Y'all can go ahead and turn to
Romans 2. We're going to begin in verse
12 through 16. These are the verses. We'll be
going to quite a few other verses, but those are the ones that we're
going to be majoring in. Before I do begin, though, I
have thought as I've been studying through these passages that Paul
here As he writes to the church at Rome, I just wondered in my
own self, I said, I wonder why he just keeps on talking about
Jew and Gentile, and talking to the church there at Rome about
Jews and Gentiles and the differences and so forth. And I think that
we have to think about this thing. These Jews, for hundreds and hundreds of
years, God had chosen this nation, this Jewish nation, to reveal
Himself to a people. He had, through the Old Covenant,
through all the priesthood and sacrifices and the lamb slain
and the blood All these pictures and tithes that he revealed himself
to this Jewish nation. And they had Abraham, Moses,
and all these other things that they could always point back
to. And I always, as I was studying
here and thinking about Paul continually going back to the
Jew and Gentile and making all of his comments, Throughout scripture
it talks about this, but these, Paul, he needed to show these Jews, even though
they had the law of God, they had the old covenant, they had
all these things that I had mentioned, and of course the Jews thought
that not only were they national Children of God, they thought
that they were God's people, individually. They were children
of Abraham. And so, on the other hand, you
had these Gentiles, which were all the other nationalities that
were in the world. Greeks, and so forth. And God did not give them all
these things that he had given those Jews to reveal himself
to. But in all these things, he had
revealed himself to these Gentiles. He revealed himself to every
man through the light of conscience. As we are born into this world,
as it points out in Scripture here, These Gentiles, they were
a law unto themselves. They had these moral precepts.
They didn't have all these other things, pictures and types and
the old covenant and everything else that was given to Jews,
but they had the light of nature and the light of conscience.
So they were without excuse. But on the one hand, the Jews
would say, well, we know we're God's people. And
why in the world would God set us aside now? All these hundreds
of years and all these things that we've had concerning God,
we just, as far as judgment, the judgment of God, they had
a problem with that and them being, as far as, included with
the Gentiles in that sort of way. But on the other hand, the
Gentiles would say, well, we didn't have all these things.
We didn't have the old covenant, all these laws and pictures and
types. And so as far as the Gentiles
goes, they were saying, well, you need to give us some slack
here, you know, as far as judgment, because we didn't have all these
things. And so, but God said, no, they're without excuse too.
The Gentiles, as well as the Jews who had all these things,
but they didn't do all these things. those things that were
commanded of him. So I thought I'd mention that,
and as we begin this lesson here, on our last study there in Romans
2, verse 11, it says, For there is no respect of persons with
God. Now God, through the Apostle Paul, makes it clear that he
is no respect of persons, whether you are Jew or Gentile. God will
render to every man according to his deeds, not according to
your nationality, where you were born, and all these other things. Now, by nature, when anyone hears
the word deed, they automatically go to work salvation. It's just
something inbred in us that by nature we're going to go there.
when we hear these sort of things, like the deeds of the flesh and
things like that. Now, this is a grave error, though.
What is it to do righteousness or to do well in the sight of
God? It can't mean that you can become
righteous by your doing. God's excluded that when he says
in Romans 3.10, as it is written, there is none righteous, no,
not one. God also says in Romans 3.20,
"...therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh
be justified in his sight." Now, that seems pretty clear, that
you can't be justified before God by the works that you do,
by your deeds. I mean, that's what God says. Well, I'll tell you what it means
to do well or to do righteousness. It is to look to Christ for all
your salvation, all your justification before God. It is to flee to
Christ for that refuge from the wrath to come. Christ is the
sinner's only hope of salvation. All else is condemnation. Friends,
we must have a righteousness to stand before this Holy God. And the only way that a sinner
can obtain this right standing before God, this right standing
that we all must have at judgment, is that God, out of his own sovereign
will, chooses not to impute, not to charge sin to your account. David says in Psalm 32, verse
1 and 2, Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose
sin is Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth, or not
charge, iniquity." Also in Romans 4, verse 6, a better explanation,
a more explanation to this, where Paul says, "...even as David
also describeth the blessedness of the man unto whom God imputeth
righteousness without works." And somebody is going to have
righteousness charged to their account, and it's not going to
be based on their words in any way. Therefore, we must stand
without blame before God. And the only way that this can
happen is that God must do it all. God, out of his own will
and purpose, chooses a people out of Adam's fallen race. He
gives these individuals call, God's elect, his sheep. He gives
them to Christ, they are placed in his care. He obligated himself
to stand in their place. He substituted himself in their
place. He becomes their surety for their
debt, for their sin debt, a debt that must be paid in time. And
Christ obligated himself to do that. God always looked to his
dear son as a surety for the debt, for the sins of God's elect. In the fullness of time Christ
came, he paid that debt in full, every jot and tittle. All the
debt that we owe, he paid it by his blood shed on that cross.
