All right, that's Romans 2, 1
through 16. Therefore, thou art inexcusable,
O man, whosoever thou art that judgeth. For wherein thou judge
another, thou condemn thyself For thou that judgeth doeth the
same thing. But we're sure that the judgment
of God is according to truth against them which commit such
things. And thinkest thou this, O man,
that judgeth them which do such things, and doeth the same, that
thou shalt escape the judgment of God, or despiseth thou the
riches of his goodness, and forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing
that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance, For after
thy hardness and impenitent heart, treasure up unto thyself wrath
against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment
of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds. to them who by patient continuance
in well-doing seek for glory and honor, immortality, and eternal
life. But unto them that are contentious
and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation
and wrath, tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that does
evil of the Jew first and also to the Gentile. But glory, honor,
and peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also
to the Gentile. There is no respect of persons
with God, for as many as have sinned without law shall also
perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law shall
be judged by law. For not the hearers of the law
are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. For when the Gentiles, which
have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law,
these having not law are a law unto themselves. which show the
work of law written in their heart, their conscience also
bearing witness, and their thoughts the meanwhile accusing or else
excusing one another. In the day when God shall judge
the secret of men by Jesus Christ according unto my gospel. Now, it is beyond question that
the Roman epistle is indeed a body of divinity. Nowhere else do
we find such extensive teaching upon the depravity, the fall,
and the sin of man. And nowhere else do we find that
great doctrine of justification by righteousness set forth so
fully as it is in the Roman epistle, unless it be the Roman, or rather,
the Galatian epistle. Now, I think we can say that
the theme of the Roman epistle is found in chapter one and verse
16 and 17. And here is the theme that is
open for us. in the epistle, Romans 1 16.
I'm not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power
of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first
and also to the Greek. But look at verse 17, for therein is the righteousness of God revealed
from faith to faith as it is written the just shall live by
faith. Now what is Paul said there but
that in the gospel there is revealed a saving righteousness for the
righteousness of God is revealed. Now let's be careful It is not
the attribute of the righteousness of God that is discussed. It is not God's own innate personal
righteousness, but it is what Murray called a God-righteousness. It is that one that is provided,
that is designed, and that is approved of God to fulfill the
requirement in order that a sinner might be justified before God,
and that righteousness is imputed to them, such as Abraham, whom
grace enables to believe. And this revelation of righteousness
here in Romans 1 and 17 in the Gospel goes beyond merely the imparting
of knowledge of this God of righteousness that Paul is discussing. Yes,
it is revealed in order that we might know it, in order that
we might believe it, but it is also made known and is revealed
in another magnificent way. That is, it is revealed in the
making of people righteous. In other words, it is revealed
in the justifying of sinners. One put it this way, this righteousness
is more than simply a religious dogma. for it is redemptively
revealed or made manifest. It is not only told how one might
be made righteous, but it actually is manifest in making sinners
righteous in the sight of God. And I think this is true and
is confirmed Romans 1 18 where we have the very same word reveal
for the wrath of God is revealed it is used of God's wrath and
that wrath is not just revealed so that we might believe it or
that we might know about it but it is revealed actually from
heaven against human sin and iniquity it is actually inflicted
as the word is present tense and means is revealed. Here the apostle digresses at
chapter 1 and verse 18. He does so in order that he might
prove the need for justifying righteousness and that is because
all have sinned and from chapter 1 18 Down to chapter 3 and verse
20, the apostle proved the guilt of all, both the Jew and the
Gentile. The Gentile first, and then the
Jew, and then the both of them together. when we look at chapter
3 and verse 19 and 20, which is the conclusion of this section. Now we know that whatsoever thing
the law says, it says to them that are under the law that every
mouth may be stopped and all the world become guilty before
God. By the deeds of the law there
shall no man be justified in his sight, for by the law is
the knowledge of sin. In Romans 3 and verse 21, Paul
returns again to declare the nature and the source of this
justifying righteousness provided by God, having shown that righteousness
