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Romans 3:1 – Then what advantage has the Jew?  Or what is the value of circumcision?

In chapter one, Paul documents the wickedness of the Gentiles.  In chapter two, he documents the wickedness of the Jews, which actually surpassed that of the heathen.   He proves to the Jews that all of their external advantages (possession of the law, circumcision, the feasts, etc.) were utterly insufficient to justify them in the sight of God.

Paul knows full well that his discourse will outrage the Jews because it effectively strips them of all their peculiar honors and privileges.  He can correctly anticipate the arguments the Jews will raise, because he himself was Jewish and because he had already heard them from other Jews in other cities. 

Therefore, Paul pens chapter three in the form of a dialog or discussion.  He raises the exact questions he knows his readers would ask if they were present with him, and then he proceeds to answer them. 

The first obvious question/objection of the Jews would be this:  If physical circumcision avails nothing and inward circumcision of the heart is everything; if an uncircumcised person who keeps the law is treated as circumcised, then what advantage is there in being a Jew?  What is to be gained by outward circumcision?  Was there any real value in the old covenant at all? 

This is a serious objection because if there was no value in the advantages of the Jews, then God is not who he claims to be. 

If there was no value in circumcision, the law, the Jewish rites, etc., then instead of giving his people a true gift/advantage as he claimed, God really gave them nothing at all.  His promises were hollow.  Consequently, instead of being faithful, generous and true, God is shown to be a deceiver and a cheat who cannot be trusted. 

Of course, we are well aware that God is NOT a deceiver or a cheat.  He is perfect, holy, just and righteous at all times.  Therefore, we can be sure the advantages/privileges of the Jews DID have value and purpose.  This is exactly what Paul tells us in verse two.  

Romans 3:2 – Much in every way.  To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God.

GENERAL SUMMARY:  Did the Jews have advantages over the Gentiles?  Absolutely!  The chief or most valuable of all the Jews’ advantages was having the ‘oracles’ of God.  So valuable was this advantage, that even if it was the only one the Jews enjoyed, it would prove they were blessed over all other nations.

DIGGING DEEPER:  Let’s begin by defining the word ‘oracle’.  It is defined as the communications, revelations and messages delivered by God to mankind. 

These oracles provided rules and guidelines for daily living.  They spoke of what was going to happen in the future.  They served as the final source in answering questions, resolving doubts and ending controversies.

To the Jews of Paul’s day, ‘oracles’ meant the entire Old Testament - the law, the prophets and the Psalms.  These divine books contain the mind and will of God; they are his infallible word.  Through them the Jews had not only the commands of the law, but the promises and predictions of grace, forgiveness and salvation which would flow through the Messiah.

Furthermore, the rites, festivals and other aspects of the Jewish religion bore witness to the laws of God through sight, sound, action, and to some degree through smell (incense, burnt offerings, roasted Passover lamb, bitter herbs, etc).  They too revealed the promises of grace and salvation which would eventually be revealed by Messiah.

What an obvious benefit/privilege this was!  Because they had the law, the Jews had a clearer and more distinct knowledge of God than the Gentiles could ever have discovered by the light of nature. 

For hundreds and hundreds of years, they alone had the opportunity to know God’s commands, to live by them, and thus to prosper physically, mentally, spiritually, relationally and financially.  There can be no doubt that God’s law enlightens the mind/spirit, feeds the soul, sweetens one’s daily existence, and infuses life with hope and joy!  What a blessing!

It was a blessing for the Jews to be the repository of God’s laws.  But their blessings didn’t end there.  They were also blessed to dispense this knowledge to the rest of the world.  Plus, they were the nation through which Jesus Christ the Messiah, the Redeemer of mankind, came into the world!

Romans 3:3 – What if some were unfaithful?  Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God?

GENERAL SUMMARY:  Paul has just shown that the divine revelations of God were unquestionably an advantage or privilege to the Jews.  But he now anticipates a further possible objection on their part.  It goes something like this:

Paul already stated that some Jews were just as guilty before God as some Gentiles and they would be condemned on the day of judgment.  If the unbelief/unfaithfulness or disobedience of some of the Jews resulted in the promises of God being void for all of Israel, then the Jews were still in the position of being no better off for having the oracles of God.   

Paul deals with this objection by proving to the Jews that the unfaithfulness/unbelief of some people does not have the power to nullify the eternal promises of God to those who embrace and believe them.

DIGGING DEEPER:  First off, our translation (English Standard Version) uses the word ‘unfaithful’.  The King James Version uses the word ‘unbelief’.  Both are good translations and can be used interchangeably.

Now let’s examine the viewpoint of the Jews.  It was an indisputable fact that God had chosen Israel as his people.  It was also indisputable that he entered into a covenant with them.  In their minds, this implied that ALL Jews would be kept from damnation on the day of judgment.  In other words, based on God’s covenant with their forefathers, they believed that all Jews would be saved. 

However, in Romans chapter two, Paul reasons that in certain respects the Jews were on the same level as the Gentile/heathen nations.  Specifically, they (or at least some of them) failed to believe and obey God.  Consequently, since they sinned, they would be subject to judgment, just like the heathen.  This leads the Jews to again ask the question, ‘Of what value was the promise of God?  Has it not become null and void for the nation?’

Again, we have a very serious implication here.  According to the thinking of the Jews, if they were unfaithful/disobedient and thus condemned, then one of two things had to be true:  Either God neglected to keep his promise to the nation of Israel or that God made a promise he was incapable of keeping.

If God neglected to keep his promise, then he was unfaithful, unreliable and could not be trusted.  If he was incapable of keeping his promise, then he was powerless, weak and clearly not sovereign. 

Obviously, we know these allegations are completely false.  God is faithful, reliable and trustworthy.  In fact, right at this moment, we are depending on him for our very next breath!  Furthermore, we know that God is, without question, sovereign over the universe. 

We find that Paul responds to the possible objections of the Jews by asking them two additional questions. 

Question one:  ‘What if some Jews were unfaithful?’ (Your translation may say, ‘What if some Jews did not believe?’). 

First, let’s address the word ‘some’.  This word does not reveal an exact number.  Bible commentators believe Paul meant most if not all the Jewish population, but that was another hard pill to swallow, so for the sake of argument, he simply says ‘some’.   (The outcome of his argument is the same, regardless of the number of unbelievers.)

More importantly, Paul is ready to allow that there were at least some Jews who were unfaithful to the oracles of God.  In other words, they did not strive to adhere to the laws; they were disobedient to the commands of God. 

Paul is also ready to allow that there were at least some Jews who did not believe in God’s promises, particularly the prophecies pertaining to the Messiah.  (This, of course, led to a disbelief in Jesus as the Messiah when he eventually came to earth as promised.) 

Question two:  Does their faithlessness and/or unbelief nullify the faithfulness of God?

Thankfully, the answer is a resounding NO:

Hosea 2:19-20 – And I [God] will betroth you [Israel] to me forever.  I will betroth you to me in righteousness and in justice, in steadfast love and in mercy.  I will betroth you to me in faithfulness.  And you shall know the Lord.

God is always faithful to his promises and covenants, regardless of what individual people do. 

Think of it this way:  God is both sovereign and omnipotent.  This is important because it means that he is dependent on NOTHING.  He is not dependent upon the decisions or actions of anyone or anything in order to function or accomplish his will.  He can do whatever he deems appropriate at any and all times, because he has all the power, ability, resources and authority to do so.  That’s just who he is.

People can (and do) rebel against him, but that does not affect him in any way.  All that does is place the rebel into bondage under Satan. 

There will always be some faithless people who choose to live in unbelief.  For these people, there is no benefit to having the oracles of God, because his blessings and promises can only be appropriated by faith. 

The important thing is that the unbelief/lack of faith of some people does not nullify the faithfulness of God.  He continues to be perfectly faithful to all his promises and covenants, at all times and under all circumstances.  His word stands forever: 

Isaiah 40:8 – The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.

Therefore, those who believe and have faith in his promises will certainly reap the benefits of them.  Thus, Paul shows that the Jews did not have to worry that some of them would be condemned because of the unbelief of others.  For these people, the oracles of God were a very great advantage/privilege.

Romans 3:4 – By no means! Let God be true though everyone were a liar, as it is written, “That you may be justified in your words, and prevail when you are judged.”

GENERAL SUMMARY:  The faithfulness of God is so far from being nullified by the deceitfulness and unfaithfulness of man, that man’s unfaithfulness actually makes God’s truth and faithfulness even more evident.  

DIGGING DEEPER:  Let God be true, though everyone were a liar:  Paul is still challenging the Jewish idea that all Jews would be saved, simply by virtue of being Jews. 

He begins his argument by declaring that first and foremost, the veracity (habitual observance of truth; truthfulness, honesty, integrity) of God was a principle to be tightly held.  Any doctrine, teaching or idea that contradicted that premise should immediately be abandoned. 

Of course, Paul included himself in this view.  Every opinion or doctrine that came from him (even those found in the letter to the Romans) was also to be discarded if it was not consistent with the principle of God’s truthfulness.

The logical corollary is that in every case where a difference exists between what God says and what man says, we can be sure that God is telling the truth and man is lying.

Have you ever heard the saying, ‘the truth hurts?’  The meaning is that there are some truths mankind does not want to face, because they are opposite of our own views and opinions.  In these cases, to accept what is really true is painful to us.

That old saying would apply to this scenario.  When God is credited as being faithful and true above all else, mankind is forced to accept the truth, even if it differs from our own views/ideas and even if we find it painful.

For example, God says that marriage is a life-long covenant between one man and one woman.  All sexual activity is to be limited to you and your spouse. 

This is a truth that most people (including some Christians) today don’t want to recognize.  They have all kinds of excuses for engaging in adultery, fornication, homosexual acts, pornography and other sexual perversions.  In their own minds, they have justified every sexual sin imaginable.  Culture and society also give their approval to these actions.

In this difference between God and man, man must accept that God is correct/truthful and he is wrong; his version of the ‘truth’ is really a lie.

Here’s how this concept fits into the current topic:  The Jews were under the impression that all of them would be saved, because they were the chosen people of God.  They thought that having the oracles of God guaranteed their justification.  Paul refutes that claim.  He shows that in some ways the Jews were just as wicked as the Gentiles, and both groups would be treated the same on the day of judgment.  This was a painful truth the Jews did not want to face.   

So, Paul goes on to prove that the truthfulness and faithfulness of God were wholly consistent with the fact that some Jews would be found unfaithful and be condemned on the day of judgment.  Paul does not go into great detail on this topic, but it isn’t all that difficult to understand. 

The promises made to Abraham did NOT maintain that all of the Jews would be unconditionally and absolutely saved.  The covenant implied that the Jews were to be obedient and if they were not, they would not receive the promises:

Genesis 18:19 – For I [God] have chosen him, that he may command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice, so that the Lord may bring to Abraham what he has promised him.

And of course, it doesn’t take much research to see that the Jews were unfaithful to God many times in their history.

So, painful as it may be, the fidelity, faithfulness and truthfulness of God are completely consistent with some part of the Jewish nation being rejected and lost.

As it is written:  Paul continues his discourse with a reference to Psalms 51, which was penned by King David after he had sinned and been confronted by the prophet Nathan:   

Psalms 51:4 – Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment. 

Let’s refresh our memories of that situation, which is found in II Samuel 12:1-15.  David should have been leading his troops in war, but instead he remained in Jerusalem.  One night he saw a beautiful woman bathing on the rooftop.  He ended up sending for her and they slept together.  Thus, David committed adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite. 

Later, when David found out that she was pregnant, he did a number of sleazy things to cover it up.  When none of them worked, he sent a note to the commander of the army and ordered that Uriah be put into the most dangerous part of the battle, and when the battle was fierce, the other army men were to draw back from him, so he would be slain (II Samuel 11:14-17). 

Needless to say, God was not pleased.  He eventually sent Nathan the prophet to confront David and expose his sin.  David composed Psalm 51 after his confrontation with Nathan.

Paul uses this scripture to make a couple of important points.

His first point is that sin does not negate the truth and faithfulness of God.  Long before the incident with Bathsheba, God made a promise to David that one of his own sons would sit upon his throne and that eventually the Messiah would come through his line as well (II Samuel 7:12-17).  And of course, we know this is true.  Solomon, son of Bathsheba, became king in David’s place and eventually Jesus was born of the house and lineage of David (Matthew 1:1-16).    

Though David was weak and sinful, yet God was true and faithful to every single word of promise that he had sworn to him.  Thus, the Jews could rest assured that (as we already noted), the unbelief/lack of faith of some people does not nullify the faithfulness of God.  He is always perfectly faithful to all his promises and covenants, at all times and under all circumstances.  His word stands forever. 

That you may be justified in your words:   The meaning is that God should be regarded as just and righteous when he judged David for his sin.  This does not mean that David sinned for the purpose of justifying God, but that once David was confronted by Nathan, he recognized that his sin was so blatant and so wicked, that God was right in his sentence of condemnation.

In the same way, the Jews should recognize that their sin against God was also blatant and wicked and that God will be righteous and just in condemning them at the end of the age.

And prevail when you are judged:  In a court of law, if one was accused and acquitted or accused and found innocent, we might say they prevailed or overcame.  This is the sense in this passage.  Mankind will accuse God of being unfair or unrighteous, but if the question of God’s unfairness were brought to trial, God would overcome – he would be found pure and righteous in his condemnation of David’s crime.

The overall meaning is that God is to be regarded as right and just in condemning men for their sins and any person who has a correct understanding of God will know this to be true, even though he himself stands condemned.

Again, Paul is establishing a fixed, unwavering principle that God is right and true, regardless of the consequences, regardless of what doctrines must be abandoned and regardless of who is proved to be a liar by it.  This substantiates the truth Paul revealed in the prior verse.  Namely, the truth and faithfulness of God are not negated by the apostasy or deceitfulness of man.

Now Paul will make his second point.  Namely, that the sin of mankind accents or highlights or calls attention to the faithfulness of God.  This was David’s overall thought behind Psalms 51:4.  God certainly had every right to drop the promises made to David because of his gross sin, but instead God is faithful to do what he said he would do.  

Thus, God in his amazing providence, is capable of eliciting praise of his own righteousness even from the sins of man.  God is worthy of praise in all his judgements, regardless of the complaints of mankind.

In the end, the Jews must face the truth of scripture: God’s promises to Abraham did not guarantee that all Jews would be saved.  The scripture clearly shows that the Jews were to be obedient and if they were not, they would not receive the promise of justification.  The Jews will not be saved for mere possession of the oracles of God; the promises must be embraced by faith.

Let me offer you some encouragement:  

The Jews derived immeasurable blessings and advantages by having the oracles of God.  And yet, those of us living under the new covenant in the age of grace have even more! 

Under the old covenant, the only people who were anointed for service to God were prophets, priests and kings.  They had an amazing advantage which the common person would never receive.

But now, under the new covenant of grace, ALL Christians (male and female, young and old, white and black, slave and free) are anointed for service to God by Holy Spirit.

Holy Spirit is the constant companion of the Christian.  He gives us spiritual gifts for the edification of the church.  He leads and guides us along the path we are to walk.  He grows spiritual fruit in our lives.  He reveals the word of God to us, increasing our understanding.  He empowers us to witness for Christ.  He assists us in praying for breakthroughs when we don’t know how to pray.  He leads us in spiritual battle against our enemies. 

There is no advantage like Holy Spirit!  I encourage you to get to know him in a greater way; begin to live your life in such a way that you are depending upon him instead of your own strength and wisdom.  

Let me offer you some relief:  

Later in this chapter of Romans, Paul will conclude that all of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23).  Obviously, this includes you and me. 

Satan would love to hold our mistakes and failures before us all the time and make us think that we are now ineligible for God’s blessings.  But as we saw in today’s post, that is a lie!

When he reminds you of a mistake, do what king David did – acknowledge your sin, repent, and give God glory that your mistake does not nullify the promises of God in your life!

Let me offer you some strength:  

In today’s post Paul points out that the unbelief of one person does not have the power to nullify the promises of God to another person. 

For example, if your cousin refuses to believe that God still heals people, their unbelief will keep them from obtaining the blessing of healing.  However, their viewpoint does not make that promise void for you – or does it?

If you listen to your cousin’s viewpoint time after time and never say anything to challenge them, you may just start believing what they say.  The reason for that is that whatever you allow to stay in your mind will eventually take root in your heart, whether it be good or evil. 

So instead of allowing that lie to go unchallenged in your mind, you need to search the scriptures and prove to yourself that God’s promise of healing is TRUTH and your cousin’s word is a lie. 

As Christians, we must constantly guard the doors of our hearts and minds so we don’t leave any openings for the enemy to come into our lives!  

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Romans 2:25 – For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision.

In Romans chapter two, Paul is discussing the spiritual privileges which the Jews enjoyed because they were God’s chosen nation.  These privileges or benefits included the law, the temple and its sacrifices, the feasts (Passover, feast of unleavened bread, etc), and of course the one privilege most cherished by all Jews – circumcision. 

Circumcision is the topic of the rest of chapter two.  But before we look at Paul’s teaching on this topic, let’s take a step back and look at the larger picture of the church at this time.

Paul is writing to the people in the church.  These are born again believers who have trusted in Christ as their savior.  The Roman church was a mixture of both Jews and Gentiles - two groups who had been adversaries for a very long time.

Because of their nation’s relationship to God under the old covenant, the Jews considered themselves special.  While this was true, the Jews eventually lost sight of the reason for their special status before God (to show his love to the world).  At some point, pride took root in their lives and they began to consider themselves better or of greater value in God’s sight than all of the Gentiles.  In fact, they often referred to Gentiles as dogs (Matthew 15:26-27).  This viewpoint became an integral part of their national identity.

As a result, the Jews considered the Gentiles as ‘outsiders’.  They did not associate with Gentiles, eat with Gentiles or even go into a Gentile house.  In fact, when Peter went into the house of Cornelius the Gentile, it was an astonishing occurrence:

Acts 10:28 – And he [Peter] said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean.”

Meanwhile, the Gentiles had mixed feelings about the Jews.  Jews were often viewed with distain and suspicion because of their unusual customs (like circumcision and dietary laws).  Jews were also viewed as haughty or exclusive because of their monotheistic beliefs and their purposeful separation from the other cultures of the world.   

These historical circumstances created a big problem in the early church.  Although the Jews and Gentiles were all technically brothers in Christ, they were not getting along.  They carried their cultural and religious divisions into the church. 

The Gentiles were sick and tired of all the rules and regulations of the Jews.  They didn’t see any reason to fast on the Day of Atonement, or bring lambs to the temple for sacrifice, or to stop eating shellfish.  They bristled at smug holier-than-thou attitude of many of the Jews.    

For their part, the Jews were adamant that the Gentiles should adopt the ‘privileges’ of the old covenant, especially that of circumcision.  They basically felt that Gentiles needed to become Jews before they could really be Christians.  Some Jewish Christian leaders even erroneously taught that circumcision was required for salvation (Acts 15:1)! 

Given this historical situation and the confusion surrounding circumcision, it’s not surprising that Paul chooses to address this topic in the remainder of chapter two. 

Before we go any further, let’s be clear on one important point:  Holy Spirit had made it crystal clear that physical circumcision was NOT required for salvation (Acts 10:44-48, Acts 15:1-29).  In fact, none of the Jewish rites were necessary for salvation.  Righteousness in God’s sight is obtained exclusively through the blood of Christ.

As we read through the book of Romans, we may be tempted to judge the Jews for their inability to instantly give up the ways of the old covenant.  We may scorn their inability to see and embrace the freedom Christ provided under the new covenant.  We may be tempted to condemn them for their haughty treatment of the Gentiles.  But before we do, let’s pause for a minute.

From the very creation of their nation, the Jews were God’s special people.  It was vitally important for them to be separated from all other nations for a number of reasons: 

• They were the only nation in covenant with God; idolatry could not be tolerated. 
• They were the nation who had access to a greater understanding of God through the law. 
• They were the nation who would display God’s love to the world.
• They were the race through which the Messiah would come. 

