Romans 2
Romans 2
God’s Righteous Judgment
2 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.
6 He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.
God’s Judgment and the Law
25 For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. 26 So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regardedas circumcision? 27 Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written codeand circumcision but break the law. 28 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.
The Level Ground Before the Cross
In this section, Paul has an imaginary conversation* with a person who feels Paul is right to condemn the sinners in 1:18-32, but doesn’t think they are under God’s wrath either because they haven’t committed the sins listed in 1:18-32 or they aren’t under judgment in the same way because God has been kind to them (4). Paul rebukes this hypocritical thinking by saying that they “have no excuse…because [they] practice the very same things.” (cf. Rom. 2:17-24, Matt. 7:1-5).
Both for people then, and us now, it can be easy to think that God is right to judge others, but not ourselves because of some “law” we’ve created as a standard for life. However, Paul points out that being right with God is not achieved through any law. We are all under sin, and God is not partial simply because we didn’t struggle in a particular way or commit a particular sin. Before God, all are guilty of sin and in need of redemption. It is level ground before the cross.
Podcast (Romans Untangled) – The Level Ground Before the Cross
Sermon (Lowertown) – The Kindness of God
Sermon (Heights) – How to Stop Judging Others
Sermon (Downtown) – We Tend to Be Judgy
Questions for Consideration
Do we believe an impartial God will be partial to us?
Do we look down on others because we don’t sin or struggle in the same way?
Do we presume on the riches of God’s kindness and forbearance and patience not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
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*This is a literary device called a diatribe, which was commonly used by ancient writers to advance an argument through a back-and-forth dialogue of questioning and responding.
Judged by Works?
Having just established that all are under God’s judgment, Paul then describes how people will be judged: by their works. This is very bad news because “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” (Rom. 3:23). That means that the blessings awarded to those who’ve done good (Rom. 2:7, 2:10) cannot be given to anyone on account of their own works because no one had either sought “glory and honor” or done any good. Furthermore God will not be lenient because “God shows no partiality” Rom. 2:11). This is very bad news.
This fact is essential to understanding both the futility of the law to justify (cf. Rom 3:20) and the need for the work of Jesus Christ on the cross where our own evil works are credited to him, while we get his righteousness. 2 Corinthians 5:21 put it this way:
For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Podcast (Romans Untangled) – The Truth About Karma
Sermon (Downtown) – The Truth About Karma
Sermon (Heights) – That’s Because It’s You
Sermon (Lowertown) – Be Perfect
Questions for Reflection
Do you feel like you have the moral or religious “high ground” compared to others?
How much do you think about the bad news in order to make the good news that much sweeter?
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The Shifted Storyline
Circumcision was a major issue for the early church (c.f. Acts 15). Christians, at that time, were asking the question whether or not Gentiles who became Christians also needed to be circumcised according to the Law of Moses (i.e. Mosaic Law). At stake, was the understanding of whether or not being a Christian was synonymous with becoming Jewish, in a sense, and keeping the Mosaic Law.
It had been, for many, understood that Israel had been God’s chosen covenant people and, if people wanted to also enjoy that covenant, they had to become Jewish by obeying the works of the Law. Put differently, salvation was through the works of the Law. In this passage, Paul is referencing those who feel they that they have kept the requirements of the Law and therefore are safe from he judgement previously mentioned in the letter. However, Paul is building upon his previous assertion that “God shows no partiality” when it comes to judgment (c.f. 11). Both Jew & Gentile are equally judged by God’s impartial judgement. Later, Paul will say that all have fallen short of perfectly upholding the Law so no one can claim righteousness by their works. However, in verse 16, it is good news that, for Christians, God judges “by Jesus Christ” instead of our own works.
Podcast (Romans Untangled) -The Shifted Storyline
Sermon (Lowertown) – Twist in the Storyline
Sermon (Downtown) – You are Not Your Own
Sermon (Heights) – You Are Not Your Own
Article – Songs & Shouts from tw
Questions for Reflection
Will You be judged through Christ, or through your obedience to the law?
Where do you feel most exhausted? Will you let grace speak a better word?
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Is Circumcision of Any Value?
Circumcision was a physical mark of being a part of the covenant people of Israel. It was such an important sign of being Jewish that the early church struggled to understand whether or not Gentile Christians should be encouraged to be circumcised upon conversion. Paul brings it up in this passage because a Jewish reader may wonder at this point if their circumcision counts for anything in distinguishing them from Gentiles or God’s impartial judgment.
Paul, in this passage, argues that circumcision is of no value “if you break the law”. Reason being, circumcision was originally intended to be an external sign of the inward reality of being in a covenant relationship with God. This is why Paul says “no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical.” Since the inward spiritual reality of being in relationship with God takes precedence, the physical act of circumcision becomes an “extra”, not an “essential”.
Today, we might also feel as if we need to do certain things or present ourselves in a particular way in order to show that we are a Christian. We might say we need to wear certain clothes or stop watching certain movies or cut certain people out of our lives or always say certain things. However, it isn’t that these things are necessarily bad, but they aren’t what actually make up the spiritual reality of being a Christian. We can fall into the same trap of placing physical realities, or laws, as being more important than the spiritual reality of being united in Christ Jesus and allowing His work on the cross to be the only work we look to for being right with God.
Podcast (Romans Untangled) – Your Religion is Killing You
Sermon (Lowertown) – Jesus: the Best Rebel
Sermon (Downtown) – Jesus Was Cut Off For Us
Sermon (Heights) – A Bunch of Hypocrites
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Resources
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