, it can be easy to develop individual ideas about what works God is looking for. What he wants for a person’s life. We don’t want to be missing what God really wants from us, so let us look at what Paul means by He will repay each one according to his works.
6 He will repay each one according to his works: 7 eternal life to those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality; 8 but wrath and anger to those who are self-seeking and disobey the truth while obeying unrighteousness. 9 There will be affliction and distress for every human being who does evil, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek; 10 but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no favoritism with God.
The Works of Righteousness
The Works of Righteousness
6 He will repay each one according to his works: 7 eternal life to those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality;
The first reward that is spoken of is the reward of eternal life. Everlasting life is the payment given to those whose works are doing good.
When we think of eternal life, our minds may have this image of the life that we live today lasting forever. Human beings are infatuated with the idea of everlasting life. The fear of death, the fear of the unknown, and the deep down desire to live has caused mankind to pursue the secrete to everlasting life. Everything from religious beliefs, to scientific research like cryonics, the freezing of a person after death in hopes of a future revival. Only for a small price of a quarter million dollars.
We tend to think of prolonging the physical life as long as possible. But when Paul reveal’s his heart, he doesn’t long for this physical life to continue he longs for this life to be over so that he can be with Christ.
21 For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. 22 Now if I live on in the flesh, this means fruitful work for me; and I don’t know which one I should choose. 23 I am torn between the two. I long to depart and be with Christ—which is far better—24 but to remain in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.
He knows his reward, he knows that his good works demonstrate that he has been given a new life. For he was physically alive but spiritually dead in his trespasses.
1 And you were dead in your trespasses and sins 2 in which you previously walked according to the ways of this world, according to the ruler of the power of the air, the spirit now working in the disobedient.
He has been given spiritual life. This is the eternal life to leave this body someday and to be with Christ. That in Christ he will have eternal life.
20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know the true one. We are in the true one—that is, in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
It is very easy to make a profession of something. I can claim to be the best singer and musician in this room. I can post that on Facebook and Instagram or any other social media site. I can send out fliers letting the community know that greatness dwells in the house down the road. I can write books on the topics of music and music theory. I can study my entire life and dedicate my life to the pursuit of gaining the knowledge about singing and music. I can boast and proclaim my greatness.
But until I open my mouth to let out the first note, until I sit at a piano and hit the first key, until I stand before a test, it is just a profession.
I can profess that I have great love for the people of God but it is through action and works that the profession is proved to be true. Until I sing and tears flow down from shear joy, I am not the greatest singer in the land.
Those that receive eternal life, live in a way that their profession is more than just words it is a life in action as well.
18 Little children, let us not love in word or speech, but in action and in truth.
Those that will be given eternal life are marked by a persistence in doing good.
7 eternal life to those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality;
What does it mean to be persistent? The root word is to remain. If I stand here in this spot I remain. But would I be persistent? No. This word means steadfast endurance. If I were to stand here and give all of the children water guns to soak me with, I would face a form of hardship or trial to remain here. What if everyone had rotten fruit and started to throw that up here, I would have to endure more to remain. What if I gave everyone a large stone? And I didn’t move from this spot. I would now be demonstrating what Paul is speaking of here. Like when he was taken outside of town and stoned. When everyone thought he was dead, they left and his friends pulled him out of the rock pile. He heals up and goes right back to work. He remains doing what he is called to do.
He will not be deterred, he will not turn from the path, he will fight the fight, see it out to the end, he will persist in the work God has given him.
Eternal life will be given to those who when faced with trial and tribulation will remain. Remain doing what God has called them to do. Remain in doing good. Doing good in seeking three things, Glory, Honor, and Immortality.
Seek Glory
Seek Glory
It isn’t a person’s own glory that is pursued. It is the glory of the one who deserves all glory
31 So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God.
This is a person who seeks to make God’s name great among the nations. They live a life that sees that God is the creator of all, that his plan will unfold behind all circumstances, they testify that the goodness that they have comes from God.
The blessing they have comes from God. That the trial that they are going through, though hard, pale in comparison to the glory that awaits.
17 For our momentary light affliction is producing for us an absolutely incomparable eternal weight of glory.
Pointing to the glory that does await them in heaven because of what God has done and what he has finished, the victory he achieved.
Seek Honor
Seek Honor
They also seek honor. They seek the honor that God bestows on people. This is not the honor of the man who walks into a home and takes the position of honor and is humiliated when that place is given to one who is lifted up.
