Romans - lesson 2

The Text

3. The Law of liberty was the necessary solution 2:1-29

a. Ten principles concerning judgement 2:1-16

Chapter 2 1.) Judgment considers personal guilt vs. 1

1 Therefore you are without excuse, every man of you who passes judgment, for in that you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.

2.) Judgment is upon the basis of truth vs.2

2 And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.

3.) Judgment is inescapable vs.3

3. And do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment upon those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?

4.) Judgment considers God’s offered goodness vs.4

4 Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

5.) Judgment is future as well as present vs.5

5 But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,

6.) Judgment is based on divine justice vs.6

6 who will render to every man according to his deeds:

7.) Judgment has its rewards and regrets

vss. 7-10

a.) Rewards: glory, honor, peace, eternal life vs.7

7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life;

b.)Regrets:

Wrath, indigniatation, tribulation vss.8-9

8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.

9 There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek,

10 but glory and honor and peace to every man who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

8.) Judgment is impartial vs. 11

11 For there is no partiality with God.

9.) Judgment is universal in its scope vss. 12-15

12 For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law; and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law;

13 for not the hearers of the Law are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.

14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves,

15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness, and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,

10.) Judgment’s standard is the Gospel vs. 16

16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.

b. Jew’s claim of privilege did not attain righteousness 2:17-27

1.)Jew’s claim of confidence of priviledge 2:17-20

1. Claim of name 17a
2. Claim of document 17b
3. Claim of access to deity 17c

17 But if you bear the name "Jew," and rely upon the Law, and boast in God,

d.) Claim of knowledge vs. 18a

e.) Claim of discernment vs. 18b

18 and know His will, and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law,

f.) Claim of instruction vs, 19a

g.) Claim of leadership vs. 19a

h.) Claim of light – givers vs. 19b

19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,

i.) Claim of educator vs. 20a

j.) Claim of maturity vs. 20b

20 a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth,

c. The Jew’s claim of privilege is countered by responsibility 2:21-24

21 you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one should not steal, do you steal?

22 You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You, who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

23 You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God?

24 For "the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you," just as it is written.

d. The proof of genuine Jewishness 2:25-29

1.) Expressed in outward marks vss. 25-27

25 For indeed circumcision is of value, if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.

26 If therefore the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?

27 And will not he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor of the Law?

2.) Expressed in inward marks vss. 28-29

28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly; neither is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh.

29. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.

Thought questions for chapter 2

1. What aspects of reality do you think people today find hardest to accept?

That to most employers, employees are just numbers.

2. What aspect of God’s character is most prevalent in this chapter? Why?

Wrath

c. By what generic test will God judge men? See vs. 7-10

To those who have done good, a reward, otherwise, wrath.

3. What people would qualify to be included in verses 7-10 ( or 8 to 9 )?

Those outside the body of Christ.

4. Who are the people of verse 12?

Gentiles / Jews.

5. What was going on in the church at Rome between Jews and Gentiles?

Because of their differing backgrounds, there was probably a great deal of judgmental attitudes being expressed.

6. What does Paul mean by circumcision of the heart?

See Dt 10:16; 30:6; Jer 4:4; 9:25-26

Attitude, Attitude, Attitude.

7. Reproach is often brought on the name of Christ by inconsistencies of Christians. In Romans 2:28-29 think of another word you could substitute in place of the word “Jew” and see if this has special meaning for us today?

Saved, Christian.

For Further Thought

What is the true circumcision mentioned in the last five verses of the chapter

See Dt 10:16; 30:6; Jer 4:3-4; Gen 17: 9-14

Circumcision of the human heart.

What are the important questions in this chapter?

Vss. 3, 4, 21, 22, 23, 26

If the righteous man shall live by faith (1:17), then why does Paul emphasize doing good ( vs. 7) and obeying the law (vs.13)?

Because doing good is an outward expression of a heart that submitted to God. Whether an adhereant of the Law or not, doing good is good.

What was the original intent of the law and circumcision? See Gen 17:1-14

To make know the will of God to all the nations of the earth. Circumcision was a seal, a sign of the agreement between God and the faithful.

What four things are said about God’s judgement in vs. 2, 6, 11, 16

It is proper vs 2. It is appropriate vs 6. It is impartial vs 11. God will judge though Jesus Christ

List the ten privileges of the Jews from verses 17-29

Name 17a. Document 17b. Access to deity 17c. knowledge 18a Discernment 18b Instruction 19a. Leadership 19a. Light-givers 19b. Educator 20a. Maturity 20b.

