Romans 2 Studies

For those who may wish to ‘study’ this chapter, the following simple resources are provided for you. Each chapter is divided into a number of studies and each study or passage has a simple four-Part, verse-by-verse approach, to help you take in and think further about what you have read.

Passage: Rom 2:1-8

1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2 Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. 3 So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? 4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realising that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? 5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed. 6 God ‘will repay each person according to what they have done.’ 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honour and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.

A. Find Out:

1. Why do we have no excuse to judge others? v.1,3
2. God’s judgement is based on what? v.2
3. What is God’s kindness seeking to do? v.4
4. What 2 things provoke God’s wrath? v.5
5. What will each person receive? v.6
6. Who will receive eternal life? v.7
7. Who will receive wrath and anger? v.8

B. Think:

1. How does Paul show that ALL men are guilty?
2. What does it say about the Lord that eternal judgement comes at the end and not during life?
3. How is eternal destiny shown, at least in some measure, to be in the hands of individuals?

C. Comment:

Having shown how God’s wrath against ungodliness and wickedness is revealed in day-to-day life in the previous chapter, Paul now challenges those of his readers who might think it didn’t apply to them. We all have the tendency to think, “It doesn’t apply to me, I’m not like that!”. 

None of us is perfect and therefore when we judge others, we forget our own failings. The Gospel is first bad news; it makes us face who we are.  Until we come to Christ, every person is godless and therefore unrighteous.

Next Paul lays down some guidelines: if you whole-heartedly seek after God and good, you will receive eternal life.  However, if you (a) put self at the centre of your life and (b) reject the truth, and thus (c) follow evil, you will receive God’s wrath.

Every one of us will have to stand before God to account (2 Corinthians 5:10). Failure, sin, wrong etc. WILL be punished.  Either we must take the punishment for our actions, or we must let Jesus take it.   We NEED the Cross!

D. Application?

       Thank the Lord that Jesus died to take YOUR sin, guilt, shame & punishment and now you are free.

Passage: Rom 2:9-16

9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honour and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. 11 For God does not show favouritism.

12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. 14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) 16 This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

A. Find Out:

1. Who will receive trouble & distress? v.9
2. What will the person doing good receive? v.10
3. To whom does this apply? v.9b, 10b
4. How does the Law affect sin? v.12
5. How are Jews to be righteous? v.13
6. How are Gentiles to be the same? v.14,15

B. Think:

1. How does Paul show that what he is saying applies to all men?
2. What is the measuring line for the Jews?
3. What is the measuring line for the Gentiles?

C. Comment:

Paul continues to state that God gives people what they deserve, and it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, it still applies to you. The Jews had the Law, God’s instructions to them through the revelation to Moses. Simply having it, or merely knowing about it, wasn’t enough.    God expected them to keep the Law – all of it!

The Gentiles, of course, didn’t have God’s law but, says Paul, that’s no excuse. Everyone knows within their heart what is good and what is not good. Every person has a conscience. Gentiles judge themselves; they know what is right and wrong and they know when they fail. They too are guilty!

This approach, that God gives men what they deserve, leaves EVERY man realising they are without hope. This is the awfulness of the Gospel; it first makes us realise that we are all failures before God.

Paul finally comments that God will judge men at the last day by the way they respond to Jesus. Jesus was perfect, Jesus was good.   Those whose hearts warm to him reveal the real state of their hearts.   All of us fail and Jesus died to take the punishment (God’s wrath) for our failing.  If we respond with joy and love to this message it shows what we are really like.

D. Application?

1. We can’t rely on our goodness, only on Jesus’ death in our place!
2. Thank the Lord for that truth.

Passage: Rom 2:17-29 

17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; 18 if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19 if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth – 21 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law, do you dishonour God by breaking the law? 24 As it is written: ‘God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.’

25 Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. 26 So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? 27 The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a law-breaker.

28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.

A. Find Out:

1. What are the 4 “ifs” in verse 17-20
2. What 5 things does he ask the Jews? v.21-23
3. What is the result of them doing these things? v.24
4. When did circumcision have value? v.25
5. How is the Gentile sometimes better? v.26,27
6. Who does Paul say the true Jew is? v.28,29

B. Think:

1. How would you summarise what the Jews felt about themselves?
2. How were the Jews not being a light to the Gentiles?
3. How were they relying upon outward signs and not inner heart relationship?

C. Comment:

Paul now focuses on the Jew’s position. The Jew epitomizes the religious person who relies on “good deeds” or religious ritual to win God’s approval. The Jews were proud of their name, proud of the Lord, proud of their unique relationship with God, proud of knowing His will, of being instructors of the Law, of being light to those in the dark.

None of that is wrong in itself but, says Paul, if you do any wrong you are not being a light to the Gentiles, but are instead a stumbling block to them, and will have made God’s name a laughingstock. The Jews were also proud of being circumcised, of having that sign of a special relationship with God but, says Paul, if you don’t keep the Law you might as well be a Gentile. If the Gentiles obey the Law, it’s as if they are Jews. Being a Jew isn’t a matter of having the signs of a relationship with God, it’s about actually having a relationship with Him!

Today we might say being a Christian isn’t going to church, praying, singing, etc. (which are all good outward signs), but it’s whether you genuinely have a living daily relationship with God through Jesus.  That’s what counts!

D. Application?

1. Are we “proud” (rightly) of God’s goodness to us?  
2. Do we have that real daily relationship with Him that is the inheritance of the Christian?