- Rotten Sinners of chp 1
- Self-Righteous Sinners of 2:1-6
- Religious Sinners for chp 2
Rotten Sinners of chapter 1
The pagan idolaters
Self-Righteous Sinners (2:1-6) They are able to discern sin but not to dispense with sin! Judge sin in others but not in self No repentance from their own sin Notice that the condemnation of these self-righteous sinners is NOT that they fail to live a perfect life - which cannot be expected of any man but rather they fail to repent from the sin that they have committed and continue to commit (2:4) Judgement is made against their attitude of heart rather than against their ability to lead sinless lives! God will continue on from where they left off and will bring judgement to its "righteous" conclusion (2:5) and that against them! Compare 1 John3:4 where Gods condemnation is not so much against mans inevitable inability to keep to the righteous law of God but rather Gods judgement is against the heart of man, the attitude of man to Gods righteous law: "....for sin is the transgression of the law." or literally "for sin is lawlessness" as attitude of anti-law, of anti-God and of anti-Christ that permeates through the whole of humanity and forms much of the subject of the epistle of 1 John. These men begin the spiritual journey; they feel the conviction of sin but it never becomes a personal challenge / conviction Religion but no reality The religious hypocrite, like the Pharisee of Matthew 23
It is so easy to agree with the facts of scripture Easy to learn the doctrines and the dogmas of scripture Easy to preach and teach the letter but to miss the Spirit Easy to fail to apply the truth to our own heart and life
Religious Sinners (chapter 2) The Jew with the law
3 Groups of People:
- Pagan Idolater (chapter 1)
- Enlightened / educated / religious gentile (2:1-16)
- Jew (2:17ff)
3 distinct administrations / dispensations of God 3 distinct ways in which God has dealt with people 3 distinct ways in which God has given men the opportunity to find Him There is a 4th - not mentioned in the opening 2 chapters of Romans
- The Age of Innocence
- The Age of Conscience
- The Age of Law
- The Age of Grace
Why has God dealt with men in different ways? To demonstrate to all who are willing to come to Him in faith that there is only one way by which men and women can come. There is only one foundation upon which a man or woman can know God That is to come in humility and faith before God, receiving salvation as a free Gift on the Gods terms and not ours. Mans only hope lies not in himself but only in God! One by one God allows man to explore the options leading to salvation and to systematically fail. Man must come in his search for salvation to one conclusion and one alone: "Without ME ye can do nothing" "Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God that in due season He might lift the up..." "Ask and it shall be given..."
But man might say: If only we had the right ENVIRONMENT we would be alright SO Gods first administration was in a perfect environment - Eden No Sin, No Suffering, No Strife, No Poverty, No drugs, No Drink Man failed, man fell In the perfect environment man chose to trust Satan rather than the creator The problem lay in mans heart There is only one desirable feature in man that God could not create: that was willing obedience, devotion that flows from desire rather than design. God could not create, uncreated devotion God desired a Passion for God from mans Pleasure in God Man chose sin and Satan!
If only we had the right EDUCATION we would be alright Man left the garden of Eden with the knowledge of good and evil believing that, that knowledge would fit him to become: "as gods knowing both good and evil" (Gen3:5) This knowledge, this instinctive appreciation of right and wrong is picked up in Romans chapter 1 + 2 (eg 1:28; 2:1-6) and is constantly and consistently rejected by man! Man constantly acts contrary to conscience and delights in it! Perhaps then what we need is something a bit more formal:
If only we had the right ORGANISATION we would be alright! This is a very modern idea! Organise problems out of mans life: communism and socialism of the last century - organise out inequalities, greed, suffering and organise in equality and even distribution of wealth. See it even in our sphere of work, every time a problem is encountered the response is more organisation, greater administration, new protocol. If mans heart is not right we will never organise an attitude to be right before God. Gods next administration was that of LAW A perfect law and not only a law but the organisation and structure with it. God intended that the nation be led not by a king but by prophets and priestly men. They had rules governing worship, family life, contracts, health, infection, food, hygiene, war and farming. This failed, men knew more than ever before but this lead simply to an even greater condemnation than ever before (2:12)! So what does that lead us to then?
The Day / Dispensation of Grace What are the principles here? You've failed You cannot do it yourself: not by environment, education or organisation Shout for help: "He that calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" There is help , there is salvation for us in Christ: "when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly." One of the great truths of the book of Romans is that in every day and age there have been those who have come to the truth: You've failed You cannot do it yourself: not by environment, education or organisation Shout for help: "He that calleth upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" There is help , there is salvation for us in Christ: "when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly."
Amongst them:
- Abraham (Rom4:1ff)
- David (Rom4:6ff)
- Job (Job1:1ff)
- Noah (Ezek 14:14; Gen 6:8)
- Daniel (Ezek 14:14)
- Isaac (Matt8:11)
- Jacob (Matt8:11)
- Elijah (Matt 17:3)
- Moses (Matt 17:3)
- Abel (Matt 23:35; Heb 11:4)
- and those great men and women of faith of Hebrews chapter 11!
In the gospels, Christ connects with the men and women of faith in the past:
- John 4:6 - Jacobs Well
- John 8:56 – Abraham
- Luke 18:22 – Abraham
- Matt 8:11 – Isaac
- Matt 8:11 – Abraham
- Matt 8:11 – Jacob
- Matt 8:17 – Isaiah
- Matt 17:3 – Moses
- Matt 17:3 – Elijah
- Matt 23:35 – Abel
- Matt 23:35 – Zechariah
There is continuity between the old and the new That continuity lies in 1 person - Christ (Romans 2:16) cf. Psalm 132:9ff; Gen 22:18 Of these Paul speaks in Romans 2:7. Psalm 111:2-3 - These were all saved by faith There were those who unlike the Rotten Sinners of Romans 1 responded to the "Works of the Lord" by "seeking" Him out (Psalm 111:2) and by seeking for His: 'honour' and 'Glory' and 'righteousness' and that 'forever' (Psalm 111:3) They 'humbled themselves under the mighty hand of God' They were marked by repentance towards sin: Abraham left his idols (Gen 12; Joshua 24:2) David sought forgiveness (Psalm 51) Jacob wrestled with God Rahab left the old life behind her and let down the scarlet thread Ruth turned her back on Moab
https://graceinchrist.org/romans
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