Understanding God's Wrath (pt. 2)
1st Depraved Gentile society: 1:18-32
2nd Moralists: 2:1-16
3rd Self-confident Jewish person: 2:17-3:8
4th Entire human race: 3:9-20
1st God will judge based on knowledge
Romans 2:1a ESV
Therefore you have no excuse…
Romans 1:20 ESV
For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
Romans 2:1 ESV
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.
Romans 2:1b ESV
For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.
Romans 1:29-31 ESV
They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless.
Romans 2:2-3 ESV
We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man--you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself--that you will escape the judgment of God?
2nd God will judge based on the heart
Romans 2:4 ESV
Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?
Romans 2:5 ESV
But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.
3rd God will judge based on deeds
Ephesians 2:8-9 NIV
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast.
Romans 2:6 ESV
He will render to each one according to his works:
Revelation 20:12-13 NIV
And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life. The dead were judged according to what they had done as recorded in the books. The sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them, and each person was judged according to what he had done.
Romans 2:7 ESV
to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life;
Romans 2:8 ESV
but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.
Romans 2:9a ESV
There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil…
Romans 2:10 ESV
but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek.
4th God will judge based on impartiality
Romans 2:11 ESV
For God shows no partiality.
Romans 2:12 ESV
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.
1st Group: Those who knew the law
Romans 2:12b ESV
…all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.
Romans 2:13 ESV
For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.
2nd Group: Those who never heard the truth of God’s Word
Romans 2:12a ESV
For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law…
1st People are accountable because of creation:
Romans 1:19-20 ESV
For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.
2nd People are accountable because of their own conduct:
Romans 2:14 ESV
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.
3rd People are accountable because of their conscience:
Romans 2:15 ESV
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.
Romans 2:16 ESV
on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.
Jeremiah 17:10 NLT
"But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve."
1st God’s wrath is terrible
2nd God’s kindness is incredible
3rd God’s salvation is available