by the law is an impossibility both for the Jew and the Gentile. So there are three things here
for us to look at. from chapter 118 to chapter 3
and verse 20. It has three categories, if we
might call it that. Number one, Gentile sinfulness. Chapter 118, down through chapter
1, verse 32. And the second category in chapter
2, 1 through chapter 3 and verse 8, is gentile, rather Jewish,
sinfulness. The gentile is a sinner and is
under wrath. The Jew is also a sinner and
liable to guilt and wrath. And then in chapter 3, verses
10 through verse 20, he brings them together, both, all, everyone,
and so he proves the depravity of the race. Now, this morning
we are in chapter 2. and the question of the law,
and the question of the Gentile and their relationship unto law,
and law as it relates both to the Jew and to the Gentile. How does it stand in relationship
to the Jew? and how does it stand in relationship
unto the law. Some observation as we circle
the airport waiting for the clouds to clear in order that we might
make our landing and come unto it. The apostle here makes several
references to law, many references to law in the Roman epistle,
such as chapter three, and verse 21, righteousness of the law,
that righteousness of the law. Chapter 4, 13 through 15, we
have Abraham and the law, and righteousness,
and such like. In chapter 5, we have Adam and
law, and how it related unto him. In chapter 6, 14 and 15,
and in chapter 7, 1 through 4, that marvelous passage, how we
become free from the law, which is necessary that we might be
married to another, even unto Christ. Now, we know Romans 2,
17 through 20, Paul lists some things that the Jews gloried
in as to their being Jews. They gloried in this. They were
Jews. They trusted in the law. They relied upon the law. They boasted in God. They boasted
that they knew his will and that they were well qualified to instruct
and to guide others in the things of God, but they themselves were
transgressors of the law. What they had insisted on from
others, they were guilty of themselves. And then again, several times,
Paul names Jew and Gentile together in this passage of the scripture. Romans 1, 16, to the Jew first,
the gospel, and also unto the Greek. And again, in chapter
9, or rather verse 9 and verse 10 of chapter 2. So let's scan
chapter 2 in order that we might come to our text, work our way
to it. In verse 1 through 3 in chapter
2, there is a warning against judgment that if one judge and
condemn in others what themselves do, then they are self-condemned. In condemning others, they are
condemning themselves by their judging. They are at the same
time judging and condemning themselves for judging and condemning it
in others. But Paul says, God judges according
to truth. And the judger and the censor
and others shall not escape judgment when they do the same thing. Verse 6, God will render to everyone
according under their deed. And the apostle speaks on the
matter of sin and of judgment. You'll find that in verse 7. And if we might, let's read it.
To them who by patient continuance in well-doing seek for glory
and honor and immortality, eternal life. But then also look at verse
8. But unto them that are contentious
do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, they might look
for indignation and wrath. Verse 9. Tribulation and anguish
unto every soul of man that doeth evil to the Jew first and also
to the Greek. But verse 10. But glory, honor,
peace to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also
unto the Gentile. And a conclusion in verse 11,
for there is no respect of person with God, since our seeing, since
it is a fact. In view of that fact, God is
no respecter of person. He does not favor one based upon
what they are, based upon them being a Jew or a Gentile, based
upon them being rich or being poor. In their race, or their
gender. God is no respecter of person. Moses told Israel basically the
same thing. In Deuteronomy chapter 10 and
verse 17, he regards not person nor takes rewards. In other words,
God cannot be bribed. He cannot be bribed by anyone. The apostle said the same thing. in Acts 10, 34, down at Carnetus'
house. He said, of a truth I perceive,
I know, I realize, I've learned that God is no respecter of person. In fact, in verse 35 of Acts
10, In every nation, he that fears God and works righteousness
shall be accepted of God. That does not teach merited salvation
as we know. But concerning Romans 2 and verse
11, This is important. It is a turning plate. It is
a pivotable verse in this discussion that we're in. It is a transitional
verse, if you would. It ties together what has just
been said by Paul to what is about to be said, a conclusion
to one thing and a lead in under the other. It is God's ground
of judgment and is proved by the following verses down through
verse 16. That God's judgment is according
to, one, the sin of men, their behavior. And number two, the
rule of judgment is the law of God, as William G. T. Shedd said, written and unwritten. the law of God written and unwritten. And thirdly, the people that
are in view here and are subject to judgment are both the Jew
and the Gentile. And you see in verse 12, verse
13, and verse 14, all open with the word or the
conjunction for. For God is no respecter of persons. So let's read verse 12 again.
