Title: “God’s Impartial Judgment” Script: Romans 2
Type: Expository/series Where: GNBC 2-8-21
Intro: Chuck Swindoll told of being at a California Christian camp pastor’s retreat. 1st day there a man approached him and said how greatly he had looked forward to hearing Dr. Swindoll speak. That evening Swindoll noticed the man sitting near the front. But only a few minutes into the message the man was sound asleep. Swindoll thought to himself that perhaps he was tired after a long day’s drive and couldn’t help himself. But the same thing happened the next few nights, and Swindoll found his exasperation with the man growing. On the last night the man’s wife came up and apologized for her husband’s inattention. She then explained that he had recently been diagnosed with a terminal cancer and the medication he was taking to ease the pain made him extremely sleepy. But it had been one of his life-long ambitions to hear Dr. Swindoll speak before he died, and now he had fulfilled that goal. Swindoll is a very humble man to tell that story. We are often guilty of judging the sinfulness of others w/o considering our own.
Prop: Romans 2 we’ll see 3 Points Paul made in relation to God’s Impartial Judgment.
BG. 1. Point of Romans 1&2 is to demonstrate both Jews and Gentiles under sin.
2.. In Rom. 2 Paul goes to great lengths to demonstrate the spiritual hypocrisy of those w/Law.
3.
Prop: Examining Rom 2 we’ll see 3 Points Paul made in reference to God’s Impartial Judgment.
I. The Responsibility of Privilege vv.1-11
A. Paul begins this section by demonstrating that there is Responsibility assoc. w/Spiritual Priv.
1.The Jews were the most spiritually Privileged people. Law. Covenants. Prophets.
a. Illust: I got my license on my 16th birthday. That next Saturday night I asked my dad if I could have the keys to my mom’s car so I could go out cruising with some friends at the mall. It was 1982, and my mother had a white, 1979 Z-28 Camaro with a 350hp 4 barrel. As my father handed me the keys he said: “Privilege requires responsibilities.” I knew what he meant. I was being given the keys to beautiful car. Don’t wreck it, and don’t get into trouble with it.
b. Paul lays out an important spiritual principle in the first 11 verses of this chapter. Privilege requires responsibilities. Last week we looked at Romans 1. Reading Romans 1 would not have disturbed a Jew. In fact, it might delight him. At that time period they relish the thought that Gentile pagans would get their due in spending eternity separated from God in punishment. Actually, in chapter 1, Paul is demonstrating the condemnation of Gentiles outside of Christ but he is also secretly setting a trap for the spiritually smug and complacent Jew as well. Yes, it was true that pagan Gentiles deserved God’s wrath for their rejection of His revelation (I:18-20), but now in Romans 2, the Apostle is demonstrating that his own countrymen are equally deserving.
2. What was the emphasis of Paul’s writing?
-Paul was addressing a sinful mindset that blinded ethnic Jews to their true spiritual standing. “The Jews had always considered themselves in a specially privileged position with God. God, they said, loves Israel alone of all the nations of the earth. God will judge the Gentiles with one measure and Jews with another. One of the early church fathers, Justin Martyr, was arguing about the position of the Jews in Dialogue with Trypho, wherein the Jew made the following comment: ““They who are the seed of Abraham according to the flesh shall in any case, even if they be sinners and unbelieving and disobedient towards God, share in the eternal Kingdom.”” (Barclay, Romans, p. 41) .
B. Paul Responded to this Spiritual Blindness and Arrogance with 4 Key Thoughts:
1. Paul Warns the Jews they were taking for granted the mercy of God.
a. v. 4 – Paul asks his countrymen a critical question. (Read v.4) We see three great words used by the Apostle in condemning the spiritual complacency of the Jews: God has demonstrated: kindness, forbearance, and patience in a special way to the Jewish people, and the Apostle says that they have ignored it! Kindness- chrestotes – Greek had two words for kindness agathos and chrestotes. Agathos – a man’s kindness might be mixed with judgment. Chrestotes- the goodness of a man is always demonstrated in kindness. Forbearance – anoche – word for truce. Cessation of hostilities. But that cessation has a limit. Jews thought was Carte Blanche to sin, whereas Paul was saying is your opportunity to repent. Patience – makrothumia – patience w/people. Was used of a man who had the power to avenge himself and chose not to. Paul was telling the Jews: “Don’t think just because God does not punish you that He CANNOT punish you.