In order for the Jews to remain a separate nation for hundreds and hundreds of years, it was necessary for them to have a very strong national identity.  This identity kept them together through the time in Egypt, the years of the judges, the rise and fall of both kingdoms, the exile/captivity and their eventual dispersion throughout the world.  It was fully ingrained in the heart and mind of every single Jewish offspring, both male and female.  First and foremost, they were the people of God. 

Therefore, it is not surprising that the Jews of Paul’s day found it difficult to set aside the Jewish rites.  To think that these privileges or rites could become null and void was something they NEVER imagined.  To make the jump from forgiveness through the blood of the Passover lamb to the concept of forgiveness through the blood of Christ was, for them, almost inconceivable.  It must have felt like treason for them to give up their old ways.  To us it seems perfectly reasonable, but to them it was mind blowing. 

There is no doubt that prophetic events are difficult to understand before they unfold.  The Jews had difficulty understanding the implications of the reign of the Messiah.  We will face the same difficulties as prophetic events continue to unfold in our lifetimes.  For this reason, we should not judge them!   

So, we find that the Jews were bringing all of this baggage into the church with them.  In their minds, it made perfect sense to incorporate the old Jewish rites into Christianity.  When the Gentiles pushed back, it created a rift in the church.   

Left unchecked, these differences would have torn the church apart.  If not for the work of Holy Spirit, the final outcome would likely have been two churches – one Gentile and one Jewish.  But that was never God’s plan.  He always intended for Jews and Gentiles to come together into one united body of Christ:

John 10:14, 16 – I [Jesus] am the good shepherd.  I know my own and my own know me, …and I have other sheep that are not of this fold.  I must bring them also and they will listen to my voice.

Isaiah 49:6 - And he [God] said, “It is too small a thing that you [the Messiah] should be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved ones of Israel: I will also give you for a light to the Gentiles, that you may be my salvation unto the ends of the earth.”

In the remainder of chapter two, Paul will show that the most revered Jewish privilege – circumcision – is just like all of the other Jewish rites.  It is not a goal in and of itself; it is an outward physical sign which points to the inward spiritual truth of the gospel.  Its value was not in the act itself, but in what it represented – a change of heart.   

With this background in mind, let’s take a look at today’s text.   

GENERAL SUMMARY:  The final privilege or benefit Paul specifically mentions in chapter two was that of circumcision.  Physical circumcision was the original token of membership in the Jewish nation.  To be circumcised was proof that you were a descendent of Abraham and one of God’s chosen people. 

However, Paul is about to show that physical circumcision was not a ‘get into heaven free’ card.  It was a token or symbol of the spiritual circumcision of the heart required in the gospel dispensation.   

DIGGING DEEPER:  Circumcision is of value:  Under the old covenant, circumcision definitely had value.  It was proof that a man was a descendant of Abraham and part of the covenant between God and man.  It was required in order to be accepted by God and to enjoy all the other rights and privileges of being in the Jewish nation.  Naturally, the Jews attached great importance to this physical symbol. 

If you obey the law:   Circumcision was required if a person expected to obtain righteousness by the law.  But as we pointed out earlier, this path requires perfection.  You must perfectly follow the law every single day, in every single circumstance which is obviously impossible. 

Galatians 5: 3 – I [Paul] testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obliged to keep the whole law. 

But if you break the law, circumcision becomes uncircumcision:  For those who are unable to perform perfectly (that would be everyone), the law is of no help in justification before God and therefore physical circumcision profits nothing.  Paul correctly concludes that Jews who break the law are on the same spiritual level as any uncircumcised Gentile.  

We might phrase it this way:  Circumcision is of no value in obtaining justification before God, because man can’t be justified by his own works.  He can only be justified by faith (Romans chapter one).  

Think of it this way - It is a benefit/privilege to be born in a Christian nation, to have believing parents and grandparents, to be trained in the practical aspects of Christian life, to attend Sunday school, to be prayed over, and to be dedicated/baptized as a baby.  These things cannot justify us in the sight of God by themselves; they are benefits because they put us in a position where it is easier to understand and embrace salvation.

In the same way, circumcision in and of itself does not produce righteousness before God.  It (like all of the other Jewish privileges) was a benefit designed to make it easier for the Jews to understand that spiritual circumcision of the heart was required in the age of grace. 

Romans 2:26 – So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?

GENERAL SUMARY:  Paul has just declared that if a circumcised person (a Jew) failed to keep the law, he or she would be no different than an uncircumcised person (a Gentile). 

Therefore, the opposite must also be true.  If an uncircumcised person (a Gentile) was obedient to the moral precepts of the law, then he or she would be no different than a circumcised person (a Jew).   

DIGGING DEEPER:  There are basically two different interpretations of this verse.

The first interpretation says that Paul is posing a rhetorical question.  Those who hold to this theory say that Paul’s argument goes something like this:  IF there was a Gentile who fully understood the laws of God and IF he could keep that law perfectly at ALL times, THEN his uncircumcised state would be considered as circumcision.

The question is rhetorical, because the Gentiles are no more capable of fulfilling the letter of the law than the Jews are.   

The second interpretation claims that Paul is speaking literally.  Their basic view can be summed up this way:  Circumcision was given as a token of one who keeps the law; it is merely a sign that points one to the law.  Therefore, circumcision is subordinate or inferior to the law.  In other words, of the two, the law is the important one. 

Think of it this way – if you were starving and you saw a sign that pointed to a free meal, which would be more important – the food itself or the sign that pointed it out?  Obviously, it would be the food!  In the same way, it is more important to keep the law than to be circumcised.  

Those who hold this view point out that there were at least some Gentiles who were outside of the old covenant but nevertheless came to an understanding of what is contained in it (keeping a moral code, doing what is right).  Though these people did not have the seal of the old covenant in their flesh (circumcision), they exemplified the character and walk of the children of Abraham.  Therefore, their uncircumcision was considered circumcision. 

I Corinthians 7:19 – For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God.

Case in point, Cornelius the centurion:

Acts 10:1-2 – At Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of what was known as the Italian Cohort, a devout man who feared God with all his household, gave alms generously to the people, and prayed continually to God.

The bottom line is that acceptance by God does not depend on man’s external privileges but on the state of his heart and life.  Any person, Gentile or Jew, who believes in Christ and trusts in him alone for salvation, will be treated as righteous, regardless of whether he is circumcised in the flesh or not.   All such followers of Christ will then willingly circumcise their hearts, minds and actions to conform to God’s holy laws.

Therefore, the Jews should not be fooled into placing their confidence in the mere outward/physical token of circumcision.  Nor should they despise the Gentiles who are not circumcised in the flesh.

Romans 2:27 – Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law.

Remember, back in verse 17 Paul describes the Jews as people who relied upon their external keeping of the law; they felt secure in sinning against the law because of their spiritual privileges. 

Paul pushed back on that notion.  He clearly states that the actions of any obedient uncircumcised person who keeps the spirit of the law will stand in judgement against the actions of the disobedient circumcised Jew, who enjoyed the benefits of having the written law.  The writer of Hebrews makes this point:

Hebrews 11:7 – By faith Noah, being warned by God concerning events as yet unseen, in reverent fear constructed an ark for the saving of his household.  By this he condemned the world and became an heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.

Noah was not circumcised, but because he obeyed the spirit of the law by building the ark, he will condemn the world.  Scripture gives us other examples such as the people of Nineveh, and the queen of South (Matthew 12:41-42).

The Jews felt they were qualified to condemn/pass judgment on the Gentiles (Romans 2:1), but in reality, the obedient actions of the believing Gentiles would condemn the Jews.  

Romans 2:28 – For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 

Now Paul comes to the pinnacle of his argument against the Jewish reliance on their privileges under the law.  The very foundation of their boasting was circumcision. 

William Burkitt’s Expository Notes says it this way: “It was the hardest saying that could sound in a Jewish ear, to affirm, that circumcision which is outward in the flesh, profiteth nothing; for they so gloried in it, that they accounted it equal to the keeping of all the commandments of God…”

All of the Jewish rites and customs (even the name ‘Jew’) were designed as outward symbols of separation from the ungodly world.  Their purpose was to display a holy devotion of the heart and life to Jehovah.  For example, circumcision (the cutting off of the foreskin), was symbolic of mortification of the whole fleshly nature.  The point is that none of the outward, physical signs were of any value, unless an inward, invisible, spiritual change took place.  Once that change took place (as in the Christians at Rome), the other outward signs were no longer necessary.

Jeremiah 4:3-4 – For thus says the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: “Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns.  Circumcise yourselves to the Lord; remove the foreskin of your hearts…

See also Jeremiah 9:25-26, Ezekiel 44:6-9.

Romans 2:29 - 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.

A Jew is one inwardly:  A true Jew is not defined by natural descent or by profession or by the external symbol of circumcision.  A true Jew is one who is separated from the world and committed to devout obedience to the holy commands of God.  The true mark of one who is obedient to God is circumcision of the heart and mind which is reflected in the way they live their lives:

• True servants of God have the law of God written on their hearts, not on tablets of stone. 
• True servants of God have internal holiness, not just external righteousness. 
• True servants of God bear their Father’s name in their inward nature, not just in outward titles.
• True servants of God worship God in spirit and in truth, not just in outward motions.   

In Jeremiah 31:33 God declares that his covenant would be firm and permanent only when written upon the inward heart/mind of each Jew.

Philippians 3:3-4 – For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh…

Circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit:  True circumcision is an inward, invisible change that takes place in the heart.  It is a cutting away of the sinful nature and the rejection of everything that is offensive to God.  It is the purification of the heart from all filthy lusts, evil desires and sinful motivations.  It is a separation from the heathen world, and of consecration to the Jehovah, the Holy God.

It is a circumcision that is performed by Holy Spirit, not the hands of men.

His praise is not from man but from God:  The Jews who lived during the time of Christ greatly desired honor from men.  They attempted to obtain it by being scrupulous in the performance of all the duties of religion (Matthew 6:1-6, Luke 18:10-14, Matthew 23). 

Outward performance of religion may indeed win the praise of mankind, but of what value is that?  It is infinitely better to practice inward spiritual obedience and thus gain the approval and praise of God, who will reward each man according to his works on the Day of Judgment.

Let me offer you some encouragement: 

What circumcision, sacrifices, and the temple were to the Jews of old, baptism, communion/the Lord's supper, and public assemblies to the professing Christians of today. 

Circumcision was a sign which pointed to the cutting away of sin and defilement from the heart of each person.  It was of no use to the Jews unless it was accompanied by a true inward change of the heart.

So it is with the rites of today’s church.  For instance, baptism in and of itself does not save you.  Baptism is an outward sign which testifies to the inward change you have experienced by asking Christ to be your Savior.  Being submersed in the water signifies death to your old nature.  Coming up out of the water signifies being born again into new spiritual life. 

You can be baptized every week if you want, but unless an inward change has been made through the power of Holy Spirit, it is a useless empty ritual.

As difficult as it may be, I strongly encourage you to take a look at the religious rites you perform and see if you are truly pleasing God.

For example, is communion simply something you do once a month ‘just because’, or does it have a special meaning for you?  Do you take it as quickly as possible to get the service over with, or do you desire to linger in the presence of God?     

You might want to examine your motives in worship, the Lord’s supper, bible reading, fasting and other religious activities.  Repent for any imperfections you find, and ask Holy Spirit to assist you in doing what pleases and honors the Father.  

Let me offer you some relief:  

The inward change spoken of in today’s post does not happen by accident.  Neither does it happen in our own strength (whew!).  According to Romans 2:29, it happens through the power of Holy Spirit.

We must work hand in hand with him to circumcise our hearts.  When was the last time you felt him calling you to make a change?  If it’s been a while since you heard him speaking to you, or if you haven’t been actively working to circumcise a part of your heart lately, it’s time you sat down and had an encounter with Holy Spirit.  He is standing by right now to lead you in the circumcision of your heart.   

Let me offer you some strength:  

The Jews were misunderstood and often ridiculed by the Gentiles for their unusual customs and religious beliefs.  As Christians, we should not be surprised to be treated the same way. 

Just like the Jews, we too refrain from many of the accepted practices of the world.  We are committed to serving the one true God, Jehovah.  We live by a moral code that is not common in our society.  The differences go on and on. 

But there is no reason to be troubled.  In fact, Jesus tells us to rejoice and be exceedingly glad when unbelievers speak evil about us or persecute us, because he will make sure that we are greatly rewarded in heaven (Matthew 5:11-12).    

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Romans 2:17 – But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God…

Welcome back, readers!  Here in chapter two, Paul has given the general principles on which God would judge the world.  The bottom line is that the Jews could no more expect to be justified before God by the law of Moses than the Gentiles could by the law of nature/conscience. 

GENERAL SUMMARY:  Paul now goes on to prove that the privileges of the Jewish nation which were a source of boasting, pride and glory to them, were insufficient to justify them before God.  In fact, Paul will show that these privileges will actually enhance their condemnation, if abused.

DIGGING DEEPER:  But:  Up until now, Paul has not specifically called out the Jews.  Instead, he has merely referred to ‘those who judge’.  He does this so that the Jews will listen to the arguments he is making.  His hope is that the discourse thus far in chapter two will cause the consciences of the Jews to awaken and convict them for their hypocrisy.

However, Paul now abandons all generalizations and comes straight to the point.  For the remainder of this chapter he begins to speak about the specific privileges and superior spiritual knowledge that the Jews possessed – and misused. 

As we will see, the Jews were guilty of the same sins as the Gentiles, despite their advantages.  Therefore, their greater knowledge ceased to be a blessing.  It actually became a curse - it resulted in greater guilt/condemnation because they did not make good use of the advantages they were given. 

Call yourself a Jew:  Have you ever wondered how the people of the Hebrew nation became known as ‘Jews’?

In the earliest days of the nation, they were called ‘the children of Israel’.  This was an obvious name, since Jacob (the father of the 12 tribes) had his name changed to Israel after he wrestled with God (Genesis 32:28). 

This name was the standard designation for God’s people until the era of the kings.  Under the rule of Rehoboam, son of Solomon, the kingdom split into two parts (I Kings 12).  The northern kingdom consisted of ten tribes.  It retained the name Israel.  The southern kingdom consisted of two tribes – Judah and Benjamin.  This kingdom became known as Judah.  Benjamin was probably dropped from the nomenclature because it was a very small tribe with comparatively little influence or importance.  So, the Judahites, the people of the southern kingdom, became known as ‘Jews’:

II Kings 16:6 – At that time, Rezin king of Syria captured Elath for Syria, and drove the Jews from Elath…

The question is, when did the people of the other ten tribes adopt that name?  All scholars agree that it happened after the overthrow of the northern kingdom by the Assyrians in 722 BC.

Some scholars believe it was adopted as early as the downfall and subsequent exile/dispersion of the southern kingdom in 586 BC.  The Old Testament contains many post-exilic references to the Jews (Esther 4:3, Daniel 3:8, Nehemiah 2:16, etc).  Others feel the term ‘Jew’ wasn’t universally adopted until the height of influence of Judas Maccabeus (167-160 BC). 

In either case, when the Jews found themselves with no kingdom or central government, they needed a way to keep their nationality.  They did not want to be assimilated into the other nations of the world and disappear.   

Consequently, the children of Israel were happy to call themselves Jews because this term identified them as being the offspring of Abraham as well as heirs of God’s covenant.  Plus, it was an added honor because they knew the Messiah was to come from the tribe of Judah (Genesis 49:10). 

Eventually the term ‘Jew’ became synonymous with all the religious favors and privileges given to that nation by God.  

According to the Jews of Paul’s day, it was the highest of earthly honors to bear the name ‘Jew’.  They considered all other national distinctions, even Romans and Greeks, as being far inferior to the themselves. 

However, while there was some truth in that, the Jews carried it to a ridiculous extreme.  They should have been honored to carry the name Jew so they could humbly bless the other nations of the earth by sharing divine revelation of the true God.  Instead, they used the title to justify their self-importance and look down upon others with contempt.  This was only the beginning of their folly.    

Rely on the law:   In this case, the law includes all the rules and regulations of the Mosaic law as well as the writings of Moses and the prophets.  Basically, it included the entire Old Testament.   

How did the Jews rely on the law? 

The Jews believed they were distinguished or favored above other nations by simply being the recipients and caretakers of the law.  Again, there was some truth in this belief.  They were given an understanding of God’s divine standards.  More so than any other people group, they knew what God approved and what he condemned.  They could distinguish right from wrong and truth from lies.    

The problem is that they believed possession of the law gave them an assurance of salvation; they believed it made them acceptable in God’s sight.  Consequently, they again elevated themselves above others.  Anyone who did not have a knowledge off the law like they did was considered to be a dog or a swine. 

Furthermore, it was their belief that possession of the law gave them the liberty to indulge in all manner of unrighteousness with impunity.  According to their belief, they were favored by God, and therefore he would be tolerant of their sin.  What would be a damnable offence for a Gentile would amount to a slap on the wrist for them.  

What they conveniently forgot (or ignored) was the fact that superior knowledge of God’s laws does not excuse the guilt of sin - it enhances it!  Consequently, it also increases the certainty and severity of punishment.      

Boast in God:  Because they had the law, the Jews boasted that they had exclusive knowledge of the true God.  They walked in spiritual light, while other nations were in darkness.  Again, there was a basis of truth in this belief; this is one more example of the privileges enjoyed by the Jews.  

It was absolutely true that at that time, only the Jews had a true knowledge of God.  But that knowledge wasn’t something they earned or discovered through much study, contemplation or thought.  They put absolutely no work into acquiring this knowledge; it was freely and generously given to them by the grace of God, because he had chosen them for his own peculiar people (Deuteronomy 4:7, Psalms 147:19-20). 

So, obviously this was not a reason for them to boast in themselves – it was a reason for them to humble themselves and exhibit gratitude.  God is the sure source of all hope, joy, wisdom and knowledge; to know him and be employed in his service is the highest honor that can be given to any person.  Accordingly, the Jews should have humbled themselves and boasted in God alone:

Jeremiah 9:24 - …let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth.  For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.

Instead, the Jews boasted in their exclusive knowledge of God’s law.  As if that wasn’t bad enough, rather than sharing their knowledge they took great pleasure in the ignorance of the Gentiles; they had no desire to share the divine revelation that had been graciously given to them.   

They were proud and delighted to be the people of God while all other nations were strangers to him.  They boasted of worship to the true God, while all other nations served worthless idols.

Their actions show what was in their hearts.  Had they genuinely gloried or boasted in the Lord, they would have done everything in their power to share his truths and blessings with other people.  By withholding knowledge of God from others, they proved that their only concern was to boast in themselves and to flaunt their exclusive privileges.   

Romans 2:18 - …and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law;

Know his will:   The phrase ‘God’s will’ refers to the commands of God as revealed in the law which reflect his desires and purposes for mankind.  These commands revealed what was righteous (what was to be done/practiced) and what was evil (what was to be avoided).  It was the possession and knowledge of this law that separated the Jews from other nations/people groups. 

And approve:   To approve is to distinguish; to prove, test or examine.  The word in the original text is usually applied to the process of testing metals by fire, but it is also used in a general sense of trying/examining something in order to determine its nature or quality.  In this case, it refers to the act of distinguishing good from evil. 

It does not mean that the person who approves of something strives to do what is good.  It only means that they recognize the difference between good and evil.  For example, we might recognize that it is good to feed the hungry, but that doesn’t necessarily mean we are feeding them.  We might recognize that it is evil to steal from our workplace, but that doesn’t mean we aren’t stealing; it only means we know the practice is evil.

This becomes apparent in the case of the Jews - they were so learned in the law that they could pass judgment on the conduct of others, however, they did not regulate their own lives according to that judgment.  

What is excellent:   The root word denotes that which is different from others, or that which excels.  The idea is that the Jews had a knowledge of God which showed them how to walk so as to please him, and consequently receive blessings.  The reference is to the rites and customs of the law, including the dietary laws, the practice of circumcision, ceremonial washings, observance of holy days, temple sacrifices, etc.  Through systematic teaching and practice, the Jews were all well versed in these rites of the law.

Because you are instructed from the law:   The Jews were not instructed in the law in a haphazard manner.  It would be more accurate to say they were indoctrinated into it. 

