Romans 2:1-16 Doing, not merely hearing, the law is what matters in God’s sight

If you were unable to join us for our continued study of St. Paul’s letter to the church in Rome, attached is the fifth week’s lesson. We considered how no one is excluded from God’s judgment. He will judge all people on the Last Day. Those who have rejected him will be punished.

Romans 2:1 Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. ^2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. ^3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? ^4 Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God’s kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? ^5 But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed.

^6 He will render to each one according to his works: ^7 to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; ^8 but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. ^9 There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, ^10 but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. ^11 For God shows no partiality.

God’s Judgment and the Law

^12 For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. ^13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. ^14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. ^15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them ^16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.