The Gospel

Abolished death through the Gospel 2 Tim 1:10

Brought life and immortality to light through the Gospel 2 Tim 1:10

Preached by the Holy Spirit 1 Pet 1:12

Preached to those who are dead 1 Pet 4:6

To be obeyed 1 Pet 4:17; 2 thess 1:8

Preaching of the Gospel Phil 4:15; Gal 4:13; 2 Cor 10:16

The word of truth Col 1:5

The hope of the Gospel Col 1:23

Preached amid opposition 1 Thess 2:2

Entrusted with the Gospel 1 Thess 2:4

Of God 1 Thess 2:8; 2 Cor 11:7; Ro 1:1

Workers in the Gospel 1 Thess 3:2

The truth of the Gospel Gal 2:5; 2:14

For the uncircumcised and the circumcised Gal 2:7; Eph 3:6

Preached to Abraham Gal 3:8

The message of truth Eph 1:13

Of your salvation Eph 1:13

Gospel of peace Eph 6:15

The revealed mystery Eph 6:19

Gospel fact 1 Cor 15:1-4

Gospel sermon Acts 2

Of Christ 2 Cor 2:12

The light of the Gospel 2 Cor 4:4

Glory of Christ 2 Cor 4:4

Confessed 2 Cor 9:13

Men can distort Gal 1:7

The Gospel is not according to man Gal 1:11

The Gospel of His Son Rom 1:9

The power of God for salvation to everyone Rom 1:16

Of the kingdom of God Lk 16:16

The Gospel of the grace of God Acts 20:24

God establishes by the Gospel Rom 16:25

Preach to all nations Mk 16:15

Circumcision

What it is

1. True inward Jewishness 2:28

2. By the Spirit, not the letter 2:29

3. Seal of righteousness of faith 4:11-13

What it does

1. If law practiced, it has value 2:25

2. If the uncircumcised keeps the law, they become circumcised 2:26

3. Provides righteousness by faith while uncircumcised 4:9-10

What it means

1. Circumcision will become uncircumcision if law is transgressed 2:25

2. Uncircumcised will judge those physically circumcised 2:27

3. Justification is by faith 3:30

1. Christ is a servant to the (true) circumcision to confirm the

Promises 15:8

Purpose of the law

1. Knowledge of sin 3:20; 7:7

2. Transgression might increase 5:20

3. Added because of transgression Gal 3:19

4. Tutor to lead us to Christ Gal 3:24

5. Not for the righteous man 1 Tim 1:9

By way of Illustration

Pilate and Herod five times had declared Christ innocent of the charges brought against Him and seemed determined to release Jesus. Justice so demanded, for the accusations against Christ had no support that would justify His condemnation. But the multitude was not seeking justice but demanding Christ's death. Inflamed passions were ready to break forth into a riot (Matt. 27:23). Afraid of being accused before Caesar (John 19:12) and fearful of inciting the Jews to riot, Pilate sought to absolve himself of all responsibility for his decision. "He took water and washed his hands in front of the crowd. 'I am innocent of this man's blood,' he said. 'It is your responsibility'" (Matt. 27:24).

But Pilate could not escape the sense of his responsibility. There was a custom among the Greeks, Jews, and Romans of that time that when a man shed blood, he would wash his hands, thus symbolically cleansing away the stain. Pilate felt that he was a murderer.

The rulers, the priests, and the people united in accepting responsibility for the death of Christ, saying, "Let his blood be on us and on our children" (Matt. 27:25). While Pilate could not be absolved from responsibility for this miscarriage of justice, the nation did accept responsibility for Christ's death.

The tragic reply came back like an echo of a groan from future generations: "His blood be on us and on our children." Thirty years later, on this very spot, judgment was pronounced against some of the best citizens of Jerusalem. Of the 3,600 victims of the governor's fury, not a few were scourged and crucified! Judas died in a loathsome suicide, the house of An was destroyed some years later, Caiaphas was deposed a year after the crucifixion, and Pilate was soon after banished to Gaul and there died in suicide. When Jerusalem fell, her wretched citizens were crucified around her walls until, in the historian's grim language, "space was wanting for the crosses, and crosses for the bodies." The horrors of the siege of Jerusalem are unparalleled in history.

At the day of judgment we shall not be asked what we have read but what we have done.

-- Thomas a Kempis

Heaven is above all yet; there sits a judge

That no king can corrupt.

William Shakespeare (1564-1616)

Wrath

The use of this awful subject may be for awakening unconverted persons to a conviction of their danger. This that you have heard is the case of every one out of Christ. That world of misery, that lake of burning brimstone, is extended abroad under you. There is the dreadful pit of the glowing flames of the wrath of God; there is hell's wide gaping mouth open; and you have nothing to stand upon, nor anything to take hold of, there is nothing between you and hell but the air; it is only the power and mere pleasure of God that holds you up. -- Jonathan Edwards

Knowledge

I keep six honest serving men

(They taught me all I knew);

Their names are What and Why and When

And How and Where and Who.

Rudyard Kipling (1865-1936)