When Gentiles, who do not have the law... Romans 2: 12-21.

 A slight shift in thought, but not really.

The Biblical caption inserted by the translators reads like this:

God's Judgment and the Law

Romans 2:12 CJB  All who have sinned outside the framework of Torah will die outside the framework of Torah, and all who have sinned within the framework of Torah will be judged by Torah.

Who would have sinned outside the law?

The Gentiles/nations. An example of the nations is easily seen when you look at Nineveh; that large city that Jonah had been sent to with the purpose of delivering a message of destruction.

The threat of death sounds rather ominous, but he is making a point that few will catch. It is that these people - the Gentiles world, will not be judged according to the law.

How then will they be judged?

Look at Matthew 25 where you find the sheep and goat judgment. (At this point, we have to apply some logic, as there is no clear, directive that tells us to treat these two groups as the same. Here are some of the reasons I do so.)

What we see in Matthew's account, is a parallel to Revelation, however,

• in Matthew 25:32 we see “All the nations” being gathered before Him, whereas in the Revelation it merely states that the “ the dead, the great and the small” are brought before Him.

• In the gospel of Matthew, it is Jesus who has "segregated" the massive crowd of those who died outside of Christ or the law; and yet, the sheep are shown mercy and given entrance into the kingdom of God. While Revelation 20 does not show us the segregation, it merely speaks of those who received the harsh judgment.

• Those, in Matthew's account, who are stunned by this mercy, ask why.

  The answer from Jesus comes,

• because when I was hungry - you fed me;

• when I was thirsty - you gave me a drink;

• when I was incarcerated - you came and visited me.

All these things Jesus mentions are indicative of persons acting in the nature and character of the Father God; and yet, WE do not perceive them as having known the Father, why?

Because we did not see them doing the appropriate religious thing, in a religious manner. Look closely at what Revelation 20:13-15 tells us.

Revelation 20:13-15 NASB (13) "And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. (14) Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. (15) And if anyone's name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire."

These people, just like those in Matthew's account, were judged by their deeds. How odd considering that Paul's gospel plainly states that we are saved by faith in Jesus Christ as our savior. Since I can perceive a chain of events, such as the catching away of the church;

• Then it's obvious that neither Matthew's crowd nor the one we see in Revelation 20, have put their FAITH in Christ, at least that is NOT apparent to me.

• These are NOT the martyred saints from the seven-year period, as they were resurrected just as the seven-year period began;

• There is one other thing that stands out, and that is the fact that many of these have lived through the thousand-year reign, chose to fight against Christ one last time, and are now counted among the dead – a number that may go back to Cain and Abel in the garden.

If I focus strictly on those who are deceived and fight against God, one last time, at the end of time, it is hard to perceive that any of those would be found in the book of life, but still, Jesus looks to see if there is any mercy that could be extended to them because of their deeds, which are detailed in Matthew 25.

Do you not yet understand that sin was forgiven at the cross, and this includes these deceived people who came to believe that they could kill God?

Oh, we do not escape judgment, and neither will they, but they will judge according to what they did with Jesus, just as all believers are.

This justification seems almost miraculous but read on.

Romans 2:13 NASB for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.

These people have somehow been followers of the law, and they were not Jews. I might put this another way, These people we see in Matthew 25, where they are called sheep, have managed to follow the law written upon their hearts, and the majority of this crowd may have had NO RELIGIOUS experience, as defined by religion. I once heard a missionary state, that even though some of the people groups they encountered had never been contacted by outsiders, they still had standards that they lived by, such as, don't eat other tribe members. If they demonstrated any of the qualities seen in Matthew 25, then Jesus extends mercy to them.

Don't think for a second that God will allow you to bring YOUR garbage into His kingdom, and therefore, somehow, these too will be changed in a twinkling of an eye.

Hey, wait a minute, isn't Romans 2:13 talking about me as well?

It is and you can see that in the phrase “for when Gentiles. If you are NOT a Jew, then you are a Gentile.

Romans 2:14 NLT  Even Gentiles, who do not have God’s written law, show that they know his law when they instinctively obey it, even without having heard it.

(14 NASB) “For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves,”

I had originally put forth the NASB because it frequently conveys an understandable account, however, in this case the NASB uses a phrase that portrays those Gentiles as being a law to themselves. I suppose I watched to many cowboy movies when I was young because characters that operated as a law to themselves were the bullies that murdered others just to get their way, and that is not what we are talking about here. For that reason I gave you the NLT translation as well because it says, “they instinctively obey it (that law written upon their hearts,) even if they don't openly accept that the law came from the heart of God.

