Week 3

By week 3 we have reached chapter 2. So far we have studied the gospel through the lens of the Old Testament and established that we are without excuse concerning our knowledge of sin. Chapter 2 flows from distinguishing God’s judgment from ours to the teaching of the “True Jews.” Let us begin.

Romans 2:1 Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.

Paul’s teaching implies a principle of judgment that is important for us to understand: you cannot judge another if you are guilty of the same thing. Is this so? I always imagine a judge in a courtroom for the sake of analogy. Imagine a judge sending someone to prison for murder after he, himself, is guilty of the same thing. Perhaps politicians would serve as a better example. At any rate, we can agree with Paul here: it is wrong for one to judge when he/she is guilty of the same thing. The issue Paul is addressing is something we are all guilty of: hypocrisy. The most common mistake we make while reading this is to assume Paul is talking to “really bad” folks and not us. This is wrong. Paul is talking directly to us. If you have never judged anyone, this doesn’t apply to you; skip down to the next section. For the rest of us, we are undone. Why? Because Paul is telling us we are guilty. Another mistake we make is to take inventory of our own judgments. We easily let ourselves off the hook by pleading “not guilty” to a list of things we judge others for. However, Paul is making an absolute statement, not open to interpretation: if you judge, you are guilty of the same. He isn’t saying “make sure you’re not guilty of the same thing before you judge.” This is important for us to understand before we move on.

Romans 2:2 But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things.

If you need to be convinced that you are guilty of every sin that you could possibly judge others for, read the Sermon on the Mount (Matt 5-7). Here, Jesus levels the playing field, so to speak. So if we are guilty of all things that we might judge others of, why can’t I think of any time I have murdered? “But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment (Matt 5:22).” Jesus just told me I am guilty of murder. God knows every secret of the heart. This is why “the judgment of God is according to truth…” God does not judge according to randomness, relevance, or whatever “mood” he finds Himself in. No, He judges according to truth. When we think that God “grades us on a curve,” we have fallen from orthodoxy. Paul tells us that He sees the truth, as Jesus outlines in the Sermon on the Mount, and judges accordingly. If this upsets your understanding of man’s wickedness before God, stick with me. This is exactly what Paul is trying to do. Let’s skip to verses 6 and 7.

Romans 2:6-7 …who “will render to each one according to his deeds”: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality.

Paul mentions three things that those who are patient and seek to do good seek after. They are 1) glory, 2) honor, and 3) immortality. Immortality is a given. Perhaps most pagans believe that doing good will some how result in immortality. A good question to ponder would be: what does it mean to do good? However, I would like to focus on the first two. Glory and honor are certainly desirable. We love to be praised for doing what is good; we love to be “honored” before many. Receiving awards and recognition all fall under this category. So is Paul saying that those who are patient seek immortality and recognition for doing good? No. Let’s look at Proverbs 25:27. “It is not good to eat much honey; so to seek one’s own glory is not glory.” If scripture says it is not good to seek our own glory, than what Paul is saying must mean something else. The glory and honor that Paul speaks of is the glory and honor of Christ.

How does this relate to the preceding verses? The context, here, is how to escape the wrath of God. Paul states in verse 5 that all our judgment will do is “store up for [ourselves] wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God.” So God grants eternal life to those who seek to honor Him and glorify Him forever.

Before we go any further, we must understand Paul’s teaching to this point. God’s law is ABSOLUTLY INFLEXIBLE. If you have violated the law, ever, you are guilty of breaking the WHOLE law. Paul is convincing us that we are sinners.

Teaching of the True Jews

Romans 2:28-29 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.

Why did God choose a certain people? Have you ever asked this question? Many Christians believe that the Jewish people are the chosen of God, therefore, regardless of what they believe, they will be saved. Is this teaching consistent with the New Testament? Paul teaches us otherwise. If God chose a people, will God not save them from wrath? Yes. Who has God chosen? Israel, the Jews? Yes. Who are the Jews? Are they the physical descendants of Abraham? No (see Romans 4:9-11). Paul answers this question in verses 28 and 29. “…he is a Jew who is on inwardly.” This distinction is important because it presupposes all of Paul’s New Testament teaching. He thus coined the phrase “The Israel of God (Gal 6:16)”

This is where week 3 ends. We move on to chapter 3 in week 4 to discuss the Israel of God in more detail.