Spoken at SGBC

6-1-97

Romans #11

2:5-11

Eternal Life or Wrath and Indignation

In previous lessons on the book of Romans we have discovered, among many other things, Paul's theme. That theme is "Justification by faith." The first revealing verses are Romans 1:16-17 NASB. "For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. {17} For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "BUT THE RIGHTEOUS MAN SHALL LIVE BY FAITH."

Justification by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ is what Paul intends to teach the readers of this letter. However before he gets to the heart of the matter some ground work must be laid. Paul's day was not unlike ours in that all religions with the exception of Christianity were performance based. Which is to say they taught that one would be accepted or rejected by God on the basis of performance or works. The Jews were Paul's central concern. Paul was a Jew by nationality and had for years practiced the religion of works known as Judaism. Now he is a Christian. But he has not forgotten his countrymen. He is a lover of his nation and works at exposing the error he once believed and taught himself. He is on his way to explaining the good news of salvation by faith. For many the things Paul will teach are already understood but for many other they are not.

Paul begins his reminder of some and the education of the rest in the second half of chapter one. He begins by establishing the sinfulness and guilt of all humans. First he shows how the Gentile world has reacted to God's external and internal revelation of Himself. The bottom line is this, they rejected God making gods of their own out of wood and stone. They suppressed God's truth to pursue unrighteousness. These externally wicked people are, says Paul, without excuse and the wrath of God rests upon them daily.

In chapter two Paul turns his attentions toward those who would look down their noses at the people described in chapter one. Specifically, he speaks of the Jews. These were a religious people, moral in behavior and good citizens of the land. The Jews believed they would escape the judgement because they were keepers of the law of God. Paul teaches them and us that such thinking is self deception. He points out that an evil heart beats within the chests of even the moral and well behaved among men. Internally, says Paul, the Jews and all other humans are as guilty as those described in chapter one. So, the outwardly wicked and the outwardly good will both stand condemned in the judgement if they remain outside of faith in Jesus Christ. For not only do some men have a bad outward record all men have a bad sinful heart.

(Romans 2:1-3 NASB) Therefore you are without excuse, every man of you who passes judgment, for in that you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things. {2} And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things. {3} And do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment upon those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? The man who thinks so is in for a terrible surprise.

In verses four and five of chapter two Paul continues to address the subject fo corporate guilt and judgement.

(Romans 2:4-5 NASB) Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? {5} But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are STORING UP WRATH FOR YOURSELF IN THE DAY OF WRATH and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,"

Just as God's wrath will be expressed against the openly wicked so it will fall upon the reasonably moral because they have refused to acknowledge and repent of their sin. God has been patient, good, and longsuffering toward all men. The text reveals that this is God's quiet call to repentance and faith. It is the Divine One exercising patience with unbelievers giving them all the time necessary to turn from their sin. Most, however, refuse to do so remaining stubborn and hardhearted rebels against the God who made and owns them.

Verse five reveals a solemn truth. Each day men continue to sin against the goodness and patience of God they are adding to an ANGRY BANK ACCOUNT. It is an account filled and continuing to fill with God's wrath. On the day of judgement God's dam of His patience will break and His wrath will burst forth upon all the faithless. This bursting forth of Divine justice will have no measure and no end. This brings us to our text for today.

(Romans 2:5-11 NASB) "But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, {6} who WILL RENDER TO EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: {7} to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; {8} but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. {9} There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first (Because God's truth was first delivered to the Jew.)and also of the Greek, (The rest of Humanity.) {10} but glory and honor and peace to every man who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. {11} For there is no partiality with God." (There is no nationality, social or sexual distinction when it comes to issues of salvation and judgement.)

God will render to every man according to his deeds. Those whose deeds are good will be rewarded with honor, immortality and eternal life. Those whose deeds are evil will be rewarded with God's wrath and indignation. God will repay every man according to the deeds he has done.

This sounds pretty simple and straight forward. However, there is some explanation necessary. I say that because Paul's whole purpose in writing Romans is to establish that, "The just shall live by faith." That is faith in Jesus Christ as opposed to the works or deeds of one's hands. So what is it? Is one saved by HIS works or by faith in the works and righteousness of Jesus? Is Paul confused? Is he speaking out of both sides of his mouth? The answer no. Paul is not confused and he is not engaged in double talk. The fact that one will be judged according to his works does not contradict the truth that men are saved by faith and not by works. Paul's statements are in perfect harmony with the rest of scripture. Let me give you just a few examples.

