THE BOOK OF ROMANS – Chapter Two
Pastor Ronald L Berry, Longview, WA
Romans
2:1-29
THE OUTLINE BY CHAPTERS
1Cor:13:13:
And now abideth faith, hope, charity (love) , these three; but the greatest of
these is charity (love).
Chapters 1 - 8 FAITH = Doctrinal
- 1-3 Sin:
Carnal, Moral, and Religious man.
- 4-5
Salvation: Justification, Sanctification, and Glorification.
- 6-8
Sanctification: Spiritual, Mental, and Physical renewal.
Chapters 9-11 HOPE = Dispensational
- 9
Israel - Past
- 10
Israel - Present
- 11
Israel - Future
Chapters
12-16 LOVE = Practical
REFRESHER
The first three chapters of Romans deal with, lost
man in three conditions.
Romans 1: The Carnal Man
Rom:8:7:
Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law
of God, neither indeed can be
Romans 2: The Moral Man
Eph
2:8: For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is
the gift of God:
9:
Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Romans 3: The Religious Man
Rom:10:3:
For they (the religious Jews) being ignorant of God's righteousness, and going
about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto
the righteousness of God.
REVIEW
Remember
the book of Romans is predicated on Hab 2:4 “The just shall live by faith”.
This
teaching will put to death the heresies of Paul’s day as well as those launched
during the dark ages.
The
doctrine of salvation by faith verses the heretical doctrine of salvation by
works.
This
false doctrine of works was being birthed in Paul’s day, ruled the world
through the dark ages, and has reared it’s head gain in our times.
1. Who
are justified?
Rom 1:17: For therein is the
righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just
shall live by faith.
2. How
shall the justified live?
Gal 3:11: But that no man is justified
by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by
faith.
3. How
the justified live by faith?
Heb 10:38: “Now the just shall live by
faith”
39: “we are” “of them that believe to
the saving of the soul”
THE DIVINE INSULT
The
greatest insult to God the Creator is to worship the things He created .
Denying
that God created all things and asserting that the creation created itself is
an insult to God!
Rom:1:22: Professing themselves to be
wise, they became fools,
23: And changed the glory of the
uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and
fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
The
consequence for refusing to glorify the true God is the insanity of attributing
our origin to idols or even worse miry slime in some primeval bog.
People end up worshiping gods who are not and the demons who are.
The
more we learn to appreciate the infinite glory of God’s created world and
reject the God that created it, the more of an insult it becomes.
The
three stages of degradation of spirit that happen to those that reject the
Creator God are; vain imaginations, callousness to life, and religious idiocy.
Egypt,
once ruled the world, adopted the worship of death, and the scarab (the dung
beetle)!
GOD’S
JUDGMENT
There
is a specific judgment of God
for denying Him as Creator.
Hosea:4:6: My people are destroyed for
lack of knowledge: because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee,
that thou shalt be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy
God, I will also forget thy children.
The
consequence for rejecting God the Creator is His rejection of you!
#1. Rom 1:24: “GOD ALSO GAVE THEM UP ” “to dishonour their
own bodies between themselves” “sodomy”
#2. Rom 1:26: “GOD GAVE THEM UP unto vile affections” “lesbianism and homosexuality”
#3. Rom 1:28: And even as they did not
like to retain God in their knowledge, “GOD GAVE THEM OVER” to a reprobate
mind, to do those things which are not convenient; “a mind devoid of wisdom”
THE CARNAL MAN
We
discovered the condition that the CARNAL
MAN was in when he rejected God the Creator in Romans chapter one.
They
were given over to sodomy, sexual immorality, and a reprobate mind.
In
chapter two of Romans we will discover the plight of the MORAL MAN.
The
moral man judges himself better then the carnal man but God judges him just as
guilty and depraved!
Rom 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.
False
piety or thinking more highly of ones self is as bad in God’s eyes as the sins
of the carnal man.
Rom:12:3: “I say” “not to think of
himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as
God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith”
The
carnal and the moral man both need to be forgiveness of sin and salvation!
CONDEMNATION
OF “MORAL MAN” (2:1-16)
Personal
accountability before God.
Rom 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.
The
judging done is not the estimate of another’s character and worth but a
condemnation of them as a person and of having no value.
When
we condemn others we are condemning ourselves by ignoring that we are all
guilty of sin.
This
makes it nearly impossible for us to recognize our own sin.
By
focusing on the degree others sin we apprise ourselves better for we have not
sinned to the degree that they have.
Whether
it be a big sin or a little sin we are all condemned to an eternity in hell’s
fire.
Preoccupation
with other’s sin keeps us from confronting our own sin problem!
SEVEN STANDARDS OF GOD’S JUDGMENT.
Romans
one through eighteen we find the seven standards of God’s judgment of the moral
man.
#1.
ACCORDING TO TRUTH
#2.
ACCORDING TO ACCUMULATED GUILT
#3.
