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发帖数: 3781 | 1 Study By: Greg Herrick
A. Introduction
Someone has once quipped that the definition of a jury is: “twelve people c
hosen to decide who has the best lawyer.” With the current state of litigat
ion in America, it’s no wonder that people are openly skeptical about truth
and justice in our law courts. Indeed, the problem with justice is that it
appears to be no longer admissible in our practice of law.
There is coming a day, however, when things will be different—radically dif
ferent. It is a day Paul refers to in Romans 2:16 when God will judge men. T
here will be no need for lawyers; God does not need to listen to crooked def
ense strategies. There will be no need for remembering what actually happene
d; God is omniscient and omnipresent. He knows what happened better than we
do; indeed he was there when the deeds were done. There will be no need to a
ttempt to discern whether someone is actually telling the truth or not; agai
n, God knows all things. In short, it will be a perfect situation: a holy ju
dge who cannot lie or sin, be bought off or corrupted in any way. He will po
ssess complete knowledge of all mitigating factors and circumstances and his
verdict will be just with no opportunity for appeal. Indeed, there can be n
o appeal, for there is no higher court. It will be a radically different day
, for an omnipotent, omniscient, and holy judge will take the stand and sett
le issues once and for all. The question surfaces, then, “on what basis doe
s God judge people.” Paul provides an answer in Romans 2:1-16: God judges p
eople impartially, according to their works and the truth. Let's take a deep
er look now. | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 2 B. Translation of Passage in NET
2:1 Therefore you are without excuse, whoever you are, when you judge someon
e else. For on whatever grounds you judge another, you condemn yourself, bec
ause you who judge practice the same things.
2:2 Now we know that God’s judgment is in accordance with truth against tho
se who practice such things.
2:3 And do you think, whoever you are, when you judge those who practice suc
h things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape God’s judgment?
2:4 Or do you have contempt for the wealth of his kindness, forbearance, and
patience, and yet do not know that God’s kindness leads you to repentance?
2:5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are sto
ring up wrath for yourselves in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judg
ment is revealed!
2:6 He will reward each one according to his works:
2:7 eternal life to those who by perseverance in good works seek glory and h
onor and immortality,
2:8 but wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition and do not obe
y the truth but follow unrighteousness.
2:9 There will be affliction and distress on everyone who does evil, on the
Jew first and also the Greek,
2:10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, for the Jew f
irst and also the Greek. 2:11 For there is no partiality with God.
2:12 For all 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.
2:13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous before God, but
those who do the law will be declared righteous.
2:14 For whenever the Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature the th
ings required by the law, these who do not have the law are a law to themsel
ves.
2:15 They show that the work of the law is written in their hearts, as their
conscience bears witness and their conflicting thoughts accuse or else defe
nd them,
2:16 on the day when God will judge the secrets of human hearts, according t
o my gospel through Christ Jesus. | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 3 C. Full Exegetical Outline
I. Jews who judge Gentiles hypocritically, thus despising God’s mercy, will
themselves be judged by God impartially according to truth and their works
(2:1-11).
A. Jews who judge Gentiles hypocritically are without excuse since they prac
tice the same sins and will also be judged by God in accordance with the tru
th (2:1-4)
1. The Jews are without excuse when they judge Gentiles because they practic
e the same sins (2:1).
2. Paul and other Jews know that the judgment of God is according to the tru
th (2:2).
3. Jewish hypocrites will not escape God’s judgment (2:3).
4. Some Jews show contempt for God's kindness, etc. not realizing that his k
indness leads them to repentance (2:4).
B. That God’s judgment is impartial is seen in that both Jew and Gentile ha
ve law and that both are judged on the same basis, i.e., works (2:5-11).
1. Jews who are hard-hearted and unrepentant are storing up wrath for themse
lves—a wrath they will receive on the day of God’s righteous judgment (2:5
).
2. God will reward each one according to his works (2:6)
3. There will be eternal life for those who by perseverance in good works se
ek glory, honor, and immortality (2:7).
4. There will be wrath and anger to those who live in selfish ambition and d
o not obey the truth, but follow unrighteousness (2:8).
5. There will be affliction and distress for those who do evil, and glory, h
onor, peace, for everyone who does good (2:9-10).
6. God is impartial (2:11).
II. God’s impartiality in judgment is seen in that both Jew and Gentile ali
ke are to be judged equally and fairly (2:12-16).