(Ecclesiastes 11:9 NASB) Rejoice, young man, during your childhood, and let your heart be pleasant during the days of young manhood. And follow the impulses of your heart and the desires of your eyes. YET KNOW THAT GOD WILL BRING YOU TO JUDGMENT FOR ALL THESE THINGS.

(Ecclesiastes 12:14 NASB) For GOD WILL BRING EVERY ACT TO JUDGMENT, everything which is hidden, whether it is good or evil.

(John 5:28-29 NASB) "Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which ALL who are in the tombs shall hear His voice, {29} and shall come forth; those who did the GOOD DEEDS to a resurrection of life, those who committed the EVIL DEEDS to a resurrection of judgment.

(Revelation 20:12-13 NASB) And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, ACCORDING TO THEIR DEEDS. {13} And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, EVERY ONE OF THEM ACCORDING TO THEIR DEEDS.

These are just a few of the many texts which support Paul's teaching in Romans that men will be declared acceptable or unacceptable to God in reference to their deeds. The good doers will receive eternal life. The evil doers will receive wrath and indignation.

But how do you reconcile this with what Paul is teaching in the book of Romans? He is in the process of proving that there are no truly good people in existence. He is insisting that all men are all guilty of sin, all are performers of evil deeds, all are without excuse and none will escape the judgement of God.

Remember with me the words of Isaiah 64:6 NASB. "For all of us have become like one who is unclean, And ALL OUR RIGHTEOUS DEEDS ARE LIKE A FILTHY GARMENT; And all of us wither like a leaf, And our iniquities, like the wind, take us away."

Here Isaiah tells us that the best of mens deeds are of no more value than soiled, useless, rags. In other words the best of our deeds are not truly good deeds for our sinfulness has taken us away from true goodness. Any potentially good deed we might do is ruined by the sin nature which motivates us. Why is it ruined? Here is the answer. Before a person is born again and believes in Jesus he does what he does for himself not for the Glory of God. Further before salvation a person lives his life without FAITH in God through Christ. Therefore, he sins with his every act and word. Consider Romans 14:23 NASB. But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because his eating is not from faith; and WHATEVER IS NOT FROM FAITH IS SIN.

(Hebrews 11:6 NASB) And WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE HIM, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him.

No faith in Jesus for salvation equals a life of sin no matter how humanly good and moral you may be. FOR WHATEVER IS NOT FROM FAITH IS SIN. Let's look at a description of men before they come to faith in Jesus.

(Romans 3:10-12 NASB) as it is written, "THERE IS NONE RIGHTEOUS, NOT EVEN ONE; {11} THERE IS NONE WHO UNDERSTANDS, THERE IS NONE WHO SEEKS FOR GOD; {12} ALL HAVE TURNED ASIDE, TOGETHER THEY HAVE BECOME USELESS; THERE IS NONE WHO DOES GOOD, THERE IS NOT EVEN ONE." In other words, Ladies and Gentlemen, there is not now nor has there ever been one human that has ever done anything to please God or to earn His favor. Not one Person! For fallen men have no faith in Him and without faith it is impossible to please Him.

From these texts we must conclude that a man born only once has no good deeds to be judged by and therefore cannot be the person described in verse seven of our text where it is said that God. ". . . WILL RENDER TO EVERY MAN ACCORDING TO HIS DEEDS: {7} to those who by perseverance in DOING GOOD (good by God's standard) seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life;" This cannot be an unsaved man for the Bible says of them that, "There is none who does good not even one and that there are none who seek God!" The person who does good, seeks for glory, honor and eternal life, must be a Christian. For a non Christian can't do anything that pleases His God and indeed will not seek God the way He must be sought. The man in verse seven is a Christian. The rest of humanity is found in verse eight. They have no personal goodness and can do nothing good in God's eyes. Therefore, they deserve and will receive God's wrath and indignation.

Think about it for a moment. You are about to be judged according to your works. You must come before God with good and holy works but the Bible says you have none to offer. The Bible says there are none who do good not even one. What will you do?

