30 November 2014

From the second chapter of the epistle to the Romans begining in the first verse

Chapter two picks up exactly where chapter one left off. Paul has just finished condemning the people who have rejected God and have, as a consequence, become involved in all sorts of unrighteous acts. He has added that those who approve of these sins are just as bad off as those who practice them and he now adds:
1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgement on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things.
In this, Paul is mainly calling people on their hypocrisy. The people who are passing judgement are just as guilty as the people they are judging. In this, they condemn themselves with their own judgement. Paul goes on to establish something he implies his audience should already know:
We know that the judgement of God rightly falls on those who practice such things.
As a result of this, he poses a rhetorical question: 
Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgement of God?
Paul poses a question that is intended to show the ridiculous nature of the kind of assumption that these people are making. Paul asks another:
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?
Paul uses this pointed question to show that they are living under God's grace, but forget that is is meant to lead them to the recognition of their sin.
But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgement will be revealed.
Paul says here that these sins are going to bring up wrath. Because these people are not being repentant of their sins, they are just making God more and more angry. He promises that this will come back to them later, in the future.
Paul establishes that on this day of judgement:

He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, he will give eternal life;
Paul first gives the positive side.
but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.
Then the negative side. Paul condemns those who are selfish and unrighteous, which could be any one of us, with wrath and fury.
There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek,
In addition, there will be the promised tribulation and distress. What he says next is important though. Paul comments that this is for the Jew and the Greek. Just being Jewish does not save anybody. In contrast: 
10 but glory and honour and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek.
Paul promises glory and honour and peace to those who do good. He repeats the phrase " Jew first and also the Greek." Just as being Jewish does not save anybody, being Greek does not automatically contemn anybody.
11 For God shows no partiality.
Verse eleven summarises what Paul was trying to say all along. God does not care about Jew or Greek. The consequences of your actions are the same. For the wicked Jew or Greek, there will be punishment. For the righteous Jew or Greek, there will be glory.

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