A. The fact that God is impartial is demonstrated in the manner of his judgm
ent: those who sin apart from the law will be judged apart from the law and
those who sin under the law will be judged by the law and only those who do
the law will be declared righteous (2:12-13).
1. All who have sinned apart from the law will also perish apart from the la
w (2:12).
2. All who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the law (2:12).
3. Those who hear the law are not righteous before God (2:13).
4. Those who do the law will be declared righteous (2:13).
B. The fact that God judges the Gentiles, not based on the Law of Moses whic
h they did not have, but on the law of the conscience written on their heart
s, demonstrates that he is indeed impartial (2:14-16).
1. The Gentiles are a law to themselves in that although they do not have th
e Mosaic law, they nonetheless do by nature things required in the law (2:14
).
2. The Gentiles show that the work of the law is written in their hearts and
their consciences bear witness (2:15).
3. Their conflicting thoughts accuse or else defend them (2:15).
4. According to Paul’s gospel, there will come a day when God will judge me
n’s secrets through Jesus Christ (2:16).
D. Simple Point Outline
I. Jews Will Not Escape God’s Judgment (2:1-11)
A. God Judges according to the Truth (2:1-4)
B. God Judges according to Works (2:5-11)
II. Jew and Gentile Alike Will Be Judged Equally and Fairly (2:12-16)
A. The Basic Principle of Impartiality (2:12-13)
B. The Application to the Gentiles and All Men (2:14-16) | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 4 E. Exposition Proper
Romans 2:1-16 is a powerful passage about the nature of God’s justice. That
much—and more—is quite clear. But the passage is not without its interpre
tive difficulties. One such difficulty worth discussing here involves the qu
estion of to whom the passage is directed. Some have argued that the princip
al referent for the passage is the moral Gentile who has not sinned like oth
er Gentiles in the ways Paul has outlined in 1:18-32. Paul wants to have a w
ord with this “moral person” before he moves on to speak to the Jews in 2:
17-3:8. The primary arguments for this position are: (1) the for (gavr, gar)
makes good sense if Gentiles are still in view in 2:1-16, and (2) Jews are
not explicitly mentioned until 2:17; (3) the Jews did not practice the same
sins as the Gentiles so Gentiles must be in view in 2:1.
While this is certainly a reasonable option, it is not the best one. There a
re many indications in the passage that suggest that Jews are in view: (1) “
passing judgment on someone else” is particularly a Jewish habit practiced
against the Gentiles; (2) Paul says “we know” which indicates that he and
his fellow Jews are in mind since the Gentiles do not know that God’s judgm
ent is in accordance with the truth (2:2); (3) showing contempt for the rich
es of his kindness, etc. is particularly relevant if Jews are in mind since
they knew about these truths (i.e., from the abundant witness in the OT; [2:
4]); (4) The Jews, not the Gentiles, knew that God’s kindness does not mean
weakness, but is intended to lead men to repentance (2:4); (5) the mention
of the Jews in 2:17 is abrupt if they are not already intended in 2:1-16; (6
) the “for” in 2:1 reads quite well when Jews are in view (see exposition)
; (7) Romans 2:1-16 may be based on texts like Wisdom of Solomon 11-15 which
would indicate that the Jew is the specific target of the passage; (8) the
Jews were indeed guilty of some of the same sins as the Gentiles (2:1, 21-24
); (9) The manner in which Paul mentions the Jews in 2:17 indicates that the
y have been in view all along. The reason he waits to mention them explicitl
y in 2:17 is to prevent them from reacting negatively too quickly, closing h
im off, and refusing his indictments in 2:1-16. It will begin to dawn on the
m throughout the passage that they are in view, but this point will be broug
ht home, without doubt, in 2:17ff. | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 5 2:1-4 The Jew who judges Gentiles has no excuse because at the same point at
which he judges another he condemns himself. Why? Well, when he judges, he
admits that such behavior is wrong, and worthy of just punishment from God,
yet he himself knowingly commits the same sins.
Paul’s point is that since God’s judgment is based on truth and not on any
fudging of the grades for the sake of the “chosen” crowd, the Jew is equa
lly held accountable to God. Jews cannot condemn others for their sins when
they practice the same ones. The Jew of Paul’s day knew and approved of the
fact that God’s judgement is in accordance with the truth, yet he failed t
o apply it to himself because, in his zealous criticism of overt Gentile sin
, he failed to similarly apply God’s revealed standard to his own life. Pau
l says that God’s impartial judgment extends to the covenant people as well
. When it comes to God’s judgment against sin, we must all examine our live
s, for we have a tendency to throw the first stone, all the while convenient
ly forgetting that we all live in glass houses.
