Romans Series - Jeremiah's Vow

Romans Series (Pt. 15) – Romans 4:4-8

Why is Faith not Works? (4:4-5)
Paul is reminding us of God being both “just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” [Romans 3:26]. Verse four is an interesting one. Why is work regarded as debt, or a wage (NLT) and not grace? It goes to the difference in the methods. Grace is that which is undeserved. The master gives because he chooses to. If salvation is of works the master gives because a debt has been incurred. I, as the worker, am entitled to my wage. This is not the way that God relates to the world or humanity. God does not owe anyone anything.

One of Jesus’ parables would help here. The parable of the master of the vineyard [Matthew 20:1-16], who went out at five different times looking for workers to help finish the work, sheds some light on what Paul is saying. At the end of the day all the workers show up, those that came at the end of the day first and so on back to the workers hired in the morning. Many people make the mistake, I feel, in talking about the workers. The story has nothing to do with the workers. The story has to do with the owner of the vineyard. Access to the vineyard is determined by the owner. The benefit(s) of working in the vineyard are determined by the owner. The key to the text is found in the exchange between the early workers and the owner. Listen to what happens.

And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” [Matthew 20:11-16, NRSV]

Now there is something significant in Matthew 20:4 that we need to see as well. To the last group of workers that the owner found close to the end of the day, the owner tells them that they will receive “what is right.” So here is the important question: Who determines what is right? The one making the offer. Not the worker. There is no favoritism. All are treated the same.

The point of Matthew 20:4 is this: grace is always about the goodness of God and never the merit of the sinner; the goodness of the owner and not the work (or wage) of the worker. This passage in Matthew 20 is about grace because it demonstrates, yet again, the goodness of God toward fallen humanity when it is undeserving of that goodness. My dad put it this way, “Grace is in the calling.” Not in the reward from the calling.

Paul then moves onto another example of genuine faith.

Grace Keeps God’s Wrath Away From Me (4:6-8)
Blessed is the man that does not get what they deserve: “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” Paul uses King David as another example here of faith, faith in the image of Abraham’s. David in Psalm 32 talks about the forgiveness of God. The forgiveness that God gives is of such splendor that David just can’t help himself. He must talk about it.

Paul then returns to the issue of circumcision. The reason to do so again is because Abraham was a pre-circumcision believer. The practice was not even in use until Abraham was instructed by God to do it. The need for the Roman believers to understand this would keep them from falling into a lie about God’s expectations. God did not require them to become Jews before become Christians. Faith in God’s promise to saved all who believe, through Jesus Christ is what’s required.

Paul is reminding us of God being both “just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Rom 3:26). Verse four is interesting. Why is work regarded as debt, or a wage (NLT) and not grace? It goes to the difference in the methods. Grace is that which is undeserved. The master gives because he chooses to. If salvation is of works the master gives because a debt has been incurred. This is not the way that God relates to the world or humanity. God does not owe anyone anything.

One of Jesus’ parables would help here. The parable of the master of the vineyard (Matt 20:1-16), who went out at five different times looking for workers to help finish the work, sheds some light. At the end of the day all the workers show up, those that came at the end of the day first and so on back to the workers hired in the morning. Many people make the mistake, I feel, in talking about the workers. The story has nothing to do with the workers. The story has to do with the owner of the vineyard. Access to the vineyard is determined by the owner. The benefit(s) of working in the vineyard are determined by the owner. The key to the text is found in the exchange between the early workers and the owner. Listen to what happens.

And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, ‘These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.’ But he replied to one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?’ So the last will be first, and the first will be last.” (Matt20:11-16, NRSV)

Now there is something significant in verse seven that we need to see as well. To the last group of workers that the owner found close to the end of the day, the owner tells them that they will receive what is right (v. 7). Who determines what is right? The one making the offer. Not the worker. There is no favoritism. All are treated the same.

The point of verse Matthew 20:4 is this: grace is always about the goodness of God and never the merit of the sinner; the goodness of the owner and not the work of the worker. This passage in Matthew 20 is a passage about grace because it demonstrates,yet again, the goodness of God toward fallen humanity when it is undeserving of that goodness. My dad put it this way, “Grace is in the calling.” Not in the reward from the calling. Paul then moves onto another example of genuine faith.

