Romans 2 Enduring Word (2024)

FAQs

What is the main message of Romans 2? ›

Nobody will escape God's judgment for personal sin, including religious Jews and Gentiles. God will absolutely judge each person according to what he or she has done. If someone has lived sinlessly, doing only good, he will receive rewards and eternal life. If not, he deserves wrath and fury.

1You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. 2Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth.

Romans 2:12–29 describes two groups of people, with an emphasis on how their sin relates to their knowledge of God's written Law for the nation of Israel. Here, ''Gentiles'' are those who sin apart from the law, while ''Jews'' are those who sin under the law.

God is completely fair and impartial with humanity. He will judge each person according to that person's own works, not the works of family, or their community, or their nation. If a person were able to lead a life full of ongoing unselfish good works, God would reward that person with glory and honor and peace.

The global message of Romans is that all people everywhere have free access to the riches of God's grace in Christ as they respond in faith to the gospel. In his own Son, God has made a way for lost people to be restored to him—lost people whether they are Greeks or barbarians, wise or foolish (Rom. 1:14).

The book of Romans provides us with a concise summary of the Gospel. In its initial chapters, Paul focuses on doctrine, that is, on the pillars of truth that we know about ourselves and about God. The last five chapters focus more on advice and encouragement for how to live out of this knowledge.

Paul wrote his epistle to the Romans from Corinth near the end of his third missionary journey. Several clues suggest that Paul wrote this epistle during the three months he stayed in Corinth (see Acts 20:2–3; the term Greece in these verses refers to Corinth), possibly between A.D. 55 and 56.

Romans 2:6 In-Context

6 God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.

Paul is addressing Jewish people in this section, especially those who believed that being under the law of Moses, given to them by God, meant that they would not be judged by God for their personal sinfulness.

CSB A man who is physically uncircumcised, but who keeps the law, will judge you who are a lawbreaker in spite of having the letter of the law and circumcision. NLT In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep God's law will condemn you Jews who are circumcised and possess God's law but don't obey it.

What does Romans 2, 28, and 29 mean? ›

Just because someone appears to be following God outwardly, through physical circumcision and other outward actions, that does not mean that he or she is following God and pursuing righteous living. True righteousness occurs from the inside out.

Romans 2:4 Praises God for His Kindness

The riches of His kindness toward us are intended to lead us to run from sin. The answer Romans Two, Four gives is because God is kind, because his kindness is rich, because he's patience. His kindness leads you toward repentance.

Sinners without the law of Moses to follow—the Gentiles—will die and be judged by God without the law, because their sin is still sin. Sinners under the law—Jewish people who adhere to the rituals and sacraments of the law of Moses—will be judged by God according the law of Moses when they die.

Nobody will escape God's judgment for personal sin, including religious Jews and Gentiles. God will absolutely judge each person according to what he or she has done. If someone has lived sinlessly, doing only good, he will receive rewards and eternal life. If not, he deserves wrath and fury.

Romans 2:3-4 meaning

Paul is reminding the audience that God's judgment cannot be avoided, both for the good and the bad things we do. When we pass judgment on others for things we are also guilty of, we are incurring God's judgment on that action.

Plumbing and sanitation

Keeping towns and forts clean through drainage and access to fresh water was a new concept to Britain that arrived with the Romans. At the root of sanitation was the great engineering works of the Romans, with aqueducts bringing water in and drains to keep the streets and houses clean.

The theme of Romans is the revelation of God's judging and saving righteousness in the gospel of Jesus Christ. In the cross of Christ, God judges sin and yet at the same time manifests his saving mercy. All people are sinners, therefore all, without exception, need to be saved from their sin.

This is my covenant which you shall keep between me and you and thy seed after you — every male child among you shall be circumcised. ' The biblical explanation for this commandment states quite clearly that the circumcision acts as an outward physical sign of the eternal covenant between God and the Jewish people.