Romans Chapter 2:1-16
Bible Study at Gospel Light Christian Church, Singapore
by Pastor Dr Paul Choo
Introduction: The apostle Paul had shown clearly in Chapter 1 that the heathen were great, sinners and obviously deserved the punishment of God. However, the Jews thought that since they were God's chosen people they would be exempted from God's judgement. This chapter teaches us that God's judgement is according to truth and not according to our external connections or religion.
v. 1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things - The Jews judged the Gentiles to be terrible sinners (Chapter 1), but in reality they were also guilty of the same sins. Therefore, if they judged the Gentiles as sinners, they were condemning themselves!
v.2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things - The Jews believed that since they were members of God's chosen race, they would not be judged. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth, ie, according to our righteousness - not according to our external connections or religious rituals.
v.3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? - Man believe that if they are able to discern the sins of others and condemn them, somehow they themselves shall escape the judgment of God - even though they are guilty of the same sins.
v.4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? - One of the reasons why they believe that they shall escape God's judgement is that they have not yet received any punishment for their sins. The real reason why they have not yet received punishment is the riches of God's goodness and forbearance and longsuffering. "Goodness" speaks of God's kindness, 'forbearance" of His patience; and "longsuffering" of His slowness to punish. The reason why God is longsuffering is that He wants to give us time to repent, especially when we realise that He has been so good to us in not punishing us when we sinned. Though this goodness of God ought to lead us to repentance, being sinners who usually do the opposite, we use it to congratulate ourselves, and continue in sin. True repentance comes when we realize the goodness of God (in His longsuffering) and turn to Him. False repentance is the result of fear.
v.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 - Our sinful hard and impenitent hearts is unthankful for our reprieve from judgement, so it continues in sin, and therefore 'treasurest up unto ourselves wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.'
v.6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds - At the Judgement Day, we will see God's revelation of the righteous judgment of God (v.5), as He renders to every man according to his deeds.
v. 7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life - The only people who patiently seek for God's glory, honour and for immortality, (ie, eternal life), are those who are regenerated by the Holy Spirit, i.e, those who are saved.
v. 8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath - The unsaved man is contentious (ie, quarrelsome) against God's truth (ie, His gospel). The unsaved man obeys his own unrighteousness and therefore will receive God's indignation and wrath, and tribulation and anguish (v. 9) on the Day of Judgement.
v.9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile - Nobody shall escape God's Judgement.
v. 10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile - Every man that worketh good (ie, every regenerated man) will receive rewards, ie, glory, honour, and peace.
v. 11 For there is no respect of persons with God - God is totally fair. God does not give special favours to anyone because of their connections, unlike men who judge others according to external factors, because they cannot see the hearts of men to judge fairly. Even when His own Son Jesus Christ was on the Cross bearing our sins God did not spare Him.
v. 12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law - Those who have sinned without law (ie, those who have never heard of God's law) will not be judged according to God's law but will be judged according to their conscience. Therefore no man can say that since he was unaware of the Law, he did not know that he was committing sin.
v. 13 For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified - Men often boast that their religion has the best law. This is relatively unimportant. The important thing is to obey the law. This verse is not describing the method of salvation, but simply warning us that if we rely on our works to go to heaven, then we have to do the law, and not only be a hearer of the law. Thus far God has only revealed the way in which He judges, He has yet to reveal the way of salvation (which is explained in chapter 3 onwards).
v. 14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves - Every man has God's law written in his heart, this is called the conscience. When God created Adam, God wrote His law clearly in Adam's conscience. But after Adam sinned his conscience was defaced (dulled). Repeated sin can also dull our conscience, but our conscience can never be totally eliminated. Conscience is not the product of education or culture. It is found in all cultures. In fact, educated people often have duller consciences.
v. 15 Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another - Our conscience acts by accusing or excusing our thoughts and actions.
v. 16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel - This verse connects with verse 12. Paul had faithfully preached to the Romans ("my gospel') about God's perfect and fair judgement.
Conclusion
1) God is a perfect and fair judge, but men always think that they will be judged by their connections and by external things. Many people think that they will go to heaven because they are members of a church or because they have been baptized etc.
2) God's goodness leads us to godly repentance, but fear leads us to a false repentance.
3) Laws cannot save us because we cannot perform the things commanded in the law.
4) Even the ignorant cannot escape from judgement because he sinned against his conscience.