The first thing I pray you will do is to add your amen to what the Bible says is true about you. By God's grace I pray that you will at last see who you really are. That you will finally agree with the Bible that you are a sinner, evil and helpless to do anything about it. I pray that by the grace of God you will see His wrath about to pour forth upon you. I pray that by the power of God the Holy Spirit you will be made truly sorry for having offended the God who made you. Finally I pray that God in mercy will reveal to you the Savior of the ungodly. Jesus Christ the Lord.

My dear Brothers and Sisters, friends and guests, there is no better news than this. "At the right time Christ died for the ungodly." His death was a demonstration of God's love for his elect even while we were yet sinners, practicing our evil art. Christ died for sinners such as you and I are. He died so that all who believe would have eternal life by faith in Him. Therefore I will continue to pray that God will give you the gifts of faith and repentance toward Jesus. When He does you will turn from your sin and from any trust in works to rest solely in Christ for the salvation of your soul. When you have trusted in Christ's perfect life and death, His goodness will become your goodness. His rightness before God will become your rightness before God. You will at last be acceptable to God for Christ's sake in spite of your sin. The just before God are so because they believe or trust in Jesus for salvation.

(John 6:28-29 NASB) They said therefore to Him, "What shall we do, that we may work the works of God?" {29} Jesus answered and said to them, "This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent."

The person who has faith in Jesus for salvation is a Christian. He has been justified. He has been declared holy and acceptable in the eyes of God because of the good and perfect person that Jesus is and the good and perfect things He did on our behalf.

But that is not all. In addition to being declared righteous by faith in Christ the Holy Spirit also imparts both the desire and the ability to perform real honest to goodness good deeds. The Christian and only the Christian has the desire, the motivation, and the ability to do things that are truly good and acceptable to God! It is not that everything he does is perfect. Rather everything he does comes from faith in Christ and is intended to Glorify God. Therefore, his good deeds, though weak and flawed, are sanctified because of faith in Jesus. The ordinary deeds of day to day life are made holy and pleasing to God. By faith, acts of love and kindness, the mundane routine of gainful employment, vacuuming a floor and changing a diaper become acceptable acts of worship. For the Christian lives and works and plays by faith in Jesus blood and righteousness. Therefore when the Christian is judged according to his good deeds it is the goodness of Christ that is on trial that is why he will be rewarded with an entrance into God's heaven. Only the Christian possesses real goodness, Christ's goodness. Only the Christian seeks the glory of God. Only the Christian will have eternal life.

Let us look at the awful contrast once again by reading verses nine and ten. "There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, {10} but glory and honor and peace to every man who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."

What greater treasures could be sought than these. Glory, honor, peace, eternal life? What more terrible end could come to a man than to experience forever the wrath and indignation of God?

Finally for this morning take note of this very important truth. Good deeds do not make a sinner a Christian. For there is none that does good no not one. On the contrary the good deeds that come from a believer come AFTER God has saved him.

Good deeds follow salvation. Good deeds are like the cry of a new born child. The cry proves life it is not its cause. Good deeds are the fruit of salvation NOT it's cause. These good deeds will continue to flow and increase for the life of the Christian. This is the man who will be rewarded with eternal life when his works are examined. For his works will bear witness that he is a believer in Jesus the Savior of all who come to Him by faith.

The evil ones in verse eight are the unbelievers, all unbelievers. They are selfishly ambitious and do not submit to God's truth, indeed they cannot. For they are yet dead in their sins and slaves of the evil one himself. The best of their deeds are filthy in God's sight. They will not be accepted into His heaven but will instead receive God's wrath and indignation forever.

Paul is correct when he says men will be judged according to their deeds. He is correct when he says that only the truly good will have eternal life. He is correct again as he teaches throughout this epistle that real goodness is only obtainable through faith in the crucified and risen Savior. This man, the God Man, shed His soul cleansing blood on behalf of all those given Him by the Father for salvation.

This is the good new I share with you today. God treats believing sinners as though they had personally obeyed and suffered all that Jesus obeyed and suffered, because they are united to Him and His work by faith. God dealt with Jesus on account of what we deserved, which was death. He deals with us on account of what Christ deserved, which is complete acceptance and eternal life with God in heaven. The just shall live by faith in Jesus Christ the Lord. For there is no other name under heaven by which men must be saved. That name is and forever shall be Jesus Christ the Lord.