Beginning in the earliest stages of life, they were taught the precepts of the law in their homes by their parents.  They were also trained to actively observe the law.  For instance, they strictly abided by the dietary laws, they observed Passover and other holy days, they brought sacrifices to the temple, etc.  As adults, their study of the law continued each week in the synagogue.  They had an additional layer of instruction as well - the community at large ensured that adherence to the law was strictly enforced.   

The Jews prided themselves on the fact that they had been taught by the law to make distinctions between good and evil, while the heathen remained ignorant. 

To know was indeed a privilege which others did not have, but the Jews failed once again to realize that divine knowledge becomes a curse to those who do not live by it.  People who know God’s will and fail to do it will suffer more than those who are ignorant.  (Luke 12:47).

Romans 2:19 - …and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,

If you are sure:   This verse continues the thought from verse 18.  Because the Jews were so well schooled in the precepts of the law, they were fully confident that their knowledge of right and wrong was superior to all other people.  They were completely sure that God was the author of all their religious institutions and rites and their religion was appointed from him.

This belief led to the assumption that they had the ability to direct the lives of others, especially by assisting proselytes/converts to the faith.  And of course, they were right – but they didn’t use this privilege wisely.

Instead of truly assisting those who sought to know Jehovah, they piled difficult and useless burdens upon them.  They trained converts to be as wicked and prideful as themselves.  Instead of being excited that a heathen had come to know the Lord, they gloried in the number of converts ‘they’ had won.

Matthew 15:15 – Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites!  For you travel across sea and land to make a single proselyte, and when he becomes a proselyte, you make him twice as much a child of hell as yourselves.   

You yourself are a guide to the blind:   ‘Guiding the blind’ is a figurative expression which means to teach or instruct the ignorant.  The ‘blind’ are clearly the Gentiles, who did not have a knowledge of the laws of God.  The Jews had long considered themselves qualified to instruct the heathen and not surprisingly, they were proud of it (Matthew 15:14, Matthew 23:16).

A light to those in darkness:   As you are well aware, the term ‘light’ is a figurative expression which means a teacher or to teach (Isaiah 49:6, John 1:4-5, 8-9).  This is opposed to ‘darkness’ which denotes ignorance (Matthew 4:16).  Specifically, the Jews had the knowledge and opportunity to share their spiritual light with the Gentiles, who were walking in complete spiritual darkness.   

There is some disagreement as to whether Paul is referring to all the Jewish people in verses 18-19, or particularly the leaders/doctors/teachers of the law.  What do you think?  

Romans 2:20 - …an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth –

Instructor of the foolish:  In scripture, the term ‘foolish’ has two distinct meanings – those who are wicked and those who are ignorant or void of understanding.  In this case, the latter definition applies.

• If Paul is addressing all of the Jews in verses 18-19, then the foolish are the Gentiles.
• If Paul is only addressing the doctors/teachers of the Jewish law in verses 18-19, then the foolish may either be the Gentiles or the common Jews.

In either case, the Jews believed they were well qualified to teach spiritual matters to the unlearned.     

Teacher of children:  This has the same meaning as the phrase above.  Just as an adult teacher would instruct a child in the basics of life (reading, writing, cooking, etc), so the Jews felt they were qualified to teach the Gentiles on spiritual matters. 

Aside from their prideful attitude, there was yet another issue with the Jews teaching spiritual truth to the Gentiles – they taught facts, but not true obedience of the heart.  If you think about it, this makes perfect sense.  Teachers can only teach what they know.  Since the Jews as a whole were only concerned with the outward practice of the law, that was the only knowledge they could impart to others.

The embodiment:  The word translated ‘embodiment’ denotes the appearance of an object.  We might also use the term model, pattern or picture.  In fact, it can even mean to have a mental picture of something. 

If you are home right now, just look at one of the photographs you have on display.  If you are not home, close your eyes and get a mental picture of that photograph.  The photograph is an embodiment of the person in the picture. 

The main thing we want to know about an embodiment is that it focuses on external appearance rather than on what is internal and invisible. 

When Paul states that the Jews have an embodiment or form of the truth in the law, he is saying that in their teaching they retained a picture or model of the true doctrines of the Old Testament.  They had a correct representation of truth as defined under the law.

However, while Paul concedes that the Jews did indeed have a superior knowledge of the law and commands of God, he will go on to show that they had abused their stewardship of this truth. 

Instead of embracing and exercising the knowledge they had (being a doer of the law and not a hearer only), they simply took it for granted that their knowledge alone would excuse their behavior.  They did not allow the law to change the internal, invisible parts of themselves – their hearts.    

Of knowledge and truth:  There is some disagreement over the words ‘truth and knowledge’. 

• Some bible commentators believe that truth refers to what should be believed while knowledge refers to morals/outward conduct. 
• Others believe the two words are used together signify the fullness of the law. 
• There are also those who believe the two separate words should be put together as in ‘true knowledge’. 

In the end, the exact definition does not change Paul’s point, which is this:  In the mind of the Jews, they alone possessed true knowledge; they were God’s chosen/favorite people.  They were the stewards of everything that was worthy to be learned – the system of eternal truth derived from the law.  Any nation who wanted this truth, had to get it from them.

Yet again, we must point out that this is true – the Jews were the representatives of God on earth at that time.  But they were a very corrupt representation because they did not act in a manner worthy of a people who had been given such distinguished advantages.   

Romans 2:21-22 - …you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself?  While you preach against stealing, do you steal?  You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery?  You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

GENERAL SUMMARY:  Now Paul gets down to real life.  He is calling attention to the discrepancy between what the Jews taught from the law (do not steal) with their actual outward actions (stealing).  Paul is not implying that ALL Jews were thieves and adulterers, he is simply pointing out that the Jews did not practice what they preached. 

DIGGING DEEPER:  Paul mentions several specific sins in the next few verses, probably because these sins were prevalent among the Jews at this particular time.     

Stealing:  There is some evidence (both historical and biblical) to suggest that the Jews were known to steal items from the temples of idols.  Case in point, in Acts 19 Paul and his companions had apparently been accused of just such a crime.  We know this because the town clerk at Ephesus declared them innocent of the charge:

Acts 19:37 – For you [the rioters at Ephesus] have brought here these men, who are neither robbers of temples, nor yet blasphemers of your goddess.

The implication is that Jews were known to steal from temples.  This practice many not have been common, but at the very least there were several notorious instances.  These offences were mostly attributed to Jewish zealots who stole from the temples of idols as part of their profession of hating idolatry.      

However, there are a couple of obvious problems with this practice.  First off, the law clearly prohibits stealing (Exodus 20:15).  Second, according to the law in Deuteronomy 7, if a Jew had control over an idol and/or its altar, both were to be utterly destroyed and burned with fire.  But this does not seem to be the outcome of the temple thievery during Paul’s day.  Instead, the items were kept or sold for personal gain.  Greed seems to have been the motivating factor, rather than religious zeal. 

Adultery:  Adultery can be taken in a literal or spiritual sense.  Spiritually speaking, the scriptures compare man’s relationship to God as a marriage with God as the husband and mankind as the wife.  When man is unfaithful to God, it is referred to as adultery (Isaiah 57:3, Hosea 3:1, etc). 

However, Paul is most likely referring to literal sexual sins which were very common during this time in Israel’s history.

Idolatry/robbing temples:   Paul could not accuse the Jews of idolatry in its strictest sense (bowing down before an image or attributing divine actions to it).  Even though it was a besetting sin in their past, the nation as a whole had been free of this crime since the Babylonish captivity.  But they were guilty of idolatry in a different sense.

Let’s take a closer look.  Our translation says, ‘Do you rob temples’ while other translations say, ‘Do you commit sacrilege’.  Practically speaking, these amount to the same thing.    

Sacrilege is the crime of violating or profaning sacred things.  It includes taking things that are sacred (set apart for holy uses) and using them for common purposes.  For example, if one of the temple priests took a handful of incense from the temple and burned it at his own home, that would sacrilege.   

Idolatry is a form of robbing God.  It happens when people take what rightfully should be given to God (glory, honor, service, worship, money, lambs/sacrifices, etc) and use it for other purposes or give it to something other than the Lord.  For example. if a family had an animal that should be given to God as a sacrifice but they sold it instead, that would be robbing God.  

Thus, idolatry and sacrilege are intertwined - all idolatry is a form of sacrilege.        

This kind of sacrilege/idolatry is well documented in secular history (Josephus) as well as the prophets.  For example, the Jews were prone to withholding tithes and offerings from the temple and/or offering imperfect animals as sacrifices (Malachi 1:8, 12-14, 3:8-9).  Examples of sacrilege/idolatry are also found in the New Testament as well.  For example, the Jews were using the temple to line their own pockets by selling merchandise there (Luke 19:45-46).

The bottom line is this:  The Jews may not have been bowing down before golden calves any more, but they were still guilty of idolatry.  They professed to condemn this practice and they judged the Gentiles for it, yet they themselves were guilty of the same offence.

Romans 2:23-24 – You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law.  For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

GENERAL SUMMARY:  This verse is an answer to the rhetorical questions just posed in the prior verses.  Paul’s unmistakable point is that the Jews, who boasted in the law, were guilty of breaking that same law.  In so doing, they dishonored God before the Gentile world.  Jehovah is perfect, holy, merciful and omnipotent, but the Jews painted a picture of him as cruel, proud, unfair and inept.  Why would the Gentiles want to serve a God like that?   

DIGGING DEEPER:  You who boast in the law:  Men do not boast about things they have no regard for.  Therefore, by boasting in the law, the Jews proclaimed their conviction that it was from God and that it had great value.

Dishonor God by breaking the law:   The old saying holds true - actions speak louder than words.  God is glorified by good works, but dishonored by evil ones.  His authority as the law giver is despised by those who sin or walk in disobedience.  So, regardless of what they proclaimed, the Jews consistently dishonored God by breaking the law.   

The Jews proclaimed themselves as the representatives of God on earth.  When they practiced deceit and duplicity, the Gentiles ascribed these same characteristics to God.  When the Jews stole (took what did not belong to them) or practiced adultery (unfaithfulness) or practiced sacrilege (wrongful appropriation of services and goods), the Gentiles naturally assumed that Jehovah could be expected to exhibit the same traits. 

Furthermore, these actions cast doubt upon God’s omniscience and omnipotence.  The Gentiles felt that if God was really cognizant of all things, he would take notice of the sins of the Jews and if he were really sovereign, he would punish their misdeeds.  (Keep in mind, the Gentiles knew nothing of God’s final day of judgment or of his longsuffering which allows time for repentance.)

Therefore, the sins of the Jews dishonored and blasphemed the name and character of the one true God in front of the heathen, who did not know him (II Samuel 12:14, Ezekiel 36:20, 23).  Why would the Gentiles want to serve a God like that?  How was he any different than the false idols they already served?

It was a monstrous thing for the very group of people who derived their glory, blessings and privileges from God to turn around and disgrace his holy name.

Let me offer you some encouragement:  

In today’s post, we noted that there was a time when the Jews felt it was the highest of earthly honors to bear the name ‘Jew’.  We might say the same ourselves – it is the highest earthly honor to bear the name ‘Christian’. 

What greater honor could be bestowed upon us than to be a child of the Most High God?  What greater pleasure could there be than to have a relationship with him?  To understand his ways, to live in his mercy and to be in his active service?  

Take a few minutes and dwell on the riches and benefits of being a Christian.  I know you will walk away from this post feeling honored to be called by that name.   

Let me offer you some relief and strength:  

When you bear the name ‘Christian’, you bear some responsibilities as well. 

Just like the Jews during the era of the law, we are to demonstrate Christ to the unbelievers.  We are to be as much like Christ in thoughts, motivations and actions as we can be; we are Christ’s representatives here on earth.   

In some ways that’s a scary thought!  But fortunately for us, God has not just left us to do this in our own strength.  He has given us the gift of Holy Spirit.  If you are a Christian, Holy Spirit is already living in your heart.  He has already ‘sealed’ you for the day of redemption and he is already at work in your life growing spiritual fruit, convicting you of sin and other important things.

But know this – there is another level of power available to you through his ministry.  This power will help you as you demonstrate the love of God to unbelievers.  It is commonly referred to as the baptism of Holy Spirit, and it is available to you, right now. 

If you have not prayed to receive this baptism, I strongly encourage you to search the scriptures on this topic and seek this gift.    

If you already have this gift, I encourage you to make full use of it.  Speak in your heavenly language on a regular basis.  Listen to the voice of the Spirit as he leads you to specific people who need to see and understand his love.  Earnestly seek one of the additional spiritual gifts available for our use here on earth (I Corinthians 14). 

God want’s us to walk in victory and that is possible with the help of Holy Spirit!

 

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Romans 2:12 – 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.

Welcome back to our study of the book of Romans.  In the first two chapters, Paul is showing that both Jews and Gentiles are sinful and thus under a curse which results in spiritual death.  They are in need of a way to be righteous before God.

He particularly dealt with the Greeks/Gentiles in chapter one.  Now in chapter two he is focusing on the Jews.  They labored under the false assumption that their national connection with God would exempt them from judgment, but Paul systematically tears that defense apart.  He shows that both Gentiles and Jews stand upon the exact same level in the judgment of God. 

In the first two chapters, Paul has a lot to say about the Gentiles who are ‘without the law’ and the Jews who are ‘under the law’.  Let’s look at an example that might make these distinctions clearer.

Suppose you went outside on a warm, clear summer night.  As you look up at the sky, you see a full moon and many stars.  You can see the shape of the moon, and you can see there are many shadows on the surface.  You might even think they look like a face or some other picture.  There are a large number of stars, but you can’t tell how many or what size they are.

Now let’s suppose you get a super powerful telescope and look at the moon again.  Now you can see things in greater detail.  You realize that what looked like shadows are actually changes in the terrain – mountains, valleys and craters.  You can also see signs of volcanic activity like old lava flows and bumpy ridges.  You can find specific mountain ranges that experts have identified, named and studied.  You can also see that the number of stars far exceeds the number you could see with just your eyes.  You can also see other heavenly bodies that you couldn’t see before.

In both scenarios, you are looking at the exact same moon and the exact same stars; they have not changed a single iota.  The difference is that the telescope reveals greater and more accurate details about the moon/stars that you couldn’t see otherwise. 

So it is with the law of nature/conscience and the Mosaic law.  

God revealed himself to the Gentiles through nature.  It was an imperfect view, but it was enough for them to know that God existed and that he had standards of right and wrong. 

The Jews, meanwhile, had an actual relationship with God.  In addition, he gave his law to them.  This provided them with a much greater and clearer understanding of him and his standards of righteousness and sin, just like the telescope provides the viewer with a greater understanding of the heavenly bodies. 

In chapters one and two, Paul makes it clear that both groups had a knowledge of God, which made them aware of the standards of God’s righteousness.  Both groups broke God’s laws.  Both groups are subject to the judgment of God, which will occur at the end of this age, on the Day of Judgment. 

God’s judgment of both groups will be completely fair and righteous, because he will judge them based on the amount of understanding they possessed:   

• He will judge the Jews according to the law, because they were in covenant with him and had his written word as well as intimate interactions with him. 
• He will judge the Gentiles according to the law of nature and the witness of their conscience, because that was the amount of spiritual light they had.    

Of course, we can add a third group to Paul’s discussion – those who have heard the gospel.

The gospel is the fullest revelation of God to mankind.  It involves God himself literally coming to earth in human form, in the person of Jesus Christ.  He came to destroy the works of the devil (I John 3:8), to give himself as a perfect sacrifice for our sin (I John 2:2), and to give us a greater revelation of the Father:

John 14:7 – If you had known me, you would have known my Father also.  From now on you do know him and have seen him.

John 10:30 – I and my Father are one.

Matthew 11:27 – All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.

As if that were not enough, Jesus has released his Holy Spirit on earth to guide us into all truth (John 16:13), to bear witness about Christ (John 15:26) and to assist us in our spiritual walk (John 14:26).

In the analogy we used earlier, we might say that those who live in the age of grace are like people who have access to pictures and information about the moon from the Hubble telescope or one of the many land rovers that are currently on the moon itself, sending back copious amounts of information to earth. 

We have access to the greatest and most profound level of knowledge about God that has ever been given.  Like those who came before us, we will be judged by the amount of light/knowledge we have. 

Romans 2:13 – For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.

GENERAL SUMMARY:  Paul is addressing the Jews in this verse.  His point is that reading or being familiar with the law does not make one holy.  Technically, one could be justified by the law IF (and it’s a big IF) a person could be in perfect obedience to the law in all instances, both outwardly (in their practice of the Mosaic rites) and in inwardly (by their thoughts and motivations). 

All of us are smart enough to know that this will never happen!  The only person who was able to do this was Jesus. 

Paul is building up to the conclusion that no one can be justified by the law, because no one can perfectly obey it.  People need another way to be righteous before God – we need a Savior.   

DIGGING DEEPER:  Hearers of the law:  The Jews were often referred to as ‘hearers’ of the law.  This may refer back to the times when the entire law was publicly read to the nation (Exodus 24:7, Joshua 8:34-35, II Kings 23:2, etc). 

This was done because in ancient times, people did not have their own personal copy of the law.  Public readings ensured that everyone would be aware of what the law required.  These readings were routinely scheduled to occur every seven years, during the Feast of Tabernacles/Booths (Deuteronomy 31:9-13).  They also occurred on special occasions, especially when the nation rededicated itself to the service of the Lord. 

During the time of Christ, the Jews were also considered hearers of the law because the law was read in the synagogue every sabbath day (Acts 15:21, Luke 4:16).  There can be no doubt whatsoever that the Jews heard the law.

The problem is that the Jews believed respect and knowledge of the law rendered them safe from judgment.  But they were wrong – increased knowledge of divine law actually increased their responsibility to righteously discharge their religious duties; to be justified by the law, they must be a ‘doer’ of it.

Doers of the law:  Righteousness by the law can only be obtained in the perfection of works; if righteousness is sought from the law, that law must be perfectly fulfilled.

A ‘doer’ of the law is a person who perfectly and entirely complies with the law’s demands, both external (by actions, works) and internal (thoughts, motivations). 

In other words, to be justified by the law in God’s sight, a person must comply with ALL the requirements of the law, at ALL times, and in ALL circumstances because justification requires perfect and perpetual obedience.  Even one failure would place you under the curse of death:

Galatians 3:10 – For all who rely on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, “Cursed be everyone who does not abide by all things written in the Book of the Law, and do them.”

Now let’s use our common sense for a minute.  Do you know of anyone (other than Jesus) who has been perfectly obedient to both the internal and external requirements of the law for their entire lives?  Of course not!  Because of our fallen nature, we are incapable of fulfilling the law.

We can conclude that the law, which the Jews thought would be their salvation, was actually a curse – it would be the impossible standard by which they would be judged.  Like the Gentiles, the Jews need another path to find righteousness before God. 

Romans 2:14 – For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.

GENERAL SUMMARY:  Paul just informed the Jews that if they were going to try and justify themselves by the law, they must perfectly keep all the requirements of the law at all times. 

In verses 14-15 he shows that the same principle applies to the Gentiles.  They had a limited knowledge of God through the law of nature and the witness of their consciences.  In order to be justified, they would need to perfectly obey the divine commands revealed to them by God.

DIGGING DEEPER:  Gentiles:  Paul is now speaking of the Gentiles.

Who do not have the law:  As you know, the Gentiles did not have the written commands of God as revealed in the law of Moses. 

By nature do what the law requires:  As we have mentioned in our previous posts, God revealed himself to the Gentiles through the law of nature and the witness of their consciences.  Practically speaking, this means:   

• There is a law of nature written by God in the hearts of all people, where the common notions of good and evil are understood. 
• The Gentiles had a sense of justice and equity, honor and purity, love and charity.   
• Practically speaking, they understood that it was wrong to murder, steal or lie.  They knew it was right to show mercy, to maintain public peace/order, obey their parents, etc.

The point is that even though these laws did not come to them in written form, they understood them in their hearts/minds.

They are a law to themselves:  This is obvious from the fact that every nation on earth forms some kind of laws for itself.  Once established, the society proceeds to punish those who break their laws and reward or view with favor those who keep them.  Clearly, they have some notion of justice implanted within their hearts which serves as the basis for these civil laws.

