Rom 2:1-3:20, Jews and Gentiles are all guilty in God's eyes

Review:
• History
• Paul in Corinth in winter
• Paul near end of third missionary journey, prior to imprisonment
• Purpose
• The gospel is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes
• In the gospel, the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith
• Judgment (basis for just cause)
• 1:18 For suppressing God's truth
• 1:19-20 For ignoring God's revelation
• 1:21-23 For perverting God's glory
• God gave them up
• They ignored what they knew || … to impurity and dishonor of bodies
• They exchanged truth for a lie || … to dishonorable passions (homosexual)
• The did not acknowledge God || … to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done


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


The Need of Good People: God's Principles of Judgment
Rom 1:18 (ESV) For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth.


Rom 1:32 (ESV) Though they know God's decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.


Rom 2:1-4 (ESV) Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who do such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who do such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? 4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?


• Interestingly, what we do we recognized about others?
• 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
• Verse 4 is actually the "God is good" argument turned on its head, what is he saying?
• God is good and will not judge me
• The same argument that says God cannot exist because there is evil in the world [WE WILL ADDRESS THIS ARGUMENT LATER]
• But how does God judge?
• God judges on truth
• We judge others on a scale we rarely use on ourselves


Rom 2:5-11 (ESV) But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.


6  He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; 8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For God shows no partiality.


• What is Paul's argument?
• The good person is storing up wrath for their self
• Because we are guilty of the very same things that we judge others
• Does Paul then argue for works salvation?
• This is a theoretical argument
• It is absolutely true in every sense
• If you do evil, there is wrath and fury
• If you do good, there is glory and honor and peace
• God shows no partiality in regard to race regarding salvation
• Which is an important point since Jews are the elect people of God
• But what is the problem?
• No one does good
• This will be confirmed at the end of this section


Rom 2:12-16 (ESV) For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16  on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.


• What is the argument here and how does it follow the previous discussion?
• 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
• Where does morality come from and how is it known?
• 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
• Epistemological: One does not need to believe in God to the difference between good and evil
• Ontological: Good by definition would be defined by the greatest good. Since God is the greatest good, good would proceed from him and hence be objective
• What is best for society is a poor definition and does not really define where good comes from. The Germans as a people felt it was good to eradicate Jews and Gypsies. If Germany had won, it would still be wrong
• Summary (Constable): To convict any self-righteous person, God will use three principles
• Verse 2: He will judge righteously, not on appearance
• Verse 6: He will judge people by their deeds (covertly and overtly)
• Verse 11: He will judge impartially, not on the basis of privilege but how they respond to the truth they had


The Need of Good People: The Guilt of Jews
Rom 2:17-27 (ESV) But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God 18 and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; 19 and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21  you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. 24 For, as it is written, "The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."


25 For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. 26 So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law.


• 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
• The robbing temples was not uncommon
• Jews would use the precious metals taken from idolatrous articles in pagan temples
• Also, while they abhorred idolatry, they would take part in pagan worship (OT has many examples)
• God's name is blasphemed because of them
• 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
• NOTE: Jewish leaders taught
• Abraham sits at the entrance of Gehenna to prevent any circumcised Israelite from descending into Gehanna
• The only way to invalidate circumcision was to renounce the covenant
• APPLICATION: If God's name was blasphemed because of the Jews, Christians are no better today
• How do we treat the fast-food worker who got our order wrong?
• How do we respond to the person who cuts us off in traffic?
• Do we gossip or talk down other people?


Rom 2:28-29 (ESV) For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man 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


The Need of Good People: Answering Objections
Rom 3:1-18 (ESV) Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? 2 Much in every way. To begin with, the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. 3  What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? 4 By no means! Let God be true though everyone were a liar, as it is written,


 "That you may be justified in your words,
and prevail when you are judged."


5 But if our unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God, what shall we say? That God is unrighteous to inflict wrath on us? ( I speak in a human way.) 6 By no means! For then how could God judge the world? 7 But if through my lie God's truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? 8 And why not do evil that good may come?—as some people slanderously charge us with saying. Their condemnation is just.


9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written:


 "None is righteous, no, not one;
11 no one understands;
no one seeks for God.
12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless;
no one does good,
not even one."
13  "Their throat is an open grave;
they use their tongues to deceive."
 "The venom of asps is under their lips."
14  "Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness."
15  "Their feet are swift to shed blood;
16 in their paths are ruin and misery,
17 and the way of peace they have not known."
18  "There is no fear of God before their eyes."


• What is Paul not saying (or doing)?
• Paul is not dismissing the value of being Jewish.  In fact, Jews (who are defined by the law) were given the very words of God
• This is one argument against the reformed position that suggests the church has replaced ethnic Israel as God's people
• Paul is not saying that not having the law is better either (verse 5-6: How could God judge the world if he showed partiality)
• Paul is not saying that Jews are better or worse than Gentiles (but they have received privileges -- and will continue to receive blessings from God's unconditional promises)
• NOTE (Verses 7-8): "If my lying, for example, glorifies God by showing Him to be the only perfectly truthful person, why does God punish me for lying? Paul had been stressing reality and priorities in chapter 2. This objection gets down to that level. If circumcision is of secondary importance compared to perfect obedience to God, is not sinning of secondary importance to glorifying God? // Paul's reply was that, in spite of accusations to the contrary, he had not taught that the end justifies the means. Circumcision was secondary, but it was not sinful. God will not overlook sin, though He will overlook lack of circumcision (2:26-29). If anyone thinks that God should overlook his sinning because in some imagined sense it glorifies God, that person deserves condemnation (v. 8). Paul implied that this objection is so absurd that it is not worth considering." (from Thomas Constable's Notes on the Bible. Copyright © March 4, 2014 by Thomas L. Constable. All rights reserved. Used by permission.)
• 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 (ESV) Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge 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