Romans,
Chapter 2
© Copyright 1998 Darroll Evans-all rights
reserved
Romans 2:1 Therefore thou art inexcusable,
O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein
thou judgest another, thou condemnest
thyself; for thou that judgest doest
the same things.
"Therefore" means that you must go
back to the previous verses to pick up the context.
Because of what was written chapter 1, we are
"inexcusable," without a defense in not understanding the
situation.
Condemning the sin is correct, but Paul is
very critical of those who commit sins and then condemn others for the same
actions.
Many people think that telling another that
they are living in gross sin is judgment.
Such is not the case!
Every dope dealer in
But, the biblical quote does not stop there.
It continues on to tell how to judge
correctly.
Later we will discuss the sin nature.
Now, please look at the proper sequence in
Matthew 7:1-5.
Matthew 7:1-5
1 Judge not, that ye be not judged.
2 For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye
mete, it shall be measured to you again.
3 And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy
brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is
in thine own eye?
4 Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine
own eye?
5 Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine
own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out
the mote out of thy brother's eye.
Judging must be done with clarity of
spiritual sight.
Romans 2:2 But we are sure that the
judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.
Judgment is rendered according to truth!
That sentence sets the standard by which all
men are judged.
One is not judged according to one standard
and another man according to standard.
We are all judged according to the Truth. Thy
Word is Truth (John 17:17)!
However, we all (saint and sinner) have an
Advocate (Christ Jesus)!
His desire is that none should perish!
2 Pet
3:9 The Lord is not slack concerning
his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not
willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.
Romans 10:13---“For whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord
shall be saved.”
Romans 2:3 And thinkest
thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such
things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape
the judgment of God?
No person escapes the judgment of God!
All are judged---by the same standard!
Rom 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by
Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
Men will be judged by the gospel of grace.
Romans 2:4 Or despisest
thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing
that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
Repentance is a change of heart, or turning
from one thing to another.
We cannot repent from sin without God’s
leading.
We cannot turn to Christ without God’s
leading.
The Holy Spirit leads us to repentance (1
Cor. 12:3)!
Let me point out the obvious: Those who are led are led!
They do not lead! They are led!
Rom
8:14 For as many as are led by the
Spirit of God, they are the sons of God.
If you are a son of God, you shall be led by
the Holy Spirit of God!
Romans 2:5 But after thy hardness and
impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath
against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
“Impenitent” means unrepentant.
Did you realize that for many, God’s wrath
and the revelation of Christ Jesus will come simultaneously, on the day on His
return?
Romans 2:6 Who
will render to every man according to his deeds:
"Every man" (Gr. hekastoo-ekastw) indicates
"each and every!"
God will give to each and every person
according to their deeds.
One “deed” supersedes all others.
That “deed” is the acknowledgement of Christ.
Rev
20:13b and they were judged every man
according to their works.
Romans 2:7 To
them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
"Patient continuance" speaks of
cheerful endurance.
We are not only to endure, but to endure with
joy.
Joy is not hilarity, or laughter!
It is a calm
delight.
That point is not accepted by those who
attend Church based on carnality, social acceptance.
Romans 2:8 But unto them that are
contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation
and wrath,
Indignation and wrath belong to those that
are rebellious, contentious toward God.
Romans 2:9 Tribulation and anguish, upon
every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
Paul states explicitly that tribulation and
anguish shall come upon all that do what is evil.
Romans 2:10 But glory, honour,
and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
However, glory, honor, and peace shall come
to all that do what is good.
What good can we do?
Trust in Christ!
Romans 2:11 For there
is no respect of persons with God.
"Respect of persons" indicates
partiality.
God does not choose according to visual
appearances.
1
Samuel 16:7b for the LORD seeth not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but the LORD looketh on the heart.
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;
If you depend on the law, you will be judge
by the law---and you will be found guilty!
Romans 2:13 (For not the hearers of the
law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
Being a hearer requires a positive response.
Those who merely hear shall not be justified
before God due to their hearing.
For those who are under the Law, and do the
Law, they "shall be justified!"
How do we “do” the Law?
How do “we” do something that is impossible
to do?
“We” (Christians) don’t “do” the Law!
Jesus did it for us!
This verse comes with a warning.
James
2:10 For whosoever shall keep the
whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
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:
This verse is the biblical grandfather
clause!
If somebody tells you that the Law has
nothing to do with Gentiles---they are either biblically ignorant or
lying.
It does not matter whether you are Jew or Gentile, the Law of God is the standard of conduct.
Now, let me tell you a great secret
concerning the Law.
It is impossible to reject Christ Jesus,
and yet follow the Law!