ACCORDING TO WORKS
#4.
WITHOUT RESPECT OF PERSONS
#5.
ACCORDING TO OBEDIENCE, NOT KNOWLEDGE
#6.
REACHING THE SECRETS OF THE HEART
#7.
ACCORDING TO REALITY
#1.
ACCORDING TO TRUTH
Rom 2:2: But we are sure that the judgment
of God is according to TRUTH against them which commit such things.
Self-delusion
about one’s spiritual condition is contrasted by the truth of God’s word!
Rom 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?
Thinking
our truth is higher then God’s truth is the deadliest form of self-deception.
Rom 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?
When
God forgives and saves those we have judged to be scum, we are despising God’s
grace toward sinners and cannot appropriate it for ourselves!
God
does not condemn the condemned but offers goodness, forbearance, and
longsuffering, not wishing that any should perish.
2Pt:3:9: “The Lord is” “not willing that any
should perish, but that all should come to repentance”
Rom 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;
When
we harden our hearts toward others we harden our own hearts from receiving
God’s goodness, forbearance, longsuffering, grace and mercy!
#2.
ACCORDING TO ACCUMULATED GUILT
Not
until the last evil result of a life of sin has been recorded can the final
reward of the sinner be known.
Some
may believe because they seemed to have gotten away with sin that God won’t
judge them.
Gal:6:7: Be not deceived; God is not mocked:
for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.
We may
escape or not escape the consequences for sin on earth but in heaven no one
escapes!
Rom:14:12: So then every one of us
shall give account of himself to God.
Nations
accumulate sin to a point when God has had enough and He then brings judgment.
Gen 18:20: And the LORD said, Because
the cry of Sodom and Gomorrah is great, and because their sin is very grievous;
The
national sin had gotten so bad God had enough and destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.
GOD IS JUST!
Jude:1:7: Even as Sodom and Gomorrah,
and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to
fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example,
suffering the vengeance of eternal fire.
They
got their just rewards for their sin.
I fear
greatly for our country for we have approached the level of sodomy,
fornication, pride and depravity of those two wicked cities!
Because
God is just He must judge us as He did Sodom and Gomorrah for their wickedness.
1Thes:5:3: For when they shall say,
Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a
woman with child; and they shall not escape.
Gal:6:7: Be not deceived; God is not
mocked: for whatsoever a man (or a nation) soweth, that shall he also reap.
#3.
ACCORDING TO WORKS
The
rewards for good or bad deeds are what are being dealt with here.
Rom 2:6 (God) Who will render to every
man according to his deeds:
See:
Ps 62:12, Prov 24:12; and Rev 20:11-15
We
need to understand that verses 7 through 10 are not addressing salvation but
rather reward for human works.
Rom 2:7 To them who by patient
continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal
life:
This
is an appraisal of the works of the saved. (Abel, Noah, Abraham, Job and
Joseph)
These
choose to be separated out for service to God.
Rom 2:8 But unto them that are
contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation
and wrath, (Cain,
Esau, Pharaoh, Saul and Jehoiakim)
These
choose not to be separated out for service to God.
The
standard of justice meted out by a just God.
It
makes no difference what you think you deserve but rather what who you served
and who you blessed.
Those dedicated
to service to self and the exclusion of others receive a evil reward.
Rom 2:9 Tribulation and anguish, upon
every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
Unrighteousness,
indignation, wrath, tribulation, and anguish: the sweep of the fruits of
ingratitude...
Rom 2:10 But glory, honour, and peace,
to every (saved) man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the
Gentile:
These
are the blessing that will follow a servant of God!
#4.
WITHOUT RESPECT OF PERSONS
Rom 2:11 For there is no respect of
persons with God.
The
just reward meted out by God is based
solely on what each person has done.
Rom 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;
The
bible is clear that “all have sinned” so this is not saying that keeping the
law will save but rather keeping the law will bring reward.
Rom:3:20: Therefore by the deeds of
the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the
knowledge of sin.
This
scripture is not dealing with us for all have sinned but rather who one has
chosen to serve.
Josh:24:15: And if it seem evil unto
you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods
which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods
of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will
serve the LORD.
#5
ACCORDING TO OBEDIENCE, NOT KNOWLEDGE
Rom 2:13 For not the hearers of the
law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
We
choose to either serve God or not to.
Knowing
the truth of God’s word is not enough but rather knowing and making God’s word
part of our daily lives is what God expects.
Faith
cometh by hearing God’s word. (Rom:10:17)
Faith
without works is dead. (Jms:2:20)
We are
rewarded for what we do with God’s word and truth not what we know about it!
Jms:1:22: But be ye doers of the word,
and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.
Salvation
comes by faith in God’s Son, reward comes from faith and acting on God’s word!
A
person’s good works reveal a
regenerate heart.
A
person’s evil works reveal a unregenerate heart.
We do
good works because we are saved not to be saved.
