Guilty Before God

APRIL 26, 2023 STUDY NOTES ROMANS 2:16-22 BIBLE TEACHER: CLIFTON JONES GUILTY BEFORE GOD INTRODUCTION Scripture has much to say on the subject of the future judgment of all people before God Many believe that there will be a general judgment when all stand before God at the same time But Christians and those who are lost will not stand together in a future judgment The saved will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ, 2Co 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. The lost will stand before the Great White Throne Judgment, Rev 20:11 And I saw a great white throne, and him that sat on it, from whose face the earth and the heaven fled away; and there was found no place for them. Rev 20:12 And I saw the dead, small and great, stand before God; and the books were opened: and another book was opened, which is the book of life: and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books, according to their works. Both saved and lost are accountable unto God for the life lived upon earth To understand Romans 2, we must realize Paul is not explaining the way of salvation Throughout scripture there is only one way of salvation presented, Act 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. (To receive Jesus as your Savior is the only way of salvation) In Romans 2, Paul is revealing the must of salvation, which agrees with Jesus’ teaching, Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. Joh 3:7 Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. Paul explains the truth and the importance of the “one gospel,” 1Co 15:1 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; It is “the gospel” that must be preached and received in-order to be saved and must be lived The only gospel that you can stand upon daily and the life that will stand throughout eternity The gospel that must be lived daily, 1Co 15:2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. “In vain” means “without purpose,” to no avail, without cause, without effect, useless Nothing here indicates the loss of true salvation, but it does reveal the truth of a living salvation A so-called salvation that had no effect upon your life is a vain salvation The Gospel is of utmost importance, there is nothing more important to preach than the Gospel 1Co 15:3 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; 1Co 15:4 And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures: Paul clearly defines the Gospel in verses 3 & 4 by the word “that:” That Christ died (verse 3) That he was buried (verse 4) that he rose again (verse 4) The only Gospel message to preach is the “death, burial, and resurrection” of Jesus Christ Which is why Paul says that judgment will be according to the Gospel JUDGMENT ACCORDING TO THE GOSPEL--Rom 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. “In the day when God shall judge” assures us of the truth of accountability before God “The secrets of men” shall be judged, every one of us has our secrets Page 1 of 6 That which we want to keep concealed and hidden from others where no one else can see Those secrets are not just certain acts of our life, but often they are the motives of our acts The secrets of the mind and heart, what the eyes are looking for and the will has a desire for There is often secret service in the name of Christ or the church, the true motive is unknown Wrong motives for Christian service will not be rewarded, there will be a loss of reward Right motives and sacrificial service which is unknown by others will be eternally rewarded People believe that they can hide from God, nothing is hidden from God, Luk 8:17 For nothing is secret, that shall not be made manifest; neither any thing hid, that shall not be known and come abroad. Ecc 12:14 For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil. 1Co 4:5 Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God. In due time the secrets of man will be known by even man, they cannot be hidden forever, Luk 12:3 Therefore whatsoever ye have spoken in darkness shall be heard in the light; and that which ye have spoken in the ear in closets shall be proclaimed upon the housetops. Judgment will be by Jesus Christ, He is the appointed judge, Joh 5:22 For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: Joh 5:27 And hath given him authority to execute judgment also, because he is the Son of man. Act 10:42 And he commanded us to preach unto the people, and to testify that it is he which was ordained of God to be the Judge of quick and dead. 2Ti 4:1 I charge thee therefore before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, who shall judge the quick and the dead at his appearing and his kingdom; Act 17:31 Because he hath appointed a day, in the which he will judge the world in righteousness by that man whom he hath ordained; whereof he hath given assurance unto all men, in that he hath raised him from the dead. 2Ti 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing. Paul said that judgment will be “according to my gospel,” remember there is only one Gospel Paul was convinced of the truth of the Gospel he preached, there was no other Gospel, Gal 1:6 I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel: Gal 1:7 Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. (The death, burial, and resurrection of Christ is the only Gospel) Paul was committed to the one and only true Gospel, Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. The Gospel is the Word of God, both are alive, both penetrate-into the depths of the soul, Heb 4:12 For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. (There is living power in the Word of God) The Gospel and the Word of God are the words of eternal life through Jesus, Joh 6:63 It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life. There is living power in the Gospel, 1Th 1:5 For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. There is living power in the Word of God, 1Th 2:13 For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because, when