7 He told a parable to those who were invited, when he noticed how they would choose the best places for themselves: 8 “When you are invited by someone to a wedding banquet, don’t sit in the place of honor, because a more distinguished person than you may have been invited by your host. 9 The one who invited both of you may come and say to you, ‘Give your place to this man,’ and then in humiliation, you will proceed to take the lowest place. 10 “But when you are invited, go and sit in the lowest place, so that when the one who invited you comes, he will say to you, ‘Friend, move up higher.’ You will then be honored in the presence of all the other guests. 11 For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and the one who humbles himself will be exalted.”
They seek to be honored not by men but by God himself. When Olympians compete, what do they compete for. The compete for honor for the recognition, for the metal, that will hang around their neck. When they come home, many times a town will announce that they are the home of athlete such and such.
24 Don’t you know that the runners in a stadium all race, but only one receives the prize? Run in such a way to win the prize. 25 Now everyone who competes exercises self-control in everything. They do it to receive a perishable crown, but we an imperishable crown.
Those that are repaid with eternal life seek to be honored by God.
6 You rejoice in this, even though now for a short time, if necessary, you suffer grief in various trials 7 so that the proven character of your faith—more valuable than gold which, though perishable, is refined by fire—may result in praise, glory, and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Seek immortality
Seek immortality
The third thing this person seeks is immortality. The word here means incorruptibility.
They seek for the things that are everlasting verses the things that are perishing. Their perspective is shifted from the this world to the next. They want to live in a way that their works will have everlasting value. That won’t be burnt away in the fire of judgement.
42 So it is with the resurrection of the dead: Sown in corruption, raised in incorruption; 43 sown in dishonor, raised in glory; sown in weakness, raised in power; 44 sown a natural body, raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So it is written, The first man Adam became a living being; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural, then the spiritual. 47 The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the second man is from heaven. 48 Like the man of dust, so are those who are of the dust; like the man of heaven, so are those who are of heaven. 49 And just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we will also bear the image of the man of heaven. 50 What I am saying, brothers and sisters, is this: Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God, nor can corruption inherit incorruption. 51 Listen, I am telling you a mystery: We will not all fall asleep, but we will all be changed, 52 in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we will be changed. 53 For this corruptible body must be clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body must be clothed with immortality. 54 When this corruptible body is clothed with incorruptibility, and this mortal body is clothed with immortality, then the saying that is written will take place: Death has been swallowed up in victory. 55 Where, death, is your victory? Where, death, is your sting? 56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
There is a contrast between the corruptible, that which perishes, that which decays, with that which is imperishable, free from corruption. There is a recognition that this life is a life of decay. Bodies age, they get weak, and eventually they expire. This is the corruptible life that all people live. Immortality is not the prolonging of the decay, it is not freezing the state of decay for as long as possible, it is going from something that is rotting away to something that cannot even be tarnished or degraded in anyway.
Those that are repaid with eternal life are persistent in doing to good seeking that which in incorruptible, not this life but the new life to come. This is the life of a regenerate, born again, saved, soul. A person that has been restored and who will be resurrected with Christ.
4 But God, who is rich in mercy, because of his great love that he had for us, 5 made us alive with Christ even though we were dead in trespasses. You are saved by grace! 6 He also raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavens in Christ Jesus, 7 so that in the coming ages he might display the immeasurable riches of his grace through his kindness to us in Christ Jesus. 8 For you are saved by grace through faith, and this is not from yourselves; it is God’s gift—9 not from works, so that no one can boast. 10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared ahead of time for us to do.
Eternal life can only be found in the son, by faith in the grace that God has bestowed on those that believe in Jesus as the one who saves sinners. Saves sinners from God’s wrath.
Verses 8 and 9 focus on those that do not receive eternal life,
8 but wrath and anger to those who are self-seeking and disobey the truth while obeying unrighteousness. 9 There will be affliction and distress for every human being who does evil, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek;
We will look at these next week. Paul comes back in verse 10 to emphasize that those that do good in seeking will find what they are living for.
Reward of Eternal Life
Reward of Eternal Life
Glory Received
Glory Received
10 but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.
There will be glory for those that are saved and live seeking his glory.
14 He called you to this through our gospel, so that you might obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
They will find it when they suffer with the Lord.
16 The Spirit himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children, 17 and if children, also heirs—heirs of God and coheirs with Christ—if indeed we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is going to be revealed to us.
They will be transformed to be more like Christ and will reflect his glory.
18 We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.
And when life is over, when the decayed body is no more they will appear with Christ.
4 When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.
They will share in the great glory of God, not because what they accomplished, but because of who they pursued. They will also receive honor.
