Rom 2:1-4 ESV Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. (2) We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. (3) Do you suppose, O man–you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself–that you will escape the judgment of God? (4) Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

• Review Chapter 1 and Paul’s use of the word “they” and “them” in verses 19-32. What pronoun does he use now? What does this mean?
• What was Paul’s focus in Chapter 1? Was it on judgment? How does he transition to the “sins of them” to our judgment?
• How do we know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things? (2Sa 12:5-7, Mat 7:1-5, Mat 23:29-31, Luk 6:37, John 8:7)
• What two excuses does Paul offer his reader for passing judgment and expecting no judgment themselves?
• How have you experienced God’s patience and kindness as a means to lead you to repentance?

Rom 2:5-12 ESV But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed. (6) He will render to each one according to his works: (7) to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; (8) but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. (9) There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, (10) but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. (11) For God shows no partiality. (12) For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.

• What does it mean to have a hard and impenitent heart?
• When is the day of wrath? (Rev 6:17)
• What does it mean to render to each one according to his works? (Isa 3:11, Jer 17:11, Eze 18:30, Mat 16:27)
• What is the difference between the two groups of people and what they seek?
• What is the meaning of the word seek?
  • zētéō; contracted zētṓ, fut. zētḗsō.
    • To seek, trans.Particularly, to seek after, look for, strive to find.
    • To seek, in the sense of to endeavor, to try, e.g., followed by the acc. of thing, to try to gain, to strive after, with the idea of earnestness and anxiety
• How does God apply tribulation and distress?
  • When?
  • Why?
  • In relation to the law?
• Doesn\’t this sound like anyone who seeks to do good things is going to receive eternal life; whether under the law or not?

Rom 2:13-29 ESV For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. (14) For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. (15) They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them (16) on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus. (17) But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God (18) and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; (19) and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, (20) an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth– (21) you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? (22) You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? (23) You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. (24) For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” (25) For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. (26) So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? (27) Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. (28) For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. (29) But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.

• Who is righteous before God?
• What power does the law have for righteousness?
• What did God instruct for circumcision? (Gen 17:9-11)
• What is the outward sign of God’s covenant with Christians?
• How can we claim to be Christians by being Christians outwardly?
• How can we be Christians inwardly, by the Spirit, and not by the letter?

THEME

ATTRIBUTES OF GOD

APPLICATION

REFERENCES

2Sa 12:5-7 ESV Then David’s anger was greatly kindled against the man, and he said to Nathan, “As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die, (6) and he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity.” (7) Nathan said to David, “You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you out of the hand of Saul.

Mat 7:1-5 ESV “Judge not, that you be not judged. (2) For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. (3) Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? (4) Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? (5) You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye.

Mat 23:29-31 ESV “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you build the tombs of the prophets and decorate the monuments of the righteous, (30) saying, ‘If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have taken part with them in shedding the blood of the prophets.’ (31) Thus you witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets.

Luk 6:37 ESV “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven;

Joh 8:7 ESV And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Isa 3:11 ESV Woe to the wicked! It shall be ill with him, for what his hands have dealt out shall be done to him.

Jer 17:10 ESV “I the LORD search the heart and test the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds.”

Eze 18:30 ESV “Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, declares the Lord GOD. Repent and turn from all your transgressions, lest iniquity be your ruin.

Mat 16:27 ESV For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will repay each person according to what he has done.

Gen 17:9-11 ESV And God said to Abraham, “As for you, you shall keep my covenant, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations. (10) This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. (11) You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you.