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<h2><a onclick="return mV('Rom',2,'all');">Rom 2</a> - The Guilt of the Moralist and the Jew</h2>
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<p>A. God's judgment upon the morally educated.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Rom',2,'1-3');">1-3</a>) An indictment of the morally educated.</p>
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<p class="c2"><span>Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. But we know that the judgment of God is according to truth against those who practice such things. And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God?</span></p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge</span></b><span>: </span>In <a onclick="return mV('Rom',1,1);">Rom 1</a>, Paul pointed out the sin of the most notoriously guilty; he now envisions those who are generally "moral" in their conduct congratulating themselves that they are not like the people Paul described in <a onclick="return mV('Rom',1,'all');">Rom 1</a>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. A good example of this mind set is Jesus' illustration of the Pharisee and the Publican. If we take those figures from Jesus' parable, now Paul addresses the Pharisee (<a onclick="return mV('Luk',18,'10-14');">Luk 18:10-14</a>).</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. Undoubtedly, in many ways the Jew of Paul's day typified the moralist; but his words in <a onclick="return mV('Rom',2,'1-16');">Rom 2:1-16</a> seem to have a wider application, beyond Jews only. For example, what about Seneca, the Roman moral teacher and tutor of Nero? He would agree wholeheartedly with Paul regarding the morals of most pagans, but a man like Seneca would think, "I'm different from those immoral people."</p>
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<p class="c5">iii. Many Christians admired Seneca and his strong stand for "morals" and "family values." "But too often he tolerated in himself vices not so different from those which he condemned in others - the most flagrant instance being his connivance at Nero's murder of his mother Agrippina." (Bruce)</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">For in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself</span></b><span>:</span></p>
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<p class="c4">After gaining the agreement of the moralist in condemning the obvious sinner, now Paul turns the same argument upon the moralist himself. This is because at the end of it all, <b><span class="c3">for you who judge practice the same things</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. As we judge another person, we point to a standard outside of our self - and that standard condemns everyone, not only the "obvious" sinner. "Since you know the justice of God, as evidenced by the fact that you are judging others, you are without an excuse, because is the very act of judging you have condemned yourself." (Murray)</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. <b><span class="c3">Practice the same things</span></b>: Notice that the moralist is not condemned for judging others; but for being guilty of the same things that he judges others for. This is something the moral man would object to ("I'm not like them at all!"), but Paul will demonstrate this is the truth.</p>
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<p class="c5">iii. Wuest, quoting Denney on <b><span class="c3">for you who judge practice the same things</span></b>: "Not, you do the identical actions, but your conduct is the same, i.e., you sin against light. The sin of the Jews was the same, but their sins were not."</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">According to truth</span></b> has the idea of "according to the facts of the case." God will judge (and condemn) the moralist on the basis of the <i>facts</i>.</p>
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<p class="c4">d. The point is made clear: if the moralist is just as guilty as the obvious sinner how will they <b><span class="c3">escape the judgment of God?</span></b></p>
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<p class="c5">i. <b><span class="c3">You</span></b> is emphatic in [do you think] <b><i><span class="c3">you</span></i><span class="c3"> will escape the judgment of God?</span></b> Paul is bearing down, letting his reader know that he is no exception to this principle. <span>Paul gets right to the heart of his readers. "Our exhortations should be as forked arrows to stick in men's hearts; and not wound only, as other arrows." (Trapp)</span></p>
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<p class="c5">ii. Lenski on the moralist: "Paul's object is far greater than merely to convict also them of unrighteousness. He robs them, absolutely must rob them, of their moralism and their moralizing because they regard this as the way of escape from God's wrath."</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Rom',2,'4-5');">4-5</a>) God's judgment against the moralist is announced.</p>
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<p class="c2"><span>Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,</span></p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering</span></b><span>: </span>Paul points out that the moralist himself is presuming upon the <b><span class="c3">goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering</span></b> of God, which all should have brought the moralist into a humble repentance instead of an attitude of superiority.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. <b><span class="c3">Goodness</span></b> may be considered God's kindness to us in regard to our <i>past</i> sin. He has been good to us because He has not judged us yet though we deserve it.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. <b><span class="c3">Forbearance</span></b> may be considered God's kindness to us in regard to our <i>present</i> sin. This very day - indeed, this very hour - we have fallen short of His glory, yet He holds back His judgment against us.</p>