Furthermore, the internal law of nature creates a choice within the life off each Gentile – they can choose to do what is right and glorify God or they can choose to do what is wrong and embrace sin.

There is no doubt that at times, every Gentile did what was right.  Sometimes they exhibited moral honesty, generosity and mercy.  When they did what was right, their conscience gave them approval.    

But there were also times in the life of every Gentile when they chose the path of sin, at times giving themselves over to utter depravity.  When they did so, their conscience reproached/condemned them for their actions.

Think of it this way:  In Exodus 20:15 the written law says, “You shall not steal.”  A Jewish person might refrain from stealing based on this written command.  A Gentile, though knowing nothing of this command, may refrain from stealing based on his conscience.

Thus, we find that even without the written law, the Gentiles have a form of the law.

This puts the Gentiles are in the same situation as the Jews – if they wanted to be justified in the sight of God based on the laws of nature and conscience, they would have to exhibit complete righteousness in every outward action as well as every thought and motivation of their hearts.  Those who failed to do so even once find themselves under the wrath of God.  

Romans 2:15 – They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them…

The work of the law:  The ‘work’ or the purpose of the law was to make a person see/understand their moral duty and put them under obligation to do it.  

Written on their hearts:  In the case of the Jews, the revealed law of God was written on tables of stone and then recorded in the books of the Old Testament.  In the case of the Gentiles, the same basic requirements were written internally in their hearts. 

The term ‘heart’ refers to the mind or the seat of reasoning as opposed to the seat of affections.  The Gentiles did not necessarily love or even approve of God’s laws, but nevertheless, they had a knowledge of it and that is the point. 

Conscience bearing witness:  The Gentiles could not deny the existence of this knowledge, because it was affirmed by their conscience in every decision they made, whether good or bad.

Romans 2:16 - …on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

On that day:  Just as a reminder, Paul is discoursing on the Day of Judgment, which occurs at the end of this age.  The Jews felt that they would be exempt from this judgment because of their national relationship to God and because they attempted to live by the Mosaic law.  By contrast, they were sure that the Gentiles would be judged harshly because they were ‘rank sinners’ who were not favored by God like they were. 

But bit by bit and truth upon truth Paul shows that both Jews and Gentiles are sinners who cannot be justified by the law – whether that be the law of Moses or the law of nature. 

According to my gospel:   Obviously, Paul is not the author of the gospel.  However, as an apostle, he was entrusted to preach the gospel message and one of the great truths contained in the gospel is that God will judge the world by Jesus Christ:

John 5:22 – The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son…

Paul can say it is his gospel in the sense that God’s judgment is part of the message he was entrusted to share with the world.  God is the author of the message and the authority behind the judgment; Paul is simply the messenger.

Paul may be using this phrase to distinguish his teaching on the subject from the teachings of other false teachers/apostles.

When God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus:  It is an indisputable fact that there will be a day of judgment. It is an indisputable fact that all men will face a judgment of some kind on that day.  It is also indisputable that on that day, the secret thoughts and hidden motivations of our hearts will be laid bare or brought to light; no amount of human denial will change this fact.  

Ecclesiastes 12:14 – For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil.

(See also Matthew 10:26, I Corinthians 4:5).  Although God is the judge of the world, he will execute judgment by/through Christ, for he is appointed by the Father to be the judge of the living and the dead:

Acts 10:42 – And he [Jesus] commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead.

(See also John 5:22 & 27, Acts 17:31, II Timothy 4:1, I Peter 4:5, Matthew 25:31-46, etc).

Jesus is divine, sovereign, omnipotent and omniscient.  He is also our brother according to the flesh (Hebrews 2:10-18).  He is clearly qualified to be our judge.  Because Christ is the judge, judgment will be not only perfect, righteous and just, it will also be full and complete with everything being taken into account:  

• The thoughts, motivations and principles of a person constitute their true character.  In order to have a fair and impartial judgment, these must be known.  That is why only Christ is qualified to judge. 
• People are not judged or rewarded in this life because only Christ can discern and reveal his/her heart and that happens at the end of this age.  Since a person’s outward conduct is all that is visible in this life, that is all that can be rewarded or punished in this life by men.  
• In this world, people of pure motives are often marginalized, mocked and reproached.  Meanwhile, people with corrupt motives and wicked character are often celebrated and approved.  It is fitting that all be revealed and put in order at the coming of Christ.
• God is the God, Father, and Judge of all.  In one degree or another he has revealed himself to all and he expects proportionate obedience in return.  Consequently, Jesus will judge, and either reward or punish all the nations of the world under different dispensations, according to their degree of light/truth (Acts 10:34-35). 

This leads us to the inescapable conclusion that God will judge both Jews and Gentiles on the last day; the Jews will not receive a ‘free pass’ on judgement day.

Let me offer you some encouragement, relief and strength:

As we pointed out in today’s post, all those who live in the age of grace (including you and I) have access to the greatest and most profound level of knowledge/revelation about God that has ever been given.  Like those who came before us, we will be judged by the amount of truth/light we have.

I’m not saying this to scare you or to condemn you.  I’m calling it to your attention so you can properly steward what you have been given.  Take a minute and consider your own relationship to the word/revelation of God that you have been given:

We have unlimited access to the word of God.  The written word is available in nearly any format - you can have it in print, in an electronic version on your phone, in audible form, or even in video form.  It is accessible 24/7.  It comes in any language.  It is available in numerous easy-to-read translations. 

Do you and I take advantage of this knowledge, or are we taking it for granted? 

Must we force ourselves to read a small portion each week based upon our perceived duty, or do we read it daily with pleasure because it is a form of fellowship with God? 

Do we strive to understand what it says/reveals, or do we just hurriedly rush through the text to get finished? 

Are we exhibiting spiritual maturity by finding the promises contained in the word and standing upon them in faith?  Or are we still acting like immature children who continually rely on someone else to pray for us and seek victory on our behalf? 

When we hide the word in our hearts, it keeps us from sinning against God (Psalms 119:11).  When is the last time you memorized a scripture?

The scriptures were written by Holy Spirit (II Peter 1:16-21).  Since he is living and breathing, so is the word.  It imparts spiritual life to us when we read and study it.  Holy Spirit uses it to guide us into all truth and avoid false teaching.  Would you be able to identify a subtle false teaching if you heard it, or would you be fooled because you only have a vague knowledge of the word?

Are we open to other spiritual gifts that are promised in the word?

You may feel like today’s post isn’t very encouraging or strengthening, but I beg to differ.  True love and concern for another person’s spiritual welfare demands that we face the truth, even if it stings for a moment. 

It is far better for us to face a few minutes of uncomfortableness now, than to lose our opportunity to be good and faithful stewards in God’s kingdom.

So, I leave you with this final question: What are you doing with the light you have?

 

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Romans 2:6 – He will render to each one according to his works,

As we learned in our last post, the Jews were under the mistaken notion that only the Gentiles would be subject to judgment, while they would automatically be admitted to the kingdom of God because of their birthright and because they adhered to the Mosaic laws/ceremonies. 

The Jews may indeed have performed the prescribed Mosaic rites, but they often did so with their hearts full of sin:

Mark 7:6 – He [Jesus] answered and said unto them, “Well has Isaiah prophesied of you hypocrites [the Jews], as it is written, ‘This people honor me with their lips, but their heart is far from me.’”

Furthermore, the Jews pointed to their earthly prosperity as a sign that God was pleased with them.  However, they misinterpreted his blessings – one of the main purposes of God’s goodness and patience was to give them a chance to repent.

Paul goes on to say that God has a final Day of Judgment already scheduled.  On that day, God will call men into account for their lives.  Regardless of whether you are a Jew or a Gentile, God will render to each person according to the works they have done in this life.  Let’s examine this further.  

GENERAL SUMMARY:  Paul is about to make three important points in this verse.  One, God is the judge of all things and he is completely impartial and just in his rulings.  Two, he will judge every single person; no one gets a ‘free pass’ (Hebrews 9:27).  Three, people will be judged according to their works, not for their works.

DIGGING DEEPER:  He:  In this passage of scripture, Paul is speaking about the judgment which will occur at the end of the world.  On that day, God (he) will be the judge of all things:  

Daniel 7:9-10 – As I [Daniel] looked, thrones were placed, and the Ancient of Days took his seat; …a thousand thousands served him, and ten thousand times ten thousand stood before him; the court sat in judgment, and the books were opened.

No one will be able to dispute his judgments because they are perfect, just and righteous:

Psalms 89:14 – Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne…

Will render:  There are many definitions for the word ‘render’.  In this case, it means ‘to deliver’ and it particularly refers to a verdict or a judgment.  Instead of ‘render’ we might also say ‘to hand down’, ‘to give’ or ‘to announce’.

God is going to issue a verdict or a judgment to every person according to their deeds/works.  This will happen at the end of the age, on the Day of Judgment.

To each one:  Scripture tells us that every person will be judged: 

Ecclesiastes 3:17 – I said in my heart, God will judge the righteous and the wicked, for there is a time for every matter and for every work.

Much to the consternation of the Jews, they are not going to get a ‘free pass’ into heaven just because they are the descendants of Abraham.   

Sadly, the Jews of Paul’s day won’t be the only surprised people on the Day of Judgment.  Even in this age there are people who believe they will get into heaven because their parents were Christians, or because they attended church each week or because they were good people who did good things in life. 

However, these people will be judged with the wicked, because these things can’t get you into heaven.  Make no mistake – admission to heaven is ONLY through faith in Jesus Christ as the Messiah.  There is no other way to receive eternal life:

John 20:31 – But these are written that you might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you might have life through his name.

According to his works:  There can be no doubt that God judges people according to their works:

Matthew 16:27 - For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.

(See also Psalms 62:12, Proverbs 24:12, Revelation 20:12, Jeremiah 32:19, II Corinthians 5:10, Galatians 6:7, etc). 

WARNING!  We must exercise great caution when interpreting this phrase.  On the surface, we might be tempted to think that if God judges people ‘according to their works’, then people who do good things will enter heaven, while people who do wicked things will go to hell.  That is a misinterpretation of scripture.  

All of us have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  All of us have done wicked, vile things in the eyes of God; all of us need to be justified in his sight.  As we mentioned in our prior posts, there is NO WAY man can justify himself, especially not by works!

Let me reiterate once again: There is only one way to be justified in the sight of God and receive entrance into his kingdom – by the shed blood of Christ:

Titus 3:5-7 - …he [God] saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.

I John 1:7 – But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanses us from all sin.

John 14:6 – Jesus said unto him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man comes unto the Father, but by me.”

Clearly, each person will find themselves in heaven or hell based upon what they have done with the sacrifice of Christ. 

Since this is the case, what does Paul mean when he says that God renders a verdict to each man according to his works?

To being with, let’s define works.  Works include more than just outward actions.  They also include the thoughts of the mind/imagination, the motivations of the heart, and the principles by which we live.

These ‘works’ determine the degree and/or amount of punishment/reward a person receives in eternity. 

In other words, the degree or amount of punishment the wicked receive will be based on their works in this life.  Likewise, the degree or amount of reward the righteous receive is based on their works while on earth.  This is what Paul means when he declares that God will render to every man according to his works.

With this in mind, let’s dig a little deeper into the Day of Judgment.

Unrepentant sinners (those who have rejected Christ as Savior) will be judged at the Great White Throne judgment.  In this setting, they will be found guilty of sin with no way to pay their debt.  God’s righteous verdict will be a sentence of eternal death (Revelation 20:11-15).  This sentence will be served in Gehenna (aka hades or hell). 

Christians will not be judged at the Great White Throne.  They will be judged at what is known as the Bema seat or the judgment seat of Christ (Romans 14:10, II Corinthians 5:10), where their stewardship in the kingdom will be examined.  God will issue a verdict that determines the level of reward (if any) for this stewardship (I Corinthians 3:12-15).  

Romans 2:7 - …to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;  

GENERAL SUMMARY:  Those who live out their salvation/faith in God by continuously doing what is right and good despite the difficulties of this life, will receive eternal life from God.  

DIGGING DEEPER:  Patience in well-doing:  Paul is referring to the manner in which righteous people live their lives.  Specifically, the righteous conform their conduct to the laws and commands of God.  Again, this does not refer exclusively to outward actions.  It also includes the thoughts of our minds/imaginations, the motivations of our hearts, and the principles on which we base our decisions.

Jesus makes reference to this in the parable of the sower: 

Luke 8:15 – As for that in the good soil, they are those who, hearing the word, hold it fast in an honest and good heart, and bear fruit with patience.

The underlying principle is that we must persevere in a life of holiness based on the word of God, not on the accepted practices of the world.  We must not give up or be weary in well doing (Galatians 6:9).  We must stand firm in righteousness, despite the trials which we encounter in this life.     

Speaking of trials, don’t forget that Satan has no intention of standing idly by as we commit ourselves to God and a life of holiness.  As soon as he is aware of our commitment, he will do everything in his power to impede our progress or turn us aside from the narrow path. 

The good news is that Jesus has already defeated him!  When we persevere/remain standfast in righteousness, we will receive the reward of eternal life.  

Matthew 10:22 - …you will be hated by all for my [Jesus] name’s sake.  But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

(See also Matthew 24:13, Hebrews 10:36-39.)

To them:  Clearly, ‘them’ can only be individuals who live holy lives and receive eternal life from God - Christians. 

• This cannot refer to the Gentile nations collectively, because they sought after worldly things and human wisdom; they did not seek God at all. 
• It cannot refer to the Jewish nation as a whole, because they sought after righteousness through works of the law and glory from men. 
• It cannot refer to any unbelieving people because they seek only their own pleasures. 

Glory and honor – Paul is not speaking of the glory and honor of this world or the applause of men.  He is talking about the glory of God.  The righteous seek to glorify and honor God in all they do; they desire to reflect the grace and righteousness of Christ in this life.  Those who do so will receive and enjoy eternal glory and honor with Christ in heaven at the end of this age.

Immortality – The meaning of this Greek word is ‘that which is not corruptible or subject to decay’.  It alludes to the resurrection of the body, which occurs when Christ returns to earth at the conclusion of this age (I Thessalonians 4:13-18). 

This is in contrast to the death and decay of this world, where everything is corruptible, subject to death, and which soon vanishes away.  

Seek:  To seek is to strive for or to search for.  It reflects an earnest/intense desire to obtain something or to find that which is lost.  Specifically, it describes those who forsake their sins, submit to God and live in obedience to his laws.  In other words, those who honestly seek for eternal life through Christ, shall find it. 

Eternal life:  Eternal life is a pure gift of grace which Christ bestows upon those who trust in him, believe in him, show patient continuance in well doing and who seek the glory and honor of God.    

Romans 2:8 - …but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.

GENERAL SUMMARY:  Those who live in active disobedience to God’s commands will be subject to his vengeance.

DIGGING DEEPER:  Self-seeking/contentious:  This describes people who are quarrelsome or given to angry debate.  It includes any person who disputes the truth or obstinately resists God’s divine will.  These people reject the clear righteous truth of God and instead hold on to their own ideas of righteousness.  In essence, they are rebellious; they are fighting against God himself.

The Jews have a history of being rebellious in this way:

Isaiah 1:2 – Hear, O heavens, and give ear, O earth; for the Lord has spoken: “Children have I reared and brought up, but they have rebelled against me.”

(See also Deuteronomy 9:7, 31:27, Isaiah 30:9, Jeremiah 5:23, Ezekiel 2:3-5.)

This rebelliousness led the Jews to be disobedient to God’s commands (Joshua 5:6, Judges 2:2, II Kings 18:12, Jeremiah 3:13, etc), another one of their besetting sins.      

Keep in mind that Paul is addressing the Jews.  Now ask yourself this question:  What self-seeking truth did they reject, oppose or debate?

Answer – The admittance of the Gentiles into the family of God. 

Despite the testimony of Jesus, the work of Holy Spirit and the teaching of the apostles, many Jews did not want to believe that the Gentiles could be children of God, unless they first became Jewish proselytes.  If Gentiles could become children of God simply by faith in Christ (without the practice of the Mosaic law), then first covenant (the law) was no longer in effect.  Their special status as the exclusive people of God was no longer applicable; they were not any ‘better’ than the Gentile sinners which they had long despised.

They resisted the Gentiles when they should have been joyfully welcoming them with open arms as brothers and sisters in Christ (Ephesians 2:11-22).

Do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness:  Those who reject the truth essentially give themselves to iniquity, and by so doing they become servants of sin.  They act under the influence of Satan/sin instead of under the influence of Holy Spirit/righteousness.

Wrath and fury/indignation:  This is the end result for those who are contentious – they experience God’s displeasure.  There is very little difference between wrath and fury/indignation.  Some scholars say that wrath is a long-continued remembrance of evil, while fury/indignation is temporary or of a short duration.  Others say that fury/indignation denotes an internal emotion, and wrath is the external manifestation that fury. 

In either case, God will punish those who dispute against the truth and cling to sin.   

Romans 2:9 – There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek,

Tribulation and distress (aka the eternal torments of hell) are defined as misery of all types and descriptions from which there is no escape.  God, the righteous judge, will inflict these punishments upon every sinner who ultimately rejects him.  However, he will first punish the Jews and only then the Greeks/Gentiles.  Why is that?

The Jews are first because they possessed greater spiritual knowledge and privileges.  By default, they despised greater levels of mercy when they rejected God. 

Even though the Gentiles had a lesser degree of light/understanding, they too sinned against God and their punishment will be directly proportionate to their sin (Luke 12:47-48).

Notice that Paul makes one thing very clear here:  Under the gospel, there was no longer a distinction between Jews and Gentiles; all who sin against God will suffer his wrath, while all who trust in him will be saved regardless of their national identity.  

Romans 2:10 - …but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek.

Clearly, those who resist God will experience the fullest effects of his righteous indignation, whether they are Jews or Gentiles.  Just as clearly, those who consciencely and purposely live lives of obedience to the known will of God will be blessed with glory, honor and peace (the eternal blessings of heaven) whether they are Jews or Gentiles.   

Again, let me point out that scripture does not say you can earn your way into heaven by works.  Salvation is only obtained through faith in Jesus; those who trust in him as Savior are those who love him and gladly obey his commands:  

John 14:21 – He that has my commandments, and keeps them, he it is that loves me…

Romans 2:11 – For God shows no partiality.

In this passage of scripture, Paul has been demonstrating the perfection of God’s divine government and the utter absence of any partiality/favoritism.  His purpose was to show the Jews that their heritage as children of Abraham would avail them nothing in God’s sight, if moral and spiritual principles were ignored. 

What God regards is purity of heart and inward integrity; he has no respect for those things which men highly value like wealth, prestige or national heritage.

The Gentiles wanted to think they would be excused from judgment/punishment on the basis of ignorance.  The Jews wanted to think they would be excused from judgment/punishment on the basis of having the law and being descendants of Abraham.  But Paul proves that all men, both Jews and Gentiles, are guilty in the sight of God and deserving of eternal death. 

Colossians 3:25 – For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality.

Let me offer you some encouragement, some relief and some strength:

On the Day of Judgment, it won’t matter who your parents were, what nationality you were, or how much money you gave to the poor.  Your age, your gender, your race, your level of education and your income are all meaningless. 

The only thing that will matter is whether or not you are righteous because you have been saved by grace, or whether you are wicked because you rebelled against God.

So which category are you in?  Have you made Jesus Christ the Lord of your life?  Have you surrendered your will to him, embracing the truth of his gospel and obeying his commands?  If you have, then you have reason to rejoice – God will grant you eternal life.

If not, you have reason to fear, because you will experience the wrath and vengeance of a very angry God on the Day of Judgment. 

The good news is that you can become a child of God today. 

Why not bow your head right now and talk to Jesus?  Just speak to him as if he were right there beside you – confess your sins to him, ask him to cleanse you by his blood and dedicate yourself to his service. 

Regardless of who you are or what you’ve done in the past, Jesus will hear and honor your prayer.  He will send Holy Spirit to dwell in your heart and seal you until the day of redemption, when you will be with him in heaven.  Hallelujah!

 

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Romans 2:1 – 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.