God the Holy Spirit in each successive generation, he comes and he quickens
each one of God's elect. He brings them out of darkness
and this that each one of us are in, and he brings us to the
light of the gospel of Christ and salvation by him alone. Before that time, we're all in
darkness. You couldn't tell the difference between us and a non-elect. We're all in darkness by nature.
And in the end, God glorifies them, and they live with him
eternally. All of this is God's work. We are the recipients of God's
free and sovereign grace in Christ. We are saved not by works that
we have done, but by grace alone. After thinking about what I have
just said, let's look at how God's judgment is always true. Just in all men, no matter who
you are or where you come from, in the end No one will be able
to accuse God of being unjust in his dealings with sinful men.
Now, as we begin in Romans 2, in verse 12 and 13 here, I'm
going to go over. The title of my message is Conscience
and God's Law. 12 and 13 out of Romans 2 says,
For as many as have sinned without the law, shall also perish without
the law, speaking of the Gentiles, and as many as have sinned in
the law shall be judged by the law, speaking of the Jews. For
not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers
of the law shall be justified." Now, those Jews, they heard God's
law. They heard it plain and clear.
But God says in verse 13, not the hearers of the law are just
before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. As
Paul wrote in verse 11, for there is no respect of persons with
God, God is just and he is fair with everyone. And he will deal
with all sin and all persons in judgment and condemnation. Is it fair for God to condemn
those Gentiles for sin? when they did not have the written
law of Moses? Yes, because they have sinned
against the light of nature. First of all, in Romans 1, 19,
20, it says, Because that which may be known of God is manifest
in them, for God has showed it unto them. For the invisible
things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen,
being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal
power in Godhead. so that they are without excuse. And they have also sinned against
the light of conscience, the work of the law written in their
hearts. Which is clear in Romans 2.15
when it says, Which show the work of the law written in their
hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts
the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another. God holds
men accountable, whether you are Jew or Gentile or whatever
law, for whatever law he reveals to you. Is God fair to condemn
the Jews when he had given them the law of Moses and made them
his nationally chosen people? The answer is yes, because it
is not enough to have the law or hear the law. For it says,
only the doers of the law shall be justified. God's law is his
perfect standard of righteousness. God only condemns by law where
sin is charged. God cannot and will not condemn
where there is righteousness charged. If sinners seek salvation,
righteousness, holiness, and eternal life by their efforts
to keep the law, they must keep it perfectly. in thought, word,
and deed. There was a long time there when
I was in false religion, I really, and was taught, that you had
to pretty much outwardly commit a sin. And you could, whether
it be stealing or murder or adultery or whatever, it pretty much taught
that. If you just thought it, It was
really temptation. It was just Satan tempting you
to do it. And that hides a multitude of sins. Y'all know, if you're truthful
with yourself, we have so many thoughts that are not carried
to full fruition and carried out as far as all these things
that we think. But God says, that it's in thought
too. Sin's in thought. And when you
realize that, when you realize what God says concerning that,
instead of hiding the multitude of sin, you really see what sin's
all about. And you really see how holy God
is. Now, if sinners seek salvation,
righteousness and holiness, and eternal life by their effort
to keep the law must keep it perfectly. Galatians 3.10 and
12 says, For as many as are of the works of the law are under
the curse, for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueeth
not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do
them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God,
it is evident. For the just shall live by faith.
And the law is not of faith, but the man that doeth them shall
live in them." Also in Galatians 5.3, for I testify again to every
man that is circumcised that he is a debtor to do the whole
law. As one old writer stated, wherever the law finds the least
sin in the best of sinners, it must pronounce condemnation. Our problem is not the least
of sin. Our problem is a multitude of sins. This is why we need
Christ and salvation by God's grace based on Christ's righteousness
alone. Turn with me, please, to Romans
chapter 2, beginning at verse 19. Beginning with verse 19, Now,
we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them
who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all
the world may become guilty before God. Therefore, by the deeds
of law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight. There it is again. For by the
law is the knowledge of sin. But now the righteousness of
God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the Law and
the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, which is by faith of
Jesus Christ unto all, and upon all them that believe. For there
is no difference for all have sinned, and come short of the
glory of God." Verse 24, "...being justified freely by his grace
through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God has
set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood to declare his righteousness
for the remission of sins that are past, speaking of the Old
Testament saints, through the forbearance of God. Also, in
Galatians 3, beginning in verse 13, Christ hath redeemed us from
the curse of the law, being made a curse for us, for it is written,
Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree, that the blessings
of Abraham might come on the Gentiles, through Jesus Christ
that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
The only reason any of us will not be judged by the law and
perish in our sins is because Christ has been judged and condemned
unto death in our place. Here in verse 14 of Romans 2, it says, For when the Gentiles
which have not the law do by nature the things contained in
the law, these having not the law or law unto themselves."