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<p class="c5">iii. <b><span class="c3">Longsuffering</span></b> may be considered God's kindness to us in regard to our <i>future</i> sin. He knows that we will sin tomorrow and the next day, yet He holds back His judgment against us.</p>
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<p class="c5">iv. Considering all this, it is no surprise that Paul describes these three aspects of God's kindness to us as <b><span class="c3">riches</span></b>. The riches of God's mercy is measured by four considerations:</p><ul class="c6"><li>His <i>greatness</i> - to wrong a great man is a great wrong and God is greatest of all - yet He shows mercy</li><li>His <i>omniscience</i> - if someone knew <i>all</i> our sin, would they show mercy? Yet God shows mercy</li><li>His <i>power</i> - sometimes wrongs are not settled because they are out of our power, yet God is able to settle every wrong against Him - yet He is rich in mercy</li><li>The <i>object</i> of His mercy, mere man - would we show mercy to an ant? Yet God is rich in mercy</li></ul>
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<p class="c5">v. Knowing how great God's kindness is, it is a great sin to presume upon the graciousness of God, and we easily come to believe that we <i>deserve</i> it.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. Men often see the <b><span class="c3">forbearance and longsuffering</span></b> of God as a weakness in God; they say things like "If there is a God in heaven, let Him strike me dead!" When it doesn't happen, they will say, "See, I told you there was no God." Men misinterpret God's <b><span class="c3">forbearance and longsuffering</span></b> as His approval, and they refuse to repent.</p>
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<p class="c5"><span>i. "It seems to me that every morning when a man wakes up still impenitent, and finds himself out of hell, the sunlight seems to say, 'I shine on thee yet another day, as that in this day thou mayest repent.' When your bed receives you at night I think it seems to say, 'I will give you another night's rest, that you may live to turn from your sins and trust in Jesus.' Every mouthful of bread that comes to the table says, 'I have to support your body that still you may have space for repentance.' Every time you open the Bible the pages say, 'We speak with you that you may repent.' Every time you hear a sermon, if it be such a sermon as God would have us preach, it pleads with you to turn unto the Lord and live." (Spurgeon)</span></p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">Not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance</span></b>: Many people misunderstand the <b><span class="c3">goodness of God</span></b> towards the wicked. They don't understand the entire reason for it is to lead them <b><span class="c3">to repentance</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. Men should see the goodness of God and understand:</p><ul class="c6"><li>God has been better to them than they deserve</li><li>God has shown them kindness when they have ignored Him</li><li>God has shown them kindness when they have mocked Him</li><li>God is not a cruel master and they may safely surrender to Him</li><li>God is perfectly willing to forgive them</li><li>God should be served out of simple <i>gratitude</i></li></ul>
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<p class="c5">ii. Are you waiting for God to <i>drive</i> you to repentance? He doesn't work like that; God <b><span class="c3">leads you to repentance</span></b>. "<span>Notice, dear friends, that the Lord does not drive you to repentance. Cain was driven away, as a fugitive and a vagabond, when he had killed his righteous brother Abel; Judas went and hanged himself, being driven by an anguish of remorse because of what he had done in betraying his Lord; but the sweetest and best repentance is that which comes, not by driving, but by drawing: 'The goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.'" (Spurgeon)</span></p>
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<p class="c5">iii. "In the New Testament, repentance is not simply negative. It means turning to a new life in Christ, a life of active service to God. It should not be confused with remorse, which is a deep sorrow for sin but lacks the positive note in repentance." (Morris)</p>
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<p class="c4">d. <b><span class="c3">You are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God</span></b>: Because of this presumption on God's graciousness, Paul can rightly say that the moralist is <b><span class="c3">treasuring up...wrath in the day of wrath</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. The moralist thinks he is treasuring up merit with God as he condemns the "sinners" around him; actually, he only treasures up the <b><span class="c3">wrath</span></b> of God. "Just as men add to their treasure of wealth, so dost thou add to the treasures of punishment." (Poole)</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. As men treasure up the wrath of God against them, what holds back the flood of wrath? <i>God Himself!</i> He holds it back out of His <b><span class="c3">forbearance and longsuffering</span></b>! "The figure is that of a load that God bears, which men heap up more and more, making heavier and heavier. The wonder of it all is that God holds any of it up even for a day; yet he holds up all its weight and does not let it crash down on the sinner's head." (Lenski)</p>
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<p class="c4">e. <b><span class="c3">In the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God</span></b>: This explains part of the reason for God's ultimate judgment is also shown. In the first coming of Jesus, the loving character of God was revealed with greatest emphasis; at the second coming of Jesus, the righteous judgment of God will be revealed most clearly.</p>
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<p class="c1">3. (<a onclick="return mV('Rom',2,'6-10');">6-10</a>) God will judge the moralist because their works also fall short of God's perfect standard.</p>
