Romans 2 – God’s Judgment, The Law

Romans 2 – God’s Judgment, The Law

We who judge have no excuse. We condemn ourselves by passing judgment on others for doing what we do. If you do what you judge others for, do you think you’ll escape the judgment of God? Don’t presume on his kindness, forbearance, and patience. These are meant to lead us to repentance. Because of our heard hearts we are storing up wrath on the day of wrath when God’s judgment will be revealed. God renders to each according to his works. Be patient in well-doing seeking glory, honor, and immortality. Those who do not obey the truth, obey unrighteousness. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, and glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. God shows no partiality. All who have sinned without the law will perish without the law, and those who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. The doers of God’s law will be justified. Gentiles (without the Law) do what the law requires – they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. The work of the law is written on their hearts, and their conscience witnesses, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to this gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Jesus Christ. Jews rely on the law and boast in God and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law. If a Jew boasts in God, and know His will and approves what is excellent. Do you not teach yourself if you teach others? We blaspheme the name of God when we live like hypocrites – saying one thing and doing another. Circumcision [the law] is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. No one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. A Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter.

When we seek to help others by helping them see their sin and rebellion against God we must first be aware of the log in our own eye (Matt. 7:3-4; Luke 6:41-42). We don’t walk around judging people from a position of perfection as if we are God Himself meting out His final judgment. When we judge others in this way we condemn ourselves. God’s wrath is part of the gospel. We have to understand the bad news in order to understand the good news. The message of the gospel includes the reality of the wrath of God (2:16).