Posted in Bible Study, Romans

Session #4: Romans 2:1-16

 

Romans 2:
Presumptuous Righteousness

Just the sound of the word “presumptuous” tells you that something isn’t right. To “presume” can mean to come to a conclusion without adequate evidence, to take liberties with the truth, or to force your own bias on the facts. One who is presumptuous is perceived as taking too much for granted, being audacious, and  proceeding  with their own course of action without consideration of verifiable facts and what the impact his actions will have on others.  Wow!
We thought we had an adequate demonstration of this in Romans 1 as Paul declared the ugly truth about man’s sinful actions being so presumptuous.  But Paul anticipated that when the Jews would hear the declaration in Romans 1:18-32, they likely would be emboldened, “go get ’em Paul!”, confident that “those other people” were deep in sin while their own Jewish heritage enabled them to stand high in righteousness.  In 1:18-32,  Paul was preaching to “those sinners”. However, in Romans 2, Paul addresses his words to “you”, that is, his fellow Jewish countrymen (see 2:17), and he is going to make it clear to them that they have been presumptuous,  trusting temporary actions with no lasting value to accomplish their righteousness instead of trusting God.  They were in reality being presumptuous about God’s offering of His righteousness to the individual, assuming they had some “inside edge” on God’s favor & blessing!  The best way to see what Paul was trying to get across to the Jewish reader in 2:1-16 is to read his conclusion verse 21 where he says “… You (Jews) who are so confident… do you teach yourself?”  He knows (and they know) that they don’t apply what they teach to their own lives.

Bible Study Journal 

  • As you start to study Romans 2, please take the time now to read through the whole chapter.
      • Look for special words – repeated, theological, profound… others?  Do a “word study” on a couple by looking them up in a dictionary, your Bible’s topical index, and make notes about what you learn
      • What are the main sections of this chapter and what does each section try to say?

No Excuse!

Paul begins Romans 2 by expressing principles about sin and God’s judgment.  In verses 1-16, Paul confirms an important principle of divine judgment because the Jew is condemned right along with all the rest of rebellious humanity condemned in chapter 1.  God judges righteously, Rom. 2:2, on the basis of Real Truth.  He judges by what people really did, 2:4, what they thought about or intend to do.   Then, God will treat everyone equally, 2:11, the same results whether Jew or Gentile.
Then in verses 17-32, the door slams shut.  The bottom line: Every individual must either determine to accomplish his own righteousness, or they fall on the mercy of God and accept His free gift of salvation through Christ.
  • Note that this isn’t the last time in Romans that Paul turns the microscope on his Jewish brethren – chapters 9-11 are a major doctrinal passage in which Paul declares not only the sentence of God on the Jews’ superficial worship,  but also their hope of true redemption through Jesus Christ.
If you compare Rom. 1:18-32 and chapter 2, what begins to be evident is that both the heathen and the Jews are both really in the same situation before God: condemned!  It’s just that each man and woman has come up with their own substitution for God’s demand of holiness.  presumptionThey refuse to believe God’s revelation.  Paul declares in Rom. 2:1 that everyone has “no excuse” – what a striking conclusion from the dramatic bad news in chapter 1 (the “therefore” links to the previous verses) !  “No excuse” is translating an interesting Greek word – “anapologeitos” – you can see our word “apologetics”, which means a solid, logical case for a taken belief, but then the prefix “ana” negates the word, that is, to have no solid case for a belief.
As the Jewish listener begins to realize that he is included in that “everyone”, he begins to get uncomfortable.  He is guilty of passing judgment on others but in truth has nothing to stand on himself.  What judgment is he passing?  The condemnation of the heathen of chapter 1 – arms crossed, righteous eyebrows raised, above and apart from those poor sinners.  They say, “Who, me??”  Paul knew they needed to hear the truth, and in Romans 2, his focus is on individual responsibility, not generally condemned humanity.

In Rom. 2:4, we read that the abundant kindness of God leads to repentance – but the Jews are caught “thinking lightly” about these things.  It’s also notable to see “goodness” and “hardness” in the same context, providing unique emphasis – our loving God’s goodness is abundant even in a fallen world, and in spite of sinful man’s hardened, impenitent heart.  Compare Psa. 145:8-9 which is a good expression about God’s “common grace” to man.  Paul proceeds in the next verses to outline the stubbornness of the Jewish faith.  The Jew needs to agree that he is just as guilty in his sin as that “poor sinner” out there in the jungle.  They thought that their salvation was “secure”, not recognizing that God’s wrath would be brought to bear on all sinners.  The Jew is faced with either accepting the righteousness accomplished in Christ, or standing on the righteousness they falsely think they can accomplish with their works.

In order to deal with the sinner’s version of morality, God pronounces three truths Rom. 2:1-11:

  1. v1-3, What they condemn in another person, they must adhere to or… they are condemned too.
  2. v4, God allows good in the world (e.g. rain), but sinful man despises the good and refuses to repent and bow before God.
  3. v5-11, They are not willing to recognize the true condition of their heart, but God won’t play favorites so their impenitent heart will cause them loss.

Bible Study Journal

  • Read through Rom. 2:1-16 and write down the words Paul uses to describe the Jews’ guilt.
  • Take a few minutes and review Rom. 2:18-32 and write down every place where Paul makes his point by asking a question.  You might even try writing down the answer to each question!
  • Do you know people today who proudly think they have life by the tail, yet in truth they are hopelessly lost in sin? How do they demonstrate their lost condition? How can you express the hope of Christ to them?
  • From Rom. 2:1-16, look up these six principles that  govern God’s judgment:
    • Knowledge, Verse 1
    • Truth, 2-3
    • Guilt, 4-5
    • Deeds, 6-10
    • Impartiality, 11-15
    • Motive, 16

Written in their Heart

People are always bringing up “the heathen in the jungle” – what about them? is it fair for them to be held accountable when they’ve never had an opportunity to hear the Gospel message?  Romans 1 & 2 deals with how their conscience is still scarred, they will be judged by their own standards, according to what they do know, what has been revealed by God to them (Rom. 1:19).  Perhaps God will bless and enable some to have the law written in their hearts.  For now you can pray for them, and help send missionaries to reach them, or perhaps… even go out yourself!