At the end of chapter one, Paul reached the conclusion that the Gentiles, regardless of how enlightened they were, were utterly incapable of righteousness.  History shows us over and over and over again that mankind has no means of righteousness within himself; consequently, he cannot save himself through his own works.  There is no possible way for the Gentiles to justify themselves in the eyes of a holy God.   

In chapters two and three, Paul will prove that the Jews are just as guilty as the Gentiles; they too were in need of justification which they could not produce themselves.  The end result is that ALL people (Gentiles and Jews) are in need of a Savior. 

GENERAL SUMMARY:  In chapter one, Paul demonstrated the downward spiral of the Gentiles into utter depravity.  He now addresses the people who stand in judgment of their behavior.  In verses 1-3 Paul reveals that those who judge the heathen also stand condemned before God, because they practice the same sins. 

Digging Deeper:  Therefore:  Chapter two opens with the word ‘therefore’… and thus the controversy begins!   

The word ‘therefore’ indicates that a conclusion is being reached based on facts that were previously given.  Since Paul was speaking about the sin of the Gentiles at the end of chapter one, some scholars believe that he continues to address the Gentiles in the first part of chapter two. 

Others disagree.  They believe Paul is speaking to the Jews in chapter two verse one.  They interpret Paul’s comments this way: Condemnation of one branch of the human race (Gentiles), implies/proves condemnation of the other branch (Jews) too, for both have sinned.  Since the Gentiles are without righteousness, therefore the Jews are too.       

Still others maintain that ‘therefore’ should have been translated ‘moreover’ which means ‘in addition, furthermore or likewise’.  This group also believes Paul is now addressing the Jews. 

You… O man:  Obviously, your understanding of ‘you …O man’ (and subsequently ‘judge’) depends upon your interpretation of ‘therefore’.  Let’s look at the options.

We will begin with the interpretations that say Paul is addressing the Gentiles.   

The first theory says ‘you …O man’ is referring to the seemingly virtuous members of Gentile society.  Specifically, this includes the magistrates (civil leaders/anyone who upholds the laws of the land), other community leaders and the famous Gentile philosophers of the age (Socrates, Cato, Seneca and others).

The question then becomes, if this is indeed the group Paul is addressing, how are they standing in judgment of the Gentiles?

Answer – The people in this group judge and punish others (literally in the case of the magistrates and figuratively/morally by the others) because they have authority to do so based on a clear understanding of the law and of sin.    

The second theory interprets ‘you …O man’ in a much broader way.  Those who hold this view believe the phrase can refer to literally any person in the Gentile community regardless of their position in society. 

If this is the group Paul is addressing, how are they standing in judgment of the Gentiles?

Answer – The people in this group judge other Gentiles by using any and all platforms available to them to disparage the actions of others while putting on a public show of their own virtue.  For example, a Gentile business owner may rail against the obvious sins of his fellow man to anyone in his company as well as his customers and suppliers.  He may continue to express these opinions in all avenues of his personal life.  The overall idea is that he is a hypocrite – he judges those around him while privately committing the same or similar sins.     

Now let’s examine the theory which says Paul is addressing the Jews with the phrase ‘you …O man’. 

Those who hold this view point out that the animosity between the Jews and Gentiles was well known, and it was a big problem in the early church (including the church at Rome).  If this is the case, why doesn’t Paul just name the Jews specifically, instead of using the general term ‘you …O man’?   

Answer - Keep in mind, Paul had never visited the Roman church; he had no relationship to lean on when delivering a harsh or unpopular teaching.  If he had identified the Jews specifically right off the bat, he would come across as accusatory and harsh.  The Jews would have quickly and vehemently dismissed all his doctrines and teaching.  This would not only affect the Roman church but all churches in the region because Paul’s letter would be distributed to smaller churches after the Romans read it.

So, those who hold this view believe that Paul carefully and skillfully avoids naming the Jews at first, so they would take the time to listen to his whole discourse on the subject without being offended. 

If the Jews are the group Paul is referring to, how are they standing in judgment of the Gentiles?

Answer - From the very beginning the Jews felt they were better than the Gentiles.  In their minds, they were God’s chosen people; the Gentiles were rejects.  They were the ones in covenant with God; the Gentiles were not.  They were enlightened and entrusted with the law, while the Gentiles were ignorant heathens.  They believed that as a nation, they were righteous, while the Gentiles were dogs and gross sinners.

Indeed, it seems as though the Jews took great delight in consistently pointing out the grievous sins of the Gentiles.  They took every opportunity to rail against their sinful acts before God, while at the same time pridefully maintaining their own innocence.  You can be sure they were nodding their heads in agreement as Paul gave a litany of the Gentiles’ sins in the first part of his letter.

At this point, I want to pause and give you the two main reasons why the Jews felt they were not subject to the wrath of God.

First, they considered themselves protected from divine judgment because of their status as a chosen nation, along with their adherence to the Mosaic law and ceremonies.

Second, the Jews in general were very prosperous.  They took this as a sign that they were in right standing with God and thus had nothing to worry about.  They felt that if God were going to judge them for sin, it would happen immediately.

Because you, the judge:  For the purposes of our study, we will accept the view that ‘you… O man’ refers to the Jews.  They were the ones Paul speaks of as standing in judgment against the Gentiles.

Practice the very same things:  Paul’s accusation is clear – the Jews were guilty of sins/offences similar to those practiced by the Gentiles.  They may or may not have sinned in precisely the same manner or to the same degree as the Gentiles (especially in the area of idolatry), but nevertheless, they were engaging in many of the same things that they condemned the Gentiles for.

The Jews liked to believe that they were justified before God, but scripture tells us that they were far from innocent and righteous:

• The Jews were an ‘evil and adulterous generation’ – Matthew 12:39, John 8:7. 
• They were a ‘generation of vipers’ – Matthew 3:7, 12:34. 
• They were wicked – Matthew 12:45. 
• They were sinful – Mark 8:38. 
• They were proud, haughty and hypocritical – Matthew 23:1.    

For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself:  The Jews judged/condemned the Gentiles because they rejected the light they had (the example of nature and their consciences) and chose sin instead.

But they themselves did the same thing!

Paul will show that the Jews were just as guilty as the Gentiles.  The Gentiles had some knowledge of God, but the Jews had even more – they were in covenant with God, they had the Mosaic law, and they had experienced God’s intervention in their nation.  Despite their greater light or knowledge of God, they still committed the same sins as the Gentiles. 

If the Gentiles were without excuse for their sin, how much more condemnation would fall upon the Jews who had even greater spiritual understanding?

The bottom line is that the Jews had no excuse for their sin either; they too were under condemnation and needed a way of justification before God.

Romans 2:2 – We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things.

GENERAL SUMMARY:  The judgment of God is based upon truth - not appearance, worldly status, or even outward actions.  God, who sees into the heart of man, judges righteously and perfectly in every instance.

DIGGING DEEPER:  We know:  In other words, it is the common sentiment or understanding of mankind; generally speaking, it is known and believed by men that God will punish those who practice sin and that his punishment/judgment will be righteous and just.

The Gentiles knew this by the imperfect revelation of nature, but the Jews knew it by the holy scriptures.  Men are correct on this point; God judges men by their motivations, actions and attitudes, not on outward appearances:

I Samuel 16:7 – But the Lord said unto Samuel, ‘Look not on his countenance, or on the height of his stature; because I have refused him:  for the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart.’

The judgment of God:  In this case, Paul is referring to the judgment that all men will face after this life (Hebrews 9:27). 

The Jews were under the mistaken notion that only the Gentiles would be subject to judgment, while they would automatically be admitted to the kingdom of God because of their birthright (Matthew 3:9, John 8:33).  And again, they believed their current state of prosperity was a sign that they were accepted in God’s sight.  Furthermore, they felt that because they had the acceptance/approval of those around them, this was further proof of their righteousness.     

But Paul points out that judgment does not come from men, it comes from the omnipotent and omniscient God who judges according to the truth and not according to appearance.  He will judge each person according to his word and he will reward every man according to their works (I Corinthians 3:14).

The Jews would do well to remember that mere outward obedience to his commands is useless, unless it is accompanied by a sincere heart.

Rightly falls on those who practice such things:  It is plain to see that those who secretly practice what they publicly condemn could not expect to escape the righteous judgment of God.  He administers judgment without respect of persons (Acts 10:34) and punishes wickedness whether it is practiced openly (as among the Gentiles) or secretly (as among the Jews).

Here is something to consider:  The Gentiles had no excuse for their sin because they had the light of nature and their conscience.  The Jews had no excuse for their sin because they had the law and the rites of Judaism.  Therefore, we can conclude that anyone who has lived since the resurrection of Christ also has no excuse for sin, because the gospel of Jesus Christ has been revealed throughout the world.

Romans 2:3 – 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?

Here Paul makes an appeal to the common sense of the Jews.  They themselves were imperfect and had a skewed sense of true justice.  If they (as unholy as they were), condemned those who were guilty of sin, how much more would a just and perfect God pronounce true and proper judgment upon them? 

Essentially, Paul is warning the Jews that they will not escape judgment for their sins simply because they were Jews (Amos 9:1-4). 

He will go on to argue that there is one and only one way to escape from the judgment of God - justification through the redeeming work of Jesus Christ (Acts 4:12).  

Romans 2:4 – 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?

GENERAL SUMMARY:  The Jews thought that God did not regard them as sinners; they believed they were innocent before him.  However, Paul correctly argues that they were misinterpreting the blessings of God – these benefits were not tokens of their righteousness, they were divine mercies designed to lead them into repentance.  

DIGGING DEEPER:  Presume:  To presume is to take something for granted, to despise or to have contempt for something, or failure to make proper use of a benefit.

The Jews were basically guilty of all three of these errors.  They took God’s blessings for granted which was evident by their lack of thankfulness.  They despised/showed contempt for Gods blessings by sinning against them.  They failed to make use of God’s merciful benefits by rejecting them on the basis of their own perceived righteousness. 

Riches:  The word ‘riches’ denotes an abundance or an amount which exceeds a man’s wants.  It also refers to anything that is very great or valuable.  In this verse, each of the blessings mentioned is rich – it is both valuable and generous.  In other words, God offers rich (valuable and generous) kindness/goodness, rich (valuable and generous) forbearance and rich (valuable and generous) patience/longsuffering.   

Kindness/goodness – This includes goodwill, compassion, generosity, favor, beneficence.  Each one of us can readily identify God’s kindness/goodness in our own lives.  They Jews could too, if they only took the time to look!

Forbearance – This is defined as the act of waiting or the exercise of restraint.  God would be perfectly just in punishing our sins the moment we commit them, but instead he holds back his judgment and punishment for a time, so that mankind has a chance to repent.  (To which I say, ‘Thank you, Jesus!)

Patience/longsuffering – Patience/longsuffering is only marginally different than forbearance.  It mainly refers to a slowness of anger.  The purpose of this slowness or patience is to give us time to repent.

Not knowing:  We may be tempted to equate ‘not knowing’ with ignorance, but this is not the case.  The Greek word translated as ‘not knowing’ actually means inattention.  In other words, they Jews were fully capable of understanding the riches of God’s mercy, but they willfully neglected their duty to search the scriptures and acquire knowledge/understanding on this topic. 

Thus, they were willfully uninformed of the truth behind God’s mercy.  Their lack of knowledge led them into error.  Specifically, they assumed that because God had not yet judged them, he did not intend to punish them at all. 

Ecclesiastes 8:11 – Because the sentence against an evil deed is not executed speedily, the heart of the children of man is fully set to do evil. 

So instead of turning from sin, they presumed upon or despised the kindness, patience and forbearance of God by continuing to sin.  In fact, they often increased in sin when they went unpunished for it.

Repentance:  Repentance entails not only grief over our sin, but a change of heart, mind and purpose.  It means to turn around and go the other way; to forsake sin and pursue holiness. 

The bottom line is this:  God is kind and gracious towards us.  He delights in mercy and compassion.  He is patient and slow to anger, often delaying or withholding the penalty of sin which we so clearly deserve. 

Based on this, many people assumed that either God did not intend to enforce the punishment for sin which his laws decreed, or that they were (for some reason) exempt from God’s justice. 

But in reality, nothing could be further from the truth!  God’s justice requires payment for every sin.  This does not cease to be a fact just because God is patient, longsuffering and kind.  God cannot sanction, overlook or cover up sin.  Judgement awaits those who detest his laws and defy his authority.  

Furthermore, scripture reveals that God does not have two standards (one for Jews and a different one for Gentiles).  God’s laws are universal and impartial – they are the same for every single person, in every single age, regardless of their national identity.  Jews and Gentiles alike (us included) are judged by his perfect and unchanging standards.

Malachi 3:6 - For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed.

There good news is that God has provided a way of escape from judgement.  It is found in repentance and acceptance of the sacrifice of Christ.  When we accept him as Lord and Savior, he pays the full price/penalty for our sin.   

Romans 2:5 – 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.

GENERAL SUMMARY:  Paul shows that the people who promise themselves impunity based on their current prosperity and lack of obvious judgment will not go unpunished forever.  God has scheduled a day of wrath and righteous judgment when he will call men into account for their sins.

Impenitent heart:  An impenitent heart is a heart which is not affected by sorrow for sin, in view of the mercy and goodness of God.  Think of it this way: If we take the time to recount our sin and then consider the rich generosity of God’s mercy towards us, our hearts will surely melt with gratitude and thanksgiving.  We will automatically begin to worship and praise him for his undeserved favor.

However, those who reject the truth of coming judgment fail to understand their guilt before God.  The more they reject/ignore the truth, the harder and more calloused their heart becomes.  This in turn makes true repentance more and more difficult.  

Storing up wrath for yourself:  Your translation may say ‘treasuring up’ wrath.  To store up is to accumulate, to increase, to hoard.  This concept is based upon the idea is that treasure is stored up or collected in a secure place for future use.

The person who despises the riches of God’s mercy and continues to sin is essentially storing up judgment and wrath for a future time.  Every time he sins, he increases his transgression and the judgment it brings.

These stores/treasures of wrath are the opposite of the riches of God’s goodness.  If you despise or neglect the riches of his goodness, you will have nothing but the treasures of his wrath which you collected for yourself.  Your punishment will be proportionate to the mercy you rejected.

Day of wrath:  The day of wrath is also known as the day of judgment.  On this day, grace will be over.  On this day God shall execute his wrath against sinners. 

II Peter 2:9 – The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished.

The day of judgment is well documented throughout the scriptures (Revelation 16:7, I Thessalonians 1:10, John 3:36, Ephesians 5:6, II Peter 3:10-12, etc).

God’s righteous judgment will be revealed:  As we just mentioned, the age/time of God’s grace will come to an appointed end and judgment will follow.  On that day, the wicked will be judged of God and receive the punishment that is due them for despising his mercy.  This will be a just and righteous judgment for God is at all times perfectly fair.  He is long-suffering and exhibits great mercy, yet he will not overlook sin:

Numbers 14:18 – The Lord is slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love, forgiving iniquity and transgression, but he will by no means clear the guilty…

We know that God’s judgment will be perfect.  He does not depend upon circumstantial evidence, heresy or the testimony of others.  He will not be fooled or led astray by the pleading of a human advocate.  Rather, as we will see in the next verse, God will justly judge based upon our own words and deeds. 

Paul is giving the Jews a stern reminder that the punishment of the wicked is future.  It is not fully delivered in this life; it is stored up for a future time.  Therefore, they should take heed.

But there is good news.  If a person will repent and change their ways, Jesus will satisfy the debt of judgment on their behalf.  The wrath/penalty they stored up will be satisfied/paid by Christ.   

It should be noted that the day of judgment is only for the sinner.  For them, this day will be full of terror and dread:    

Zephaniah 1:15 – A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness. 

(See also Joel 2:2, Amos 5:18). 

But that is not the case for the redeemed.  For them/us, that day will be a day of redemption, a day of joy, a day of wonder, a day of reward, and a day of blessing. 

Let me offer you some encouragement:

As we noted in today’s post, Paul had a difficult and somewhat harsh message which needed to be delivered to the Jews.  He could have delivered that message with bluntness, but if he did, it most likely would not have been received by anyone.

Instead, he used both skill and tact to make his argument for the truth.  In this way, the Jews at least heard and considered what he had to say.

As Christians, it is our honor to share the life changing gospel of Christ with the lost.  As we do so, we should follow Paul’s example.  Sinners do not need to be openly condemned by us in a hostile manner.  When we share the gospel this way, it is almost never received. 

Instead, if we exhibit the love of Christ towards sinners, we gain an opportunity to gently and patiently share the truth.  As we do so in love, they are much more likely to hear and respond to the gospel.

Let me offer you some relief:

Christians are NOT subject to the wrath of God on the day of judgment. 

Nevertheless, as Christians, it is good for us to consider this day from time to time because reminding ourselves of this event will influence the way we live our lives on a daily basis.

The bible says that every Christian will one day give an account of his stewardship to the Master. 

With that in mind, how are we practicing stewardship today?  Are we being diligent or lazy?  Are we working to invest our time and talents in the kingdom or are we on spiritual vacation?  What are we doing with our finances and other resources?  How are we spending our time?  What battles are we choosing to fight?

In light of God’s future rewards, these are questions well worth our consideration.

Let me offer you some strength:

In today’s post we found that the Jews chose to be ‘not knowing’.   This was not a simple case of ignorance.  It was a case of the Jews consciously neglecting their duty to read and know the conditions of the covenant they had with God.  Sadly, their lack of knowledge led them to some enormous spiritual errors.

This should serve as a clear wake-up call for all of us!

As Christians, it is our privilege and duty to search the scriptures and understand the will of the Lord.  His word…

• …reveals his mercy and grace, which are available to us every day. 
• …lists the promises of God which are essential to our victory in this life. 
• …strengthens our faith. 
• …is the conduit for revelation by Holy Spirit. 
• …is a comfort to us in times of trouble.
• …is our guide in times of uncertainty. 

The bible is one of the greatest gifts God has given to us.  Let’s thank him by fully enjoying all of its benefits!

 

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Romans 1:29 – They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice.  They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness.  They are gossips…

Welcome back, dear readers.  As we continue on with our study of Romans chapter one, we now find a whole catalog of evils/sins which eventually overtook the Gentiles when they rejected God’s revelation of himself through nature and through their consciences. 

As Paul shows us, once God is abandoned, mankind becomes destitute of all righteousness and the sins listed in this chapter become apparent in their lives.  While it is true that no one particular person is guilty of all the sins listed here, everyone is guilty of at least some of these evils.  

Paul also points out that as sin increases, shame and remorse decrease.  Consequently, as man falls further and further away from God, sins are no longer practiced in secret; they are flaunted openly.  They are no longer causes for reproach, but reasons to publicly celebrate.

This kind of unrestrained sin affects not only the sinner, but his/her neighbors as well.  The bible tells us that sin is like leaven which is placed into a ball of dough.  It silently and gradually works itself into the whole batch until every part has been corrupted or influenced by it:

I Corinthians 5:6-8 – Do you not know that a little leaven leavens the whole lump?  Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened.  For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed.  Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth.

Thus, we find that the smallest hidden speck of sin in man’s nature has the demonic ability to spread and grow until it corrupts the entire person and rules the man himself.  It then seeks to infect those around it. 

Through the following list, Paul will show the repulsive wickedness that is found in the hearts of all unbelievers.   

GENERAL SUMMARY:  In this passage of scripture, Paul is focusing on the Gentiles.  He outlined the specifics of man’s descent into utter sin once he rejected God.  Prior to verse 29, Paul was using homosexuality as a specific example of this, but now he gives us an entire catalog of different sins which also prove/show the utter depravity of man.    

DIGGING DEEPER:  Being filled:  In this case, to be filled means to be consumed by something or for something to abound or to be common.  The unrepentant Gentiles were filled with or consumed by every manner of unrighteousness and sin.  These sins were so common in Roman society that no one was shocked by them anymore.

Can you relate to that?  I remember a time when sexual sins (homosexuality, adultery and fornication) weren’t spoken about in front of children, because these sins were considered so shocking.  Now these same sins are so common, many people no longer associate them with sin at all.    

Unrighteousness:  This is a general term referring to all things contrary to justice and righteousness.  It implies utter disregard for all moral restraints. 