But how then, specifically, does the term therefore (gavr, gar) in 2:1 relat
e to what has come before in 1:18-32? We have already argued that 2:1-16 as
a whole speaks firstly and primarily to the Jew. But if this is the case, th
en how does Gentile sin mentioned in 1:29-31 stand as the basis (implied in
the “therefore”) for the condemnation of the Jew in 2:1ff? There have been
many suggestions.
As we already mentioned, there are those who argue that this fact alone sugg
ests that Jews are not in mind in 2:1ff, but rather Gentiles. Again, we poin
t out that there is simply too much evidence in 2:1-16 that fits the Jew bet
ter. Also, the absence of any specific reference to the Jew in 2:1-16 is not
difficult to account for.
On the other hand, some argue that perhaps the best way to view the connecti
on is according to what both the Gentiles and Jews have in common, that is,
knowledge of God, albeit in different, yet similar ways. Thus the term “the
refore” in 2:1 is linked particularly, though not exclusively, with the ter
m “know” in 1:32. The point Paul is making, then, can be put as follows: i
f the Gentile knows “God’s righteous decree,” then a fortiori the Jew sho
uld know it even better; “therefore” he is guilty as well. (The Gentile on
ly had the revelation of God in nature and conscience, but the Jew had the a
dded benefit of the clarifying revelation in the law of God [cf. vv. 12-13])
. While this view is attractive in certain respects, Paul’s point in 2:1 an
d following is not what Jews and Gentiles have in common, per se, that makes
them culpable, but rather that God’s judgment is fair and equitable and as
such will be applied to all without discrimination. The issue is God’s jus
tice in respect to all men, including the Jew.
Therefore, the best way to understand the connection between 2:1ff to 1:18-3
2 (esp. 1:29-31), is not according to what the Gentile and the Jew respectiv
ely know, but according to what the Jews’ response to God’s judgment of th
e Gentile reveals. That is, when the Jew heartily agrees with God’s judgmen
t of the Gentile, and when he too condemns the Gentile, he reveals that he b
elieves that God’s judgment is in accordance with the truth. The problem is
, however, that he somehow thinks he is exempt from God's judgement which wi
ll be meted out according to the same truth. Thus he thinks that when he com
mits the same sins he will somehow escape the judgment of God!
There was a common belief among Jews in Paul’s day (though certainly not al
l Jews were guilty of this) that they were somehow better than the Gentiles
and that God would not equally judge them for their sin. Perhaps the best pa
ssage in Jewish writings outside the OT where this is exemplified—and may b
e a text Paul has in mind here in Romans 2:1-16—is Wisdom of Solomon 11-15,
and in particular 15:1-6:
But you, our God, are kind and true, patient, and ruling all things in mercy
. 2 For even if we sin we are yours, knowing your power; but we will not sin
, because we know that you acknowledge us as yours. 3 For to know you is com
plete righteousness, and to know your power is the root of immortality. 4 Fo
r neither has the evil intent of human art misled us, nor the fruitless toil
of painters, a figure stained with varied colors, 5 whose appearance arouse
s yearning in fools, so that they desire the lifeless form of a dead image.
6 Lovers of evil things and fit for such objects of hope are those who eithe
r make or desire or worship them (NRSV; italics mine).
The point Paul wants to make in 2:4 is that the Jew who thinks he can sin an
d escape the judgment of God because he has a particular relationship with G
od—a relationship that the Gentile who was without the Law did not have—is
sadly mistaken. This kind of Jew demonstrates contempt for the wealth of Go
d’s kindness, forbearance, and patience and does not realize the true inten
t of God’s patience; God’s patience and forbearance do not imply that God
is weak, but rather they are expressions of his chosen method for dealing wi
th sinners in order to lead them to repentance (metavnoian, metanoian). Hold
ing God’s kindness in contempt is a very serious posture to advance against
God and can only lead to divine wrath and anger. | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 6 2:5 An attitude of contempt for the kindness, forbearance, and patience of G
od can only be described as stubbornness (sklhrovthta, skleroteta), the spir
itually insensitive, hard-hearted refusal to acknowledge the obvious truth—
an attitude which has dire consequences (cf. Deut 9:27; 10:16; Jer 4:4; Amos
6:8). Further, the person who continues in this posture is unrepentant (ajm
etanovhton) and is ironically storing up (qhsaurivzei", thesaurizeis)—not t
reasure, as one would expect with the expression “storing up” (Matt 6:19-2
0)—but wrath (ojrghv, orge). Indeed, such wrath is being stored up for that
final day when God’s righteous judgment (dikaiokrisiva", dikaiokrisias) wi
ll be revealed. At the present time, a hypocritical person may seem to escap
e judgment, but a day of reckoning will come when God’s just judgment will
be made manifest to all.
