seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Romans 2:1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance?
5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”[a] 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. 9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favoritism.
12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) 16 This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; 18 if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19 if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”[b]
25 Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. 26 So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? 27 The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the[c] written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.
28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.
a. Romans 2:6 Psalm 62:12; Prov. 24:12
b. Romans 2:24 Isaiah 52:5 (see Septuagint); Ezek. 36:20,22
c. Romans 2:27 Or who, by means of a
This is from bible_studys.org.
It is very easy for us to see sin in other's lives when many times we are unable to see the very same sin in our own life. Many ministers have the attitude that they are exempt, because they preach. The same law applies to us all. There are not 2 sets of rules; one for the congregation and one for the preacher. “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God”. Everyone needs Jesus as Savior and Lord.
Both Jews who was Paul’s primary audience here, and moral Gentiles who think they are exempt from God’s judgment because they have not indulged in the immoral excesses described (in chapter 1), are tragically mistaken. They have more knowledge than the immoral pagan and thus a greater accountability.
“Condemn thyself:” If someone has sufficient knowledge to judge others, he condemns himself, because he shows he has the knowledge to evaluate his own condition.
“Doest the same things:” In their condemnation of others they have excused and overlooked their own sins. Self righteousness exists because of two deadly errors.
(1) Minimizing God’s moral standard usually by emphasizing externals; and
(2) Underestimating the depth of one’s own sinfulness.
Just as the Jews were given the first opportunity to hear and respond to the gospel, they will be first to receive God’s judgment if they refuse. Israel will receive severer punishment because she was given greater light and blessing.
God is not impressed with our worldly wealth, importance, position, influence, popularity or appearance. We are what we are, because God chose for it to be that way. If you are jealous of some one's wealth or place in society, blame God. The real reason might be that God could not trust you with the wealth or importance. It might even be for your own good.
We do not even choose our own nationality, God does. We were born and raised in a particular family because God arranged it that way. Why should anyone be so proud of themselves, this being the case? The only wealth that really amounts to anything, is what we have stored in heaven.
We mentioned before that even nature tells you of God. Our conscience tells us when we are sinning. We all know right from wrong. The Jew had the law, so they will be judged by their law, if they do not receive Jesus. All will be judged guilty of sin, who have not accepted complete pardon through Jesus Christ our Lord. All deserve death. We receive our life in Jesus Christ who is Life.
Without knowing the written law of God, people in pagan society generally value and attempt to practice its most basic tenets. This is normal for cultures instinctively to value justice, honesty, compassion and goodness toward others, reflecting the divine law written in the heart.
“Law unto themselves”: Their practice of some good deeds and their aversion to some evil ones demonstrate an innate knowledge of God’s law, a knowledge that will actually witness against them on the day of judgment.
Previously called Hebrews and Israelites, by the first century “Jew” had become the most common name for the descendants of Abraham through Isaac. “Jew” comes from “Judah,” (meaning praise), one of the twelve tribes and the designation for the southern half of Solomon’s kingdom after his death.
From the time of the Babylonian captivity, the whole race bore this title. Their great heritage, however, became a source of pride and complacency which led to judgment instead of praise.
The Jews knew they were God’s chosen. They were proud, but they looked down on those who were not Jews thinking themselves better than others. Paul is telling them here that it is wrong to depend on the fact of their Jewish heritage to save them.
Paul tells these self-righteous people that they are without excuse. They had the law, yet they did not understand. They were trying to instruct others and didn’t even comprehend themselves.
Their form of religion was just that, a form. This was a technical keeping of the law without any understanding of what the law really stood for. Because they possessed the law, the Jews were confident that they were spiritually superior teachers; guides to blind pagans, wise in God’s ways, and able to teach babes.
This is like memorizing a bunch of words without any idea of what they meant. There is no purpose in memorizing, unless you know what the meaning of the Scripture is. God is not pleased with us technically keeping His laws. He wants our love and obedience.
The law was given by God to help mankind. These Jewish leaders had twisted God's law to fit what they wanted. Many of the customs they required the people to do, they did not do themselves. They had no feelings about putting burdens on others, but were not willing to do them themselves. The high priest’s office was founded to be a go between for God and his people. It was originated as an honorable holy office. By the time this was written, it had decayed into something terrible. They were even buying the priesthood. These had become power lovers, rather than men of God.
These Jews had missed the whole point of being the chosen of God to have the law. Just their arrogant behavior made the non Jews think that it was not good to be a believer. Instead of them living a better life for having known God, they oppressed others and ran them away from God.
For the Jew, circumcision was a sign of the covenant. Here is a complete definition of circumcision as given in Genesis 17:11. Cutting away of the male foreskin was not entirely new in this period of history, but the special religious and theocratic significance then applied to it was entirely new. Thus identifying the circumcised as belonging to the physical and ethnical lineage of Abraham. Without divine revelation, the rite would not have had this distinctive significance, thus it remained a theocratic distinctive of Israel.
There was a health benefit, since disease could be kept in the folds of the foreskin, so that removing it prevented that. Historically, Jewish women have had the lowest rate of cervical cancer. But the symbolism had to do with the need to cut away sin and be cleansed. It was the male organ which most clearly demonstrated the depth of depravity because it carried the seed that produced depraved sinners. Thus, circumcision symbolized the need for a profoundly deep cleansing to reverse the effects of depravity.
When the commentary is longer than the chapter.... I know someone is making excuses.
Back in the beginning.... back when God put Moses in charge of pulling the descendants of Jacob [Jews] out of Egypt.... God wrote down 10 Commandments. These were the rules of the game.... God set the Jews up in their own land.... a land so bountiful it took two men and a pole to harvest one cluster of grapes..... and gave them ten rules..... and those ten rules boiled down to two..... Love God with all your heart, mind and soul.... and Love one another.
God told them to stick together.... take care of each other.... and He would take care of all the necessities. But the Jews didn't like that.... they wanted to see what the grass was like on the other side of the fence...... Once they saw what was on the other side of the fence..... they just had to have it.... and they were mad at God because He didn't supply it.... no matter what it was....
The Jews thought God owed them something if they followed all the rules.... offered the correct sacrifice.... gave the perfect tithe.... offered the perfect love offering..... said hello to the proper humans.... and on and on and on.... because they were Jews they thought they had it all.... the Savior was for them and them alone.... the Savior would murder the murderers and lash the those who gave out the lashes..... The Jews thought they deserved because they were Jews....
On top of that.... the Jews [who didn't want to be exclusive.... wanting to see the grace on the other side of the fence] claimed sole right to God.
To some people.... Salvation is like a possession. They figure they went through the proper steps.... the public statement.... the baptism.... the tithe... the "good works"...... and once they own it.... it can fall to the bottom of the toy box to be pulled out on Easter and Christmas..... to be set on the shelf..... to display.... for all to see..... and then ..... back to the toy box with the rest of the collected stuff.....
All this talk about circumcision...... or the lack of circumcision....... it's all excuses..... IMHO