For as many as have sinned without law shall
also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in law
shall be judged by the law." Now, who can doubt? This is another
contrast between the Jew and the Gentile. Without law, described
the Gentile, and in law described the Jew. Verse 14, the Gentiles
which have not the law, while those in law are the Jew, clear
and simple. And by the way, I'm going to
flip to 1 Corinthians chapter 9 and read something from Paul
that kind of parallels this fairly closely in 1 Corinthians, talking
about the Jew with the law and the Gentile without the law and
such like. Paul makes this statement, 1
Corinthians chapter 9 and the verses are verse 19 through verse
23. Watch this very carefully. Verse
20, unto the Jew I became as a Jew. that I might gain the Jew. To
them that are under the law, as under the law, that I might
gain them that are under the law. To them that are without
law, as without law, being not without law to God, but under
the law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law. To the weak became I as weak,
that I might gain the weak. I made all thing to all, that
I might by all means save some, and rather than be a hypocrite
or a chameleon," Paul said, verse 23, this I do. for the gospel
sake that I might be partaker thereof with you." Again, there
is no doubt that here also those that are under the law are Jews. And you see, Paul, in Galatians
3, 19, through chapter 4 and verse 7, where he likens the
law and its relation to the Jew as a pedagogue, a schoolmaster,
to direct them, instruct them, correct them, and hold them under
Christ ready for their adulthood. And those without law, of course,
are or were the Gentile. So back to Romans 2 and verse
12. Notice, there is no word in the
Greek that answers to the three these, T-H-E, no word in the
Greek that answers to the three these before the word law in
this verse of scripture. Also, as many as have sinned
without law will also perish without law, and as many as have
sinned in or under law shall be judged by law. because Paul
is dealing with the two sorts of people and their relation
to the law, Jew and Gentile. For sin, you see, is the transgression
of the law. 1 John 3 and verse 4 says so. Let us therefore consider verse
13 of Romans chapter 2, where Paul makes here a very important
distinction related to this discussion, that it is not the hearers of
the law that are just before God, but it is the doers of the
law that shall be justified. James chapter 1 verse 2 says
something like it. Be ye doers of the word, not
hearers only, deceiving yourself. Now we have texts like this in
the scripture, way back in Leviticus chapter 18 and verse 5. He shall
therefore keep my statutes and my judgment, which if a man do,
he shall live in them. I am the Lord. Now there are
some that think that this refers to physical life when they reach
into the land of Canaan. Deuteronomy 30 and 20 and Isaiah
1, 19 and 20. A long, prosperous life. in the land of Canaan. But we
have New Testament passages like this, Romans 10 and verse 5,
that Moses described the righteousness of the law, that man that doeth
such thing shall live by them. Galatians 3 and verse 12, the
law is not of faith, but the man that doeth them shall live
in them. Again, this is not to say that
one might become saved by the keeping of the law, for scripture
forcefully states repeatedly that none shall be justified
by the law. Here's some verses. Romans 3.20,
Galatians 2.16, 3.11, Hebrews 7 and 13. It would take a perfect
unfallen man or woman to ever keep the law perfectly. Now, let's turn our attention
to Romans 2 13 through 15, and the situation of the Gentile
in relation to sin and the law. How are they reckoned as sinners
when they did not have the law? Didn't have it in the sense that
the Jew did. Now first, let's notice something. Pay attention to this. And that
is that verse 13 through verse 15 are in parentheses or in brackets
in the King James Version. Verse 14 and verse 15 are in
parentheses in the ASV. Some versions are not put in
parentheses at all. Now, a parentheses could indicate
or contain an amplification of something that's been said. It
could be an explanation. It could be a digression. It
could even be an expansion of something that has been said. So be that as it may, why does
Paul bring up the Gentile in this way? How is their situation
relevant to the argument that he is making? For Paul writes