(Romans 2:15-16 NASB) in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, (16) on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.

Instinctively is an excellent choice of words as we are so prone to attribute our behavior to that concept instead of accepting personal responsibility. Many, leaning upon their heritage, will say something foolish like, it is just an instinctive within in my heritage to be an angry and violent person.

One more thing I want you to consider before letting go of verses 15-16, and it is this.

• “their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them, on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.”

They, whoever they are, lived their lives without the benefit of a Bible. An acquaintance of mine would tell you that Jesus cannot return for His church because of that very issue.

Sorry, I do not see it that way, because, as the Amplified Bible conveys,

“They show that the essential requirements of the Law are written in their hearts and are operating there,” (BBE) “their sense of right and wrong giving witness to it, (CJB) “for their conflicting thoughts sometimes accuse them and sometimes defend them.”

With the law written upon their hearts, their hearts provokes them to live by God's moral standards, even if they cannot express that it is God's moral standard living there. So there is no excuse available to them. In other words, they cannot whine about NOT having a printed copy of the scriptures and, therefore, did not know.

Seriously, how many of us have six Bibles and open none of them in an effort to curtail and maintain our lives before God?

And, though our hearts will often judge, when it is not our place to judge, and condemn these at this final throne, to the fires of hell, we refuse to acknowledge that God has the right to show these at the judgment seat, mercy. In order to come to the conclusion that all here must go to hell, we have to set aside the Word of God where it says, “ their thoughts alternately accusing or defending them.”

Consider something. We know that all believers will be “judged,” and yet, you expect mercy. The idea of judgment for the church comes from Romans 14:10, where it plainly states, we will all stand before the judgment seat of God. I would like to point out that the word judgment/bema is the same word used to describe the rostrum or podium at the Olympic games where the awards are given for an outstanding performance. You are not here to be judged, as though some part of the body of Christ should be cut off and thrown into the pit of hell. You are safe in the arms of Jesus and thanked for the smallest of efforts. You will be given a crown, which we will delightedly cast before the feet of Jesus, the only one who deserves our accolades.

Why can't you allowthese that God has brought before His throne the same mercy?

It's a rhetorical question that does not demand an answer.

A not-so-friendly approach.

Romans 2:17-21 NASB But

• if you bear the name "Jew"

• and rely upon the Law

• and boast in God,

• (18) and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law,

• (19) and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind,

• a light to those who are in darkness,

• (20) a corrector of the foolish,

• a teacher of the immature,

• having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth,

• (21) you, therefore, who teach another,

• do you not teach yourself?

• You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal?

Note the practical and logical side of this; wouldn't the confident guide, a teacher and corrector of the foolish, teach themselves?

Of course, they would, that is unless they were deluded.

Romans 2:22-23 NASB

• You who say that one should not commit adultery,

  do you commit adultery?

• You who abhor idols,

  do you rob temples?

• (23 CJB) You who take such pride in Torah,

  do you, by disobeying the Torah, dishonor God?— 

If this is the way you live, then you need to know, there is no HONOR in that, and you can see Paul's reaction in verse 24.

“For "THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU," just as it is written.” (Romans 2:24 NASB)

No wonder the world blasphemes God, we certainly haven't shown them anything.

Romans 2:25 NLT  The Jewish ceremony of circumcision has value only if you obey God’s law. But if you don’t obey God’s law, you are no better off than an uncircumcised Gentile.

But if you don’t obey God’s law, you are no better off than an uncircumcised Gentile. I think these words would sting if I was a Jew (I do have some Jewish blood, but I don't count because it comes through my grandfather and not my grandmother. Go figure. Thank God I was adopted.)

Romans 2:26-27 NLT  And if the Gentiles obey God’s law, won’t God declare them to be his own people?  (27)  In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep God’s law will condemn you Jews who are circumcised and possess God’s law but don’t obey it.

Well, Romans 2:26-27 bites, but why?

Because the law of God is written upon the hearts of everyone.

Romans 2:28-29 NLT  For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision.  (29)  No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.

No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. 

And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; 

rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit.

And how about this: 

a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.

Do you have a changed heart?

He will judge everyone according to what they have done. Romans 2:1-11

 Chapter two opens like this “Therefore you have no excuse,”

Chapter two is starting deep within a thought, the passage, therefore, demands that we stay within the context. To do that we have to go back to Romans 1:21.

Romans 1:21 NASB For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.

