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I. The principles of God's judgment.
1. The Jewish state of Sin (2:1 – 3:8).
A. The ten principles of God's judgment (2: 1-16).
B. The Jewish claims of Privilege (2: 17-20).
C. God's counter claims of responsibility (2: 21-24).
D. Outward marks are not sufficient proofs of righteousness (2: 25-29).
E. Objections anticipated and answered (3: 1-18).
F. Conclusion – All are under sin (3: 9-20).
2. The ten principles of God's judgment (2: 1=16).
A. It considers personal guilt (v. 1) – This is a reference to the Jew who trusted in his fleshly and religious tradition; and, therefore, set all others at naught.
B. Its estimate is always according to truth (v. 2) – The claimed to be fine, but this judgment was going to be according to the way things really are.
C. It is inescapable in its effect ( v. 3) – There is no way that this judgment can be averted. (Heb. 9: 27). That day cannot be sidestepped. If a man does not appear with Christ has his righteousness, things are over.
D. It considers God's available goodness (v. 4) – Verse 3 speaks of judgment = penalty. Verse 4 speaks of goodness = (mercy) remedy. Goodness is preventive for His judgment. God is drawing and not driving. Cross not club. Greatest sin is not righteousness violated but mercy despised.
E. It is future as well as present (v. 5) – Judgment is a continuing process. It is going on now, but it will reach a climax when it goes on eternally – it never ends. You never come to the end of the judgment of the wicked.
F. The basis for judgment is divine justice (v. 6) – If we go to judgment without Jesus, we will be judged by our works. There are degrees of punishment for the one who goes to hell based on his works. There are no degrees of rewards for the one who goes to heaven based on the work of Jesus.
G. It has rewards and regrets (vs. 7-10) -
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Regrets Rewards
Indignation) Contentious Glory ) Patient
Wrath ) Do not obey Honor ) Well doing
Tribulation ) Worketh Incorruption ) doing Good
Anguish ) evil Eternal life ) Good
H. It is impartial in its scrutiny (v.11) – Question is not “Who are you” but “whose are you.” Anyone standing at judgment without Jesus is lost.
I. It is universal in its scope (vs. 12-15) – Key in the word for has to do with the law and the relation of three kinds of action to that law. There is condemnation to those who are:
1. without law
2. under the law
3. the condemning thing is sin.
Condemnation is as universal as sin.
J. Its standard is the gospel (v. 16) It is not now the sin question but the son question. A new life founded upon a now Lord – Jesus Christ (John 12:48).
II. The Jewish claims of privilege. There are ten claims made by the Jews.
1. The claim of name (v. 17-20) – (Bear means to carry like one would carry a poster) Nationalistic and racial – personal qualifications not passed through the blood nor or they inherited. Read Eze. 18:20ff.
2. The claim of a document. ( They knew and approved). They received their support from the law.. Yet, they were now using the law to commit sin.
3. The claim of deity (v. 17c) – Assumed YHWH his alone. Today we may be boasting of our God and denying the knowledge of Him to 4 billion souls.
4. The claim of knowledge (v. 18b) – Greater condemnation – knowing is not just a matter of facts but to know His will.
5. The claim of discernment (v. 18b) – The ability to distinguish between shades or right and wrong.
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6. The claim of special knowledge (v. 18c) – Knew his catechism with great detail. But high standard of instruction calls for high standard of life.
7. The claim of leadership. (v. 19a) – Professed to show the way. But not enough to point, must lead. Jesus said “follow me” - “go” and “I will be with you all the way.”
8. The claim of light – giver (v. 19b) – True to a degree – gave us the Prophets, the Psalms, Christ, all of the New Testament, but two books written by Jews. but possessing that light, he did not reflect it to others.
9. The claim of educator (v. 20a). - The message is measured by the messenger. He teaches equally by example as by exhortation.
10. The claim of maturity (v. 20b) – Form – el. 2 Tim. 3:5, 14-17). We hold Christianity as a form very often. To repeat it, to visualize it and to sing it. Must be more than a form. Needs to become a force to transform ourselves and our materialistic civilization.
III.
1. God's counter-claims of responsibility. (2:21-23)
A. The counter-claim of Practice (v. 21) – Ethically wrong. Teaching always increases the responsibility of the teacher.
B. The counter- claim of purity (v. 22) – Sensuality (adultery). Greatest evidence of a true gospel is a pure life. Also the greatest vindication for the truth of our faith.
