Below I want to give the rhetorical structure for Paul’s argument for the importance of faith
Proposition: the gospel is the power of God for salvation “the just shall live by faith”. 1:16-17
Proof: all unjust people face God’s wrath
–Point 1: ungodly, morally debased people deserve to die. 1:18-32
–Point 2: judgmental hypocrites deserve to die. 2:2,5
—-Subpoint 1: Gentiles perish without the law 2:1-12a
—-Subpoint 2: Jews judged by the law, 2:12b-29.
Conclusion: Gods judgement will be exercised upon everyone. All are condemned by sin, no matter how righteous you think you are.
Romans 2 has been interpreted various ways, but it seems to work best to understand that Paul is speaking all people, but mostly Gentiles, in 2:1-12a, and then transitions to focus on self-righteous Jews in 2:12b-29. Romans 1 sets up both groups in Romans 2 in thinking they are better than the ungodly at the end of Romans 1, but then Paul reveals they are all condemned under sin. Parallelism in Chapter 2 may indicate that he does a similar set up to the Jewish believers by condemning the Gentiles first, but then reveals the Jews have the same problems with Sin.
Paul wants us to see…
- My own moral weakness. Rom. 2:1- “therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that you judge another, you condemn yourself, for you who judge practice the same things.” We tend to look differently upon others than we do upon ourselves. Even when we know the right thing to do, we still don’t do it. Sometimes it’s just in our thoughts, other times we show this by our actions. Paul is warning us not to look down on others while we are doing the same things they are.
- We all stand condemned, 2:12-13. “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; for it is not the hearers of the law who are just before God, but the doers of the law will be justified.” When we think we can figure out things for ourselves, we are storing up wrath til the day of judgment. What really matters is being in Jesus Christ and obeying Him. We are to seek the things that are moral in nature.
- Works matter in judgment, 2:6-8. “He will render to each according to their deeds, to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious, and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation .”
Conclusion: Christ died for the ungodly, died for us while we were still sinners. We will be saved by Him from the wrath of God. And that comes from living by faith. Our identity is found in Jesus. We are to face life with a spirit of humility. We desperately need Jesus.
Sermon by Brent Moody