(5-8)
But to him that worketh not, but believeth on him that justifieth the ungodly, his faith is counted for righteousness. Even as David also describeth the blessedness of the man, unto whom God imputeth righteousness without works, Saying, Blessed are they whose iniquities are forgiven, and whose sins are covered. Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin. (Rom 4:5-8, KJV)
Blessed is the man that does not get what they deserve: “Blessed is the man to whom the Lord will not impute sin.” Paul uses King David as another example here of faith, faith in the image of Abraham’s. David in Psalm 32 talks about the forgiveness of God. The forgiveness that God gives is of such splendor that David can’t not help himself. He must talk about it. Paul then returns to the issue of circumcision. The reason to do so again is because Abraham was a pre-circumcision believer. The practice was not even in use until Abraham was instructed by God to do it.

Romans Series (Pt. 14) – Romans 4:1-3

Abraham our Father (4:1)
This first question serves two purposes. First, Paul is linking back the heritage of true faith (faith in the one true God) to the father of faith, Abraham. This will be a significant person for Paul because it will help to make the point that all Jews and Gentiles must express faith, in a way just like Abraham in order to be justified before God. Second, this is a question that takes the argument of works verses grace to another level. Because Abraham is seen as “the father of all that believe”it is important, from Paul’s perspective to identify what it was that Abraham “did” so that God accepted his faith as genuine. If Abraham is the prototype of faith, all that have come after him must understand what Abraham had or did that gave rise to the faith that pleased God.

True Faith does not Boast (4:2)
After having considered in the previous chapters the futility of works Paul points us to the example of Abraham, that will serve as the measure of genuine faith. If what Abraham did was according to works, then he had reason to boast. But, Paul tells us that boasting is futile with regards to salvation because God is the one saving [Ephesians 2:8-9]. Paul is telling us that whatever Abraham did it was not something that could give him reason to take pride. Abraham’s faith was grounded in something, rather, someone else.

Here is the heart of genuine faith. Faith that originates within me is not true faith. Faith must be grounded in something sure, something unchanging in order for it to have any power. When we recognize the awesome nature of God faith springs forth from inside of us because we can be sure of what we have believed in. The human heart is designed to resonate at the frequency of hope which is the frequency that God operates on [Colossians 1:27]. This is what made Abraham’s demonstration of faith so amazing. This man from Ur heard God and believed that what God said was true. Faith does not have to see what it has believed [Hebrews 11:1]. Faith knows that what it has believed will come to pass.

The Story of Abraham (4:3)
This verse is a reference to Genesis 15: 3 specifically. But in Genesis 15 we find a very powerful moment in the life of Abraham. Abraham is dealing with the reality that he does not have an heir to pass his name and inheritance to. This is a very big deal. But God takes Abraham out onto the porch (God’s office if you will) and says this.

After these things the word of the LORD came unto Abram in a vision, saying, Fear not, Abram: I am thy shield, and thy exceeding great reward. And Abram said, Lord GOD, what wilt thou give me, seeing I go childless, and the steward of my house is this Eliezer of Damascus? And Abram said, Behold, to me thou hast given no seed: and, lo, one born in my house is mine heir. And, behold, the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, This shall not be thine heir; but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine heir. And he brought him forth abroad, and said, Look now toward heaven, and tell the stars, if thou be able to number them: and he said unto him, So shall thy seed be. And [Abraham] believed in the LORD; and [God] counted it to [Abraham] for righteousness. [Gen 15:1-6, KJV]

Why was Abraham’s faith counted as righteousness? It was because Abraham accepted the word of God as a completed work. That is, if God said it, that was all that Abraham needed. This is an interesting challenge to all those who claim to have faith. Can we take God at His Word? Paul then describes [4:5-6] the difference between the person who exercises faith in God’s provision and the person that attempts to gain access to the promises of God through their own means. It is this distinction that must be understood if faith that pleases God is to be demonstrated. Any attempt to ascend the mountain of God through our own means is incorrect and will ultimately be futile [Psalm 24:3-6].

