CHAPTER 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.
2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

The statements here presented apply to "O man"... or ALL mankind.
Later, (beginning with verse 17) Paul will particularly apply these arguments to the Jewish people. However, the total chapter applies to "O man" .. or ALL mankind.

Man is "inexcusable" because he has no plausible excuse for failing to both acknowledge God and live by God's principles.
We are ALL sinners ( Romans 3:23).

The word "judgest" is taken from the Greek krino, which means to determine, or to condemn.
Paul was not talking about a judge on a bench delivering a statement concerning ones legal or illegal actions.
He was talking about people having a condemning attitude toward others because of prejudice.

Just because a person doesn't live like I do, doesn't mean he's worthy of condemnation.
We are, after all, ALL sinners!
I deserve condemnation of God as much as ANYONE!

But God has been gracious to me, a sinner.
And, by His Holy Spirit, and His chosen people, God called me out of sin's condemnation into Jesus' salvation!
PRAISE GOD for His gracious gift!!

Now, may I never have a condemning attitude toward others.
Rather, let me show them God's offer of salvation through Christ.

And let all know that when God does sit in "judgment", He does so according to "truth."
God knows the life of each person from beginning to end.
We do NOT!

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?
4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

A condemning attitude is sin as much as adultery or murder!
We shall ALL stand before the final judgment seat of God! (See Romans 14:10)

God is good ALL the time.
And He is longsuffering and forbearing of man for one reason:
His desire is to CALL them to salvation!

It is THIS "goodness and forbearance and longsuffering" that first shows a person he/she should repent!
It is God's GRACE that endows a person with conscience.
And, it is God's WORD and Holy Spirit that WORKS ON that conscience to bring man to repentance.
WITHOUT that, NONE of us could be saved!

Let us not "despise" God's grace by having a conemning attitude toward others!

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;
6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:
7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life:
8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath,
9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;
10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:
11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

A condemning attitude comes from a hardened heart.
And, a hardened heart will "treasure(est) up" (gather up) the wrath of God!

If a person is "patient" and continues trying to serve Christ, he/she will receive "immortality, eternal life."
However, those who refuse Christ and act in disobedience, will have the "indignation and wrath" of God!
This does not matter the nationality or skin color!
Whoever surrenders to Christ will have eternal life.
Whoever does not, will have eternal condemnation.

God has "no respect of persons."
EACH life is just as important as another!
And EACH person will be held accountable for their own SIN!

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;
13(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.
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:
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;)
16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

ALL are judged (at the final judgment) by the "law" of God.
Those who have not considered God's law will be judged by it.
Those who have known and lived by God's law will also be judged by it.

It is those who are DOERS and not hearers only that are justified by God.
(See James 1:22, and John 14:15)

This does not mean that those who live righteously without God's Word are saved.
For, the Bible does say in order to BE saved, one must repent and turn to Christ!
((See Matthew 10:32-33, and John 14:6))

Many who do not HAVE the law of God (vs 14) "do by nature the things contained in the law."
In other words, humanity seeks to govern itself by moral rules of conduct.
Thus, they become "a law unto themselves."
It is not GOD'S law, but it is a law determined by some moral righteousness.
It is not a law that will SAVE; but it is a law which maintains some semblance of correct behavior among humanity.

However, one day, ALL mankind will be judged "by Jesus Christ", Who is the EPITOME of God's law!
Jesus will be the measuring line!

17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,
18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;
19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.
21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?
22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?
23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?
24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

Paul has been talking to "ALL" mankind.
Now he directs statements to those Jews who refuse to believe Jesus Christ is God incarnate.

They "rest(est)" in "the law."
The rest they had was not in the OBEDIENCE to the law, for no man IS!
The rest they had was in HAVING the law.
It was given to the Jewish people, and they "boast of God" having:
given them His will, showing things excellent, instructing them on proper living, and made them a "guide" and "light" to those in darkness of proper behavior.
He made them a "teacher" because they had knowledge of the truth in the law.

But they failed miserably in KEEPING the law, and thus dishonored God!
Paul says "it is written" that they caused to be "blaspemed among the Gentiles!"
In fact, Ezekiel talked about this in Ezekiel 22:2-22.

Who of us Christians can say this has NOT happened among us?!
Adultery and divorce are just as prevalent in the CHURCH as in the WORLD!
Gambling and alcoholism are just as prevalent in the CHURCH as in the WORLD!
Pride and prejudice are just as prevalent in the CHURCH as in the WORLD!

The truth is NONE of us can live up to the LAW of God!
Only ONE has ever done that!
And HE was CRUCIFIED!

We have to look at the GRACE and MERCY of God which presides over the law!
Jesus is that grace and mercy!
He died in order to cover our imperfections with His PERFECTION!

And, that's just Paul's point.
ALL people (including Jews) MUST look to JESUS, "the Author and Finisher of our faith!" (Heb. 12:2)

Pride and prejudice are not the result of knowing THE TRUTH -- Jesus! HUMILITY is!

25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.
26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?
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?
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.

It is not the outward show of Christianity that brings a person to salvation!
It is the inward humility of the soul toward Christ that brings a person to salvation!

Salvation is not of the Jews!
Salvation is not of Christians!
Salvation is of God through Jesus Christ!

Circumcision cannot make a person to "keep the law!"
Baptism cannot make a person to "keep the law!"
Only a broken and contrite heart can humbly come before Christ and be saved OVER the condemnation of "the law"!
((See Psalm 51:17, and Isaiah 57:15)

Acts 4:12
Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.

JESUS is the ONLY way!
In John 14:6 Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

ONLY incarnate God can PAY for the sins committed by man, and then say He is WILLING to forgive!

PLEASE CONTINUE WITH US IN BIBLE STUDY TOMORROW.
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