Rom 2:1-3:26, Jews and Gentiles are all guilty in God's eyes

Constable (2010) Outline

1. Introduction 1:1-17 (includes purpose, 8-15; and theme, 16-17)

2. The Need for God's Righteousness 1:18-3:20
1. The Need for All People 1:18-32
2. The Need of Good People 2:1-3:8
1. God's principles of judgment 2:1-16
2. The guilt of the Jews 2:17-29
3. Answers to objections 3:1-8
3. The Guilt of All Humanity 3:9-20

God's Principles of Judgment

Rom 1:32 (NIV) Although they know God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.

Rom 2:1-4 (NIV) You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge the other, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere man, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment? 4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, tolerance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness leads you toward repentance?

• Interesting, we know others should pay for their sins--Hitler, Stalin, murderers, thieves, adulterers (Rom 1:32)-- but we don't see ourselves in the same boat
• Reminds me of the gospel illustration that asks questions of a person regarding the ten commandments (and sermon on the mount) and then by the person's own words shows him that he is a thieving, lying, murdering, adulterous person not worthy of heaven

• We think of ourselves as "good people" basically
• But how does God judge?
• God judges on truth
• We judge others on a scale we rarely used on ourselves

Rom 2:5-11 (NIV) But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 God "will give to each person according to what he has done."  7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. 9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism.

• This is an interesting passage and there a couple ways of viewing it
• First, we need to keep it context.  Some verses later, Paul will argue that all men sin and no one is worthy
• Second, it must agree with the rest of scripture.  Again, other scriptures point to the need for all men of salvation.  Only one person was ever perfect and that was Jesus Christ

• So there are now two ways of viewing verse 7
• It is hypothetical
• It is reference to your reward as a believer and not to your salvation.  Eternal life is a free gift but it is also a reward.  Salvation is obtained by faith alone, a point that Paul will make very clearly later on.  But the quality of life can be affected by the way we live our life on earth (a point Paul will also make later on)

• I lean toward hypothetical in the sense that Paul is building the argument but then he is going to show that no one (even the supposedly "good") can earn salvation

Rom 2:12-16 (NIV)All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, 15 since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) 16 This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

• Verse 12 describe the person who sins apart from the law and the person who sins under the law
• If you sin apart from the law, you will be judged by that and you will perish
• If you under the law, you will be judged by the law
• If under the law, it is not good enough to hear the law, you must obey the law
• Being under the law does not justify you or make you right in God's eyes
• Gentiles who do things required by the law are a law for themselves, showing that some requirements of the law are written on our hearts and enforced by our conscience

• God says all men will be judged by their secrets
• We all know right and wrong.  Right and wrong may differ by culture but in every culture there is the sense of right and wrong.  Every culture will be judged by that sense

The Guilt of Jews

Rom 2:17-27 (NIV) Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God; 18 if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19 if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."

25 Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. 26 If those who are not circumcised keep the law's requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? 27 The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.

• In theory, if you do not break the law at an point, you would be considered righteous

• But what is Paul trying to show in this passage regarding the Jew?
• They do break the law
• God's name is blasphemed because of them (some Christians today are no better)

• In theory, if you didn't have the law but kept the law, you too would be considered righteous
• Having the law (knowing truth) and being circumcised (identified with religious people) will not save you

Rom 2:28-29 (NIV) A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God.

• One of the key requirements of the law is circumcision, but what is important about circumcision?
• The point is not the physical act nor the written code (written refers to the law)
• The point is a spiritual circumcision of the heart

• Why was there circumcision?
• It was an identification with the God of Israel for Jews
• It set Jews apart from all other peoples

• It is not the written code that sets a person apart as part of the family of God, but it is an internal thing done by the Spirit which makes a person a part of the family of God
• This is what a person needs -- a new heart.  And this is what is missing

Answering Objections

Rom 3:1-18 (NIV) What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? 2 Much in every way! First of all, they have been entrusted with the very words of God.

3 What if some did not have faith? Will their lack of faith nullify God's faithfulness? 4 Not at all! Let God be true, and every man a liar. As it is written:

"So that you may be proved right when you speak

and prevail when you judge."

5 But if our unrighteousness brings out God's righteousness more clearly, what shall we say? That God is unjust in bringing his wrath on us? (I am using a human argument.) 6 Certainly not! If that were so, how could God judge the world? 7 Someone might argue, "If my falsehood enhances God's truthfulness and so increases his glory, why am I still condemned as a sinner?" 8 Why not say — as we are being slanderously reported as saying and as some claim that we say — "Let us do evil that good may result"? Their condemnation is deserved.

9 What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin. 10 As it is written:

"There is no one righteous, not even one;

  11 there is no one who understands,

no one who seeks God.

12 All have turned away,

they have together become worthless;

there is no one who does good,

not even one."

13 "Their throats are open graves;

their tongues practice deceit."

"The poison of vipers is on their lips."

14 "Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness."

15 "Their feet are swift to shed blood;

16 ruin and misery mark their ways,

17 and the way of peace they do not know."

18 "There is no fear of God before their eyes."

• What is Paul not saying (or doing)?
• Paul is not dismissing the value of the law.  In fact, Jews (who are defined by the law) were given the very words of God
• Paul is not saying that not having the law is better either
• Paul is not saying that Jews are better than Gentiles

• What is Paul saying?
• No one (Jew or Gentile) is righteous
• No one does good
• No one seeks God

• Conclusion: Jew and Gentile have the same problem.  Neither have obtained righteousness, either under the law or apart from the law

Rom 3:19-20 (NIV) Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20 Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.

• So what is and is not the value of the law?
• The law only speaks to those under the law
• No one will be declared righteous under the law
• The law's real value is showing you that you are a sinner.  A Jew especially, should have more reason than a Gentile to see his need for a savior

Rom 3:21-26 (NIV) But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement, through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26 he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.

• Now something different is occurring, what is it?
• A righteousness that is apart from the law
• Apart means that it is not part of the law, but it has been made known and testified to by the law and the prophets

• Key points:
• Righteousness from God through faith in Jesus to all who believe
• Freely justified by grace
• Redeemed by his blood

• What did God do?
• God presents him as a sacrifice of atonement
• That means he covered us
• Previous sins were left unpunished (by previous sacrifices of atonement)
• Implication: Justice at the present time was executed on Jesus
• Result: All who have faith in Jesus are justified (justice is executed and paid, not just covered, although we are also covered)

Rom 3:27-31 (NIV) Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. 28 For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. 29 Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30 since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31 Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.

• What does it mean that we don't nullify the law but rather uphold it if in fact no one is made righteous by the law nor does it matter if you are under the law or apart from the law?
• Righteousness by faith fulfills the demands of the law.  The law is what made Jesus death necessary
• Without the law, Jesus' death would not make sense
• The law was required for Jesus' death in order to have a vehicle to express itself
• In fact, Jesus' death then nullifies the law
• Col 2:13-15 (NIV) When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, 14 having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. 15 And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

• Uphold can also be translated as "confirm, establish, or place"
• Paul addresses the issue of nullification head-on, but he does not fully answer the question yet