Honor Received
Honor Received
Honor is not something a person can claim on their own. It is bestowed on a person by one of authority. This is a person that seeks the honor of his master. Life to be lifted up by the one he serves. The most precious word we can hear is praise from the Father, Paul lived as an example of one who sought the honor of God.
7 I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. 8 There is reserved for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on that day, and not only to me, but to all those who have loved his appearing.
To be called faithful by God and to share in his master’s joy.
21 “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy.’
A life that is persistent in doing the things that would please the master. Hoping that his life will be pleasing to the Lord and will be lifted up by the God.
Peace Received
Peace Received
Those that were enemies of God but who are given eternal life will find that they have received the peace that can only come from God himself.
16 May the Lord of peace himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with all of you.
They will receive peace in every way. They will no longer be enemies of God but will be at peace with him. Peace with God, Reconciled to Him.
21 Once you were alienated and hostile in your minds as expressed in your evil actions. 22 But now he has reconciled you by his physical body through his death, to present you holy, faultless, and blameless before him—23 if indeed you remain grounded and steadfast in the faith and are not shifted away from the hope of the gospel that you heard. This gospel has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and I, Paul, have become a servant of it.
It is a peace that will surpass anything we can understand.
6 Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.
Paul uses the phrase first to the Jew and also to the Greek. The Jews had the scriptures from the Old Testament that pointed to the gift of eternal life, they were chosen as the people that God showed himself too and revealed himself too in their history and people. But many of them believed that they had a special privilege and blessing that came from being descendants of Abraham. So he brings the Gentiles or the Greeks into equal recipients of eternal life.
The good works of these people will justify their salvation before the final judge. The only other possibility before the judge will be eternal punishment as their payment.
Conclusion
Conclusion
When we look at what Paul writes here, what we see is that the deed of the righteous will be what is evaluated at the time of judgement. That there are works of godliness and evil. When we hear that we will be judged based on what we do we tend to start asking the question what acts must I do to be saved. Give me the list of does and don’t and I will work hard for my salvation. That is the tendency when we start talking about works that justify. But we must remember that Paul isn’t speaking of works leading to salvation but salvation that is revealed by works.
Like the Philippian jailer, we ask, What must I do to be saved?
30 He escorted them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” 31 They said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved—you and your household.”
What Paul didn’t do was give any list of works. He is pointing out that one who’s reward is eternal life is motivated in his or her heart to persist in doing good as they seek the glory, honor, and immortality that is in God. Those that are saved know what is good, they seek to know what God wants for their lives, they remain steadfast in adversity and wait patiently and with endurance for the return of the Lord or the joining with him in full glory.
There is a continual reminder in the scriptures to stay the course to seek the things above. To turn our minds and hearts from this world to the next. It is a struggle. This world promises so much that our flesh desperately craves for. Fame, fortune, material possessions. All these are put before us to draw us away from seeking that which is good and eternal.
What we see today is many who have developed their own list of works in place of what Paul says here. There is a level of external morality and behavior that is achieved and then they stagnate. They no longer pursue God they attempt maintain where they are at. When they read what is good in scripture it isn’t necessary to do any more that what I am already doing.
Paul is speaking of the heart that has submitted to God.
16 You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it; you are not pleased with a burnt offering. 17 The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. You will not despise a broken and humbled heart, God.
We should ask ourselves, Are we persisting in doing good? Have you fallen away from a humble and contrite heart? Are you living for yourself and glory and honor from men, instead of from God. Are you constantly compromising to appease the people around you?
Many of the statistics that I look at reveal those that call themselves Christians are not persisting. They will give the bare minimum of there focus and attention to the things of God and the people of God. Christian homes are ruled by selfishness. The God called leaders have stepped aside from leading their homes.
The Christian Church is much the same. The early church was devoted to fellowship. They lived as a community each and everyday. Gathering on the Lord’s day for a dedicated time, but they lived life together. I read an article this week that said that only 20% of church members attend weekly. only 41% attend at least once a month. 31% of church members never attend.
Why do I bring up attending church? The gathering of believers is where we seek to do the things of God. It is where we grow, where we are encouraged and corrected when we go astray. God called us to not neglect meeting together. It is the pillar of truth that fights against the lies of the enemy. It pushes us to not be content with where we are at.
It isn’t that God wants our numbers up, he wants us, and we are his bride, is body. Meant to work together with each gift he has given us.
1 Not to us, Lord, not to us, but to your name give glory because of your faithful love, because of your truth.
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
Prayer
Blessing/Benediction
20 And we know that the Son of God has come and has given us understanding so that we may know the true one. We are in the true one—that is, in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the true God and eternal life.