in verse 14, for when the Gentiles. Now we know that as many as have
the law and have sinned against the law are guilty and are liable
unto punishment and condemnation and that's stated in chapter
3 and verse 19, where Paul unequivocally concludes that by saying, we
know that whatsoever the law says, it says to them that are
under the law that every mouth may be stopped and all the world
may become guilty. The law works wrath, Romans 4,
and verse 15, that by the knowledge of the law is sin. We see that
in Roman 3 and verse 20. and Romans 7 and verse 7. Even that, where no law is, there
is no transgression. Romans 4, 15. Look at that. Where there is no law, there
is no transgression. But, here Romans 5, 13. Sin is
not imputed when there is no law. And a parenthesis. The implication is, in Romans
chapter 5, Adam transgressed law and incurred guilt because
of that transgression. But what about the heathen? What about the Gentile? How do
they stand in this matter? As we read, they are without
law. Romans 2 and 14. How can those who have no law,
who have not a revelation comparable to that of the Jew, still be
reckoned to be sinners, to be guilty, and to perish? because
they are sin and the law is condemning them. Now, this question has
troubled many. And if you listen to the views
of people on the heathen, particularly the Old Testament heathen, this
question is a troubling one, especially to the Arminian and
their view of universalism. I've heard people say that it
is not fair. It's just not fair that they
be left in that condition and be condemned and be judged. Others there are who know how
to solve the dilemma of the Gentile being lost by saying, well, there
may be some other way. in which they can come to know
God and be saved. I may be mistaken, I don't think
so, but I think Billy Graham held that position from time
unto time, that there might be another way that the heathen,
without the gospel, without a knowledge of Christ, might be saved. Now
there's another way to get around that, and that is, I've heard
it so many times, that the church is to blame because it has not
been evangelistic and carried the gospel to every creature
upon the face of the earth. And so they tell us that the
blood of the heathen is upon the hand of the people of God
because they've not evangelized to the ends of the world. Let me remind you of something.
The Jews were never commanded or commissioned to evangelize
the pagan heathen that were about them. In fact, they were to stay
separate and apart. But hear what Paul tells us in
Romans 2, 14, and 15. Now, the 14th verse is kind of
a tongue twister, and the word law is in it four times. When Gentiles, not always and
not perfectly, but whenever, and some Gentiles, not everyone. When a Gentile who has not law,
by law does certain things in the law, not having the law,
to themselves they are a law. Now that's basically what Paul
has said. So let's not miss a major component
and word in that verse. And the word is nature. When they do by nature, by innate
impulse, not taught by other men, not evangelized to religion
by some other men, and not from external sources at all, but
by nature. Now this, no doubt, is how they
are a law unto themselves. Doing certain things that are
in the law or the work of the law, they are a law unto themselves. Now, this is an amazing thing
when we think about it, that the pagans, though being without
law or without revelation that was made to the Jew, though they
be idolaters, are not atheist. They are idolaters, but they
are not atheists. And that's an important distinction. Hermann Bevink wrote, one may
live their life in this world without God and without regard
to God and without hearing gospel in such light, but they may be
without God in that sense in the world. But here's what Bevink
said, conscious, theoretical atheism in the absolute sense
of the word, is rare." Unquote. Out and out atheism is a rare
thing. It is the exception rather than
the rule. Being ignorant of the true God,
man will not be without a God. He will fashion one with the
engraving tool of his imagination and he will pay veneration unto
that God that he has made. Or he might adopt something as
his God that God has created and that is actually inferior
unto himself. You remember what Paul saw when
he came to Athens in Acts chapter 17, verse 16? He looked out and
he saw a city wholly given to idolatry. He looked out and he
saw a city full of religious images, but they were not unto
Jehovah. Verse 22, he said to them, boy,