Christ fulfilled God’s legal requirements for
us so that we would be under the Law!
Romans 2:15 Which shew
the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing
witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one
another;)
If the Law is written in your heart, you will
honor Christ Jesus!
“Shew” is an
antiquated spelling meaning "indicates," or
"demonstrates."
The conduct of each individual demonstrates
their love of God, and therefore, in Christ, fulfills the Law.
The conscience of each of
us with either accuse or excuse us.
This speaks of motive.
Romans 2:16 In the
day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my
gospel.
God’s judgment will be according to the
gospel of grace that was given to Paul.
Is your conscience freed from the bondage of
sin, or seared with the bondage of sin?
1 Corinthians 1:18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those
who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. (NIV)
Do you consider the gospel of grace to be an
absurdity?
(V. 17) “Behold” is an imperative that
brings great emphasis to this verse.
“Restest” speaks of
fixing one’s life on a certain thing.
In this case the thing you may be resting on
is the Levitical law.
(V.18) You that know
or have learned God’s will.
You that approve, or have recognized the Law
as genuine after careful examination and instruction…
(V.19) And, you who are now
confident that you are guides to the spiritually blind, and can give light
to those who walk in spiritual darkness…
(V. 20) There are
false instructor(s) and teacher(s) of those that have the form, or external
appearance of knowledge and truth in the Law.
(V. 21) False
teachers teach what they have not learned.
(V. 22) In
committing sacrilege while speaking against it is sacrilege, or robbing the
This may refer to the Old Testament book of
Malachi, which was written to the Levitical Priesthood
and not to Christians!
Bring that into New Testament realism, many
works oriented pastors teach tithing, which is part of the law and illegal
under the Grace based New Testament.
1 Cor 3:16 Know ye
not that ye are the
1 Cor 6:19 What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost
which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
As a Christian, you are the temple of the
Holy Spirit, and those who attempt to increase their incomes by teaching
illegal tithes are robbing God’s temple---you!
Some who hold the position as pastor in a
group called a Church have lied to the members of that group in an attempt to
steal whatever they can from the
Their names may be well known, but they are
still thieves.
One such pastor earns a 100K per year plus
expenses, and yet demands that those in “his” church that are living on welfare
and unemployment benefits pay him a tithe (10%) of their meager incomes.
He drives a new car with expenses paid for by
the poor, while some in “his” church must take a bus to get there to bring
their pennies.
He lives in a large home with wooded acreage
for “his” son to play on his ATV while others in “his” church must accept free
food.
Recently that pastor told “his” church that
they could not be healed or blessed unless they tithed.
He did not say it, but since the greatest
blessing is salvation, the only logical conclusion is (using his logic) none
may be saved unless they tithe.
He also told “his” church that he did not
want to be blameless.
He wants to be blessed.
Since all saints are blameless, we may assume
that he is not a saint.
So what is he doing in a church pulpit?
Just collecting his salary!
A family member makes out the checks.
That church is no more than a family run
business.
At one time it was a true Church of the
Living God, until Satan took it over.
Now the Pastor steals from people and calls
it tithing.
Whoever robs you, robs God!
We all know that Churches need money to
operate, and they should operate, but when the pastor’s income is higher then the vast majority within the Church, it has become an
illegal operation!
2 Cor 9:7 Every man
according as he purposeth
in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God
loveth a cheerful giver.
That verse is at the heart of New Testament
offerings!
Romans 2:23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
There are many who boast about the power of
the Law while breaking the Law.
They insult God!
Romans 2:24-25
24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the
Gentiles through you, as it is written.
25 For circumcision verily profiteth,
if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is
made uncircumcision.
Teaching salvation
by works is blasphemy!
Legalism is
profitable only if we could actually keep the law, which we cannot.
Legalism is an act
of futility.
Romans 2:26 Therefore if the uncircumcision
keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for
circumcision?
Those who are not ritual Jews, and yet keep
the righteousness of the Law---are righteous before God.
Many have never heard the name
"Jesus."
They will not be judged according to physical
hearing, but on spiritual compliance.
Romans 2:27 And
shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil
the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the
law?
Those who just hear the Word, but do not
respond appropriately to His call are deceived.
Romans 2:28-29
28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision,
which is outward in the flesh:
29 But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the
heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of
God.
Christians may or may not be Jews, but we
(all Christians) are Spiritual Hebrews.
The word "Hebrew" (Heb. Ivry) indicates those that have "crossed over."
In ancient times the Hebrew Children
"crossed over" the
In our time, Christians have "crossed
over" from death to life through the righteousness and grace of Jesus
Christ.
We are changed from the inside out.
That is why the Holy Spirit abides “in”
us.
Our circumcision is “of the heart.”