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A Study Of The Book Of Romans Lesson #6 Series
Contributed by James May on Aug 15, 2014 (message contributor)
Summary: An expository study of the Book of Romans
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Book of Romans Study
Romans Lesson # 6
By Rev. James May
Let us begin tonight by backing up just one verse into our last lesson.
Romans 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God.
We had spoken concerning the fact that God is ultimately Just and Holy, and that He alone is Sovereign in all things. In Him there is perfect justice. When each of us stands before God, in the Day of Judgment, there will be no partiality shown in the justice that God metes out.
Whether those who stand before Him are Jew or Gentile, rich or poor, prisoner or free; male or female, young or old, God will judge all men the same. There are only two verdicts that can be given, guilty of sin and worthy of death; or free from sin, because of the blood of Jesus, and worthy of life eternal through Christ.
He will judge righteous judgment; he will judge people as they ought to be judged; according to their character and what they truly deserve; or by their trust in the power of the blood of Jesus as their substitutionary payment for sin.
This scripture does not pertain to every facet of life; only to the judgment which will be applied to the hearts of men.
It does not mean that God is obligated to make all his creatures equal in talent, health, wealth, or station in life.
It does not imply that he may not make differences in how we are made, such as size, talents, or physical abilities and appearances.
It does not imply that he may not give blesses to whomever, whenever and wherever he pleases, or to withhold those blessings for his own reasons.
It also doesn’t mean that he can’t make us different in our calling or gifts of the Spirit.
God’s equality in dealing with all men pertains to his judgments, whether we are either living in a state of rebellion against God and his law, or we are Born Again by accepting Jesus as Lord and Savior. His rewards may differ according to the faithfulness of our works, but our guilt or salvation is the same for all men.
This idea of God not having any partiality in the Day of Judgment carries over into the rest of this chapter and even more.
Romans 2:12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;
How does God prove that he is no respecter of persons? What measure of justice must he use to prove his impartiality?
Paul says that the Gentiles were without the law of God. They did not know the law that God had given to Moses, yet they had knowledge of right and wrong, and in spite of that knowledge, they rebelled against that which was right, and in so doing, they also rebelled against the law of God.
Gentiles, who knew not the law, need not be judged by the law that they didn’t know, but they will be judged as law-breakers for that which they did know. And if those who are ignorant of God’s law, break even one of those laws that are known, then they are guilty of the sin of rebellion.
Ignorance of the law of God is not an acceptable excuse in the courtroom of Heaven. By nature, a natural knowledge of good and evil, that is given by God and comes to all men through Adam, we all have that innate understanding of what is right and what is not. Yet, in spite of that knowledge, we still choose to do the wrong. That is a heart of rebellion that is opposed to the “right”, and where does that “right” come from? It comes from the very law and nature of God.
Even without the Law of Moses, the law of God is still revealed in nature, and disobedience to the law of nature is still rebellion in the eyes of the Lord and will bring judgment upon whoever breaks that law.
They sinned outside of the knowledge of the Law of Moses, yet they will be perish in their sin because they rebelled against the natural law of nature that God has put into place and that alone is enough to condemn the sinner.
On the other hand, the Jews have had the Law of Moses given to them, and still they have rebelled against that law. They that have lived in knowledge of the law and yet disobeyed that law, will be the basis on which they are judged. The Jew will be judged by the law they knew and did not obey.
Neither Jew, nor Gentile will be given any favoritism in the courts of Heaven. Those who aren’t washed in the blood will be judged, condemned and sentenced according to their rebellious hearts against what they did know.