The Letter to the Romans Chapter 2:12-16
“Truth Written in the Hearts”
November 8, 2009
INTRODUCTION
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Romans 2:12-16
For just as many as “without law” ( the gentiles), sin, ” shall perish “without law:
so also, as many as are” in the law” (Jews), sin, they shall be judged through the law; For not the hearers of the law [are] just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
For when the Gentiles, having not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Who themselves demonstrate the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness together also between each other, thoughts accusing or else defending; In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
How well will you do in the Day God judges the secrets of men?
BODY
Romans 2:12 For just as many as “without law” ( the gentiles), sin, ” shall perish “without law: so also, as many as are” in the law” (Jews), sin, they shall be judged through the law;
“For” points to what has been said before. “For there is no partially with God.”
Those who are sinners, no matter if they are Gentiles (those without the law) or Jews (those in the law), they shall stand before God and receive punishment. The Gentile according to his lack of knowledge of the law and the Jew according to his knowledge of the law.
Many times I have had people say to me: “What about the man, in the deepest Jungles of South America or Africa who never hears the message of God?”
1. In Romans 1:20 it says they are without excuse, because though they may not have received the word of God they received the revelation of God through the creation itself.
2. In every continent, culture, or race on earth there is some understanding that there is a creator bigger than one self. Yet, in every continent, culture, or race there are those who ignore this truth, replacing it with the idolatry of self worship. Given this fact there is an understanding of God, even without the Word, humanity is without excuse.
Therefore, as Romans 2:12 states: All will be judged based on their understanding of God: Those without the law, according to their lack of knowledge. Those in the law will be judged according to the law.
So, does this mean that as a Christian, if I do not study the Word, I will have a better excuse for my actions when I am judged? We will answer this later.
Romans 2:13 For not the hearers of the law [are] just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
“For” again points to what has been said in vs. 11. “For there is no partially with God.”
The Jew of that day would say that they have an advantage in that they are Jews and people of the law. In other words they have been just hearers, rather than those who actually perform it in their daily lives.
Bring this idea forward 2000 years: We might say, it does not matter if we sin, because we have accepted Christ as savior. Therefore when I sin, I am forgiven, so it really does not mean much as to whether or not I am obedient to every nuance of the Word. God will not kick me out of Heaven for skipping over a few things.
Continuance to sin: – after claiming salvation, a continuance to sin points to a bigger issue. IF there is a continuance of deliberate, habitual sin after salvation, with no conviction, then this points to the fact that the Holy Spirit is not at work in your life.
If the Holy Spirit is at work in a person’s life, then there is an internal understanding of what constitutes sin and an internal conviction in one’s conscience.
I have seen people, in a congregation who I knew were in sin.
• Those who were Christians cried through every service due to conviction of the Holy Spirit on their conscience.
• Those who did not, were either not saved, or their conscience was so seared that they no longer could hear the Holy Spirit and were very close to death and judgment.
• Why? Verse 14
Romans 2:14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:
What conclusion can be drawn by this?
There are gentile converts, who by the instrumentation of their conversion do the same things contained in the law without actually having knowledge of the law obtained through study.
How can this be? Vs. 15
Romans 2:15-16 Who themselves demonstrate the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness together also between each other, thoughts accusing or else defending; In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
How does this happen? Look at PowerPoint slides
Romans 2:29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.(ASV)
2 Corinthians 1:21-22 Now he which established us with you in Christ, and hath anointed us, [is] God; Who hath also sealed us, and given the down payment of the Spirit in our hearts.(KJV)
Galatians 4:6 And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.(KJV)
So, does this mean that as a Christian, if I do not study the Word, I will have a better excuse for my actions when I am judged?
CLOSING
