Judgement for Deeds

Comments on Romans 2:6-16

Romans is a letter that we can understand as a systematic expression of theology and the Gospel. In the first three chapters, Paul methodically deals with common arguments that people make against the Gospel. Chapter two is part of this explanation and really cannot be properly understood outside that context.

In the interest of brevity, I’ll point out just a few important points from earlier and later parts of the letter.

The Apostle expresses his mission and purpose this way, “we have received grace and apostleship to bring about the obedience of faith for the sake of his name among all the nations, including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:5-6, ESV).

While he is called primarily to the Gentiles, it is clear from the examples he gives and from direct statements that this letter is to a mixed audience. He clearly expects his readers to include Jews and Gentiles, believers and unbelievers.

His mission and purpose are to bring about the obedience of faith among all the nations. The letter is addressed to all believers in Rome, and they are told that this is their mission and calling as well. They are, he writes, called to be saints. Holy ones.

In chapter one verse 16, he says that the Gospel is for the Jews first and also for the Gentiles. The Gospel was first preached to the Jews by Jesus, Peter, etcetera, and is now coming to the Gentiles through Paul and others.

Importantly, he points out that “in [the Gospel] the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith.’” (Romans 1:17, ESV) Here, he cites Habakkuk 2:4 “Behold, his soul is puffed up; it is not upright within him, but the righteous shall live by his faith.” (ESV)

Now that he has established the idea of the Gospel, that righteousness comes from God and is received by faith, he goes on to address the current state of those who reject the truth. He says that “the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them.” (Romans 1:18–19, ESV) In saying this he is pointing out that an active choice has been made. God showed them the truth in Jesus Christ, yet they have chosen to reject that in favor of living by their own code.

Importantly, he goes on to describe in some detail the characteristics of these people. This is helpful for us as we contemplate chapter two.

Romans 2:1 speaks to everyone. Especially, as we will see, it speaks to those who think they are doing what God wants by trying to keep the Law of Moses or simply by living morally exemplary lives as adjudged by their conscience.

Verse one reads, “Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things” (ESV). In the verses that follow he points out that their attitude reflects a hard-hearted refusal to honestly consider what God says is true.

This brings us to the text that is our current focus.

Romans 2:6–16 (ESV)
6 He will render to each one according to his works:
7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;
8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.
9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek,
10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek.
11 For God shows no partiality.
12 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.
13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.
14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.
15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them
16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

When we read “to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.” We might be tempted to wonder whether our actions are what determine our future destination. Complicating this, some translations employ verbiage here that may seem particularly daunting. For example, “persistence in doing good” or “perseverance in doing good.”

We all know that our behavior does not always reflect godliness. Consequently, when we read of persistence or perseverance, we might question the limits of the Love and grace of God toward us. I chose the ESV for this study for this reason. In researching the original language here, I found that this translation helped me better grasp the usage of the Greek word here. This is not intended as a litmus test of our unwavering fealty. It is not a measuring rod for exemplary and unfailing moral conduct.

When the Lord Jesus saves us, He does it through rebirth. We are taken out of the domain of darkness and transferred to His Kingdom (Colossians 1:13). We are immersed (baptized) into the death and resurrection of Christ. Immersed in Him (see Romans 6). God’s Holy Spirit moves into our being and lives in us, thus guaranteeing our inheritance of eternal Life (Ephesians 1:13-14).

This is a profound change. Indeed, we read in 2 Corinthians 5:17 that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come.” (ESV)

This deep change is real, but our conduct does not always reflect it. What’s more, this passage talks about doing good and doing evil and goes on to say that “it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.” Then it brings conscience into the picture as well.

These images help us see that even if we could keep the Law of Moses perfectly and our conscience was always in full approval of our attitudes and actions; we would still be imperfect. We need the Lord Jesus. We need His righteousness.

How can we obey God? How can we persist in doing good?

If we continue to follow Paul’s reasoning through chapter three, we find that “now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith.” (Romans 3:21–25a, ESV)

Righteousness by faith is the Good News. In addition, we read that, “one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.” (Romans 3:28–31, ESV)

Do you see it? Living by faith in the Lord Jesus is obedience. By trusting Him for our righteousness, we uphold the law. This is what Paul meant back in chapter one where he said that his mission was “to bring about the obedience of faith.”

Romans 4:5 continues Paul’s presentation of the amazing truth of the Gospel saying, “to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness” (ESV).

The result of this is wonderful. It’s found in Romans 5:1–2 “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God.” (ESV)

Jesus did what we cannot do. He fulfilled the Law and the prophets (see Matthew 5:17). It is His work that has been credited to us. We find something of a picture of this in Matthew 25:34–40

“Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’

Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’

“And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” (ESV)

These who are judged righteous before God find themselves unaware that they had been persistent in doing good. This happens because it is the Spirit of Christ in us who energizes such activity. So ingrained is His Life in us that we come to naturally express and manifest Him. Very often without even realizing that we are doing so.

It is this dynamic that is being referred to in Philippians 2:13, which tells us that “it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.” (ESV) Further, when we read in Titus 2:11-12 that the grace of God teaches us to deny ungodliness and live upright and godly lives in this world, we see that our lovely Lord is always at work maturing and growing us in the faith. That growth works itself out in Love, as we read about in Galatians 5:6. According to Ephesians 2:10, such good works were prepared for us in advance so that they would characterize our lives.

Things we do in our own power have no lasting value. What is energized by the Spirit has eternal value. We see this spelled out in 1 Corinthians 3:12–15 “Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw— each one’s work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire” (ESV).

Saints, we have peace with God. He is Love, and perfect Love, we are told in 1 John 4:18, eradicates any fear of punishment.