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<p class="c2"><span>Who "will render to each one according to his deeds": eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness; indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek; but glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.</span></p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Will render to each one according to his deeds</span></b>: This is an awesome and fearful thought, and it condemns the moralist as well as the obvious sinner.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Eternal life to those</span></b>: If there was one who genuinely did good at all times, they could merit eternal life of their own accord - but there is none, because all, in some way or another are or have been or will be <b><span class="c3">self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">Indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil</span></b>: Because all fall short of this standard of God's constant goodness, God's <b><span class="c3">wrath</span></b> will come to all who do evil - without respect to whether they are Jew or Gentile.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. This judgment comes <b><span class="c3">to the Jew first</span></b>. If they are first in line for the gospel (<a onclick="return mV('Rom',1,16);">Rom 1:16</a>) and first in line for reward (<a onclick="return mV('Rom',2,10);">Rom 2:10</a>), then they are also first in line for judgment.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. The word <b><span class="c3">indignation</span></b> comes from the idea of "boiling up," thus having the meaning of a passionate outburst. The word <b><span class="c3">wrath</span></b> comes from the idea of a swelling which eventually bursts, and applies more to an anger that proceeds from one's settled nature.</p>
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<p>B. God's judgment upon the Jew.</p>
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<p class="c1">1. (<a onclick="return mV('Rom',2,'11-13');">11-13</a>) God's principle of impartiality.</p>
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<p class="c2"><span>For there is no partiality with God. For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law (for not the hearers of the law <i>are</i> just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified;</span></p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">For there is no partiality with God</span></b>: <b><span class="c3">Partiality</span></b> comes from two ancient Greek words put together - <i>to receive</i> and <i>face</i>. It means to judge things on the basis of externals or pre-conceived notions.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. Some ancient rabbis taught that God showed partiality towards the Jews. They said: "God will judge the Gentiles with one measure and the Jews with another."</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">For not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified</span></b><span>:</span> God's righteous judgment is not withheld because someone has <i>heard</i> the law; it is only held back if someone actually <i>does</i> the law.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. The Jew - or the religious person - may think that he is saved because he has the law; but has he kept it? The Gentile may think that he is saved because he does not have the law, but has he kept the dictates of his own conscience?</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. "People will be condemned, not because they have the law or do not have the law, but because they have sinned." (Morris)</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">As many as have sinned without law will also perish without law</span></b>: Judgment for sin can come with or without the law.</p>
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<p class="c1">2. (<a onclick="return mV('Rom',2,'14-16');">14-16</a>) Possession of the law is no advantage to the Jew in the Day of Judgment.</p>
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<p class="c2"><span>For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves <i>their</i> thoughts accusing or else excusing <i>them</i>) in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.</span></p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Although not having the law, are a law to themselves</span></b>: Paul explains why the Gentile can be condemned without the law. Their <b><span class="c3">conscience</span></b> (which is <b><span class="c3">the work of the law written in their hearts</span></b>) is enough to condemn - or, theoretically, enough to justify - them.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. <b><span class="c3">Written in their hearts</span></b>: Many pagan authors of Paul's day referred to the "unwritten law" within man. They thought of it as something that points us to the right way. Though it is not embodied in written laws, it is in many ways more important than written laws.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. <b><span class="c3">A law to themselves</span></b> does <i>not</i> mean that these "obedient Gentiles" made up their own law (as we use the expression "law unto himself"), but that they were obedient to <b><span class="c3">conscience</span></b>, the work of the law residing in themselves.</p>
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<p class="c5">iii. "He indeed shows that ignorance is in vain pretended as an excuse by the Gentiles, since they prove by their own deeds that they have some rule of righteousness." (Calvin)</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Their thoughts accusing or else excusing them</span></b>: In theory, a man might be justified ("excused") by obeying his conscience. Unfortunately, every man has violated his conscience (God's internal revelation to man), just as every man has violated God's written revelation.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. While Paul says in <a onclick="return mV('Rom',2,14);">Rom 2:14</a> that a Gentile, may, <b><span class="c3">by nature do the things contained in the law</span></b>; he is careful to not say that a Gentile could <i>fulfill the requirements</i> of the law by nature.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. Though God has His <i>work</i> within every man (resulting in conscience), man can corrupt that work, so that conscience varies from person to person, and our consciences can be damaged, and even restored in Christ.</p>