Who is Paul speaking about in Romans 1:21 when he says they?

The Jews.

Can we apply this statement to ourselves?

The short answer is yes. BUT, since we have been sealed by the Holy Spirit, are we subject to the wrath of God, as Israel brought on themselves? (See Ephesians 1:13).

The long answer is No, as it certainly seems as though there are so-called Christians that fit the description we see in Romans 1:21. If you don't understand this idea of so-called Christians, then consider what John said.

1 John 2:19 NASB They went out from us, but they were not really of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out so that it would be shown that they all are not of us.

It is rather clear that not everyone is a part of the body of Christ. Since we have a terrible time distinguishing between wheat – an edible grain, and brome – a weed, it is wisest to let Jesus sort them out at the end of the millennium.

Sealed is the Greek word sphragizō and means to stamp for security, preservation, to secure to someone, make sure, deliver over safely.

All the defining words for sealed lean toward God marking us, just as He marks the 144,000 so that they cannot be harmed. At this juncture, I want to point something out. God is not necessarily preserving you from the daily tribulations of life – for some, those tribulations are deadly and we are not in the time of wrath as yet. So don't go thinking that tribulations include the propeller on your speed boat. Considering that Jesus said, they will hate you because of Me; this hatred then would have more to do with your testimony, whatever that looks like, than your whining about having to replace the tire rim on your sports car.

Back to Romans 1:21 “For even though they knew God...”

What qualified as knowing?

Samuel, raised in the courts of the "temple" should have and would have known God and His ways/laws, and yet his sons did not.

1 Samuel 2:12 NLT  Now the sons of Eli were scoundrels who had no respect for the LORD

Job, lamenting to his companions, tells them to shut up and listen for a moment, and then they can go back to berating him. When they stop talking, he says,

Job 21:7-13 NLT  “Why do the wicked prosper, growing old and powerful?  (8)  They live to see their children grow up and settle down, and they enjoy their grandchildren.  (9)  Their homes are safe from every fear, and God does not punish them.  (10)  Their bulls never fail to breed. Their cows bear calves and never miscarry.  (11)  They let their children frisk about like lambs. Their little ones skip and dance.  (12)  They sing with tambourine and harp. They celebrate to the sound of the flute.  (13)  They spend their days in prosperity, then go down to the grave in peace.

And yet they say to God,

Job 21:14-18 NLT  ‘Go away. We want no part of you and your ways.  (15)  Who is the Almighty, and why should we obey him? What good will it do us to pray?’  (16)  (They think their prosperity is of their own doing, but I will have nothing to do with that kind of thinking.)  (17)  “Yet the light of the wicked never seems to be extinguished. Do they ever have trouble? Does God distribute sorrows to them in anger?  (18)  Are they driven before the wind like straw? Are they carried away by the storm like chaff? Not at all!

And James in the New Testament says,

James 4:17 NLT  Remember, it is sin to know what you ought to do and then not do it.

Historically, what do we know of people obeying God's law and ways, or not?

Eve, knew the law, even when there was none (written in stone); she disregarded the law that was passed to her by Adam and partook of the fruit. Cain knew the law, and we can know this because God himself said, if you do what is right. The implications are that Cain knew what was right. The statement from God would be illogical if this information had not been passed along to Cain. Noah, upon leaving the Ark, made a sacrifice, proving that he too knew what was right, and still there was NO known law, as we understand it.

Romans 1:32 NASB and although they know the ordinance of God, that those who practice such things are worthy of death, they not only do the same but also give hearty approval to those who practice them.

Chapter one of Romans spells out how the Gentiles, without the law, practice the law of God, and contrasts this against the Jews, who were given the law of Moses, and expected to know it and live it.

So, the "they" can mean almost anybody here.

With Romans 2:1 the idea is that God is talking to people in general, and yet to a specific crowd that feels comfortable judging others.

Romans 2:1 NASB Therefore you have no excuse, every one of you who passes judgment, for, in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.

Who is passing judgment?

Aside from possible envy or racial hatred, why would the Gentile world pass judgment? The Jewish world, on the other hand, has a deep resentment for the Gentiles. (The Gentiles are not merely white Americans; they are anyone outside of Judaism; and, they are considered dogs. The Assyrians, for example, were considered among the nations, and, as we see in the story of Jonah, a hated people.)

We are told that those who pass judgments are only condemning themselves - for these judges are doing the same thing.

Romans 2:3 NASB But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?

If we are talking about believers, and that is who Paul was writing to, then what judgment(s) are we looking forward to?

