Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

The last time we were together we were in the second part of .

There Paul argues that all of creation display God’s “invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.”

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Many in our society today would say that is fine for those who are not morally good people.

But what about the people who live good, moral lives.

How do they measure up?

In Paul’s day there were the Jews—who live their lives according to the “Law of God,” and there were moral Gentiles who often sought to please God.

The problem is their moral standard.

You see, even today we have moral people who live good lives, but they do not live godly lives.

They use the standard of goodness to compare themselves to others.

In , Paul is going to reveal that goodness—or being good—is not the standard by which God judges.

So in

Romans 2:1-

God The Righteous Judge

Good Morals?

Paul tells us that those who are morally good, who tend to pass judgment on others—will be judged for those very things.

Judged By God!

God’s judgment is always based on “truth.”

So why does God judge man in the first place?

Look at the next verse.

Judgment Leads to Repentance

So God wants man to live by God’s standard.

Judgment helps us know when we’ve crossed over the line.

But man has a problem.

We don’t like living by God’s rules.

Romans 2:5-11

Our Stubbornness and Unrepentance Leads to God’s Judgment.

Doing Good Leads to Eternal life.

This makes it sound like we could work or earn our salvation.

Yet man still has one more problem.

Romans 2:12-

Law or No Law—Sin Will Be Judged!

Paul reminds the reader that a Jew under the law of God will be judged by the law—He already knows and understands that no one can live up to the law!

The Gentile that doesn’t have the law, will still be judged and will end up dying without the law.

It doesn’t matter how good you are!

You and I can NEVER be good enough to earn our salvation.

When you come to verses 17-27 Paul builds the argument that those who teach against something end up doing the very thing they teach against!

Being a Jew—circumcision—has no value unless the Law of God is kept—someone who is guilty in one part of the Law is guilty of the entire law.

It is all or nothing!

Paul continues his argument.

The non-Jew (uncircumcised person) who keeps the law will end up condemning the Jew because he keeps the law.

It was never about circumcision.

Romans 2:28-2

It’s All About Obedience

Paul begins in chapter 1 to lay a foundation that helps us understand that NO ONE can say to God, “I never knew or heard about you.”

Because all of creation declares the glory of God.

Likewise the Jew who has an appearance of being moral but still breaks God’s Law will not be spared the judgment of God.

In deed, God longs for obedience in the lives of mankind.

He longs for us to trust Him enough to live our lives according to His standard because we trust Him.

But alas, most of us simple do not do that.

And over the next several chapters Paul is going to demonstrate that no one is truly righteous, and that no one really pleases God.

He is going to show us that the Law of God does not lead to the righteous life God desires, but a life of Faith does.

God wants us to put our belief, and trust in Him, even if we have no tangible proof, or that is when it doesn’t make sense.

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