What examples of unrighteousness can you think of?  One example would be the behavior of gangs who take over streets, burn cars, assault police officers and cause general confusion and chaos.    

Fornication:   God’s commands declare that sexual intercourse is lawful between a man and a woman who are in a marriage covenant with each other.  Any sexual activity which takes place under any other circumstances is sin.  For example, fornication is sex between unmarried people, while adultery is sex between two people when at least one of them is married to someone other than their partner.

It is shocking that so many people today consider themselves Christians, yet they indulge in all manner of sexual sins.  If you are in such a situation, I urge you to read the word and pray about your situation. 

Covetousness:  Covetousness is the desire to obtain or possess that which belongs to another; it is an intense love or lust for gain.  It is also defined as greed or avarice (excessive greediness).  Those who covet are dissatisfied or discontent with what they have.  Although this term is frequently used in relation to money, it can apply to anything.

What sorts of things do people covet other than money?  How about fame, power, opportunities or even other people? 

Have you ever been tempted to covet?  Giving thanks to God for your blessings and being content with what you have will help your resist the temptation to inordinately desire what others have. 

Malice/wickedness:  Those who are under the influence of malice have a spirit that delights in the harm or misfortune of another.  They are spiteful, bitter and even dangerous.  They have the constant desire and willful intent to vex, annoy or injure others. 

For example, someone who tells lies about a coworker in order to get them fired is acting with malice.  Someone who puts a bomb on a bus and kills innocent people is malicious.  A person who hears their neighbor’s house burned down and says, ‘Good, they deserve it’ is displaying a malicious attitude.      

Envy:  Who among us is not familiar with envy?  The official definition of envy is pain or discontent excited by another’s prosperity, accompanied by some degree of hatred or malice.  

But honestly, do we really need a definition?  Who among us is not familiar with this evil?  It is a sin that reaches out to tempt all of us at time or another.  But we must diligently guard our hearts against it: 

Proverbs 14:30 – A tranquil heart gives life to the flesh, bur envy makes the bones rot.

Again, praise and thanksgiving are helpful in casting out the temptation of envy.  You will also help make your heart tranquil by remembering that God wants to give us the desires of our heart, but only if it is for our ultimate good.  So, if you desire something you don’t have, don’t envy – take your request to the Lord and find out what he has to say about the matter.

Murder:  We are all familiar with this sin.  Murder is the taking of a human life by a person of sane mind.  Do you remember the first murder that is recorded in the Bible? 

That’s right – Cain murdered his brother Able back in the book of Genesis (Genesis 4:1-8).  He was jealous and angry that God accepted Abel’s sacrifice, but was not pleased with his own.

The sin of murder was very common in the Roman empire.  They had very little regard for human life; this was evident in their love of the gladiator contests that took place in the colosseum or amphitheater.  These contests resulted in the deaths of thousands of captives, slaves, criminals and even Christians, all for the amusement of the Roman public.

In fact, murder rears its ugly head in every society, in every generation. 

Strife:  Strife is the act or state of fighting or violently arguing; it is angry or bitter disagreement/conflict over fundamental issues. 

Society was full of strife during the life of Paul.  The Jews were at odds with the Romans, while the Christians were at odds with the Jews.  In fact, there was even strife in the church (especially over circumcision), as the Jewish Christians and Gentile Christians figured out how to become one united body of Christ.

Obviously, there is strife in our society as well. We don’t have to look very hard to find strife in our political system, court system or even in our school systems.   There is strife between the industrialists and the environmentalists, between the socialists and the capitalists, and even within our own families and churches.  Strife is especially dangerous because it can tear people apart (Mark 3:25).  Strife can ignite other evils such as hatred or malice. 

Proverbs 15:8 – A hot tempered man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger quiets contention.

As Christians, we need to be walk a fine line between standing up for our rights and striving with those around us.  Holy Spirit will help us in this endeavor. 

Deceit:   To deceive is to mislead another.  It includes any act or declaration which causes someone to believe what is false.  It is also defined as fraud, trickery, falsehood or deception.

Of course, the biggest deceiver of all time is Satan.  He deceived Eve into thinking that God was lying to her and through that deception, sin and death entered the human race.  He is still practicing deceit today; at every opportunity he tells people that sin will bring life and happiness when in reality, it offers only destruction and death.

Gossip/slander:  Gossip is spreading unfavorable information about someone, regardless of whether the information is true or false.  It involves disparaging others and sowing seeds of suspicion about them.  Gossip is a terrible thing – it breeds strife among friends and it violates the reputation of another person.

Slander (officially listed in the next verse) is even worse.  It is the specific, malicious act of spreading false information intended to deliberately damage someone's reputation. The key difference between gossip and slander is intent – slander is always meant to be malicious.

My guess is that all of us have gossiped and/or slandered someone at one time or another.  We tend to consider gossip and even slander as ‘lesser’ sins, but the bible does not.  It wholly condemns both practices:     

Leviticus 19:16 – You shall not go around as a slanderer among your people… I am the Lord.

Ephesians 4:31 – Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.

Gossip and slander are both sins of the tongue.  The apostle James warns us against allowing our tongues to be out of our control.  He likens the tongue to a flame that can kindle a great forest fire (James 3:5-6) and result in great destruction.

Romans 1:30 - …slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents,

Haters of God:  Hatred of God is the essence of rebellion and sin, just as the love of God is the essence of obedience and holiness.  Therefore, all sinners are haters of God.

Because sinners hate God, they hate Jesus also:

John 15:24-25 – If I [Jesus] had not done among them [the world/sinners] the works that no one else did, they would not be guilty of sin, but now they have seen and hated both me and my Father.  But the word that is written in their Law must be fulfilled: ‘They hated me without a cause.’ 

This kind of hatred shows the madness of the unrepentant human heart and mind.  God is supremely righteous, holy, just and loving.  He is man’s greatest benefactor.  Salvation is found in him alone.  To rebel against him is to choose death over the giver of all life; it is pure insanity/madness. 

Insolent:  Insolence is grossly rude, insulting, abusive or disrespectful behavior or speech.  Insolence shows a lack of respect for both God and others.  It is the opposite of treating your neighbor as yourself (Galatians 5:14). 

Insolence often manifests as hostility and contentiousness.  It is seen as a form of foolishness and rebellion that leads to strife and conflict. 

I don’t know about you, but I find insolence everywhere I go!  Instead of exhibiting patience and kindness in stressful situations, sinners immediately become frustrated and abusive.   In these times, let us seek to practice self-control and show the love of Christ to a lost world.

Haughty/proud:  Pride can be defined as improper or excessive self-esteem.  It can also be defined as elevating one’s own opinions and thoughts over the word of God.

Boastful: Boasting is closely connected with pride.  Those who have an inordinate or excessive idea of their own importance and/or achievements will not fail to publicly proclaim just how great they are and how much they have accomplished.  

As all Christians know, we must be on constant guard against these evils.  We would do well to remember that whatever we have (whether talents, abilities or possessions) we did not earn them ourselves; we received them from God who is the fountain of all good things.  Besides, the most precious thing we have is our relationship with God so if we need to boast, let us boast in him:

Jeremiah 9:23-24 – Thus says the Lord: “Let not the wise man boast in his wisdom, let not the mighty man boast in his might, let not the rich man boast in his riches, but let him who boasts boast in this, that he understands and knows me, that I am the Lord who practices steadfast love, justice, and righteousness in the earth.  For in these things I delight, declares the Lord.”

Inventors of evil:  This refers to the desires of unbelievers to invent new ways of gratifying their lust and passions.  The Gentiles were so intent on fully participating in sin, that their minds were happy to try and invent new ways to practice/gratify/satiate their evil desires.  Since sin never satisfies, old forms or practices of indulgence lose their luster after time and new ways of rekindling passions must be found.

Disobedient to parents:  This expresses the idea that children do not show their parents the honor, respect or attention they were due.  This idea circles back to the concept of ‘unnatural affections’ which is discussed below. 

Romans 1:31 - …foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.

Foolish/without understanding:  To be foolish is to exhibit a lack of judgement or discretion, to be irrational, weak in intellect, or void of moral or spiritual understanding.  Those who are foolish are incapable of discerning right from wrong.  Essentially, to be foolish is to have a reprobate mind:

Psalms 53:1 – The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.”

Faithless/covenant breakers:  This evil concerns the making of oaths or covenants, whether public or private.   It has always been understood that every oath/covenant was made in the presence of God.  He was the witness to the agreement, and it was up to him to avenge misconduct.  Even today, when a witness gives testimony in a court of law, they are ‘sworn in’, which alludes to the fact that God is listening to their testimony, and he will avenge any wrong that is done. 

But because the heathen rejected God, there was no final authority underlying their oaths or covenants.  Consequently, they felt no compulsion to abide by the agreements they made, so anytime it benefited them, they simply broke their word.  You can imagine how awful society would be if this were considered normal. 

Heartless/without natural affection:  Generally speaking, this refers to any affection natural to a relationship.  But in this instance, Paul is focusing on the love of parents for their children.  Or, more accurately in the case of the heathen, the lack of love for their children.

In nearly every generation, the heathen have shown a pattern of killing children that are deformed or unwanted.  Children were often left outside to die by starvation/thirst, or the actions of wild animals or by exposure to the elements.  Worse yet, children were also used as sacrifices to the heathen idols. 

This mindset leads to the practice of adult children killing their parents if they become a burden in old age, another practice common among the heathen.

As far as disobedience to parents and lacking natural affection are concerned, we can find similarities to this in our own day and age.  Abortion amounts to killing a baby if you are unhappy with them for some reason.  As this trend continues in our society, we should not be surprised if disrespect for parents and callous disregard for the aged is eventually considered normal in our culture.

Ruthless/implacable/unmerciful:  A person who is implacable is incapable of being pacified or appeased.  They are vindictive; they will hold a grudge or bear a deadly enmity.   This is the highest form of unforgiveness.  It refers to people who refuse to be reconciled to God or to other men.

To be unmerciful is to be incapable of showing mercy to an enemy or adversary due to deep rooted wickedness in your own nature.  Such a person will have no pity or compassion for people in distress. 

Can you name any instances of people who appear to be ruthless, implacable or unmerciful?

Romans 1:32 – Though they know God’s righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

GENERAL MEANING:  Anyone can fall into sin as a result of temptation.  But that isn’t what Paul is talking about here.  He is describing Gentiles who deliberately and consistently engaged in sin for the pure enjoyment of it.  Even though they knew these sins were an abomination to the righteousness of God, they continued to practice them. 

But their wickedness didn’t end there.  They spent time and creative energy finding new ways to indulge their sins.  They also flaunted their sin publicly and drew others into their debauchery.  When others joined in, they applauded them for it. 

They completely ignored the fact that these sins would eventually result in spiritual death.

DIGGING DEEPER:  Paul closes this chapter with a very grim conclusion – through the light of nature and the confirmation of their own consciences the Gentiles knew that their lusts/sins were wrong.  But they did not repent.    

In fact, the opposite was true.  They took a perverse pleasure in engaging in sin.   they refused to restrain themselves from evil in any way; they allowed wickedness to have full control over their hearts, minds and bodies.

They felt no shame, remorse or need to repent.  They were pleased with their sin and they were happy when others joined them.  Scripture describes them this way:

Proverbs 2:12-15 - …men of perverted speech, who forsake the paths of uprightness to walk in the ways of darkness, who rejoice in doing evil and delight in the perverseness of evil, men whose paths are crooked, and who are devious in their ways.

As if delighting in personal sin was not enough, they went one step further, encouraging others to participate and approving/applauding their sin as well.  This was the highest degree of moral depravity.  It is the climax of Paul’s charges against the heathen.  Taking pleasure in evil simply because it is evil is the aim of Satan himself.

Anyone can be tempted into sin (obviously – we’ve all been there).  If a person recognizes their mistake and repents, there is still hope for him or her.  But when a person reaches the point where they cast away all shame and exalt in/approve of utter wickedness, they have reached the point of a reprobate mind where they are no longer able to seek the mercy and forgiveness of God.  

Summary:  If we step back and look at the last half of this chapter in a broader sense, we find three steps or stages which eventually result in a reprobate mind where man has become like Satan (loving evil for the sake of evil). 

Step #1 is found in Romans 1:18-23.  In this step, mankind rejects God and embraces idolatry.  In other words, he serves a god of his own choosing or creation. 

Step #2 is found in Romans 1:24-27.  In this step, God honors the free-will choice he has given mankind – he allows man to embrace sin which is a natural consequence of idolatry. 

Step #3 is found in Romans 1:28-32.  In this final step/phase God removes his hand of restraint.  This is actually an act of punishment, because it allows mankind to descend into complete and radical depravity. 

Think of it this way:  Step #1 is taken by the free-will choice of man.  But generally speaking, as the chasm between God and man becomes greater, the wrath of God becomes more and more apparent as God interferes less and less to save the sinner from his fate. 

So, what final conclusions can we reach from this passage of scripture?

First of all, we can’t help but notice that the charges that Paul makes against the Gentiles were evidently well known.  Paul does not quote the Gentile philosophers, nor does he offer any other testimony or witnesses to back up his accusations.  This was because the charges of sin were so well founded and publicly known that they could not be denied.  These sins deserve judgement which results in eternal death.

Second, at the time of this writing, the Romans were at the very height of their power, intelligence and splendor.  They were one of the most enlightened and refined nations in antiquity.  Yet, they were utterly incapable of righteousness.  Over and over and over again history shows that mankind has no means of righteousness; he cannot save himself through his own works nor can conceive a plan to justify himself in the eyes of a holy God.  All human attempts to reform mankind have been tried and shown to end in failure. 

Third, it is crystal clear that something else is needed.  Man cannot justify himself in the sight of God.  He needs the help of God himself.  This help has been provided through the person of Jesus Christ, the Mediator between God and man. 

John 14:6 – Jesus said unto him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life:  no man comes unto the Father, but by me.

The atoning work of Christ is the one and only means whereby man can be justified in the sight of God.  There is no other way.  This is the major theme of the book of Romans.   

Let me offer you some encouragement:

As we read through this list of evils and see them at work in our own generation, we may be tempted to be discouraged.  But take heart – God is in control. 

During the days of the Romans things were just as bad or maybe even worse than our society today.  But the Spirit of God moved throughout the land bringing revival and hope. 

God will do the same in our generation.  Let’s continue to seek him, praise him and pray for a mighty revival to transform our nation!

Let me offer you some relief:

None of us is perfect.  Scripture tells us that all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.  But the good news is that Holy Spirit is constantly at work in our lives, continuously shaping us into the image of Christ, our risen Savior and King. 

So, when you stumble and fall or you get fooled by Satan, don’t quit – get back up, get forgiveness and continue on your victorious journey toward Christ!

Let me offer you some strength:

Many people are paying for family and friends who have not yet come to Christ.  If that is you, I want you to know that there is still hope. 

Scripture tells us that the fervent prayers of the righteous are effectual (James 5:16).  In other words, even though you don’t see anything happening in the life of your loved one right now, it doesn’t mean that nothing is happening. 

In fact, Holy Spirit has your loved one on his radar right now.  He is working all things out to bring them to a place where they are ready, willing and able to recognize their sin and seek repentance for it. 

Stand strong and keep on praying!

 

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Romans 1:24 – Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves,

In verses 19-31 of Romans chapter one, Paul focuses on the Gentiles.  He shows that they failed to acknowledge God when he revealed himself through nature and through their consciences. 

As a result, they were unthankful for the blessings of God.  Being unthankful leads to moral failure, the next step in the downward spiral to utter wickedness. 

In verses 22-23 we discovered that the rejection of Jehovah also led the Gentiles to degrading and humiliating worship practices.  They bowed down to statues of men and women, animals, reptiles and even bugs.  Today’s study picks up the story of their continued depravity and descent into wickedness.

GENERAL SUMMARY:  The Gentiles dishonored God.  In response, God permitted them to dishonor themselves by doing things that are shameful, disgraceful, abusive, wicked and shocking.  The specifics of these practices are outlined in verses 24-27.

DIGGING DEEPER:  Therefore:  Up to this point, Paul has been describing the Gentile’s rejection of God.  He has clearly stated that they chose to embrace and worship false idols.  The word ‘therefore’ is a signal that we are about to find out what the consequences of these actions will be. 

God gave them up:  One thing must be made perfectly clear - God did not in any way, shape or form tempt these people to sin.  Neither did he induce or encourage or influence them to sin: 

James 1:13 – Let no man say when he is tempted, “I am being tempted by God,” for God cannot be tempted with evil, and he himself tempts no one. 

From the beginning of creation, God gave mankind the gift of free will.  He has never forced us to serve him.  He desires worship and obedience that spring up as a natural result of our intense love for him (John 14:15, 23, John 14:10), but he also allows us to reject him, if we choose to do so.   

When Paul says God ‘gave them up’ he means that God simply ‘stepped aside’ or removed the restraining influence of his righteousness/holiness from the heathen and allowed them to exercise their free will to do whatever they wanted. 

The more the Gentiles ignored the evidence of a divine Creator and the cries of their consciences, the fainter those truths became, until they couldn’t see/hear them at all.  They became totally submersed in the lust of their hearts.    

In the lusts of their hearts:  The heart of man is the source of all wickedness, so once God ‘got out of their way’, the heathen were free to act out the desires and ideas of their vain imaginations and corrupt hearts. 

James 1:14-15 – But each person is tempted when he is lured and enticed by his own desire.  Then desire when it has conceived gives birth to sin, and sin when it is fully grown brings for death.

As we would expect, evil manifested itself in the decisions and actions of the heathen.  Eventually, they would fill up the cup of their iniquity and judgment/death would follow.

To impurities: ‘Impurities’ is a general term that denotes any kind of moral defilement or sin.  Paul will give us a whole list of impurities in verses 29-31, but in the meantime, he uses sexual impurity (specifically homosexuality) as an example of man’s ultimate depravity.

Homosexuality is often considered the most vile of sins because it is not found in nature (the animal kingdom); it is only present in man who was made in God’s image.   

To the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves:   Those who indulged in these lusts and sins did so of their own free will.  They were not victims.  They were not coerced/forced to abuse themselves, neither did they need to force others.  They happily pursued any and every opportunity to engage in the lusts of their flesh. 

It was fitting that those who dishonored God should be left to dishonor themselves by doing things that were depraved, scandalous and unnatural to human nature.

I Corinthians 3:16 – Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in you?

As Christians, it is important for us to remember that our bodies are members of the body of Christ; we are temples of Holy Spirit.  It is our honor to glorify God with our bodies.     

Romans 1:25 - …because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen.

GENERAL SUMMARY:  In this verse the apostle repeats what he said before, just in different words.  He does this to impress this important truth upon our minds.  Specifically, he wants us to know that God stood aside and left mankind to pursue his own lustful passions because he had already rejected the true God and turned to idols (lies).

DIGGING DEEPER:  They exchanged the truth of/about God:  Paul covered this extensively already.  God reached out to the heathen through creation, but they rejected him and sought idols/lies instead.

Lies:  In scripture, idols and false gods are sometimes referred to as lies (or falsehoods) because they are not true representations of God.

Jeremiah 13:25 – This is your lot, the portion I have measured out to you, declares the Lord, because you have forgotten me and trusted in lies.

(See also Isaiah 28:15, Jeremiah 10:14, Psalms 40:4, Isaiah 44:20).  ‘Lie’ is a fitting term for an idol because they deceive men by seeming to be what they are not.  They claim to have divine power to help and assist mankind, but in reality, they are literally nothing.  They cannot see or hear or reason; they have no knowledge, wisdom or power.  An idol cannot justify man in the sight of God. 

Worshiped and served the creature:   The idolater has convinced himself that there is some divinity (power, provision, wisdom, protection) in the statue he worships when in reality it is no more than ordinary wood, stone or silver. 

Every such image, whether in the shape of a person, calf or beetle is a false and lying representation of the one true God.  When religious honor is given to such an image, it disgracefully and sacrilegiously tarnishes God’s name and obliterates his glory.

The same is true for modern day people who make money, entertainment or pleasure their gods – their worship of these vanities debases/destroys the glory of God.

