I have to let you know that writing a commentary/summary/journal on Romans is proving difficult! There are so many things that Paul is teaching his readers at once. Just in the 16 verses I'm covering tonight, I could easily write 10 pages explaining all the implications of faith that Paul is mentioning and come up with 20 questions to ask!
If it seems like I'm moving from one point to another abruptly that's because I'm forcing myself to be short, not long-winded, on the variety of points that Paul makes. Like I said, Romans is dense!
Feel free to ask about a particular verse or idea, if you don't think I went deep enough. Depth will not always be possible when I'm trying to cover as much ground as possible in a day.
Romans 2 (Read it here)
Even though Paul continues to refer to people who have not repented of their sins and are far away from God, there is a TON that Christ-followers can learn from his words! Almost every thing that Paul chastises non-believers about, I believe Christians still likely struggle with today!
In fact, there may be many times when you'll feel as if God is convicting you of something that you do that is wrong, but really, its Paul challenging non-believers. That's the power of God working through His word! Christ-followers and non-Christ-followers still have a lot in common. Just because someone gets saved doesn't mean that sin, sinful thoughts and unhealthy desires stop.
I should've included verse 1 with my thoughts on how sodomy is no worse than any other sin that Paul mentions that people are capable of in Romans 1:29-31. Just because something is completely foreign to you or I doesn't make it more sinful, as if God viewed sin as certain humans do. Paul says is best, "You may think you can condemn such people, but you are just as bad, and you have no excuse! You...do these very same things."
Its so easy to get caught up on one sin. For instance, when Paul says "such people" in the beginning of verse 1, he's NOT talking about homosexuals! His statement could refer to anyone or any of the laundry list of sins that he mentioned earlier! No one has an excuse to judge anyone else, no matter the grievance of the sin. Sin is sin; it all separates us from God. We all do these very same things.
The only difference between those who ignore God and those who follow God by accepting His Son, is that Jesus has taken our punishment for sins on the cross. Paul suggests that people who ignore God will incur punishment. (v. 2) However, God will still discipline even His own children (Christ-followers) for being judgmental and for being hypocritical. (v. 3)
If anyone should know the grace and patience of God, it should be Christ-followers, right? Yet instead of extending grace, we test God's patience by judging others just as much as non-believers do. (v. 4)
But God doesn't let evil go unpunished. People do get what they deserve eventually. (v. 5) The phrase refuse to turn from your sin literally means those who have not confessed or repented of their sins to God. The day of anger is basically synonymous to Judgment day. This could've very well been what Paul said that frightened Felix in Acts 24:25.
The spiritual fruit of one's life will be a sign whether someone is following Christ and is worthy of God's gift of eternal life. (v. 7) Honor cannot be earned; we receive it when we give up our rights to ourselves. If you live for yourself, to give yourself the best reputation, the most possessions, etc, then it might as well be an idol. What your serving is yourself. Replacing the Creator with anything that He created as God is wicked! (v. 8)
If I were to translate verse 9 from the original Greek I would say, "There will be suffering and difficult circumstances for all those who keep on harming others." This is why I honestly believe that God doesn't just save people from hell in the afterlife. Another huge part of His saving grace is saving us from ourselves. When we follow ourselves, many times we don't even know what is harmful to us. The other times we ignore the harm we inflict because of what we gain. And even though, for Christ-followers, there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1) we still can create difficult circumstances for ourselves by sinning, right?
If Jesus said "no one (even himself) is good but God," (Luke 18:19) then how will sinful human beings do good? It is only rational to conclude that people do good when influenced and led by God, who alone is good.
I'll be honest, I don't like the assumption that the New Living Translation makes in verse 12. It doesn't seem to connect with verse 13 to me. The NRSV (New Revised Standard Version) says, "All (the word Gentile is not present in the original Greek) who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law."
We all have sinned and will die, obviously. Paul is just making a point that people who are not aware of the law of the Old Testament will not be held accountable for it. However, Jews will definitely be held accountable for obeying the law!
Don't get it twisted, Paul will explain how verse 13 is humanly impossible (to perfectly follow the law) later on through the book of Romans. As of now, he is explaining that God only accepts perfection through the law. Only one person was ever completely sinless and perfect, Jesus. It is he that we should accept and place our faith in to truly be right in His sight! That is what is meant by justification by faith. We are justified (made right with God) when we place our faith in Christ Jesus!
God's law wasn't just meant for the Jews, though. This is proven when people who have never read the Old Testament still instinctively know what is right and wrong and follow the laws. For example, even the vast majority of atheists would agree that murder, adultery, stealing, cheating, lying, bestiality and rape is wrong! (vs. 14-15)
The "day of anger" or the Judgment Day will be when Jesus will judge everyone's secrets, what they believe, etc. (v. 16) You can't BS God, who created your mind!
Questions
1.) Throughout these 16 verses did you feel that God was teaching you something (even as a Christ-follower)? If Paul's intention were to have a completely Christian audience, do you think his letter would still be effective? Why or why not?
2.) Most of you reading this blog are not Jewish (making you a Gentile). However, will you be held accountable for the law of the Old Testament when you die? (If you know the 10 Commandments, you know a summary of the Jewish law, by the way.) Does that intimidate you and/or make you want to know exactly what the standard of the law is? Is it your job to completely and perfectly obey the law? Why or why not?
3.) Since Jesus will be the judge of all humanity's secret lives on Judgment Day, how do you think he will judge those who have never read the law or heard the gospel?
4.) Since Jesus knows all your secrets, how genuine is your faith in him? Isn't it worth it to have a clear conscience before God? How do you get a clear conscience?
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