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<p class="c5">iii. If our conscience is condemning us wrongly, we can take comfort in the idea that <i>God is greater than our heart.</i> (<a onclick="return mV('1Jo',3,20);">1Jo 3:20</a>)</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">Their conscience also bearing witness</span></b>: People who have never heard God's word directly still have a moral compass that they are accountable to - the <b><span class="c3">conscience</span></b>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. "God is describing how He has constituted all men: there is a 'work' within them, making them morally conscious." (Newell)</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. "He is not saying that the law is written on their hearts, as people often say, but that the <i>work of the law</i>, what the law requires of people, is written there." (Morris)</p>
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<p class="c4">d. On the <b><span class="c3">day when God will judge the secrets of men</span></b>, no man can find refuge from God's judgment by claiming ignorance of His written revelation; violation of God's internal revelation is enough to condemn us all.</p>
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<p class="c5"><span>i. "God therefore will judge all nations according to the use and abuse they have made of this word, whether it was written in the <i>heart</i></span>, or written on tables of <i>stone</i>." (Clarke)</p>
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<p class="c4">e. <b><span class="c3">According to my gospel</span></b>: Notice that the <b><span class="c3">day</span></b> of judgment was a part of Paul's <b><span class="c3">gospel</span></b>. He did not shrink from declaring man's absolute accountability to God.</p>
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<p class="c5"><span>i. "'My gospel.' Does not this show his courage? As much as to say, 'I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God onto salvation to every one that believeth.' He says, 'my gospel,' as a soldier speaks of 'my colors,' or of 'my king.' He resolves to bear this banner to victory, and to serve this royal truth even to the death." (Spurgeon)</span></p>
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<p class="c4">f. The idea that <b><span class="c3">God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ</span></b> is distinctively Christian. The Jews taught that God the Father alone would judge the world, committing judgment to no one - not even the Messiah.</p>
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<p class="c1">3. (<a onclick="return mV('Rom',2,'17-20');">17-20</a>) The boast of the Jew.</p>
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<p class="c2"><span>Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God, and know <i>His</i> will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law.</span></p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law</span></b>: Every "boast" of the Jew in this passage concerns the possession of law. The Jewish people of Paul's day were extremely proud and confident in the fact that God gave His holy law to <i>them</i> as a nation. They believed this confirmed their status as a specially chosen people, and thus insured their salvation.</p>
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<p class="c4">b. Although the Jew should gratefully receive the law as a gift from God, Paul will show how mere <i>possession</i> of the law justifies no one.</p>
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<p class="c1">4. (<a onclick="return mV('Rom',2,'21-24');">21-24</a>) The indictment of the Jew.</p>
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<p class="c2"><span>You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? You who say, "Do not commit adultery," do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law? For "the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you," as it is written.</span></p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself?</span></b> It comes down to this principle: "You have the law, do you keep it? You can see how others break the law, do you see how you break it also?"</p>
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<p class="c5">i. Remember that much of rabbinical Judaism of Paul's day interpreted the law so that they thought they were completely justified by the law. Jesus exposed the error of such interpretations. (<a onclick="return mV('Mat',5,'19-48');">Mat 5:19-48</a>)</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. God applies His law to both our <i>actions</i> and our <i>attitudes</i>. Sometimes we only want our attitudes evaluated, and sometimes only our actions. God will hold us accountable for both motives and actions.</p>
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<p class="c5">iii. <span>"Hypocrites can talk of religion, as if their tongues did run upon patterns, they are fair professors, but foul sinners; as was that carnal cardinal Cremensis, the pope's legate, sent hither, <span class="c6">a.d.</span> 1114, to interdict priests' marriages, and being taken in the act with a common strumpet, he excused it by saying he was no priest himself, but a corrector of them." (Trapp)</span></p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">You who abhor idols, do you rob temples</span></b>: Morris on the idea of robbing temples: "Clearly some people held that a Jew might well make profits from dishonest practices connected with idolatry, and Paul may well have had this in mind."</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you</span></b>: Paul reminds the Jew that God has said in the Old Testament that the failure of the Jew to obey the law has caused the Gentile to blaspheme God.</p>
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<p class="c1">5. (<a onclick="return mV('Rom',2,'25-29');">25-29</a>) The irrelevance of circumcision.</p>