Romans Series (Pt. 13) – Romans 3:30b-31

By and Through Faith (3:10b-31)
In the last two verses Paul makes an interesting statement that is worth taking note of. The circumcised, the Jew will be justified by faith. Paul is saying that Christianity is the natural progression of God’s revelation of Himself and His will. The children of Abraham have finally seen the fulfillment of a promise made thousands of years before to a man in search of a city.

By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. [Hebrews 11:8-10, ESV]

The second part of the statement is that God will justify “the uncircumcised through faith.” For the gentile, salvation was something that had to come to them, it was a door to be traveled through, whereas the Jew was already “in.” By in I do not mean redeemed, but that they should have been ready to receive the message of Jesus with gladness and rejoicing because God had revealed His plan and purposes to them. It is important to understand that Paul is making the starting point of how someone comes to faith irrelevant. The key to a relationship with God is not where you start, but where you end. Faith must become, and truly is the key to the way that a Christian lives. Faith must become, and is the sign of a changed life, not just talk to impress the crowds.

Paul closes this chapter that focuses on the perversion of sin and the culpability of all before God with a clarification. The Old Testament law stopped being the standard that we were held to because no one would ever be able to live up to it. But the law does not just disappear from the consciousness of Christians. The law, after justification, becomes something what we strive to live out, not fulfill. Jesus came to fulfill the law for us [Matthew 5:17]. This is a significant distinction to remember. We are to see the law as a guide and not a yoke. It is only by the strength that God gives to us that we are able to accomplish the tasks that He has assigned for us to do [Col. 1:29]. We can now obey the law without fear that we will fall prey to her punishments.

Romans Series (Pt. 12) – Romans 3:27-30a

No reason to Boast (3:27-30a)
Paul closes this chapter by asking some questions, and providing some conclusions about what he said at the beginning of the chapter regarding God’s faithfulness and our failure to remain faithful. There is no room for boasting. There is nothing that we can do to merit God’s grace, love or mercy. God gives it out of His good pleasure and for His glory.

Faith causes all boasting in temporal things to become nothing, leaving us with only one thing—the law of faith. It is this law that supersedes all others because it is the reason that all other laws are upheld. Paul’s concluding remarks put into a simplified form what he has being defining theologically. Paul also gives us a brief statement of God’s unique nature when he says that because God is one, because God is not divided within himself, all that come to Him must come to Him by faith alone just as God has commanded.

God is consistent in his demands of all men. He does not favor any man over another. He seeks faith from all. Jew and Gentile find even ground at the foot of the Cross. God is both the God of the Jew and the Gentile because both are faced with the same dilemma to resolve, that of personal sin.

Romans Series (Pt. 11) – Romans 3:25-26

Christ our Propitiation (3:25)
In verses 24 and 26 Paul puts us to the test by making us think about some very difficult words. It is important to not skip over difficult words, especially in Paul’s writings. These words have specific purposes and meanings and uses in Paul’s thinking and understanding of God, salvation and sin. Let’s look at them here.

REDEMPTION:
The purchase back of something that had been lost,
by the payment of a ransom.

The Greek word so rendered is apolutrosis, a word occurring nine times in Scripture, and always with the idea of a ransom or price paid. The work of Christ is a work of redemption. We are lost in sin and God has sent His son to find us and “buy” us back. The purchase was made when Jesus offered His blood as full payment for our sin.

The second word is:

PROPITIATION:
Covering; atoning sacrifice.

This is not an easy word to grasp, but it is important to try if we are going to understand Paul’s argument and thinking. In propitiation the wrath that God should let loose upon the sins of men is absorbed by the Son. Jesus is our covering because He has bought the right to do so on the cross. In this ministry of covering and absorbing, the judgment that should rightly fall on us is taken on by Jesus. John helps by providing for us some further insight to what Jesus is doing for us in heaven when He executes this propitiatory work. As we grow in our understanding of these concepts we can begin to grasp the depth of God’s grace and work toward us in Christ. The cost of grace illustrates the depth of love.

This aspect of Christ’s sacrifice in propitiation is something that should be properly understood.