The Creator who is blessed forever.  Amen:  This phrase is considered a doxology – an ascription of praise to God which was used whenever his name was mentioned (Romans 9:5, II Corinthians 11:31, etc).  These short praises were commonplace in the lives of the Jews.  They were a constant reminder to revere the name of God and to be thankful for his blessings. 

A doxology can be sung, chanted or simply spoken.  It is often used in religious ceremonies as well as everyday life.  Many doxologies conclude with the word ‘amen’ which means ‘so be it’.  This implies a solemn agreement to what has just been said. 

In this particular case, Paul has been writing about the degrading and disgusting idolatry of the heathens.  This ascription of praise was no doubt meant to impress upon his mind (and the minds of his readers) the superior excellency and glory of the true and living God, who is the fountain of all our blessings.

Romans 1:26-27 - For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions.  For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error.

GENERAL SUMMARY:  Paul has been talking about the Gentile’s downward spiral into sin which happened because they rejected the truth.  Now he will reveal how that sin manifests itself in their everyday lives.  Paul is focusing on a single example (homosexuality/lesbianism), but in the next few verses he will give a whole list of sins that will be found in the lives of the heathen.

The bottom line is that if we reject the truth, there will be no limit to the sins we commit.  It may take a while for us to get there, but eventually there won’t be a line we are afraid to cross or a sin that is too depraved for us to indulge in.  This is a really scary thought!  

It’s good to remember that the apostle is pointing out these things to prove that mankind needs a way to be justified in the eyes of God.  Once he has established that fact, he can proceed to share the good news of gospel.    

DIGGING DEEPER:  Dishonorable passions:  The dishonorable passions that Paul is referring to are homosexuality/lesbianism.  He uses these practices as an example of the utter depravity of sin. 

However, as you have no doubt noticed, the culture in which we live does not view homosexuality as a sin at all.  It is widely accepted as a legitimate lifestyle.  There are even churches who claim the name of Christ while openly endorsing homosexual/lesbian pastors, leaders and congregants. 

In fact, many people claim to be born as homosexuals.  Those who hold this view believe that their desire to be homosexual is outside of their control.  They believe their sexual orientation was predetermined before birth and is no different than having a genetically predetermined height, or type of hair, or eye color.

So, in the words of Pilate, what is truth?

Let’s begin our discussion by examining sin in a general context.  There are many different types of sin – envy, hatred, gluttony, anger, greed, pride, lust and murder just to name a few. 

It is no secret that each individual person finds certain sins more attractive than others.  For example, one person may fiercely struggle with the sin of anger while never having any inclination towards lust.  Another person may constantly be tempted by greed but have absolutely no compulsion to lie.  It logically follows that our greatest temptations come when the enemy lures/tempts us in the realm of the sins we are already predisposed to commit.    

Here is another general truth about sin:  It is not a sin to be tempted.  All humans are tempted.  Even Jesus was tempted:

Hebrews 4:15 - For we have not a high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our weaknesses; but was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.

There are certainly things you can do to avoid or reduce temptation like paying strict attention to the things you watch, the places you visit and the thoughts in your mind.  But you can never fully insulate yourself from temptation.  The enemy will find a way to put it in your path when you least expect it.  

The thing to remember is that temptation only results in sin if you give into it.  The devil tempted Jesus to turn stones into bread, but that was not a sin because Jesus didn’t do it.  You may be tempted to cheat on your taxes, but it’s only a sin if you actually do so. 

With these things in mind, let’s circle back to the topic at hand.  How should Christians view homosexuality?

To find the answer, we need only consult the bible, the source of all divine truth. 

God’s word firmly and consistently declares that homosexuality is a sin:

Leviticus 20:13 – If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.

(See also Genesis 19:1-13, Leviticus 18:22, Romans 1:26-27, I Corinthians 6:9, I Timothy 1:10).  It makes no sense to think that God would create people to be genetically bound to homosexuality when he considers it an abomination.  To do so would be unfair and cruel beyond belief.  That does not describe our Heavenly Father.  The God we serve is both perfectly just and perfectly righteous; he would NEVER do such a thing.  We can conclude that people are NOT born homosexual.   

The truth is that homosexuality is a choice (just like every other sin).  There are some people who are born with a greater susceptibility to this particular sin than other people, just like some people are born with a greater propensity to anger or gluttony or pride. 

Since that is the case, there will be a section of the population who are more tempted in this area than others (again, just as it is with any other sin).  It is not a sin to experience a homosexual attraction; that desire is nothing more than a temptation and it is not a sin to be tempted. 

However, if a person gives in to that evil desire and participates in homosexual or lesbian activity, they are actively sinning.  Worse yet, they place themselves deeper and deeper into demonic bondage every time they indulge in that sin or fantasize about it.   

The good news is that there is hope.  God’s forgiveness is available to every sinner and, hallelujah, it covers every sin!  For the Christian, victory over sin (including homosexuality) is possible through the blood of Christ and the help of Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6:9-11, II Corinthians 5:17, Philippians 4:13).

Once we are forgiven by Jesus and the power of sin is broken in our lives, we are no longer defined by our old ways.  We are new creatures/creations in Christ:

II Corinthians 5:17 – Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.  The old has passed away; behold the new has come.

God is always ready, willing and able to assist us, but we must actively work with him to resist temptation and walk in righteousness:     

• All of us must practice holiness by actively resisting temptation (Ephesians 6:13). 
• All of us must be transformed by the renewing of our minds (Romans 12:2). 
• All of us must walk by the Spirit, so we do not gratify the desires of the flesh (Galatians 5:16). 

Now let’s talk about the church.  Because there are no perfect Christians, the church is constantly full of people who are actively working out their salvation with fear and trembling.  All Christians should be seeking to crucify their flesh and walk in victory over sin/bondage on a daily basis.  This includes the sins of homosexuality and lesbianism.  So, you may find a homosexual in your congregation who is striving to overcome those influences and come into line with God’s will for his sexual life. 

Obviously, having that kind of a person in your congregation is very different than having an entire church which promotes and/or actively advocates for homosexuality.  Any church who supports, approves or even quietly accepts homosexuality without addressing it as a sin is twisting scripture.  They are making a mockery of the word of God and of the institution of biblical marriage.  If they cannot ‘rightly divide the word of truth’ in an area as obvious as this, none of their doctrines can be trusted.  You won’t want to be a part of a fellowship like this.

Recompense of their error:   The bible plainly teaches that our choices carry consequences.  This means that when we choose a course of action, we automatically receive the corresponding result.  In other words, choosing to live righteously brings blessing (Proverbs 7:2), while choosing to live in sin brings death/judgment (Romans 6:23, Proverbs 22:8). 

The error Paul refers to is turning aside from God and a knowledge of the truth. This course of action will eventually result in both physical and spiritual death. 

This accurately describes the state of the heathen Gentiles – because of their choices, death was the only outcome for them, unless they could find a way to be justified in the sight of God. 

Romans 1:28 – And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done.

GENERAL SUMMARY: This verse shows the link between sin and punishment.  Once sinners decide not to embrace the knowledge of God (which guides our minds to true wisdom), the Lord releases his influence on their hearts and minds.  This results in a perverted mind which cannot choose anything that is right or just. 

In making these choices the sinner demonstrates a love for their own sin over a love for God.  Thus, the sin/error which binds them was of their own making – it was voluntary.

DIGGING DEEPER:  Debased/reprobate mind:  Reprobate means depraved, corrupt, wicked, base or vile.  It refers to someone or something that is morally lost and abandoned to vice.

A debased/reprobate mind is a mind that has rejected God and is now fully committed to sin and evil without any restraint.  It is devoid of all true knowledge and judgment; it is vain, empty, worthless and good for nothing.  The person with a debased mind is incapable of understanding what is truly good or of recognizing what is truly evil. 

Because they made themselves spiritually blind, such a person will happily and willingly do things that are disgraceful and shameful.

Notice that there is a progression involved here.  Sinners do not suddenly wake up with a reprobate mind after sinning once.  Rather, they arrive at a reprobate mind by degrees.  Once God is fully rejected, sinners are given up to their own lusts (verse 24) which eventually led to vile affections (verse 26) and only then to a mind void of judgement. 

Again, in the verses we are considering today, homosexuality is the sin Paul has used as an example.  However, as we will see in next week’s post, Paul has an entire list of sins which manifest in the lives of the wicked.  

Let me offer you some encouragement:

Many non-believers see Christianity as a set of rules and regulations that are designed to inhibit believers from having fun or enjoying life.  But as any Christian knows, this is a lie from the enemy.  Christianity is a relationship between you and God, the creator of the universe!

The apostle John tells us that the commandments of God are not burdensome (I John 5:3); they bring life, joy and peace.  They keep us safe from the bondages of evil, help us avoid the painful pitfalls of this life, and draw us closer to our Savior and King. 

Is it difficult/uncomfortable to crucify our flesh and bring our sinful desires under the control of our spirit?  Of course!  But the temporary pain we feel is nothing compared to the benefits we gain (and the problems/heartaches we avoid) from living in righteousness. 

Let me offer you some relief: 

According to scripture, all of us are sinners.  Thankfully, the blood of Christ cleanses us from ALL sin (I John 1:7).  This means that there is nothing you have done that cannot be forgiven, unless you choose to retain your sin rather than turning it over to Jesus.   

If you will repent of your sin, confess it, ask Jesus to cleanse you and then turn from your wicked ways, he will hear and answer your prayer. 

Regardless of what you’ve done, God will consider your debt paid by the blood of Jesus and he will cast your sin away from you as far as the east is from the west (Psalms 103:12).  The bottom line is this:  There is hope for YOU!  

Let me offer you some strength:

In this life, we will have temptations.  These temptations come from Satan, the world and our own sinful flesh.  They can occur in any area of life at any time, so there is no point at which we can rest easy.  Rather, we must always be on our guard against these attacks.

But interestingly, temptations can result in our good.  They can show us our weaknesses, try our faith, promote our humility and make us closer/more dependent upon God.

So clothe yourself with the armor of God, and stand strong.  Fight your enemy until the attack/temptation lifts (Ephesians 6).  Every time you defeat that temptation, its hold on you (or its appeal to you) will grow weaker and weaker, until you have gained a sure victory through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

 

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Romans 1:20 – For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made.  So they are without excuse.

Welcome back to our study of Romans.  Paul has already begun discussion of the main doctrine found in this book – justification through faith in Jesus Christ.  Here is a recap of what we have learned so far:

Paul begins by showing that all people have sinned and broken the laws of God.  The Jews were familiar with the laws of God because they were in covenant with him.  They had eye-witness testimony of God’s power, they had revelation given directly from Him, and they had the 10 commandments.  It was easy to identify times and places where they had broken God’s laws.  Their guilt before God was without question.

The Gentiles, however, had none of these things.  Consequently, there were some people who argued that they couldn’t be guilty of sin.  Paul addresses this false belief right away.  He shows that the Gentiles had at least some knowledge of the truth which God revealed to them through nature.  Rather than accepting this truth, the Gentiles rejected it.

GENERAL SUMMARY: Nature proves the existence of a divine being.  In other words, nature bears witness to the existence, intelligence, love and power of God.  The Gentiles were able to understand and perceive this, because God gives each person the ability to think and reason.  He also confirms truths about himself through each person’s conscience. 

If the Gentiles had embraced these truths with their hearts and minds, God would have given them an even greater revelation of himself.  But instead, they hardened their hearts and kept on sinning until they could no longer hear the witness/conviction of their own consciences.  Therefore, they too stand guilty before God and require justification. 

DIGGING DEEPER:  Let’s pause for a moment and consider a fictional scenario.  Suppose you were travelling on your own private jet.  All of a sudden, your pilot informs you there is engine trouble, and your flight is way off course.  He is going to make an emergency landing on the side of a mountain in the middle of a deserted wilderness.

He safely lands the plane, and you both get out and look around.  Just over a hill, you spot a wide street made of stone.  You are surprised to find a small city, perfectly laid out in a square.  In addition to single homes, you find luxurious, multistory buildings and big parks.  Unfortunately, it looks like a ghost town – there are no people anywhere.  (That’s the end of the story, but since I love happy endings, we’ll also assume that you are eventually rescued, you become rich by selling your story to a documentary company, and you live happily ever after.)

Although you never spoke to anyone, you can safely assume that the city didn’t just evolve or appear by itself.  There must have been a master builder who planned it.  There must have been an architect who designed the buildings and produced blueprints.  There were people who produced raw materials like lumbar, bricks, windows and paint. There were construction workers that followed the blueprints and used the raw materials to build the buildings.  There were skilled gardeners who planned the parks and planted the flowers and trees. 

In other words, the fact that the city existed proved that it had been created by someone.  Even though you never physically saw these people, you knew they were either alive or had lived at some time. 

In the same way, the Gentiles had never seen God, never received the law and never had a direct revelation of him.  But despite this, they knew of his existence because nature is proof that there is a divine creator. 

Paul testifies that God’s existence (his divine nature) can be clearly perceived or known by looking at creation.    

Creation is amazing!  It is an astonishingly complex system that we still don’t fully understand despite hundreds of years of observation and study.  Did you know that scientists have observed and classified about 1.2 million species of animals, but they estimate there are approximately 8.7 million more (including insects)?  Besides that, there are a seemingly infinite number of plants, flowers and trees.  Then there are the complex ways in which these species interact with each other and with their habitats. 

As if that were not enough, there are an estimated 200 sextillion (2 x 10 to the 23^rd power) stars.  The sheer number of stars is far past our comprehension!      

Psalms 19:1 – The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork.

We could go on and on, but obviously, even a cursory glance at nature proves that an intelligent creator exists.  His invisible perfections are manifested by his visible works. 

Now let’s change gears and talk about power for a minute.  Humans use power all the time.

All human sources of power have one thing in common – they are external to ourselves.  In other words, we must use resources outside of ourselves to manufacture power.  When that power is used up, we have to have to use additional resources to produce more.    

For example, electricity is one of the most common sources of power; we use it in countless applications every single day.  Electricity itself is generated through power plants that run on coal, gas or other fuels.  We also have refineries that manufacture gas and diesel which we use to power our cars and trucks.  Even human beings run on power - we need food to fuel our own bodies!  The bottom line is that without power, life would cease.

Now let’s consider God.  He is omnipotent, which is a fancy way of saying he possess all power. 

Revelation 19:6 – And I [John] heard as it were the voice of a great multitude, and as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of mighty thunderings, saying, Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigns.

Unlike us, God has no need for an external power source – his limitless power comes from within himself.  He is power.  Because God is also immutable (he never changes) his power can never diminish regardless of how much he expends.  He requires absolutely nothing external to replenish his power.  

It is this profound eternal power that not only created the universe, but constantly maintains it.  Among other things, God’s unmatched power ensures that day follows night, that the earth continues to spin and orbit the sun, that seasons change, and that there will always be seed time and harvest:

Genesis 8:22 – While the earth remains, seedtime and harvest, and cold and heat, and summer and winter, and day and night shall not cease.

God keeps the universe flowing along smoothly, day after day, year after year, century after century, in countless ways that we could never understand.  Only God is capable of doing this; His unlimited power and intelligence make it possible. 

Thus, we find that creation is an exhibition or a public display of God’s omnipotence and divinity.  He has revealed himself in a way that all of mankind can recognize, if only they will.   

As William Burkitt’s Expository Notes put it, “The strokes of the Creator’s hand are engraven in all parts of the universe: the heavens, the earth, and the capacious sea with all things contained in them, are evident testimonies of the excellency of their original cause… any who will not see the footsteps of a Deity in the works of creation and providence are, and will be, everlastingly left without excuse.”

Thus, we see that God has given clear proof of his existence, power and other attributes to the Gentiles.  Those who reject him are just as guilty of sin as the Jews and they stand under the same judgment/condemnation. 

Romans 1:21 – For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their foolish hearts were darkened.

GENERAL SUMMARY: God has revealed himself to all people, in one way or another.  Failure to acknowledge him as God and to be obedient to his laws is the first step in the downward spiral of sin.    

The next step is a refusal to honor him and to be thankful for his blessings.  This in turn leads to moral failure/degradation, which is the natural consequence of dishonoring God.  Moral degradation eventually results in utter wickedness.  Paul outlines these steps for us in the following verses.

DIGGING DEEPER:  Although they knew God – As Paul pointed out in verse 20, God had revealed himself to mankind.  This means that mankind had the means/ability to know him and to discern what was right and what was wrong.  But despite this, mankind decided to choose sin over righteousness.  

They glorified him not as God – In other words, the heathen did not acknowledge and honor God for who he is.  To glorify him is to have respect for him, to trust him, to acknowledge his attributes (power, holiness, goodness, etc), and to obey his laws.  It also means that mankind would glorify him alone because there can be but one infinite creator.  This willingness to honor God (to revere, love and obey him) would act as a restraint to sin. 

But the opposite is also true.  If sinners are not willing to honor God as God, they will spiral deeper into sin and its bondages.  Think of it this way: man WILL worship something, because that is how he has been created.  If he rejects the worship of God, he must substitute something else.  Thus, we find that sinners will choose a god by looking inward to the sinful desires of their own hearts and imaginations.

And sure enough, when we look at history, what do we find?  Man created a whole host of idols and other false gods to worship, glorify and serve.  This proves that they rejected the God of creation.

Neither were they thankful - Those who honor God are inherently thankful to him.  This desire to be grateful is a natural outcome when we acknowledge God’s mercies, love and goodness towards us. Scripture tells us that God is the source of all our blessings, both temporal and spiritual:

James 1:17 – Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.

Ephesians 1:3 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:

Simply stated, when we acknowledge God, it is natural to give him praise and to be thankful for these blessings. 

But because the sinner has chosen a false god/idol, they will be unable to give God the glory for his blessings.  They ascribe the benefits and blessings of God to chance or fortune or good luck, or destiny or the stars or their own wisdom and hard work, or the lump of silver they formed into the image of an idol/beast. 

The bottom line is that it is impossible to give God glory for our blessings, if we don’t admit that God is their only source.  This in turn leads to vain imaginations.  

They became vain in their imaginations – Vain is defined as worthless, fruitless, empty or void of purpose.  Again, keep in mind that Paul is showing us the progression of sin in the lives of the Gentiles:  Because they refused to acknowledge God, they could not glorify him as God, neither could they worship or praise him for the blessings he gave them.  Because they could not worship and praise him, they had to set their affections on something else.  This in turn lead to vain ideas and speculation about the true God. 

In the case of such sinners, the foolishness and wickedness of their hearts darkened their intellectual powers and faculties; their understanding was perverted.  As a result, some Gentiles denied the existence of God altogether.  Others claimed there were multiple gods, not just one.  Still others said that a deity existed, but that he was cold and aloof and simply walked away from his creation.   

These worthless speculations led them further and further from the truth of Jehovah as the one, infinite, all powerful and loving creator.  In the end, their vain speculations led them into confusion.  Paul describes this has having their hearts darkened.

Their foolish hearts were darkened - Because the heathen rebelled against the light or revelation they had received, their minds and their understanding were confused and obscured more and more.  They could no longer recognize the truth.    

Some scholars believe this verse refers specifically to the ancient Gentile philosophers such as Plato, Socrates, Seneca and others.  It is their position that these philosophers knew more about God than most, but they hid the truth from the masses of common people. 

Because of this, God made them void of judgment.  They lost the truth/understanding they had because they refused to follow it to its logical conclusion (there is one divine creator) and share that truth with the common people.  Eventually, they descended into thoughts and ideas that made no sense.   

Romans 1:22 – Claiming to be wise, they became fools,

Many scholars apply this verse primarily to the ancient philosophers who happily boasted of their excessive wisdom in the knowledge of all things, including God.  This group would include the philosophers of the Greeks, the priests of the Egyptians, the magi of the Persians and even the Rabbins of the Jews.  And there is no question, this verse certainly applies to them. 

But in reality, there is no reason to interpret this passage in such narrow terms.  In all nations and in all generations, we find people who feel their wisdom and their knowledge of spiritual things far surpasses that of others.

Here is the problem with their alleged wisdom:  These people rejected the revelation that God gave them of himself.  Therefore, they had absolutely no wisdom at all! 