A life
dominated by evil deeds is done out of an evil heart.
When a
saved person does and evil deed they will be convicted by the Holy Spirit to
confess and repent by turning from it.
1st John 1:9: If we confess
our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us
from all unrighteousness.
Rom 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:
Paul
pointed out, there are moral Gentiles who do by nature things required by the
Law.
Such
persons show that the Law is not to be found only on tablets of stone and
included in the writings of Moses; it is also inscribed in their hearts and is
reflected in their actions, consciences, and thoughts.
CONSCIENCE
Rom 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;
Moral
Gentiles by their actions show they keep the law written in their hearts.
Moral
Jews by their actions show they keep the law written in stone.
Rom:3:20: Therefore by the deeds of
the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the
knowledge of sin.
No one
is saved by the keeping of the law.
Our
conscience guides us to keep the law of God whether we are saved or not.
To the
gentile God says:
Jms:4:17: Therefore to him that
knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
To the
Jew God says:
1Jn:3:4: “sin is the transgression of
the law”
#6.
REACHING THE SECRETS OF THE HEART
Rom 2:16 In the day when God shall
judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
Jesus’
righteous judgment.
Jn:5:22: For the Father judgeth no
man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:
God is
sovereign over all men saved or not and will search the heart so nothing
remains hidden.
God
punishes the wicked and rewards the righteous impartially according to their
works, which reveal their hearts.
At this
point in Paul’s argument is not the way a person can secure a right standing
before God but hope hopeless human efforts at righteousness is.
THE JUSTICE OF GOD..
The
justice of God declares that no one is righteous before God.
Rom:3:10: As it is written, There is
none righteous, no, not one:
Here
the emphasis is on the justice of God’s judgment, leading to the conclusion
that nobody on his own can be declared righteous before God.
Paul
is teaching the Romans that salvation is not attainable to the person that
tries to stand on there own righteousness.
First
Paul is describing the need for a savior in chapters one through three and
later introduces them to the Savior.
God’s
assessment of humanity demands divine intervention to rescue them from certain
damnation.
Salvation
can only be obtained by faith in the finished work of Christ!
These
three chapters are setting them up for the presentation of the gospel.
#7.
ACCORDING TO REALITY
The
moral man has no greater access to salvation through good works then the carnal
man does due to his acts of evil.
Lip
service Christianity is a form of self delusion.
The
motivation of morality and good works must come from a heart that has been born
again.
The
result of salvation or being saved is good works!
Eph:2:10: For we are his workmanship,
created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we
should walk in them.
Trusting
religious conduct based on the law is a form of pride and will not save you.
Rom 2:17 Behold, thou art called a Jew,
and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,
Rom 2:18 And knowest his will, and
approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;
RELIGIOUS PRIDE
Rom 2:19 And art confident that thou thyself
art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
1.religion
with relationship
Rom 2:20 An instructor of the foolish,
a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the
law.
2.
faith without action
Rom 2:21 Thou therefore which teachest
another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal,
dost thou steal?
3.
know about God but don’t know God
Rom 2:22 Thou that sayest a man should
not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost
thou commit sacrilege?
4.
hypocrisy
Rom 2:23 Thou that makest thy boast of
the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
5.
willful disobedience
RELIGION FOR THE SAKE OF RELIGION
Rom 2:24 For the name of God is blasphemed
among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.
Isa 52:5: Now therefore, what have I
here, saith the LORD, that my people is taken away for nought? they that rule over them make them to howl,
saith the LORD; and my name continually every day is blasphemed.
Paul
is demonstrating that morality will not make one better then immorality.
One
might be able to live with their morality but that will never make the right in
God’s eyes.
The
Jews were had confidence in God as their birth right.
They
prided themselves on being above others.
Religious
people are not necessarily saved people.
THE RELIGION OF LEGALISM SAVES NO ONE
Paul
wants to make sure there are no misunderstanding by the Jewish leaders, who had
their pride in their Law and calling.
Rom 2:25 For circumcision verily
profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy
circumcision is made un-circumcision.
Circumcision
the evidence the Jews were separated out to do God’s will on earth.
Rom 2:26 Therefore if the
un-circumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his
un-circumcision be counted for circumcision?
Rom 2:27] And shall not
un-circumcision which is by nature, if it fulfill the law, judge thee, who by
the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?
Circumcision
separated the Jew out to reveal God t the gentiles not to be better then them.
THOSE TRULY CALLED OF GOD.
Rom 2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is
one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: Cf.
Isa 29:13.
Rom 2:29 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.
Paul
makes it clear that carnal or moral man neither can obtain salvation.
Ye
must be born again of the Spirit to posses salvation.
Gal:5:6: For in Jesus Christ neither
circumcision availeth any thing, nor un-circumcision; but faith which worketh
by love.
God is
not seeking dedicated heads but deducted hearts.
Jn:3:3: Jesus answered and said unto
him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see
the kingdom of God.
