Romans

Lesson 10

TEXT:  Rom 2:5-11  

I. INTRODUCTION  

A. Last week lesson ended with cliff hanger

1. I said that God judges men’s works

2. Might think I’ve gone of the deep end doctrinally

3. I assure you that I mean what I say and I say what I mean and that it is scriptural

II. GOD’S JUDGMENT ON WORKS OF MEN – Vs. 5-11  

A. Vs. 6 is key in this passage  

1. God will render to each and every man according to his own deeds

a. “Oh, so you’re teaching a works salvation.”

b. NO!!!  Salvation is by grace through faith

c. There is more than one kind of judgment

(1) People get messed up on this

(2) There is the end of life judgment from Heb 9:27

(a) Saved are judged at Judgment Seat of Christ (Rom 14:10 & 2 Cor 5:10, 1 Cor 3:11-15)

i. Our (this means Christians) WORKS after we got saved are judged here for rewards

(b) Lost are judged at the Great White Throne (Rev 20:11-15)

i. Their WORKS are judged here and compared to a sinless perfect life led by Jesus

(3) Yet this is not what Paul is talking about here  

2. Vs. 7, 10 are the verses where God judges the works of righteous men and rewards them for their labors with eternal life and glory, honor and peace

a. There are several examples of this in the Bible

b. Acts 10:1-6, 22, 30-35

(1) This man is a prime example of Rom 2:7, 10

(2) He through his good works was seeking glory and honour and immortality and God rewarded him with such  

3. Vs. 8, 9 are the verses where God judges the works of wicked men and rewards them for their labors with indignation, wrath, tribulation and anguish

a. King Ahab  

4. The ultimate point here is that each and every man will be judged by his own works and not the works of others because…

a. Vs. 11 For there is no respect of persons with God

(1) On earth who you are can affect the judgment you receive

b. With God nobody is judged because of who he is but of what he does  

5. We have no business judging other people because we will all be judged of God in due time

III. JUDGMENT BY THE LAW – Vs. 12-16  

A. Vs. 12 – First have of this verse is about Gentiles; second half is about Jews  

1. OT times there were two kinds of people; Jews and Gentiles

2. The Jews had God’s Law (a.k.a. The Mosaic Law)

3. The Gentiles did not

4. However, just like in Chapter 1 we saw that God has revealed Himself to men; men know inside themselves right from wrong

a. Vs. 12 tells us that those who do not have the law (Gentiles and even those today) and still sin will perish

b. Those who have the law and sin will be judged by that law

5. People everywhere know that murder is wrong; they know stealing is wrong; they know adultery is wrong

a. The law—not in the sense of the actual words but the ability to know right from wrong—is inside of all people

(1) Example:  Gen 20:3-5 Abimelech took Sarah to be his wife believing her to be unmarried; when God confronted him he did not try to justify his sin or make excuses for himself; Abimelech knew that adultery was wrong and spoke to God about his integrity and innocence at the situation and God agreed (vs. 6) God didn’t allow him to touch her because He knew that Abimelech would not have done this if he knew she was Abraham’s wife

b. People do still have the ability to shut this off—their conscience can be seared   1 Tim 4:2 …having their conscience seared with a hot iron…

c. People who do not have the law yet choose to sin against their own conscience are just as guilty as those who have the law and sin against it and both will end up in the same Hell  

B. Vs. 13 – Sounds a lot like James 1:22 Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only  

1. God is always more concerned with actions than words about actions

2. The old saying “talk is cheap” applies

3. God wants people who will do His law and not those like the Pharisees who simply talked about it and told others to do it and then did what they wanted

4. This goes back to Vs. 11

a. It doesn’t matter to God who you are just that you are a doer  

C. Vs. 14-15a – Even the Gentiles who do not have the law yet are doers of the law by their own consciences will receive the blessings of God for their labors  

1. Just because a man in Africa has never heard God’s laws does not mean he cannot reap the benefits of those laws

2. Many lost people have heeded God’s lessons on raising children without even knowing that God Himself said it and their children were fine individuals  

D. Vs. 15b – The Gentiles’ thoughts can do one of two things: accuse them or excuse them  

1. Just like any of us; we can allow our conscience to guide us and our thoughts to accuse us of our actions or we can allow our thoughts to drown out our conscience and excuse us of our actions

2. The man who allows his thoughts to excuse his actions will say things like:

a. We’ve always done it that way

b. Everyone else is doing it

c. It depends on how you look at it (It depends on your definition of the word “is”)

d. A little bit doesn’t hurt

e. I know when to stop

3. The Christian says things like:

a. Is it right?

b. Will it edify?

c. Can I ask God to bless it? (praying over your beer)

d. Will it glorify God?

e. Would the Lord like to find me doing it when He returns?  

E. Vs. 16 – Verses 13-15 are parenthetical; I like to read them and then go back and read the passage without them

1. Rom 2:12, 16 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; In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

2. Ultimately all men will be judged according to their actions

a. God has given His law and He has given us a conscience; each of which will guide us in doing what is right so that we may be justified when we stand before a Sinless Perfection in judgment