The Epistles · Chapter 2 of 16

Romans 2

Paul turns from open sinners to the confident moralist and religious insider, warning that judging others while doing the same only stores up wrath. God judges without partiality, by truth and by deeds, weighing Jew and Gentile alike. What matters is not hearing the law or bearing an outward mark, but a heart changed inwardly, whose praise comes from God and not from people.

What happens in Romans 2

Paul confronts the person who condemns others while committing the same sins, warning that God's goodness is meant to lead to repentance, not to be despised. God will render to every person according to their deeds, giving eternal life to those who patiently do good and wrath to the contentious, and He shows no partiality between Jew and Gentile. Paul distinguishes hearers of the law from doers, noting that Gentiles without the written law can show its work written on their hearts, their conscience accusing or excusing them.

God will judge the secret things of people through Jesus Christ. Paul then addresses the Jew who boasts in the law yet dishonors God by breaking it, so that God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles. He redefines true Jewishness as inward, and true circumcision as of the heart, in the spirit, praised by God rather than by men.

Romans 2 in context

Romans is Paul's fullest written explanation of the gospel, sent to a church he had not yet visited. In chapters one through three he builds a case that all humanity stands guilty before God.

Chapter two answers the reader who agreed with the indictment of pagan sin in chapter one but assumed their own morality or religious heritage exempted them from the same verdict.

Main themes of Romans 2

Romans 2 (KJV)

1Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. 3And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 4Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 5But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 6Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 7To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 8But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 9Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 10But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 11For there is no respect of persons with God. 12For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law; 13(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. 14For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: 15Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;) 16In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. 17Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, 18And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; 19And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, 20An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. 21Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? 22Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? 23Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? 24For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. 25For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. 26Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? 27And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? 28For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

Verses to carry from Romans 2

“Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”Romans 2:4

“For there is no respect of persons with God.”Romans 2:11

“But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”Romans 2:29

Reflection

It is easy to feel safe because we condemn in others what we quietly excuse in ourselves. This chapter removes that hiding place and asks whether God's patience has been softening us or being wasted. Consider where His kindness has been an invitation to repent that you have not yet accepted.

A prayer from Romans 2