Judgment and the Law

Bible Text: Romans 2:11-16 | Preacher: Alan Conner | Series: 2002, Romans

December 1, 2002 Northwest Bible Church
Judgment and the Law
Romans 2:11-16

INTRO
Paul is still hammering away at the sin of the moralists and showing that they deserve condemnation and judgment. But the question arises: on what basis will the Jews and the Gentiles be judged? Will they be judged with the same standard?

I. GOD’S JUDGMENT IS FAIR (vv. 11-15)

A. God’s standard of judgment is fair (v. 12). Judgment is acc. to the light given.

B. The Gentiles are not judged by the written Law (12a).

1) The principle of “no law, no violation.” Rom. 4:15; 5:13.

2) The principle of the light of nature (vv. 14-15). Though not having the written law of Moses, the Gentiles do have a moral law inscribed on their hearts by God.

a) It is part of the “image of God” found in Genesis 1. It is not the New Covenant law found in Jeremiah 31.

b) Notice also it is “the work of the law that is written on the hearts” (v. 15), and what is that work? It is:

(1) the revelation of what God requires of us and,

(2) the evaluation of our actual deeds.

C. The Jews will be judged by the written Law (12b-13).

1) Those who have the Law will be judged by the Law (12b).

2) The basis of justification will be obedience to the Law, being a “doer of the Law”, not being a hearer of the Law only (v. 13).

What does it mean that “the doers of the Law will be justified”? (v. 13).

IT DOES NOT MEAN:
1) justification from man’s perspective as in James 2.

2) that we can be justified by works, Rom. 3:20, 28; 4:6; 5:1.

IT CAN MEAN:
1) hypothetical justification by works.

2) the Spirit wrought obedience of born-again believers which verifies and testifies to the reality of their faith.

II. GOD’S JUDGMENT IS COMING (v. 16).

A. There is a “day” of judgment coming (see also v. 5).

B. Judgment will be put in the hands of Jesus Christ.

C. The secrets of men shall be judged.

III. APPLICATIONS

1) Possession of truth without obedience is worthless.

2) Hearing the truth without obedience is worthless.

3) Don’t keep secrets from God. Prov. 15:3. Prov. 15:11.