Jeremiah 8:8-9 – “How can you say, ‘We are wise, and the law of the Lord is with us?’  But behold, the lying pen of the scribes has made it into a lie.  The wise men shall be put to shame; they shall be dismayed and taken; behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord, so what wisdom is in them?”

Many people (both past and present) consider themselves wise, but once they reject God, they are left with nothing except what their limited imaginations and faulty reasoning can manufacture.  Distorting the majesty and glory of God, they form him into a mold of their own corrupt thinking and reasoning.  Thus, instead of worshiping a God who is infinitely wise, powerful, good and past understanding, they create a god who is on their own corrupt, limited level. 

Because of their rejection of God, they became fools - God inflicted foolish/wrong thinking upon them as a punishment for falling away from him.

God describes this process in detail for us in Isaiah 44:9-20.  In this passage (stop and read it if you have time), the prophet talks about foolish people who cut down a tree (which God made) and use part of it to build a fire for warmth and to cook food.  These foolish people then use the rest to carve an idol which they bow to and worship. 

Because these fools have rejected the truth of God for a lie, God makes them spiritually blind so they can no longer think clearly:

Isaiah 44:18,20 – They [sinners] know not, nor do they discern, for he [God] has shut their eyes, so that they cannot see, and their hearts, so they cannot understand.  He [the sinner] feeds on ashes; a deluded heart has led him astray, and he cannot deliver himself or say, “Is there not a lie in my right hand?” 

The bottom line is that because they rejected the truth, the thoughts and doctrines of the heathen were foolish.  In turn, this led to corrupt conduct and deeper sin.    

Romans 1:23 - … and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling mortal man and birds and animals and creeping things.

GENERAL SUMMARY: The Gentiles were given a chance to worship Jehovah, the only eternal, true, unchanging God, who is perfect and glorious.  Their rejection of him led them to degrading and humiliating worship practices, like bowing down to idols made in the images of mortal men/women.  Worse yet, they also worshipped images of animals/birds and even reptiles and bugs. 

DIGGING DEEPER:  And exchanged the glory of the immortal God:  God is perfect and glorious.  He is the source of all light and love.  He is immortal (your translation may say ‘incorruptible’), which shows that he is unchanging, sovereign and eternal.  People in all generations can turn to him with the assurance that he never ceases, diminishes or changes.

Malachi 3:6 – For I am the Lord, I change not…

I Timothy 1:17 – To the King of the ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever.  Amen.

Jehovah is utterly worthy to be praised, worshiped and served.  In fact, it is both an honor and a privilege to worship him. 

For images resembling mortal men:  Sadly, the Gentiles threw away the privilege of worshiping God.  Instead, they chose to worship vain, worthless, corrupt images. 

An image is a representation or likeness of something, whether made by painting, carved from wood/stone, or cast with metal (most commonly silver or gold).  These images are collectively known as idols or false gods. 

Many ancient nations worshiped idols in human form.  For example, artisans made human sculptures of figures like Jupiter, Hercules, Venus, Apollo and Romulus.  Once these images took shape, people deified them - they gave them human attributes like extraordinary strength or matchless beauty.  They also assigned human passions to them, but without any kind of moral code or principles.  Their made-up gods had unlimited powers and engaged in every form of sensual gratification (revenge, murder, torture, sex acts, gluttony, etc).  In essence, they made their gods exactly like they were, or wished to be!

The ancients even went so far as to honor these gods by erecting temples and altars for them.  These temples were venues for cult prostitution and lavish feasts which often resulted in gross immorality.  Worshipers could bring these idols any and every kind of sacrifice. 

We know these kinds of temples and images were very common in the Roman and Greek cultures.  Paul speaks of seeing many of them when he visited Athens (Acts 17:16-34).

As bad as this was, the Gentiles sunk even lower.  They also bowed down in worship to images of creatures such as birds, animals and ‘creeping things’.  This type of worship was especially prevalent in the Egyptian and Oriental cultures.

Birds – The Egyptians worshiped the hawk and the ibis, while the Romans worshiped the eagle. 

Animals – The Egyptians worshiped the monkey, as well as the ox (apis).  This, of course, is where the children of Israel got the idea for their golden calf.    

Creeping things – This category includes animals that have no feet or such short legs that they seem to crawl on the ground.  In Egyptian culture, this included beetles, snakes and even crocodiles.

Worship of this kind is abominable, degrading and humiliating.  It is also worthless and senseless.  It proves that when man abandons a relationship with God, he sinks into the lowest depths of depravity and wickedness.

One other thing should be noted here.  Lest we condemn the Gentiles too much, keep in mind that the Jews were guilty of similar practices, even though they were in covenant with God (Ezekiel 8:10-12).

Let me offer you some encouragement:

In today’s post we talked about people who worshiped the sun, moon and stars as well as images of humans, animals and even bugs.  Collectively, these are referred to as idols.  They took the place of God in the lives of those who worshiped them.

We may be tempted to think that here in America, people do not worship idols.  But is that really so?

An idol is technically defined as anything on which our affections are strongly (often excessively) set; any object of passionate devotion or adoration, anything that takes the place of God.

For some people, work is an idol; they are so passionate about their jobs they think of nothing else, talk of nothing else and do nothing else.  All their hopes, desires and affections are set on their job.  All their time is devoted to their work.  They will spend whatever money is necessary to buy clothes or other items for the job.  Essentially, they worship their job.

Other modern idols include self-gratification of all kinds (including sex, drugs, entertainment, etc), children, education, sports, social media, cars or even food. 

Keep this in mind:  There is nothing wrong with any of these things, as long as we keep them in their proper place in our lives.  When we worship God as we should, we can add these things into our lives as blessings, not idols.

Take a few moments to examine yourself.  Is there anything that you have been putting before God in your life?

Let me offer you some relief:

Our study today focuses on just how big, powerful and amazing our Creator is.  Yes, he constantly keeps the universe flowing along smoothly, but that doesn’t mean he has forgotten you!

During difficult times, we are tempted to think that God doesn’t see us or our situation.  But nothing could be further from the truth.  Scripture tells us that God knows the number of hairs on our head (Matthew 29:30).  He is aware of when we get up, when we sit down and he even knows what our words will be before we speak them (Psalms 139:1-4).  He knit us together in the womb, and he has determined the number of our days, before we were even born (Psalms 139:13-16)!

God loves you so much he died for you (Romans 5:8); there is NO WAY he would ever forget you or neglect you!

Let me offer you some strength:

The bible tells us that God is the creator of the world.  Man tells us that evolution created the world. 

This is a prime example of the distorted, darkened thinking that people will embrace once they have rejected the God of the universe.  We can’t go into a full-blown study of evolution here, but even a quick glance shows the depravity of man’s thinking:

Evolution says that life on earth descended from a single-celled, self-replicating organism which randomly mutated over time.  These mutations were passed from generation to generation and resulted in ever-increasingly complex organisms.  That in and of itself makes no sense. 

According to the second law of thermodynamics, the universe tends towards disorder and disorganization, not to order and complexity.  The longer the time span, the more disorganized the universe becomes.  Yet, evolutionists think the world became increasingly more complex over a period of billions of years.

Although they offer no answers as to how the original organism came to life (or maintained that life), they believe that somehow it was responsible for all of the rich, diverse, complex, dynamic life that you see on the planet.  How ridiculous!  It makes much more sense to believe that God created the world (and all that is in it) in six days and that he keeps it running smoothly (Genesis 2:1-3).    

Furthermore, in his foolish thinking Charles Darwin (the scientist which developed the theory of evolution), asserts that men descended from apes.  This too is in direct contradiction to both common sense and the bible.

Scriptures tell us that mankind is the crown jewel of God’s creation.  We are made in his image and likeness:

Genesis 1:26 – Then God said, “Let us make man in our images, after our likeness.”

We were created with a special purpose – to reflect and represent God on the earth and to steward creation for him.

Despite what others may claim, stand strong in your faith.  Don’t allow the lies of darkened confused minds to cloud your thinking – the God we worship and serve is the Creator of all that you now see.  He created you, he reached out to you in your sin, and he will make you his son or daughter, if only you will ask him!

 

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Romans 1:18 – For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.

Welcome back to our study of Romans.  In our last post we noted that God is perfectly holy, perfectly righteous and perfectly just; sin cannot exist in his presence.  Mankind is guilty of breaking the laws of God.  As a result of our sin, we are cut off from God; we are under a sentence of spiritual death (Romans 6:23). 

The only way to escape spiritual death is to be justified in God’s sight. 

As we discovered last week, mankind has two choices in regards to justification. 

The first choice includes any/all plans of justification conceived by mankind.  These plans have different variations, but they all have one common denominator – man relying on himself to provide justification for sin. 

The Jews of Paul’s day tried to find that justification by conformity to the external rites of the Law.  This included things like the temple sacrifices, ceremonial washings, dietary restrictions, observing the feasts and doing good works. 

The Gentiles/Greeks of Paul’s day tried to find that justification by following their consciences (the law written on their hearts) and/or doing what they felt was right by their own standards.  Needless to say, their standards were not the same as God’s!    

The second choice is the plan of justification conceived by God and outlined in the gospel – justification through faith in Jesus Christ.

In the book of Romans, Paul sets out to logically and systematically prove that God’s plan of justification is the only plan that works.  In other words, no one (Jew or Gentile) could ever be justified in God’s sight through their own works. 

This brings us to today’s lesson, which begins in verse 18, but I want to pause for just a moment. 

Many people do not study or even read the book of Romans because they consider it to be too ‘academic’ and difficult to understand.  First of all, if this is you, you are in very good company!  People who have studied the scriptures for years and years still have questions about the book of Romans. 

Nevertheless, I am convinced there is an enormous amount of wisdom and blessing that God wants to give us through this book.  Any effort we put forth to study it will enhance our understanding.  Even a basic examination of the truths presented here will create a foundation of knowledge that we can use now and build on in the future. 

So, in order to help us get the most out of our study, we are going to change our methods just a bit.  Going forward, for each verse or each new concept, I plan to present a ‘GENERAL SUMMARY’.  This will be a simple, short, overall summary of what Paul is trying to tell us. 

Once we have that in mind, we will look at a ‘DIGGING DEEPER’ section, where we can follow some of the deeper reasonings of Paul as he expounds on the divine doctrines he wants to impart to us.  So, without further ado, let’s give it a try…

GENERAL SUMMARY:

In verse 18 Paul tells us that God, who is perfectly holy, responds to sin with righteous vengeance.  His wrath is hanging over all of mankind (both Jew and Gentile), because all people are unrighteous and sinful.  God has reached out to mankind, but as a whole, man rejects divine truth.    

DIGGING DEEPER:   

For – This word connects Paul’s current line of reasoning with verse 16, where he says he is not ashamed of the gospel.  He is getting ready to prove or show the absolute necessity of the gospel because of the universal corruption of mankind, which was so great it incensed the justice of God and required punishment of the world.

Wrath of God – The term ‘wrath’ denotes an enraged response to the action of another.  It is a form of retaliation which springs from an injury, hurt or violation that someone inflicts upon you.  For example, if someone walked up to you and punched you in the face for no reason, you might become enraged at their actions and immediately seek vengeance by punching them back and adding a kick for good measure.  Your reaction reflects wrath.    

‘Wrath’ is often used interchangeably with the words resentment, anger, rage or vengeance.  There is nothing wrong with using the term this way, as long as we are referring to people.

We must be very careful when using the phrase ‘wrath of God’.  Here is why: God is perfectly holy and just.  He does not act out in fits of passion the way sinful humans do.  God has no motivation for vengeance, because there is nothing we can do to injure, harm or violate him: 

Job 35:6-8 – If you [Job or any man] have sinned, what do you accomplish against him [God]?  And if your transgressions are multiplied, what do you do to him?  If you are righteous, what do you give to him?  Or what does he receive from your hand?  Your wickedness concerns a man like yourself, and your righteousness a son of man.

When interpreting scripture, we cannot assign our passions and feelings to God, particularly when these feelings originate in evil (like wrath or anger).

So, how are we to understand the wrath of God?

We can best define the wrath of God as divine displeasure or indignation against sin.  It does not originate in an evil emotion such as anger or hate.  Rather, springs from God’s perfect holiness and righteousness - God hates sin.  His displeasure manifests or is expressed by punishment on the ungodly and the unrighteous.  Since all people are sinners, it logically follows that all of us are corrupt and deserving of punishment. 

This brings up a very important question: How do we know we are sinners?

The answer is that God has revealed himself and his holiness to us.   

Revealed from heaven - Prior to the incarnation of Christ (before the gospel was revealed), God gave the Jews a revelation of himself and his holiness by direct revelation (through the patriarchs and the prophets), through his dealings with them (like delivering them from Egypt), and via the law (as given on Mount Sinai).  Despite these revelations from heaven, the Jews continued to sin. 

God also gave the Gentiles a revelation of himself and his holiness prior to the gospel.   He did this through their reason and conscience.  But despite their ability to reason and the witness of their consciences (which was given to them from heaven), the Gentiles continued to sin. 

Going back to our summary, we noted that the wrath of God hangs over all of mankind because all of us are sinful.  As we dig deeper, we find that Paul uses two separate words to describe our sin: Ungodliness and unrighteousness.  These two terms refer back to the ten commandments.  The ten commandments are often divided up into what are called ‘the two tables’.   

Ungodliness – The first four commandments (the first table) deals with sins that man commits against God.  They include the following:  You shall have no other gods before me, do not worship idols, do not take the name of the Lord in vain, remember to keep the Sabbath holy (see Exodus 20:1-11, Deuteronomy 5:1-15).  

Overall, Paul uses the term ‘ungodliness’ to refer to the breaking of any of these four commands.  Ungodliness also includes living without any conscious reference to God and/or living without righteous/proper feelings toward him. 

Unrighteousness of men – The other six commandments (the second table) deal with sins that man commits against other people.  They include the following: Honor your parents, do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not lie, do not covet (Exodus 20:12-17, Deuteronomy 5:16-21).   

Overall, Paul uses the term ‘unrighteousness’ to refer to the breaking of any of the last six commandments, as well as all deviations from moral conduct in heart, speech and behavior.

Taken together, these two phrases (ungodliness and unrighteousness) encompass the violation of all the commands of God:

Matthew 22:37-40 – And he [Jesus] said to him, “you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.  On these two commandments depend all the Law and the Prophets.”

Next, Paul expands on the fact that both Jews and Gentiles had at least some knowledge of the truth of God, but all of them refused to live by the truth that was revealed to them:

Who hold the truth in unrighteousness – In this context, to hold means to keep back, to restrain, to suppress, to hinder.  The implication is that the truth (God’s revelation of himself and a knowledge of sin) was held back or restrained by their wickedness. 

In other words, both Jews and Gentiles had a degree of truth, but they did not embrace it/follow it/live their lives by it.  Instead, they chose to sin.  By choosing sin, they prevented the truth from taking root in their hearts and influencing/shaping their conduct.  Thus, they lived contrary to what they knew to be right. 

Have you ever heard the phrase ‘use it or lose it’?  That concept applies here.  If the people who lived prior to the gospel would have embraced the truth they had (no matter how small), they would have benefited from it – God would have blessed them and revealed more of himself to them.  But because of their rejection of the truth, they lost even the little bit they had.

Matthew 25:29 – For unto everyone that has shall be given, and he shall have abundance; but from him that has not shall be taken away even that which he has.  

Thus, Paul makes it very clear that all people (Jews and Gentiles) are in the same position – all of us have sinned and all of us require redemption.

Now Paul is going to change gears – he is going to talk specifically about the rejection (holding back) of the truth by the Gentiles.  Later, in chapters 2-3 he will focus on the rejection of the truth by the Jews.      

Romans 1:19 – For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.

GENERAL SUMMARY: In the remainder of this chapter, Paul is speaking specifically about the Gentiles.  He will systematically prove that God revealed himself to the Gentiles through nature.  Specifically, by examining nature through their intelligence and powers of reason, the Gentiles could have known a lot about God (his existence, his wisdom, his love, etc).  Furthermore, the righteous laws of God were confirmed by their own consciences. 

But despite these revelations, the Gentiles did not obey his law.  In Paul’s words, the Gentiles ‘held back’ the truth.  Because they rejected the truth and hardened their hearts, eventually they could no longer hear the witness/conviction of their own consciences, so they spiraled deeper and deeper into the bondage of sin.

DIGGING DEEPER:  Some people might have argued that the Gentiles had an excuse for their sin, because they did not have the law and the prophets like the Jews did.  But Paul maintains that they were not completely without a knowledge of God, and they chose to reject or obstruct (hold back) the revelation that was given to them. 

What can be known of God – This phrase implies two things.

One, there are things about God which we cannot or do not know.  Indeed, it is not possible for us to fully comprehend God’s greatness, wisdom, glory, perfection, etc.  That is actually a reassuring thought, because if we could fully know and understand God, he would not be big enough for us to serve!

Two, there are things we can and do know about him.  Although the Gentiles had no written or direct revelation of God (as the Jews did), God still made himself known to them.

In fact, God has imprinted a knowledge of himself upon the hearts of all men and women; instinctively we know he exists. 

Think of it this way – when we see a painting, we know there must be a painter.  When we see a skyscraper, we know there must be an architect.  Likewise, when we see creation, we know there must be a creator.

But God shows us much more than just his existence.  His attributes – his infinite power, wisdom, dominion/sovereignty and goodness – are revealed in nature.  Though these attributes are not visible to our physical eyes we can see evidence of them in the beauty, order, consistency, perfection and complexity of creation.     

Psalms 97:6 – The heavens declare his righteousness, and the people see his glory.

Psalm 19:1-3:  The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows his handiwork.  Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night shows knowledge.  There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.

Obviously, Paul was not saying that the Gentiles could know everything that pertains to God.  Nor was he saying that their understanding of him was as clear as someone who had a direct revelation of him. 

His point is that the Gentiles knew enough about God to understand their sin.  Therefore, they had no covering or excuse for their moral failures, their idolatry or their outright wickedness.  Thus, God would be just in punishing them for their deeds. 

Is plain to them – In every generation, the Gentiles were plainly given a degree of understanding about God.  If they had embraced this knowledge and allowed it to impact their lives, they would have passed that knowledge on to their children, who could have built upon it.  This knowledge would have been passed from person to person and from nation to nation.  In this way, the knowledge of God would have circulated among the Gentile populations.   

But instead, the Gentiles chose sin over righteousness; they held back the truth from themselves.  They cut themselves off from a knowledge of God because they preferred to embrace sin rather than truth.

Let me offer you some encouragement:

I want to take a moment and commend everyone who is reading this post.  The book of Romans is a bit more difficult to understand than some of the other New Testament books, so we often skip over it (no doubt with a promise to study it at a later date). 

We won’t understand everything in this book, but when we earnestly set ourselves to hear from God, Holy Spirit enlightens our minds and gives us greater understanding.  I can guarantee you that if you approach this study that way, you WILL benefit from it.  Plus, you are building a base of knowledge which you can add to later. 

So, I encourage you to stay with it; I know you will find benefit from taking the time to focus on the great truths of the book of Romans!

Let me offer you some relief:

Let’s discuss sin for a minute.  As human beings, we tend to break sins up into different imaginary categories.  For instance, most people would consider murder to be one of the worst sins imaginable.  On the other hand, we often tell ‘white lies’ without giving it a second thought, even though ‘thou shalt not lie’ is the ninth command. 

The fact is, God views sin differently than we view it.  Whether it’s a lie or a murder, it’s all sin.  Furthermore, God considers it a sin to murder someone in your heart, even if you never touch them physically (Matthew 5:27-28)!  

The good news is that there is no sin that he won’t forgive, if only you humble yourself and repent.  Those around you may say there is no hope for you, but don’t you believe it – God is ready, willing and able to redeem anyone and everyone.

Let me offer you some strength:

There are many people who only want to focus on the love of God.  While it is true that God is love, that is only half of the truth.  God’s love is perfectly consistent with his wrath, or his judgment of sin. 

When we fail to tell people that the God of love is also the God of justice, we do them a disservice.  Essentially, we are holding back the truth. 

Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that we need to beat sinners over the head with tales of hell, fire and brimstone, but I am saying that at the right time and in the right way, we should be witnesses of the whole truth.  This glorifies God more than giving sinners a lopsided view of who he is.