C. The counter- claim of Sanctity (v. 22b) – Idolatry. Although they claim to abhor idols, make money (profits) from gold and silver in idols temple.
D. The counter-claim of honor to God (v. 23) – Hypocrisy. By being legal in letter by illegal in life, the Jew was bringing dishonor to God. God is honored by a holy life and dishonored by the opposite.
2. The result of the Jew's sin (2:24) – For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.
IV. Romans 2: 25-29.
1. Out Ward marks are not sufficient proofs of righteousness.
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A. Keeping the law is more important than Out Ward signs. If the Jew transgress the law, he becomes as the Gentiles – lost, ungodly.
B. When the uncircumcised keeps the ordinances of the law, his uncircumcision will be reckoned as circumcision.
C. The Gentiles (living without the knowledge of the Jews have been living as least as equal to the Jews) will judge the Jews. Jesus used a similar expression in Matthew 11:20-24 against Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum saying that it would be more tolerable in the day of judgment for Tyre, Sidon and Sodom than for these cities.
D. Paul is dealing with a Jew under thee law of Moses as he speaks about who is really a Jew.
E. Cut the foreskin of the flesh away but if that which is typified (by cutting the foreskin of the heart)was not done, then the fellow was not circumcised (and was not a Jew). (2: 28-29).
F. Jews glorified in the Out Ward signs since that was the things seen by men. God looks at the heart.
V. Objections anticipated and answered. (3: 1-8)
1. Objection number #1 (3: 1-8).
Question:; What advantage has the Jew? - v. 1
Answer: The Jew has every advantage in every respect, but pre-eminently in being trusted with the scriptures – v. 2.
2. Objection number two (3: 3-4).
Question: Has the unfaithfulness of the Jew annulled God's purposes? - Paul taught that the Jews being without faith caused them to be condemned. Their objection is: Paul, what you say makes the Jew more powerful then God. God purposed to bless the Jews, you Paul say that He didn't because of the Jew's unfaithfulness.
This prompted the question:
Man's unfaithfulness cannot make God untrue to His promises – v.4. God only promised to bless the 'faithful Jew.' The promise was a blessing to the individual conditioned on his faithfulness. A person's unfaithfulness does not cause God to be unfaithful to His promise because He never promised to bless the unfaithful.
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3. Objection number three (3: 5-8).
Question: is not God unrighteous for judging acts that magnify His righteousness? - v. 5 Paul has argued that their unrighteousness is even commending the righteousness of God. When God judges unrighteousness, what does that do for God's righteousness? - It magnifies and exhalts it. This prompted the objection:
Answer: Paul gives a three fold answer – vs. 6-8.
A. That would make it impossible for God to judge the world.
B. That would make it impossible for them to call Paul a sinner. How can Paul be judged a sinner if his work is causing people to glorify God?
C. Why don't we teach Let us do evil, that good may come. The Jew would be joining with the Gentiles in blaspheming by saying Let us do evil that good may come.
VI. The conclusion of the matter. Man is universally corrupted.
1. All are under sin (3: 9-20).
A. v. 9 and the verdict of God
(1) The character of the verdict – sin (sinful)
(2) The dominion of the verdict – under (captive)
(3) The extent of the verdict – all (universal).
B. The verdict is proved (vs. 10-20).
(1) Sin in human character (vs. 10-12)
a. There is not one righteous.
b. There is none that understands.
c. There are none that seek God.
d. There are none that done good.
(2) Sin in human conduct or the anatomy of evil (vs. 13-18).
A. Sin in our words (vs. 13-14)
a. Throat – Vile talking
b. Tongue – Lying
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c. Lips – Slander (gossip)
d. Mouth – Blasphemers
B. Sin in deeds – (vs. 15-17).
a. Feet – swift to carry them to a place where blood is shed.
b. Ways – Where ever they go they leave destruction and misery.
c. Source of sin – (v. 18) no fear of God before their eyes (irreverence).
C. Sin and the law (vs. 19-20).
(1) Basically the law given to:
a. Stop boasting mouths;
b. bring under judgment;
(2) Negative and positive relationships of the law to sin.
a. Negative – Law cannot make men righteous.
b. Positive - to give the knowledge of sin.
A fourth objection not mentioned in the above notes. vs. 3: 1-2.
A. Question: What are we (Jews) better than they (Gentiles).
Answer: No, in no wise. Jews were greatly advantaged (3: 1-2) but no better.