ye received the word of God which ye heard of us, ye received it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which effectually worketh also in you that believe. Page 2 of 6 We are accountable unto God for what we have to do with the Gospel and God’s Word There will be no secrets, nothing will be hidden from God, Heb 4:13 Neither is there any creature that is not manifest in his sight: but all things are naked and opened unto the eyes of him with whom we have to do. (To Whom we must all give an account, both Jew and Gentile) Rom 2:17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, “Behold” calls for attention to what is being said, it is of utmost importance to the Jew Jews took pride in Paul’s recognition of them, “thou art called a Jew” Paul gives three different names referring to the same people, he identifies himself with each one Paul called himself a “Jew,” Act 21:39 But Paul said, I am a man which am a Jew of Tarsus, a city in Cilicia, a citizen of no mean city: and, I beseech thee, suffer me to speak unto the people. Paul called himself an “Israelite,” Rom 11:1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. Paul called himself “a Hebrew,” Php 3:5 Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee; Even though the names refer to the same people, there is a technical difference “Hebrew” is their racial identification, “Israel” refers to them nationally “Jew” identifies their religious state Jews sensed superiority over the Gentiles because they were God’s chosen nation Israel They put their confidence in the fact that God gave them the Law “And restest in the law,” they were confident and comfortable, trusting in the Law But they were not keeping the law and Jesus knew it, Mar 7:6 He answered and said unto them, Well hath Esaias prophesied of you hypocrites, as it is written, This people honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from me. With their lips they make their boast of God, they brag about their relationship with God They did not expect to stand accountable before God, as God’s people they felt secure before God Jesus confirmed that they were hypocrites, Mat 22:18 But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Jesus confirmed that they were not exempt from the future judgment, Mat 23:14 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye devour widows' houses, and for a pretence make long prayer: therefore ye shall receive the greater damnation. Within the law God revealed His purpose for the chosen nation of Israel Rom 2:18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; Israel knew that God’s will was given through the Law that God had given to them Approve means that the Law had been examined, tried, put to the test and proven genuine Israel was aware of the fact that God had a plan for their life, and it was more excellent More excellent had the meaning of different and was better and superior, over and above all else Exactly the way we should accept the Word of God today, the highest standard of living Jews claimed to have a superior standard of life because they had been instructed out of the law Jews were continually instructed, in the synagogue they were continuously systematically taught Repetition was important, they were instructed at home and in the synagogues The problem was they were content with learning and knowing the Law (Sound familiar today?) They knew much but obeyed little, having little desire or motivation to live according to the Law Many today are satisfied with owning a Bible to take to church without learning or living it They do not realize that they will be judged according to the “Gospel” Christians have a responsibility to learn the Bible, to live the Bible, and to guide others Biblically Page 3 of 6 Rom 2:19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, The Jews were confident about themselves, having possession of the law had convinced them They were persuaded that the possession of the law made them righteous Which sounds like the attitude of many churchgoers today, “I go to church, I am alright” Jews considered themselves to be a guide of the blind, which is what God wanted them to do The blind referred to the spiritually blind Gentiles who without the law were living in darkness The Jews were to be a light to them which are in darkness, which they could have been But they failed because they were spiritually blind themselves, having not learned from the Law Jesus explained that problem, Mat 15:14 Let them alone: they be blind leaders of the blind. And if the blind lead the blind, both shall fall into the ditch. God brought forth a Jew named Paul to fulfill what the Jews had failed to do Which Paul explained in a personal testimony to King Agrippa, Act 26:13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. Act 26:14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. Act 26:15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. Act 26:16 But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Act 26:17 Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, Act 26:18 To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me. (Paul was to do what God had called upon Israel to do) Paul committed the rest of his life to God’s calling, Act 26:19 Whereupon, O king Agrippa, I was not disobedient unto the heavenly vision: Christians today are God’s chosen people for the same purpose, 1Pe 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: 1Pe 2:10 Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy. Peter said that before we were in Christ we were “not a people” Before you were saved you were a nobody, you were not a people in relationship with God “But now” is some of the most exciting words that you will read in scripture, Eph 2:13 But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ. Peter says, “but now” that you are saved you are “SOMEBODY” Christ “in you” has made you somebody, we are not just people who exist, we exist for God We were no-people