None of us are looking forward to judgment, however, there is only ONE for the believer, and that is the Bema seat of Christ. At this judgment seat, you get rewarded.

For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad.
2 Corinthians 5:10 KJV 

Judgment here is the Greek word bema.

J. Vernon McGee tells us:

"This was the place where the judges of the city would meet the citizens and would judge them for certain things—there was no question of life or death. At the judgment seat of Christ only believers will appear. It is not a judgment of the believer's sins, which Christ fully atoned for on the Cross. The judgment is to see whether you are going to receive a reward or not."

What if your judgments against others, entirely fall upon you, here, in this life; in my case, that was very true.

Does it strike anyone else odd when verse three describes an inescapable judgment and then refers to that judgment as, the goodness of God which leads to repentance?

Romans 2:4 MKJV  Or do you despise the riches of His kindness, and the forbearance and long-suffering, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

Maybe the implication is this:

But because you are stubborn and refuse to turn from your sin, you are storing up terrible punishment for yourself. For a day of anger is coming, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. He will judge everyone according to what they have done. (Romans 2:5-6 NLT)

Since the religious idea is that this judgment is completed while standing before Him, at the Bema seat.

Where are we at this point?

We made it; we are in heaven, and here you should NOT have any possible consequence of being sent back to earth, where you could endure the pains of God's wrath.

If that is the case, then what's the problem - why worry?

Yes, this inordinate mercy puzzles me too, and no, I do not have a good answer as to why this happens, aside from the fact that God is more merciful than I can comprehend.

The NASB renders Romans 2:6 in this manner.

“who WILL RENDER TO EACH PERSON ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS:”

Thayer's definition of render - is the Greek word apodidōmi. It means 1) to deliver, to give away for one’s own profit what is one’s own to sell 2) to pay off, discharge what is due 2d) to render account 3) to give back, restore 4) to requite, recompense in a good or a bad sense

Most of these definitions speak to me of a God showing mercy and giving life, where I often think that none would be deserved. An example of this is seen in point #1, where it says, "to give away for one's own profit what is one's own to sell."

Jesus did just that and will do it, again. While, by legal standards, we do not, will not, and, cannot measure up, thank God, Jesus did measure up; and, we are not judged by any other standards.

In definition #2 we are told that He paid off and discharged what was due because of OUR sin. Therefore, our rendering would be based upon what Jesus deserved, not us, and He gets life with the Father; glory, and honor.

The context has not changed as we move forward.

Romans 2:7-10 NASB to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; (8) but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath, and indignation. (9) There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, (10) but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.

Verse ten screams out of the Sheep and goat judgment. - Matthew 25:31-46.

(I get it, religion screams that everyone being presented here, at the great throne of judgment, goes to hell; but that attitude demonstrates your lack of Biblical understanding and a leaning on tradition over scripture. You need to put those methods of interpretation in the trash.)

In Matthew's account of the final judgment, the good shows up as Jesus responds to the crowd He designates as sheep, saying, you are gaining this access today because you acted in a similar loving manner that I would have. For example, you visited Me in prison; you gave Me a drink of water when I was thirsty; and, you put clothes on Me, when I had none, and so on.

Paul continues to explain -

Romans 2:7-10 NLT  He will give eternal life to those who keep on doing good, seeking after the glory and honor and immortality that God offers.  (8)  But he will pour out his anger and wrath on those who live for themselves, who refuse to obey the truth and instead live lives of wickedness.  (9)  There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.  (10)  But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good—for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.

Verses 7-10 have a positive and a negative spin to them.

Let's just say that my goal is to live my life in the light of verses 7 and 10, where I pursue eternal life; keep doing good - as much as I am able; and to seek after the glory, honor, and immortality that God offers. Then the end result should be and will be, glory, honor, and peace from God.

Note the negative side of this.

“There will be trouble and calamity for everyone who keeps on doing what is evil - for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. But there will be glory and honor and peace from God for all who do good - for the Jew first and also for the Gentile.” (Romans 2:9-10 NLT)

Why?

Romans 2:11 NLT  For God does not show favoritism.

Although the theme leans toward the Jews and Gentiles,

• What if, it is speaking to those of us, who by the grace of God alone, have salvation and peace?

• What if, our salvation has nothing to do with where we can afford to eat dinner, the size of our RV, or the beauty of our KOA campground?

• What if, no matter how much money you have, you found out that WE are all in the same boat, and our REWARD is based purely upon the conversational relationship we have with God and acceptance, on our part of His Son?