My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world. (1 John 2:1-2, ESV)

God is both Just and the Justifier (3:26)
Verse 26 contains an interesting phrase: “It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.”

So how does God remain just and still justify a sinner? God remains just because he demands and receives payment for sin, but that payment does not come from me. The payment comes from Christ, the perfect sacrifice, and so God is able to fulfill both roles and still remain holy and just. God’s righteousness nature demand compensation for the offense of sin. But God’s nature is also described by God’s ability to love perfectly and completely.

Only God could manage to do both without violating any principles needed for either side. God’s character demands justice and grace, but in order to provide both God had to stand on both sides, and He does. God executes judgment for sin upon His very own Son. There is no great evidence of the love and grace of God than this.

Romans Series (Pt. 10) – Romans 3:19-24

The World is Accountable to God (Romans 3:19-20)
Paul draws some very stark conclusions regarding the evidence that he has cited in verse 10-18. Not only will the every mouth be stopped, but because of what Paul has said the whole world is not accountable to God. Nothing has been missed and no one can escape. Paul’s understanding of the law is refined. He is not speaking in some general or generic way. The law for Paul is the means that God uses to do two very important things. First, the law stops “every mouth” (v. 19). The law leaves us without any excuse. God is not trying to win an argument, there is no argument. Any attempt to deny the reality of our sin is useless and affront to God Himself. The law is unyielding. Any deficient view of sin will lead to a distorted view of God. Paul will hit on this in other portions of Romans, which I will attempt to point out.

Second, and not of any lesser importance is that the law makes sin known (v. 20). This is interesting and Paul will address this last phrase in more detail later (Romans 7:7-25). However, the way that we come to an awareness of sin is important for theological and evangelistic reasons. If we as Christians are not out to tell the world around us that sin is real and must be overcome, grace will not appear so amazing. I have alluded to the theological reason above, but I would like to speak to the evangelistic reason here. If the Gospel is proclaimed in a way that the depth and damage of sin is not seen in its totality, then the hearer will not fully understand how impossible it is to attempt and earn what only God can freely give. Paul gives us a hint to this in Ephesians 2:8-9. As sinners and even as adopted sons and daughters we must never forget what we have been saved from. This leads us to Paul’s next thoughts on sin.

All have Sinned (Romans 3:21-24)
Paul’s phrasing here seems somewhat confusing, but we have to think about what he is saying within the context of that time. What references did Paul use to support his argument? He used two similar references from David, in the Psalms and one from Jeremiah in Ecclesiastes. Now, Paul says that apart from the law the righteousness of God is revealed. Paul is making a reference here to the wisdom literature within the Jewish canon. The whole of God’s word points to His righteousness and man’s sinful nature.

Within the second half of this section we find that Paul is touching on, ever so lightly, upon the divinity of Jesus. This too will play an important role in the overall theology of Romans. Paul is also arguing against the two forms of works doctrine ^[1]. The first was prevalent among the pagan religions (that most of the Romans were used to) and the second was a Jewish form of works teaching that many Jews had adopted because of Pharisaical influence. Also, since Paul has already “proven” the sinful nature of man he reminds the reader and hearer of this again here.

Footnotes:

Back to Post ¹ By “works doctrine” I mean any attempt that men and women undertake to earn or appease God or gods. The Romans offered sacrifices to keeps the gods happy. The Jews on the other had believed that by trying to live up to the standard of the Law they would please God. These and any variation of these will only demonstrate the futility of works.

Romans Series (Pt. 9) – Romans 3:10-18

There is None Righteous (Romans 3:10-18)
Verses 10-18 are Paul’s biblical proof for why both Jew and Gentile have equal standing in the eyes of God. Paul quotes from various places in the Old Testament to make his case. He uses the Psalms because of their ability to capture the truth at the heart level. David was a man who spoke, sang, and wrote from his varied experiences. It was because of this that as you read the Psalms a kinds of emotions are written about there. From joy to anger; love to revenge; faith to impatience; jubilation to repentance. We will look at this next, but without the law, there is no knowledge of sin (v. 20). But before Paul gets to that he wants to make it plainly clear that that there is already sufficient cause for God to hold us guilty of sin.