2:6 The manner of God’s righteous judgment will be to reward (ajpodwvsei, a
podosei) each one according his works (cf. Ps 62:12; Prov. 24:12 LXX). Thus
Paul shows complete continuity with the Old Testament on the manner of God’
s judgment, but speaks of the judgment as futuristic (cf. Hos 12:2; Matt 16:
27; 2 Cor 11:15; 2 Tim 4:14). | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 7 2:7-11 In vv. 7-8 Paul shows how the principle of God’s judgment finds its
way among two classes of people. God will give eternal life (zwhVn aijwvnion
, zoen aionion) to those who by perseverance in good works (e[rgou, ergou) s
eek glory, honor, and immortality. To those, on the other hand, who are char
acterized as having selfish ambition (ejriqeiva", eritheias), that is, who d
o not obey the truth (ajpeiqou’si th’/ ajlhqeiva/, apeithousi te alhtheia)
but follow unrighteousness (peiqomevnoi" deV th~/ ajdikiva/, peithomenois d
e te adikia), God will pour out anger and wrath (ojrghV kaiV qumov", orge ka
i thumos).
Paul carries on with the same thought in 2:9-10, only here he treats the two
groups in the opposite order beginning first with the disobedient. He says
that there will be affliction (qli~yi", thlipsis) and distress (stenocwriva,
stenochoria) on everyone who does evil. There is coming a time when human e
vil will be dealt with and no one will escape the judgment; no one will get
away with evil (toV kakovn, to kakon). All will receive affliction because o
f their evil and they will suffer the distress that comes from being so affl
icted (cf. 2 Thess 1:8-9). On the other hand, glory, honor and peace will be
given to everyone who does good (toV ajgaqovn, to agathon).
Thus 2:7-10 evidences a universality and equality in the judgment of God; al
l will receive according to their deeds. There is, nonetheless, an order to
the judgment; it is to the Jew first and then to the Greek. But the order is
not just chronological in that the Jews were first in salvation-history to
receive the gospel and therefore they should be judged first. There is also
a logical priority put upon the Jews. Since they did receive the gospel ahea
d of the Gentiles, they will be judged ahead of the Gentiles. The reason thi
s is so is because there is no partiality (proswpolhmyiva, prosopolempsia) w
ith God (Gal 2:6; Eph 6:9; Col 3:25; James 2:1). The Jews may have thought t
hat they were the first to receive salvation and the last to receive judgmen
t, but that would make God partial and unjust.
We must also comment briefly on the theology of these verses. At first glanc
e it appears that Paul is referring to any non-Christian and affirming that
if they're good enough—as demonstrated by their works—they will be saved.
In fact, he has been so interpreted by various commentators. The problem wit
h this view is that it throws Paul into hopeless confusion within himself (c
f. Eph 2:8-9), even in Romans itself, and results in a “council of despair.
” For in the conclusion of 1:18-3:8, that is, in 3:9-20, Paul emphatically
denies that anyone can be saved by their works. It is better to seek another
solution.
Others argue that good works (v. 7) means “faith” and that the reference i
s to the Jew or Gentile who has faith. The problem with this view is that Pa
ul does not use work (e[rgon, ergon) in this way, but instead often draws a
sharp antithesis between faith and works (cf. 4:6).
It has been suggested that 2:7-11 refers to a purely hypothetical situation
which would have been the case had God’s saving work in Christ not come to
expression in history. In other words, had Christ not come, people would hav
e been saved on the basis of their works. There are at least three very obvi
ous problems with this view: (1) that the situation is not hypothetical is c
lear from the fact that Paul is referring to living Jews who are storing up
wrath against themselves because of their unrepentant hearts; (2) the Jew-Ge
ntile order of judgment precludes God’s revelation in the gospel having bee
n already given in history; and (3) Jews were never saved in the OT on the b
asis of works. This is the heart of Paul’s argument in chapter 4:1-25.
