1 Romans Paul’s Exposition of “Salvation by Grace Through Faith” Lesson 4a II. God’s Righteousness: Needed by All Romans 1:18 - 3:20 Page 20

2 From our last lesson, we studied God’s righteousness is needed by all 2.Gentiles were guilty of sin because of disobedience 3.God gave them up to vile passions of the flesh Now, we will study the state of the Jews at the time Paul wrote this letter to the Romans....

3 B. Jews Also Guilty of Sin for the Same Reason as Gentiles Romans 2: God judges all who commit sin (1-3) a.Whoever judges unjustly, Jew or Gentile, condemns himself and receives the judgment of God (1-3) They were guilty of hypocritical judgment They were inexcusable b.The judgment of God is according to truth (2) c.Paul is addressing those who practice such things (the Gentiles), and those doing the same (the unbelieving Jews)

4 B. Jews Also Guilty of Sin for the Same Reason as Gentiles Romans 2: Jews had despised God’s blessings (4-6) a.God’s goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering was providing the opportunity of repentance and obedience (4) b.Yet, they showed hardness of heart and impenitence which was storing up God’s wrath (punishment) in the day of His judgment (5) c.God “will render to each one according to his deeds” (6)

5 B. Jews Also Guilty of Sin for the Same Reason as Gentiles Romans 2: God discriminates only between the obedient and the disobedient (7-11) a.Indignation, wrath, tribulation, and anguish to those who do evil (8, 9) b.Glory, honor, and peace to those with good works (10) c.To the Jew first and also to the Gentiles (9,10) d.“For there is no partiality with God” (11)

6 C. The Law Is Not a Shield From God’s Wrath on Sinners Romans 2: All doers of law are justified by their doing (12-16) a.Gentiles without a written law would perish if guilty of sin (12) b.Jews who sinned with a written law would be judged by the law (12) c.Sinners who sin under any law will be lost (12) d.Sinners answerable to any law will be judged by the gospel (16)

7 End of Lesson 4a

8 Romans Paul’s Exposition of “Salvation by Grace Through Faith” Lesson 4b II. God’s Righteousness: Needed by All Romans 1:18 - 3:20 Page 24

9 C. The Law Is Not a Shield From God’s Wrath on Sinners Romans 2: Jews were self-condemned as teachers of the law (17-24) a.The Jews felt superior of their standing with God, but failed to practice their own teaching (17, 18) b.They considered themselves guides to the blind (Gentiles), a light to the Gentiles who were in darkness, instructed the foolish (Gentiles) and taught the babes (Gentiles), but were not (19,20) c.They sought to teach others but failed to teach themselves by breaking the law (21)

10 C. The Law Is Not a Shield From God’s Wrath on Sinners Romans 2: Jews were self-condemned as teachers of the law (17-24) (continued) d.Their disobedience and insincerity showed their self-righteous attitude toward the Gentiles (23) e.“The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles...” (24)  A very serious charge

11 C. The Law Is Not a Shield From God’s Wrath on Sinners Romans 2: God rewards those who are circumcised in their hearts (25-29) a.Circumcision was in itself only a sign that the Jews were God’s chosen people b.If the circumcised Jew failed to keep the law, his circumcision became as uncircumcised (25) c.If the uncircumcised Gentile kept the requirements of law (was righteous), God would regard him “as though” he was circumcised (26)

12 C. The Law Is Not a Shield From God’s Wrath on Sinners Romans 2: God rewards those who are circumcised in their hearts (25-29) (continued) d.The righteous Gentile, without a written code and circumcision, in effect judges the Jews who were disobedience to the law e.God is not concerned that a man may be a Jew or a Gentile. He doesn’t care about circumcision for its own sake. What matters is the effort people make in doing their best to be faithful to their spiritual obligations.

13 Concluding Observations: 1.Romans chapter one convicts the Gentiles of deplorable behavior that makes salvation impossible apart from the grace and mercy of God revealed in the gospel. 2.Gentiles had not taken advantage of strictly observing their moral law by which God would have been willing to judge them. They had violated that law, and justification under its terms was out of the question.

14 Concluding Observations: 3.Jews had made the same mistake as the Gentiles about keeping the law by which God would pass judgment on them. They had a written code of conduct, but they had spurned the opportunity to allow that code to guide them into righteousness. 4.Consequently, both Jews and Gentiles stood condemned before God for breaking their respective laws. Neither law offered any forgiveness for offenses committed against it.

15 Concluding Observations: 5.Mankind [Jews and Gentiles] had only one hope -- embracing the Sonship and the salvation of Jesus Christ, which Paul, led by the Holy Spirit, was ready to preach at Rome without shame to all who would listen.

16 End of Lesson 4b