with no purpose but now are His people for His purpose “A peculiar people,” Paul was not using today’s definition of peculiar Believers are not odd, strange, abnormal, freakish, weird (some today do fall into that category) The original meaning of peculiar was particular; individual; distinctive; exclusive; private Peter is telling us that we are God’s unique and personal people, His people for His purpose Believers are the “private possession” of God, we are God’s personal people, purchased people We were-in need of God’s mercy but now we have received His mercy That’s a story worth telling, a story worth telling in detail, as God’s people we must tell the story Christians are to be instructors unto those who don’t know Jesus, the Jews were to be instructors Rom 2:20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge Page 4 of 6 and of the truth in the law. Because the Jews had been given the Law, they were to be a guide, a light, a corrector and teacher An instructor is one who disciplines, corrects, and instructs for the purpose of a proper behavior Those who need such instructions are identified as the foolish, which referred to the Gentiles Jews considered Gentiles foolish because they did not know the law According to scripture the foolish are those uneducated and ignorant of the truth of the Gospel Eph 5:17 Wherefore be ye not unwise, but understanding what the will of the Lord is. 1Pe 2:15 For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: What does God want to do through us? What is His will for us? He wants to “put to silence the ignorance of foolish men” How does God plan to do that? God’s way to do that is by our “well doing” “Well doing” is living a daily Christian life before the “foolish” “Foolish” does not mean that they are uneducated in the learning of man But they are not educated in the ways of God, they do not know the truth of the Gospel The Jews were instructed to be “a teacher of babes,” which again referred to the Gentiles The goal of teaching was for the purpose of changing a life, a change of intellect and will Gentiles are identified as “babes,” meaning immature, one unlearned, one unenlightened The Jews were considered to have “the form of knowledge,” which was the truth of the Law Which is stated, “and of the truth in the Law,” The Law was the pattern of Truth which pointed to Jesus who was the fulness of Truth, Joh 1:14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. Joh 1:15 John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. Joh 1:16 And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. Joh 1:17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. Paul has some concluding words for the Jews, but his words definitely apply to all Christians Rom 2:21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? “Thou therefore,” you possessors of the Law, you who are privileged to receive the Law You who teach others the Law are not taking the lessons to heart, or practice what you preach Paul said, I have a question for you, are you listening to your teaching? You are teaching others but not looking in the mirror to see yourself Are you guilty of the very things you are teaching others not to do? Paul gives them an example you preach that a man should not steal You publicly proclaim to others, do not steal, do you steal? Are “you” guilty? Are you living a hypocritical life? They were teaching the Gentiles to obey the laws that they were not keeping Some of which Jesus identified in, Mat 19:18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, Throughout scripture adultery is presented as a sin of the day, and must be dealt with Today it is accepted as a common lifestyle, but God will deal with it Rom 2:22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? They may not have understood the extent of the question, are you committing adultery? Jesus explained the answer to the question, Mat 5:27 Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery: Mat 5:28 But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart. Page 5 of 6 Remember what we learned about the judgment of the heart Jesus has another question for them, but first He points out one of their so-called convictions “Thou that abhorrest idols,” you claim to turn away from such a disgusting thing Isaiah describes the foolishness of idolatry, Isa 44:9 They that make a graven image are all of them vanity; and their delectable things shall not profit; and they are their own witnesses; they see not, nor know; that they may be ashamed. Isa 44:10 Who hath formed a god, or molten a graven image that is profitable for nothing? Isa 44:17 And the residue thereof he maketh a god, even his graven image: he falleth down unto it, and worshippeth it, and prayeth unto it, and saith, Deliver me; for thou art my god. Isa 44:18 They have not known nor understood: for he hath shut their eyes, that they cannot see; and their hearts, that they cannot understand. The Psalmist describes what it is like to worship an idol, Psa 115:4 Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. Psa 115:5 They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not: Psa 115:6 They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not: Psa 115:7 They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat. Psa 115:8 They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them. Paul’s question to the Jews was, dost thou commit sacrilege? Bible scholars agree that the thought Paul has in mind is difficult to interpret The original has the meaning of to take what is consecrated to God for one’s own personal use Some suggested meanings are: To commit ungodly deeds To rob their own Temple in Jerusalem Robbing God by withholding tithes and offerings Selling pagan temple idols and vessels for personal gain Whatever it was, it was an act of hypocrisy under the pretext of religion The next verses speak of dishonoring God and blaspheming the name of God How much of modern-day religious movements do the same thing Page 6 of 6