I have provided the quotations and their references below. Paul is paraphrasing from these passages, but the essence of this is the same.

Paul’s Quotation	Old Testament Reference
Romans 3: 10-12 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.”	Psalm 14:1-3 (cf. Psalm 51:1-3) 1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good. 2 The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man,to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. 3 They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one. Ecclesiastes 7:20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
Romans 3:13a “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.”	Psalm 5:9 For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue.
Romans 3:13b “The venom of asps is under their lips.”	Psalm 140:3 They make their tongue sharp as a serpent’s, and under their lips is the venom of asps.
Romans 3:14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”	Psalm 10:7 His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.
Romans 3:15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;”	Proverbs 1:16 for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.
Romans 3:15-17 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.”	Isaiah 59:7,8 7 Their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their highways. 8 The way of peace they do not know, and there is no justice in their paths; they have made their roads crooked; no one who treads on them knows peace.
Romans 3:18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”	Psalm 36:1 Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes.

The apostle does not hold back on his description of the state of man. While this may appear tame and mild to some, pull is not pulling any punches. It is through these verses that Paul puts forth a detailed, and nearly comprehensive, wrecking ball to any argument for justification, salvation or righteousness apart from God and His Son Jesus. To seek any of these three attributes independently of God’s presence and intervention is to step away from what God has revealed in Scripture. What Paul is saying in this section is not something that can be, or should be taken lightly. The indictment upon humanity is equal to the remedy that God has provided in the Cross of Christ. But, if man’s understanding of sin does not agree with the price paid for that sin there will remain an inconsistency in any theology/doctrine that we try to claim is genuinely Biblical.

It is worth noting that sin must be understood from the perspective of the offended rather than that of the offender. The value of the one wronged determines the just compensation. As we look at the price that God paid for our redemption, i.e., the Blood of Jesus, we can see that sin is far worse than we could ever comprehend.

Romans Series (Pt. 8) – Romans 3:1-9

First in Time (Romans 3:1-5)

Paul helps the Roman hearer, and the all Gentile readers of this letter, understand that the primacy of the Jew in God’s plan had nothing to do with some intrinsic worth that they had as people. He will point this out in verse 28 of this chapter. What Paul is trying to make clear is that because God has chosen to work through human affairs someone had to be selected for the purpose of being the instrument of God’s will ([reftagger title=”Romans 3:2″]v. 2[/reftagger]). This people were the children of Abraham. Why Abraham? I don’t know, but that becomes a moot point because it is not something that can be undone or reversed. God picked Abraham and worked out His will through Abraham’s progeny, both the physical and the spiritual (look at Galatians 2:18-21, 3:10-14) . Look back at Romans 2:25-29. Paul has just finished removing any privilege that may have existed for the “circumcised”. The true heart of the matter is what is going on in the heart.

But there is something else at work that Paul wants to address. A teaching had become popular among the Jews that God would overlook and not punish unfaithfulness on the part of the Jews. God’s faithfulness is not, should not, and must not be called into question just because a frail humanity is unable to comply with its end of the bargain. God remains faithful. God’s reputation is not tarnished because of our failures. This however, had become the mentality of the Jews. They believed that their “unrighteousness serves to show the righteousness of God” ([reftagger title=”Romans 3:5″]v. 5[/reftagger]). This is the epitome of putting God to the test. And it must be avoided at all costs.

Sinning for the Glory of God (Romans 3:6-9)

But not only were the Jews putting God to the test. There rose up in the Jews’ mind an indignation that they were being punished as they served as examples of God’s faithfulness. Paul writes about the total arrogance of the Jews in this regard, “But if through my lie God’s truth abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner?” ([reftagger title=”Romans 3:7″]v. 7[/reftagger], emphasis added). There is never an appropriate time to sin for the Glory of God. This is an attempt and make God a fool and to take the grace that has been given to us and misuse it for our own fleshly desires (Galatians 5:13).