Even though the Gentiles did not have the written law on Moses,
they proved they were not without law altogether. The Gentile nations
had rules and they had laws of society that governed their people. They do by nature, as the scripture
says, instinctively the themes contained in the law, speaking
of that moral law. Not the entire detailed code
of law given to Israel through Moses, but the moral precepts
that govern all men by nature. This shows they are a law unto
themselves. How can this be explained? Well,
the next verse tells us in verse 15. which show the work of the
law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing
witness, and their conscience the meanwhile accusing or excusing
one another. I don't know, I really, I wasn't
raised up in a real religious environment. My mom and daddy didn't ever
go to church or anything, but But I still, as I was coming
up as a young boy and everything, there's just something there
that when you do something wrong, there's something there to tell
you, you've done something you shouldn't have done. I remember I've done some things
when I was a little boy and I'd always, I'd have that on my conscience
until I could get it straight. with ever who I did it against.
I had to go and tell them, I lost your knife, I've not done this
or that or the other little things. But yet still, that's something
written in our conscience that we have by nature that shows
us right from wrong. The conscience is a person's
natural awareness of conforming to God's law or departing from
it. It is his natural sense of right and wrong resulting either
in a sense of approval or condemnation. This is why naturally in their
thoughts, as it says up there, concerning matters between each
other, men will accuse of wrongdoing or excuse from wrongdoing. We must note that even the conscience
of natural fallen man is also sinful and in darkness. But God has given every man even
enough light of his law and the conscience by which to hold all
accountable and all without excuse." Here in verse 16 of Romans 2,
it says, "...in the day when God shall judge the secrets of
men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel." Paul does not
say that those who have never heard the gospel will be judged
by the gospel. He has simply proven that the
perfection of obedience to the law exhibited in the life of
Jesus Christ is the ultimate standard of judgment. Christ
was perfect. He was perfectly subjected to
the will of his Father in every area of life, and his obedience
unto death is the righteousness God's law demands and requires. This perfection This perfect
conformity to God's law and the obedience of Christ is revealed
in Paul's gospel. There are two ways in which all
men are held accountable before God. They are held accountable
to keep the law of God that is revealed to them. And if they
fail, they are held accountable to cast themselves upon the mercy
of God. Men by nature will try to keep the law but will not
admit their just deserts for failing to keep the law. Man
by nature in unbelief and self-righteousness will always try to lower the
standard of law or elevate himself as righteous by his own standard. In Luke 18, verse 9, and he spake
this parable to certain which trusted in themselves that they
were righteous and they despised others. Paul proves here that
the Christ of the gospel will be the judge of the quick and
of the dead. And all will be judged by Christ
as he is represented, as he is presented in the gospel. The
only righteous one to stand before God. The standard of all judgment
is Christ in Acts 17 31 because he hath appointed the day in
which he will judge the world in righteousness. by that man
whom he hath ordained, whereof he hath given assurance to all
men that he hath raised him from the dead." That is the standard. This proves that the only way
we as sinners can stand before God and be declared righteous
in his sight is to be in Christ, washed in his blood and clothed
in his righteousness. We need a substitute. We need
for someone to come and stand between us and God, someone that
is able to represent us to God, and Christ is the only one. He
has worked out a righteousness wherein God is well pleased.
He is well pleased with Christ, and he is well pleased with those
that are in Christ, his sheep, his elect. Our best deeds and
efforts to keep the law will not save us. That won't make
us righteous either. And we have to have a righteousness
to stand before this Holy God. In Romans 3, 19 and 20, Now we
know that whatsoever the law saith, it saith to them who are
under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world
become guilty before God. Therefore, by the deeds of law,
there shall no flesh be justified in his sight. For by the law
is the knowledge of sin, once again, we read the same thing,
that you cannot be justified before God by what you do, the
keeping of the law and your deeds in any way. Our only hope of
salvation is God's free and sovereign mercy and grace in Christ. And
I pray this morning that those that hear this message, especially
for those that might hear it out on Sermon Audio or our website,
will know that God will justify a people, but you have to have
a righteousness. You have to have a righteousness,
and the only righteousness that will meet the requirements of
God's holy law and justice is the one that His dear Son, Jesus
Christ worked out, that righteousness he imputes to all those that
the Father chose and that give him. And that everlasting covenant
of grace, he will bring them home eventually, one day when
he glorifies each and every one of them. I pray that God would
use this message. safe center. Thank you.