b. What P{aul was telling the Jews of his day is still important for everyone, ourselves included, to hear today: “The fact that God’s punishment doesn’t usually, immediately follow our sinis no proof of His powerlessness; rather, it is proof of His patience.” (Barclay p.42) My friends, you and I owe our very lives to the patience of God!
2. Paul Warns the Jews that this taking God’s mercy for granted should have led to repentance and not arrogance.
a. Illust: Let’s suppose there was a son born to a family of wealth and privilege. Let’s assume that son, upon reaching a certain age, spurned his family, his heritage, his privilege, and lived in some disgraceful spectacle whereby he shamed himself and his family. Caused heartbreak and heartache to parents. Let’s suppose that erring child came to his senses, returned to family and asked their forgiveness. Loving parents freely forgive him, grateful to God for his repentance. Now, in the future that son has one of two choices: 1. Live in gratitude that his former offenses are no longer held against him and that he has been freely forgiven and live his life attempting to be worthy of the grace given him. OR: 2. Use that forgiveness that was granted by his parents to go right back to sinning again. What a great and monstrous EVIL it would be for that son to so lightly treat the mercy and forgiveness of his father and mother! Yet, Paul is saying here that is exactly how the Jews were responding.
b. Christian, don’t ever come to the place where you think the mercy and love of God are something that makes us feel like we can “sin and get away with it.” Illust: On more than one occasion in past 9 months have talked to Christians who left/divorcing spouse. Challenged them. “Pastor, I know God will forgive me!” “Don’t be so sure!” You are trading on God’s mercy. Instead of using God’s mercy as an incentive for repentance they used it as an invitation to sin.
3. Paul Warns the Jews that God has no “Most Favored Nation” clause for salvation.
a. Illust: MFN – means one country grants another country (Usually an ally) the most favorable trading terms possible. It was Milton who said: “When God has some great work He gives it to an Englishman.” Milton had an interesting view of ability of English. Well, Paul is arguing here that the whole Jewish religion had devolved to a mindset that the they held a position of privilege and favor in the sight of God.”
b. The ground at the cross of Christ is level. No preferential recognition of ethnicity, nationality, position or privilege. Anyone may come, but you can only come on Christ’s terms. V.11 – There is NO PARTIALITY with God!
4. Paul Wants the Jews that God will certainly judge each man’s works. Vv.9-10 (Read)
- Paul says all men will be judged by their works. You say, “Now wait, Pastor. I thought we were saved by faith and not works.” Yes, you are! Man is saved on the basis of faith, but he is condemned on the basis of his works.” (Read Rev. 20:12 ) When any man rejects the righteousness of God in Christ, he chooses to establish his own righteousness. This “righteousness” can only be judged on a performance basis. Here’s the problem: We all fail.
C. Applic: Paul lambast his countrymen for their lack of contrition before God. Rather than breeding repentance, their association w/ the Law had led to pride and arrogance. Don’t ever let that be the case for us, Christians. Be humble. Be grateful.
II. The Unwritten Law vv. 12-16
A. Next Paul proves a Point to Demonstrate All People are judged impartially by God.
1. Paul turns the Argument back on the Jews by Using the Actions and Lives of the Gentiles.
a. These verses can be a bit confusing. Some of the best scholars offer us help in understanding the intention of the author. You have to remember, Paul was probably pacing up and down, dictating to Tertius, his secretary, (Rom. 16:22) who struggled to write it down. Vv.14-15 is kind of like a parenthesis. It might be a little easier to understand if you read vv.13&16 and then 14&15 after that.
b. God will judge everyone with perfect justice. Paul is anticipating a Jewish objection, “But surely God will treat us more favorably than the pagan Gentiles. We know God’s ways as revealed in His Law, but they don’t!” Or, perhaps a Gentile would object, “It’s not fair for God to judge me for disobeying a standard that I knew nothing about! I’ve done the best that I could with what I knew. God won’t judge me, will He? So Paul shows that God will impartially judge everyone for sinning against the light that they were given. His line of reasoning goes like this: The Gentile sinned without the Law, so he will perish without the Law. The Jew sinned under the Law and so he will be judged by the Law (2:12).
