Romans 2:1-29: The Hypocrisy and Sinfulness of the Jews

General Principles of God’s Judgment that specifically apply to Jewish sinners (Rom 2:1-16)

I.                  The judgment of people by God is according to the real truth vs. 1-3

a.      Human judgment is biased, inconsistent, and often hypocritical (Matt 7:1-5)

b.     Humans are often blind to their own sin, except in others

c.      Humans will not escape God’s accurate judgment

II.                The timing of the judgment of people by God reveals He is long-suffering and has gracious forbearance vs. 4-5

a.      God’s forbearance is granted to people (He has not judged me yet; I must be excused)

b.     God’s long-suffering kindness is abused by people who refuse to truly repent (They are stockpiling more wrath for the future by their rebellious self-rule. Judgment is in degrees. See Luke 12:45-48; 2 Cor 5:10; 11:15; Matt 16:27; Rom 2:6, 16; Acts 10:42; Rom 14:10-12; Deut 28:20; Psa 28:4; Luke 23:41; John 5:29; Gal 5:21; 1 Tim 5:24-25; 2 Tim 4:14)

c.      God’s forbearance and delay of His full wrath is weakness (He must be reluctant to give me my just due; maybe I will get away with it after all)

III.              The final judgment of people by God is individual vs. 6 (each person, not a group)

IV.              The judgment of people by God is according to works vs. 7-8 (This is not salvation by works, but judgment by works. See Psa 62:12; Prov 24:12; Eccl 11:9, 12:14; Isa 59:18; Jer 17:9-10, 21:14, 25:14, 32:19, 50:15; Ezek 24:14, 36:19; Hos 12:2; Matt 16:27, 25:31-46; John 5:28-29; Acts 10:42; Rom 14:10; 1 Cor 3:12-15, 4:5, 6:9-11; 2 Cor 5:10, 11:15; Gal 6:7-9; Eph 6:8; 2 Tim 4:14; 2 Thes 1:4-7; 1 Pet 1:17; 1 John 3:7-10; Jude 14-15; Rev 2:23, 11:18, 18:6, 20:12-13, 22:12)

V.                The judgment of people by God is impartial concerning race, family and status vs. 9-11

a.      Judgment for sin will come to everyone who does wrong things (words, thoughts, communications, deeds/actions)

b.     The blessings of God come on everyone who does good (words, thoughts, communications, deeds/actions)

c.      The judgment of God does not have several standards (You do not get a free pass because of who you are, who you know, race, reputation, social status, financial status, age, or any external conditions. It is based on the violations done and with justice and appropriateness. See Deut 1:17, 10:17, 16:19, 32:4; 2Chr 9:17, Acts 10:34; Gal 2:6; Eph 6:9; Col 3:25; Jam 2:9; 1 Pet 1:17)

VI.              The judgment of people by God will come to both those who have been exposed to the written law of God (Jews) and those who have never heard of God’s law (Gentiles)

a.      Those who sin against their conscience and general revelation are still without excuse and will languish under wrath forever even though they never heard God’s instruction in the Bible

b.      Those who have the Hebrew Bible will be judged by their perfect adherence to all that is written in the Scriptures (listening to the Old Testament without loyally obeying it perfectly only increases one’s punishment) Jam 1:23-25. This is also true for make-believers in the church. They have more truth, and thus greater responsibility and greater judgment

c.      Justification, to be declared righteous in God’s courtroom, requires perfect conformity to the Law (moral, civil, and ceremonial). The Jewish remnant realized they could not do this, so they relied on God by faith and received justification based on the perfect obedience and death of God’s Messiah, Yeshu’a

d.     Even the pagans have some of the moral law, especially commands 5-9 written in their hearts and instructing their consciences. A regenerate believer has all the moral laws, including the Ten Commandments, engraved “on” their hearts, Jer 31:33. This law in the heart leaves the pagans even more without excuse along with general revelation and conscience

VII.            The judgment of people by God will include their secret sins and the Messiah Jesus will be their judge vs. 16 (Eccl 12:14; Matt 10:26, 12:37; Mar 4:22; Luke 8:17; 1 Cor 4:5; Acts 17:31, 24:25; 2 Cor 5:10)

Further evidence of the sinfulness of the Jews (Rom 2:17-29)

I.                  The people claiming to be Jews have God’s special revelation revealed in the Hebrew Bible vs. 17-20

II.                The people claiming to be Jews are questioned and challenged vs.21-23

III.              The people claiming to be Jews are rebuked and instructed vs. 24-29

a.      The name of God is severely dishonored because of the hypocrisy of His people

b.     How are we violating the law of God? We are circumcised! Unless you keep the law perfectly, your circumcision is worthless and is undone as a sign of a covenant relationship

c.      We are the only ones in God’s family, as is shown by the ceremonial law. How can we be excluded? The most important thing is the righteousness of God, not rituals

d.     If the righteous uncircumcised will judge the unrighteous circumcised, then what does it mean to be Jewish? (The English term Jew is from the Hebrew term Yudah = Praise) A true Jew is one who has a circumcised heart. Regeneration followed by conversion from selfishness and sin makes one a son or daughter of God and a worshiper of God. (Deut 10:16, 30:6; Jer 4:4, 9:25-26; Rom 3:30, 4:9-11; 1 Cor 7:18; Gal 2:3, 5:1-13; Eph 2:11, 13-22; Phil 3:2-3; Col 2:11, 3:11; Titus 1:10-11)