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<p class="c2"><span>For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, <i>even</i> with <i>your</i> written <i>code</i> and circumcision, <i>are</i> a transgressor of the law? For he is not a Jew who <i>is one</i> outwardly, nor <i>is</i> circumcision that which <i>is</i> outward in the flesh; but <i>he is</i> a Jew who <i>is one</i> inwardly; and circumcision <i>is that</i> of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise <i>is</i> not from men but from God.</span></p>
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<p class="c4">a. <b><span class="c3">For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law</span></b><span>: </span>Paul recognizes that a Jew may protest, and say that his salvation is based on the fact that he is a descendant of Abraham, proven by <b><span class="c3">circumcision</span></b>. Paul rightly answers that this is irrelevant in regard to justification.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. The Jew believed that his <b><span class="c3">circumcision</span></b> guaranteed his salvation. He might be <i>punished</i> in the world to come, but could never be <i>lost</i>.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. In Paul's day, some Rabbis taught that Abraham sat at the entrance of Hell and made certain that none of his circumcised descendants went there. Some Rabbis also taught "God will judge the Gentiles with one measure and the Jews with another" and "All Israelites will have part in the world to come."</p>
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<p class="c5">iii. <b><span class="c3">Circumcision</span></b> (or baptism - or any ritual in itself) doesn't save anyone. In the ancient world, Egyptians also circumcised their boys but it did not make them followers of the true God. Even in Abraham's day, Ishmael, the son of the flesh, was circumcised, but it did not make him a son of the covenant.</p>
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<p class="c5">iv. <b><span class="c3">Circumcision</span></b> and baptism do about the same thing that a label on a can does. If the outer label doesn't match with what is on the inside, something is wrong! If there are carrots inside the can, you can put a label says "Peas" but it doesn't change what is inside the can. Being born again changes what is inside the can, and then you can put the appropriate label on the outside.</p>
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<p class="c5">v. Of course, this is not a new thought. The Law of Moses itself teaches this principle: <i>Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer.</i> (<a onclick="return mV('Deu',10,16);">Deu 10:16</a>)</p>
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<p class="c4">b. <b><span class="c3">Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law</span></b><span>: </span>If a Gentile were to keep the <b><span class="c3">righteous requirement of the law </span></b>(through his conscience, as <a onclick="return mV('Rom',2,15);">Rom 2:15</a> shows) within his heart, would he not be justified, instead of the circumcised Jew who did not keep the law? The point is emphasized: <i>having</i> the law or <i>having</i> a ceremony isn't enough. God requires <i>righteousness</i>.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. Morris quoting Manson: "If they are loyal to the good they know, they will be acceptable to God; but it is a very big 'if'."</p>
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<p class="c4">c. <b><span class="c3">And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law?</span></b> This is God's answer to the one who says, "What about the Pygmy in Africa who has never heard the gospel?" God will judge that Pygmy by what he has heard, and how he has lived by it. Of course, this means that the Pygmy will be <i>guilty</i> before God, because no one has perfectly lived by their conscience, or perfectly responded to what we can know of God through creation.</p>
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<p class="c5">i. The problem of the "innocent native" is that we can't find an <i>innocent</i> native anywhere.</p>
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<p class="c5">ii. "What about the Pygmy in Africa who hasn't heard the gospel?" is a good question, but there are two far more important questions:</p><ul class="c6"><li>What about you who hear the gospel, but reject it? What excuse is there for you?</li><li>What about you, who are commanded to take the gospel to that Pygmy in Africa (<a onclick="return mV('Mat',28,19);">Mat 28:19</a>), but refuse to do it?</li></ul>
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<p class="c4">d. <b><span class="c3">Whose praise is not from men but from God</span></b><span>: All the outward signs of religion may earn us praise <b><span class="c3">from men</span></b></span>, but they will not earn us praise <b><span class="c3">from God</span></b>. The evidence of our rightness with God is not contained in outward signs or works, and it is not assured because of our parentage; the evidence is found in the work of God in our hearts, which shows itself in fruit.</p>
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<p class="c4">e. William Newell summarizes <a onclick="return mV('Rom',2,'all');">Rom 2</a> with "Seven Great Principles of God's Judgment" that are worth noting:</p><ul class="c6"><li>God's judgment is <b><span class="c3">according to truth</span></b> (<a onclick="return mV('Rom',2,2);">Rom 2:2</a>)</li><li>God's judgment is according to accumulated guilt (<a onclick="return mV('Rom',2,5);">Rom 2:5</a>)</li><li>God's judgment is according to works (<a onclick="return mV('Rom',2,6);">Rom 2:6</a>)</li><li>God's judgment is without partiality (<a onclick="return mV('Rom',2,11);">Rom 2:11</a>)</li><li>God's judgment is according to performance, not knowledge (<a onclick="return mV('Rom',2,13);">Rom 2:13</a>)</li><li>God's judgment reaches the secrets of the heart (<a onclick="return mV('Rom',2,16);">Rom 2:16</a>)</li><li>God's judgment is according to reality, not religious profession (<a onclick="return mV('Rom',2,'17-29');">Rom 2:17-29</a>)</li></ul>
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