2. Illust: “Someone has once quipped that the definition of a jury is: “twelve people chosen to decide who has the best lawyer.” With the current state of litigation in America, it’s no wonder that people are openly skeptical about truth and justice in our law courts. Indeed, the problem with justice is that it appears to be no longer admissible in our practice of law.There is coming a day, however, when things will be different—radically different. It is a day Paul refers to in Romans 2:16 when God will judge men. There will be no need for lawyers; God does not need to listen to crooked defense strategies. There will be no need for remembering what actually happened; God is omniscient and omnipresent. He knows what happened better than we do; indeed he was there when the deeds were done.” (Greg Herrick, Romans 2)
B. Paul Outlines that there are Two Classes of people with Respect to the Law.
1. Jewish with the Written Law of God. Gentiles with the Implanted Conscience of God.
a. How to interpret vv.14-15? Is the Apostle defending the behavior of Pagan Gentiles and saying they will inherit salvation thru their works? NO! Illust: Augustine, preeminent scholar of Church Fathers interprets this passage: “When a heathen, who leads a wicked life, and not truly worshipping God, nevertheless, performs this or that good work required by the Law, they may be said to have fulfilled something of the demands of the Law. Thus, by nature, and in limited circumstances, the heathen do those things contained in the Law.” (Luther, p. 59) Is Paul complimenting the pagans to salvation? No! Rather, he is saying that both Jew and Gentile have at best, only kept the Law of God in part and not the whole!
2. God’s Righteous Judgment is Impartial.
a. Vv.12-15 – God is impartial and both Jews and Gentiles will be judged. The greater our moral knowledge, the greater our accountability.
b. God’s judgment will take place. It will include the hidden places of our lives. Illust: You know how you act when have unexpected company? See the car pull up in the driveway…Quick, pick up the… Flurry of activity as papers are shuffled, shoes stuffed away, items picked up. “Just a minute!” Yelling and waving to kids to pick up dog bones, socks, etc. “Hello!” Big smile. House looks great…just don’t open closet or killed by avalanche! Friend, when God judges us it won’t be like the friend coming for a visit. God will inspect all the recesses of our heart. No hidden compartments. All will be exposed.
C. Applic: God’s impartial judgment of all people will be on the basis of their works. Those who are doers of God’s Word will be acquitted and go to heaven. Those who disobey God’s Word will be condemned and go to hell.
III. The Real “Jew”. vv. 17-29
A. Paul Now Delivers a Shattering Blow to the Jewish Psyche of Spiritual Self-Sufficiency.
1. Paul, a Pharisee himself, shatters the template by which Jews thought God judged people.
a. You have to realize that the average Jew at the time of Paul believed with absolute certainty that God regarded him with special favor due to his ethnic ancestry and badge of circumcision on his body. Yet Paul, a Jew of Jews topples this thinking by insisting that “Jewishness” is neither a matter of ethnicity nor does it have anything to do with circumcision! The Sanhedrein would have had combined apoplexy had he made this case in their presence.