Further, some scholars argue that what Paul means by good works is the evide
nce of true faith in God whereas those who do evil are self-seeking (not God
-seeking) and thus have no faith in God. Their lives evidence no trust in Go
d. In short, the works Paul talks about are simply the evidence of faith or
the lack thereof.
Finally, other commentators suggest that what Paul is referring to is the tr
ue condition for eternal life—a condition he will demonstrate (by the end o
f 3:20) that no human being can fulfill. Thus the true condition for eternal
life, the very demand of the Law of God, is to produce the good without cea
sing and without failure in the outcome, ever. Of course, no one can fulfill
the demand.
The last two solutions are the best: (1) they adequately explain the passage
internally; (2) they do not put Paul at odds with himself, either in Romans
or throughout his writings; (3) they concur with broader NT ideas about the
distinct, yet close relationship of faith and works in salvation and judgme
nt (Matt 7:15-27; Gal 5:6, 19-21; 6:7-10; James 2:14-26). To decide, however
, between the two, is not easy. In the end, however, we must remember that i
t is not exactly Paul’s purpose at this point in Romans to discuss how one
is saved, but rather to point out the nature of God's absolute justice in hi
s method of judgement. That seems to be his point in 2:1-16. | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 8 2:12-13 In vv. 12-13 Paul explains the implications of v. 11 where he said t
hat there is no partiality with God. Since this is true, the Gentile will no
t be judged by the law, but will perish apart from the law, whereas the Jew
who had the law of Moses will be condemned by that law. Thus vv. 12-13 prefi
gure what the apostle will say in 3:9-20, namely, that all are guilty and wi
ll be punished according to God's justice.
But the Jew should not think that just because he was given the law that he
is necessarily exempt from judgment, for it is not the one who has repeatedl
y heard the law read and taught on the Sabbath who is righteous, but only th
ose who do the law will be declared righteous (dikaiwqhvsontai, dikaiotheson
tai). To be “declared righteous” does not mean “to make righteous,” but
rather to be given a righteous standing before God even though one is still
a sinner (5:1). It is only those who obey the law who will be declared right
eous. Paul could either mean that their obedience is evidence of justifying
faith or hypothetically if a person could obey the law perfectly he would be
declared righteous. If the latter is the idea, that person does not exist,
as 2:17-29 makes plain (cf. also 3:9-20).
2:14-15 The reference to Gentiles (e[qnh, ethne) points not to Gentiles who
are Christians, but rather to Gentiles as people without the Mosaic law (and
by implication unsaved). If this identification is true, the for (gavr, gar
) connecting v. 14 with v. 13 really connects the thoughts of v. 14 with v.
12a. Thus vv. 14-15 are an explanation of why the Gentile without the law pe
rishes. It is because he does have a law which shows that he is guilty.
The Gentiles do by nature (fuvsei, phusei) the things required by the law. I
n the Greek text the term translated “by nature” could go with “who do no
t have the law” or with the following phrase “do the things required by th
e law.” Paul uses the word to refer to Gentiles who do not have the law by
virtue of their birth (cf. Rom 2:27; Gal 2:15; Eph 2:3) and so it is often a
ssumed that the first interpretation is what is meant here: Gentiles by natu
re—because they grew up Gentiles and not Jews—do not have the law of Moses
.
But Paul has talked about Gentiles possessing knowledge of God in 1:21 and i
n 2:15 he talks about them having the work of God written on their hearts. B
ecause of this, and the fact that “by nature” can refer to inward realitie
s (Gal 4:8), it seems best to take it with “do the things required by the l
aw.” That is, there are times (cf. the whenever) “when the Gentiles by vir
tue of their nature do things required by the law.” Paul must be referring
in some sense to the image of God in all men vis--vis their connection to Ad
am. The expression they are a law to themselves is another way of saying tha
t the demands of the moral law are written within a man.
Some argue that the expression work of the law written on their heart (toV e
[rgon tou' novmou graptoVn ejn tai'" kardivai" aujtw'n, to ergon tou nomou g
rapton en tais kardias auton) recalls the prophecy in Jer 31:33 and that the
Gentiles Paul has in mind here are Christians. But while Gentile Christians
do share in the new covenant of Jeremiah they can hardly be said to be a la
w to themselves. Also, the negative tone of the passage and the final clause
of v. 15 indicate that Christians are not in view. Again, we return to our
earlier stated thesis that Gentile non-Christians are in mind here, i.e., pe
ople who are unsaved and do not have the Mosaic Law. The context, it must be
remembered, is not about salvation, but about the method of God’s righteou
s judgment: the Jew by the Mosaic Law and the Gentile by another law, namely
, that which God implanted within him to which his conscience bears witness.