I perceive King James said you're very superstitious, but actually
it said you're very religious. I perceive that you are extremely
religious, that you are reverent unto deities. Verse 23, he saw
altars to gods which they worship, including one to an unknown god. Now we remember back all of Israel's
neighbors, All of their enemies had their gods. They were not
without gods that they worship. They all had their gods. They
were not raw atheists. And in the world, outside of
Christendom, there are God's many and Lord's many. 1 Corinthians
chapter 8 and verse 5. Even the worship of idols and
false god confirms what Paul said about by nature. And says Paul, when they by nature
do such things as are contained in the law, they are a law unto
themselves. And verse 15, this shows the
work of the law written in their heart. Now watch it. The work
of the law. The work, not the law itself,
but the work of the law written in grave. Graptos, I believe,
is the word inscribed. And so we see the connection.
They're doing certain things contained in the law, shows that
the work of the law is written in their hearts so that they
are acting not by instruction, but by nature. They have an inward
witness, their conscience bearing them witness. They're doing certain
things in the law. Let's say some things about the
human conscience. My, what the most amazing faculty
that God has endowed. It is perhaps the most important
faculty that God has put in us, in that it witnesses of God,
of sin, of judgment, and it answers unto God. It has been called
God's deputy in the soul. It accuses and it excuses. It does both. John Brown put
it, conscience, quote, which is a constituent part of the
human nature, though not entirely pure and true, It also is a partaker
of the fall." It is defiled, yes, Titus 1 and verse 15. It can be seared over in some,
1 Corinthians 4 and 2. It can be weak even in a Christian
person, 1 Corinthians 8, 7, 10, 12, and in grace, It is purged from dead works
that it might serve the true and the living God. Hebrews 9
and verse 14. The conscience is one of the
most important faculty. And I'll say this, you won't
clearly understand the actions of people until you understand
the work and the reflection of conscience. But in Romans 2.15,
that this is not the writing of grace and regeneration. The work of the law written in
their heart is not here, the work of grace and regeneration. It's not that one that the prophet
Jeremiah foretells. In Jeremiah 31, 33, I will put
my law in their inward parts, and will
write it in their heart, and will be their God, and they my
people," unquote. That is the writing of grace
and regeneration. This is the writing of the covenant
when God makes his covenant known. It is referenced in Hebrews chapter
10 and verse 16. But in Romans 2 and verse 15,
It is said to be by nature, not taught, not raised, not passed
from generation, or not passed from the parents down. It is
said that it is by nature. This is interesting because it
is a word that Paul uses several times in his writing, this word
nature. Romans 1, 26. Remember, that
which is against nature, talking about the homosexual act, that
is against nature. It's against nature itself. Romans 2.27, uncircumcision is
by nature. You're born with it. It's something
that must be administered. 1 Corinthians 11 and 14, that
famous one. Nature itself teaches that a
man with long hair, it is a shame. Galatians 2.15, we who are Jews
by nature. We were born Jew by nature and
propagation. Galatians 2.15, Jews by nature. Ephesians 2 and 3, we were by
nature the children of wrath, even as others. So let's not
overlook here a part of what Paul is teaching us in this place. Number one, that there can be
no knowing of God, no knowledge of God without revelation. Without revelation, none can
know God. God must reveal himself, and
he must reveal himself to the extent that he would. in order that they might do his
will. And they can only be known to
that degree by which God reveals himself unto them. They can know
God no further than the revelation that he is pleased to make to
them, to the Jewish one, to the Gentile It was another. So, A, the Jews had the revelation
of God from Sinai. They had the written law. They
had that great experience with God at Sinai. They had the sacrifices
that pointed to Christ. and atonement, they had the service
of God. But B, the Gentiles had only
the light of nature by which they believed in the existence