b. vv.17-24 Paul condemns the spiritual hypocrisy of the Jews. (Read) Hypocrisy—carefully presenting one appearance on the outside, while clinging to another on the inside—is declared by Jesus to be like a white washed tomb. Such houses for the dead look great, however, even impressive on the outside, but… and you know how the rest of that goes. (Mt. 23:27) Illust: Stuart Briscoe told story of the time he was in business and had to deal with a coworker who had embezzled a large sum of money from the bank for which they both worked. The reason for the embezzlement was that he had two wives and families and was trying to run two homes. Was a very religious man on staff at a church. When he was apprehended and fired, he stunned everyone by saying, “I am very sorry for what I have done, and I need to know whether I should fulfill my preaching commitments on Sunday in our church!” Briscoe spent a lot of time mending the damage done by the man’s inconsistency. To Briscoe’s chagrin, he found that his fellow workers not only despised the man but also “were quick to dismiss the church he belonged to as a ‘bunch of hypocrites,’ the gospel he professed to believe as a ‘lot of hogwash,’ and the God he claimed to serve as ‘nonexistent.’” That’s what Paul is telling the Jews of his day. That is what we are to beware of in our day!
2.These verse underly the spiritual arrogance Paul was addressing in his countrymen.
a. 2:17-18 Paul mentions five things about the Jew in 2:17-18, all of which are connected to the fact that as a Jew he had been instructed from the Law of God. When a man referred to himself as a Jew it was done with pride since, as such, he did not commit the same sins as the lawless Gentile—or so he thought—and thus, in his mind, he accorded special favor with God. As a Jew he relied on the law for his security and source of relationship to God.. He was also one who supposedly, having obeyed the Law, could boast about his relationship with the true God in contrast to the sinfulness of the pagan Gentiles.
b. vv. 19-20 – Paul says that the confident Jew felt as a result of their relationship to the Law they were 1. Guide to the blind, 2. A light to those in darkness 3. Educator of the senseless 4. Teacher of children. In their view, what they could teach the pagans made their otherwise senseless existence meaningful. By comparison to themselves, they saw Gentiles as mere children needing instruction from they who were the “adults”.
c. Paul drives the final nail in the coffin of the Jews spiritual smug self sufficiency: v. 24 (Read) The One Name that the Jew would not state. The Name of God, Paul says is blasphemed (The greatest sin to the Jew.) because of their double standard and duplicity. Illust: Christians, I am so tire of very public Christians blowing their testimony. (Illust: Back in Dec. 2020, Australian super church, Hillsong, reported that Pastor Carl Lentz had had “several significant affairs” (Wonder if they counted the insignificant ones!) And documented evidence demonstrates that leadership of the mega church knew of Lentz’s sexual misconduct since 2017.)
B. W
1. v. 29 – Concluding thought is an untranslatable pun by the Apostle. The Gk word for praise is: “epainos”. When you look back in the OT (Gen. 29:35; 49:8). We find that the Apostle is writing a pun with two meanings. First, he is saying that the praise of such a man does not come from men but from God. Second, he is saying that the Jewishness of such a man comes not from man but from God.
2. The feeling of the entire section here is that God’s promises aren’t for people of a certain race and to people who have a certain mark on their bodies. Rather, God’s promises are to people who live a life of faith, irrespective of their ethnicity! Thus, according to Paul, a “real Jew” is not a matter of pedigree but of faith and character, thus the man or woman who is not ethnically Jewish may in fact be a better Jew than a Jew! The “real Jew” regardless of his/her ethnicity is the individual who has trusted in Christ alone for salvation.
C. Applic: We often judge others unfairly. We don’t know all their circumstances, nor their motives. Only God, who is aware of all the facts, is able to judge people righteously. John Wesley told of a man he had little respect for because he considered him to be miserly and covetous. One day when this person contributed only a small gift to a worthy charity, Wesley openly criticized him. After the incident, the man went to Wesley privately and told him he had been living on parsnips and water for several weeks. He explained that before his conversion, he had run up many bills. Now, by skimping on everything and buying nothing for himself he was paying off his creditors one by one. “Christ has made me an honest man,” he said, “and so with all these debts to pay, I can give only a few offerings above my tithe. I must settle up with my worldly neighbors and show them what the grace of God can do in the heart of a man who was once dishonest.” A contrite Wesley then apologized to the man and asked his forgiveness.
(Our Daily Bread, July 20, 1992)