The expression “work of the law” can be understood as the work which the l
aw requires that we do. Our conscience (suneidhvsi", suneidesis) bears witne
ss to those works (attitudes and acts) which we know to be the necessary and
right demands of the law, but is not to be identified with them.
Further, Paul says, when our conscience is not at peace, it is engaged in a
conflict: it will either accuse (kathgorouvntwn, kategorounton) or defend (a
jpologoumevnwn, apologoumenon) us. Thus the bottom line is secure: we are sp
iritually and morally responsible beings. No amount of denial can change thi
s fact. For this reason, Paul says, the Gentile is held accountable before G
od, just as the Jew is for what he knows. The ultimate day of accountability
will come when God finally judges men.
2:16 Unfolding the precise connection of v. 16 with v. 15 or any other part
of 2:1-15 is difficult to say the least. Some scholars minimize the future a
spects of v. 16 in order connect it closely with v. 15. The problem with thi
s is that “on the day” in v. 16 seems to be a future reference to final ju
dgment. Others say that the “accusing and defending” of v. 15 refers to a
future event when Gentiles stand at the judgment before God. But this seems
to deny the fact that Gentiles possess a conscience now and the accusing and
defending is going on now. It is precisely this rebellion against God’s mo
ral law written on the heart that becomes the basis of their judgment in the
future. There are those who argue that vv. 14-15 are parenthetical and v. 1
6 runs smoothly with v. 13 (see NIV). But to make so much material parenthet
ical to the point being argued (i.e., God’s righteous judgment) is question
able at best. Perhaps the best way to see the connection is to understand v.
16 as the culmination of a process already in motion. The point is this: th
e attempt to “accuse and defend” will be brought into broad daylight on th
e day when God judges the secrets (taV kruptav, ta krupta) of men. That God
will judge men’s secrets is in keeping with the fact sin is often related t
o the conscience, i.e., the inward and hidden moral reasoning of a man (cf.
Heb 4:13). That this judgment will take place, and that Jesus will be the ju
dge, is in keeping with the gospel which Paul preached. | R*o
发帖数: 3781 | 9 F. Homiletical Idea and Outline
Idea: Understand How God Judges!
I. Understand that God’s Judgment Will Be according to His Truth and Our Wo
rks (2:1-11)
A. His Truth and Hypocrisy (2:1-4)
B. His Impartiality and Our Works (2:5-11)
II. Understand that God’s Judgment is Impartial (2:12-16)
A. All Will Be Judged according to the Proper Basis (2:12-13)
1. Those without the Law (2:12a)
2. Those with the Law (2:12b)
3. The Basis of Judgment (2:13)
B. The Proper Basis for the Gentile: The Moral Law (2:14-15)
C. The Time of God’s Judgment (2:16)
G. Contribution of Passage to Systematic Theology
The passage contributes to our understanding of God, man, and the final judg
ment. First, we learn from this passage that God’s character is holy and th
at his justice is equally applied to all men. He judges in accordance with t
ruth and impartiality. Second, this passage helps us with our anthropology b
y its reference to the “conscience.” The term conscience is used about thi
rty times in the NT, but this is one of the clearest uses with regard to a d
etailed description of how it functions. Man’s conscience responds positive
ly or negatively to the moral law written on his heart and his current exper
ience of this phenomenon testifies to the fact that he is responsible to God
.
Third, this passage teaches that there will be a final day of judgment and t
hat men will be judged according to their deeds (cf. Acts 17:31).
H. Contribution of Passage to Discipleship and Church Mission
There are perhaps many applications which flow from this passage. We will di
scuss only one. Paul’s comment about the law written on our hearts and the
function of the conscience has value for apologetics and helping people unde
rstand that they are accountable to an ultimate law-giver. The fact that all
people appeal to moral law suggests that there is a moral lawgiver. We are
not saying that all people’s morals are the same, rather we are talking abo
ut the fact of morality. This, no one can deny. And, it is hard to account f
or morality (the “oughtness” of moral decisions) from chance, evolution, o
r any non-personal source. |
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