Last time, as we considered Romans 2:1-11 our attention was drawn to a very practical matter - the danger of religious hypocrisy – judging others without taking a good look at ourselves. Paul drew attention to the fact that whilst the sins of the gentile world were horrible and despicable, his own people, the Jews, were guilty of doing the same things. They thought that they would get away with that. They presumed on their special status – the covenant with God. But Paul shows us that such thinking is folly.
Mere religion will do us no good. In fact, religious hypocrisy is practical atheism. It mocks God.
In that context Paul explains in 2:6-10 that God's righteous judgement on Jew and Gentile is going to be "according to their deeds," and not according to their ethnic or religious advantages or disadvantages.
And then in 2:11 he lays down this principle: "For there is no partiality/ favouritism with God." This is something fundamental that we must learn about God. He is the impartial God. He is the God who sees with the all-seeing, all-knowing eye. By virtue of who He is, nothing escapes Him.
He sees right through a matter.
He does not consider mere external appearance as we do.
He is not impressed by people's mere outward adherence to the Christian faith or the Jewish faith etc.
God judges everything with respect to His Being, in whose image all mankind is created.
God cares about His place in our thinking, and how that works out in our practice of righteousness, justice and holiness from the heart,
"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?” [Micah 6:8]
Now comes the question: How can you say that God judges our deeds impartially, when He has only revealed Himself to the Jews? We know that God had given them His law (special revelation) in which He helps them to understand what He expects of them in terms of knowledge and behaviour. The gentiles however have no such revelation? Hence the often-heard objection: “This is not fair! The gentiles do not have equal access to the knowledge of what God requires, so how can He hold them accountable? What about people that have never heard the gospel – who don’t have access to a Bible? - how can God hold them accountable?
These are the big questions to which the apostle Paul will now give us an answer.
The first part of his answer is found in 2:12:"all who have sinned without the law [i.e. the gentiles/ nations who don't have the Old Testament Law of Moses] will also perish without the law". Similarly, he says, "all who have sinned under the Law [i.e. the Jews who have the Law of Moses] will be judged by the Law."
Gentiles will be judged according to the light they have received or rejected.
Jews will be judged according to the light that they have received or rejected from God's law.
2:13 "For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified." Paul says that the Jews are not considered righteous on account of hearing the law read to them every Sabbath. Likewise, we that call themselves Christians, are not considered righteous simply for having a Bible, or belong to a Bible preaching church.
The question is not, “How much of the law (or the gospel) did you hear and know “?
The question will be, “In view of that which you did hear and know, how did that affect your life and obedience to God?"
The argument at this point is not whether we can be justified by the works of the law.
The main argument here is this: Does your profession as a believer show in your works?
In 2:14-15, Paul revisits the idea from 2:12 about those who sinned without the law (gentiles), stating,
"For when Gentiles who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law unto themselves, even though they do not have the law." 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...“.
This is a remarkable statement, and it deals with the question, “How can God hold the gentiles (who have no revelation of the law) accountable?" What is Paul saying here is - The Gentiles do have a knowledge of the law after all!
The moral law of God is written on their hearts (2:15).
It is in their nature! (2:14)
Here is an important truth. God has left a testimony in the hearts of all the people He created, whether Jew or Gentile. This is evident in the moral behavior of all humans.
1. Most people in this world (excluding atheists) acknowledge the existence of a Higher Being. The knowledge of God is corrupted by sin, and it is a distorted view of God. The Bible alone claims to be a truthful testament to God's mind.
2. Nevertheless, humanity is inherently religious and shares a sense of right and wrong that aligns with the 10 commandments. Our conscience, though affected by the fall, accuses or defends us in various situations.
With that in mind we can see how Paul comes to a conclusion about the ability of all mankind to 'know of God' and what He requires. He stressed that earlier ...
1:21 “For although they knew God, they did not honour Him…”
1:26 “Women exchanged the natural relations for those that are against nature" (i.e. they are going against knowledge);
1:32 "They know God’s decree, that those who practice such things deserve to die. People instinctively know what is right, but our warped and sinful hearts are inclined against God and His truth. And even if we do acknowledge truth we do not necessarily practice it.
You see clearly that there are fixed truths and fixed moral standards that you do not make up.
They are not mere human opinions.
They come from God.
They come from outside us.
God has imprinted truth on human hearts.
The degree to which we possess that understanding will cause us to be judged. We will be judged by it with great fairness and impartiality.
THIS FORMS THE BASIS OF GOD'S FINAL JUDGEMENT
2:16 "...on that day when according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus
On the strength of man's received knowledge (by the law) or by the intuitive inner knowledge of the law of God, He is able to be their Judge. It follows then that if there is an understanding of law common to humanity, then there must be a common Judge.
The Bible says that this Judge is the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
He has appointed a day (on that day) of universal judgement.
On that day every man, every woman will appear before the judgement throne.
Immortal souls from every age will be gathered before the judgement throne.
On that day an exact judgement will take place in the presence of One who knows the secret of everyone's heart.
God has the capacity to judge the obvious sins and those that are hidden. The most secret sins will be laid bare.
So, no one will be without excuse.
SUMMARY
2:11 There is no partiality with God.
2:12 God's judgement will be dispensed according to how we respond to the measure of truth that we have access to.
2:13 Being in possession of the revealed law is of no advantage to the Jew on the judgment day, if not connected to an obedience to the law.
2: 14-15 The Gentiles who have no copy of the Mosaic law do in fact have that law written on their hearts. It is reflected in their global conscience of God and their global sense of morality. The thought of God is in our DNA. The wrongness of murder, lying, stealing, adultery, covetousness etc. is universally entrenched in our thinking. This is what we must grasp: to be human means to have the law of God written on our hearts.
2:16 A Day of righteous judgement is coming.
The big question now is this:
How will YOU stand before God's all-seeing eye?
How will YOU escape God's impartial judgement?
Who is going to be YOUR Advocate?
Let's take a good look at ourselves !
Again, we get back to the gospel. To stand before God you will need the gospel.
And if you have the gospel, then your contribution to the world of truth- suppressing people is to share the gospel, and to pray that God in His mercy would open hearts to see what you can see.
Amen.
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