of deity, but it was not Jehovah, and it was not sufficient unto
salvation. Number two, the transgression
of law establishes guilt. One is guilty because they have
transgressed the law. And guilt, therefore, opens one
to judgment and to condemnation. And the Jew transgressed the
Ten Commandments, and Moses accused them, Jesus said, in John 5,
45. There's one that accuses you,
and that is Moses. But the Gentiles did not have
the written law or the revelation that went with it. Are they lost? Are they lost without that revelation? God has not made it. Without
it, they can't know him. Are they therefore lost? Will
they be judged as sinners and punished because they had not
the law or enough revelation? And if so, what is the ground? How or why? How do we square
it with divine justice? that of such without the law
and without revelation? The answer is from Paul and is
expressed by Shedd, and I quote, the limited revelation of the
Gentile is sufficiently clear and authoritative to be transgressed
and its transgression establish guilt." That's what Paul is saying
here in this particular play. And beside Paul says, that conviction
works both ways with the conscience and the work of the law. On one
hand, do what's right and it excuses. On the other hand, do
what's wrong and it accuses. and it condemns for that. So
it both or does both. Conscious witnesses with the
active works of the law in the heart and the thoughts, now here's
another one, and the thoughts working in conjunction with the
witness of conscience, which in turn operate as a result of
the work of the law written in their heart. so that they act
by nature, the Gentile. Now, let's be as clear as we
possibly can. The works of the law written
in the heart and the conscience and the thoughts are not synonymous. The conscience, the thoughts,
and the heart are not synonymous. They are distinct and they are
separate in a man. Entities, each one of them present
and working There were. Now the thoughts seem to refer
to reasoning, much like the word Logosmos, and it's translated
imagination in 2 Corinthians chapter 10 and verse 5. Reasoning, computation, seems
to be the meaning of the word thoughts. Our thoughts accusing. Our thoughts accusing. based
upon the work of the law written in the heart and the witness
of conscience. Now let me say this, not a person
here or in the world, but has been accused by a guilty conscience,
meaning to be charged with an offense. How many times has that
happened to us over something we said, something we did, something
we didn't do? And our conscience roars like
a lion and smites us to bring an accusation against us for
that. Now, we read something interesting
about David to illustrate this. 1 Samuel 24 5, 2 Samuel 24 and
verse 10. That David's heart smoked him. David had a heart that smote
him, once when he cut off part of Saul's robe, and another time
when he numbered the people. Both times it said that his heart
smote him. He felt guilty. And you see his
confession. He made a confession, I have
sinned. The conscience is the most amazing
faculty. In a sense, it is God's vice
regent in the soul. It is not always, however, true
unto God. It acts according to the light
and the revelation that it possesses. It acts in accordance with truth
that is given unto it. And so, The way to correct a
faulty conscience is not to force them like they would force them
to eat meat, but to correct the conscience with truth. When truth
and light is brought to the conscience, then it walks by the truth, by
the light that it has. And it can do no other. See Paul's
instruction on this to the Corinthian church, 1 Corinthians 8, 9, and
10. He deals with that matter. And
in Romans chapter 14. Conscience cannot be forced without
doing it harm. It must act according to truth
and light and revelation that it has. Now, this accusation
is confirmed in experience by everyone. Even before we were
saved, what we did or said or acted, even then, I've read about
people whose conscience hurt them so bad They came back and
committed a crime they weren't even caught for, returned something
they stole a long time ago because simply of their conscience. So the conclusion is this. In
reacting to the work of the law, it is sufficient to make one
guilty. Even if they never heard the
law of God or never heard the gospel, it is well not impossible
to shut down the conscience. That's how strong it is. And
God intended it that way. The conscience bearing them witness.