The poor example of the Jewish people as a whole was inexcusable. But Paul understood that he himself had been among them. His errors may have been on the side, the side of piety and total devotion, but that is only exchanging one extreme of misunderstanding for another. Paul recognized that his extreme devotion and other Jews’ extreme infidelity both missed the point and mark of God’s character ([reftagger title=”Romans 3:8″]v. 8[/reftagger]). And because of this both were rightfully condemned ([reftagger title=”Romans 3:9″]v. 9[/reftagger]).

Romans Series (Pt. 6) – Romans 2:12-24

God’s Judicial Philosophy (2:12-16)

In these verses, we begin to see how God will perform his judicial responsibility to render justice to all sinners. What is interesting here is that all sinners will be judged according to the “laws” under which they lived. “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” [v. 12]. One of the objections to God’s goodness has been this: How can God condemn to hell those who have never heard the Gospel of Jesus? I believe that Paul is speaking to this very thing when he tells the Romans that God will be just to all regardless of when they live or what they have or have not heard. He is bringing his understanding of the revelation of God’s character in Creation back to the minds of the Romans by saying that when men see the creation they would be introduced to the Glory of God and would be without excuse [Romans 1:19-20]. Paul wraps up this paragraph by saying, “God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus” [v.16]. Whatever this means, it does mean that God will be just.

The Jews Chastised (2:17-24)

Paul then switches gears and turns to his countrymen in the church and questions them regarding the example they are setting. In one sense the Jews could boast in God. They had been called out from among the nations. God had sent to them the Law and the prophets. But all of this did not appear to have the effect of changing the hearts of the people. The Jews had “in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth,” and still they failed to live according to God’s precepts. Paul understood that the image and example of the Jewish people had not served the purpose of God as it ought to have. As a result, Paul quotes Isaiah 52:5: “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” The purpose for which the children of Israel were to be set apart – to spread the truth of God – had become distorted into a conceited nationalism.

We will look at the source of the distortion next time.

Romans Series (Pt. 5) – Romans 2:1-11

God’s Reason in Being Patient (2:1-5)

After telling us in the second half of chapter one the depth of sin and its potential expression, Paul lets us know that because of this sinful inclination God’s judgment “rightly fall” [v.2] on us. The hypocrisy that we at times perform is only a small demonstration of our depravity. This hypocritical tendency should serve as a reminder of why God should and ultimately will judge the sinner. But Paul is not simply concerned with God’s judgment of sin.

Sometimes reading Paul can be difficult and we miss the little nuggets that are hidden in the letters. Here, even in the midst of laying the foundation of the Gospel, the grace of God is revealed. The Gospel at every turn and in every instance sheds the light of God’s grace in the midst of the darkness of our shortcomings. That is what is saying here. Paul says that “God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance” [v. 4]. This is unbelievable.

God does not hit the reset button and unleashes his angelic hosts because He desires for sinners to repent! The sad reality that Paul throws back at the reader is that the reason some do not head the Gospel summons is because of their “hard and impenitent” [v. 5] hearts. And it is this persistent condition that is “storing up wrath” [v. 5] for us when God finally returns.

God’s Demonstration of Integrity (2:6-11)

The major thrust of this entire section is that God shows no favoritism to the sinner or the believer in His dispensation of justice. All are sinners and are worthy and even deserving of eternal punishment, but God has overshadowed the sins of those that have believed and confessed in Christ. God will reckon what is rightfully due to each one “according to his works” [v. 6].

The irony in this statement is that those that believe in Christ have no work by which we are to be judged! The work of Salvation is the work of God in us. So the reward that we receive at the time of judgment rightfully belongs to God! We are the beneficiaries of God’s love and grace in spite of our sins. Look at what Paul says in Ephesians 2:4-10.

⁴ But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, ⁵ even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— ⁶ and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, ⁷ so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. ⁸ For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, ⁹ not a result of works, so that no one may boast. ¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. [ESV, Emphasis Added]

Paul outlines how God will deal with all humanity. To those who live rightly and obey God’s commands and does good there will be reward and “glory and honor and peace” [v. 10]. But to those that chose their own way and chose “unrighteousness” [v. 8] and “does evil” there will be “tribulation and distress” [v. 9].

There is no partiality with God because he will not be swayed by sentimentality devoid of reason. God sees clearly and will dispense the just reward or penalty to all who will stand and kneel before His throne.