THE BOOK OF ROMANS CHAPTER 2:1 - 3:20 THE DISCOVERY OF SIN AND GOD’S WRATH

Mike Balloun teaches today. 08/29/20.

ROMANS CHAPTER 2:1 - 3:20
THE DISCOVERY OF SIN AND GOD’S WRATH

VERSES: Jeremiah 17:10; Revelation 2:23, 20:13; James 1:21-25; 2nd Corinthians 5:10

STUDY NOTES: https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ogo2twoh1h9diyq/AADcpHLvfwVRtzsbABknBquFa?dl=0

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God told Jeremiah to go down to the potter's house. (Read Jeremiah 18:2-12). There he observed a potter who was forming a lump of clay into a beautiful vessel. But the clay would not cooperate with the Potter, who at last determined that it must be formed into a lesser and more crude vessel. At that, the Lord God posed the question to Jeremiah, ‘Who determined what manner of vessel the lump of clay should be?’ The answer is that the clay determined its final value and use, as the clay said, “…we will walk after our own devices, and we will every one do the imagination of his evil heart.” [Jeremiah 18:12] This answers to Matthew 21:43 and Acts 13:46; 28:25-28. And answers to Paul’s statements to Jews in Romans Chapters 2 & 3.

This analogy in the Book of Jeremiah answers as well to the Gentiles’ response to God in Romans chapter one… “Because when they knew God (in that God revealed Himself, though in lesser light, to them in Nature and conscience), they glorified him not as God, either were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” [Romans 1:21] In the last of Romans 1:18-32, the giving up the Gentiles in body and soul to immorality was discovered in their persistence in idolatry. Their sin, Paul declares to be open and blatant. Now Paul turns to the Jews in the 2nd Chapter of Romans, continuing in the bad news of the Gospel; the Righteousness of God being the Wrath and Judgment of God which rests on all men; (when apart from and/or without Christ) for that which is born of the flesh is flesh. And now he will disclose the form of their (the Jews’) sin. He will contrast the sin of idolatry responsible for the immorality of the Gentiles that manifest in open and blatant licentiousness, with Israel’s sin of idolatry, which manifests in secretive and religious hypocrisy. The intent is to put these Roman Believers both on the same ground…sinners subject to God’s Wrath.

Romans Chapter 2…
[Romans 2:1-6] “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”

Verses 1-3 are a continuation of the statement of Romans 1:32… “Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.” Therefore any man (with a view here to the Jews who assert their godliness) will be judged for whatever he has considered wrong in others but yet does himself. You can count on this that no matter who you are, Jew or Gentile. God’s Wrath is on those who do such things (that is referring to the list of the previous chapter in Romans 1:24-31).

Verses 4-6 talk about the Jews not understanding or being unaware of the purposeful forbearance of God “…not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance.” Without this ‘knowing’ there is no correct perception of anything at all. Under the cloud of His wrath, works the undercurrent of the Spirit in goodness with a view to a man’s repentance.
The Jews are held to a higher standard here when compared to the ignorance of the Gentiles who had/have not the Law or Covenant understanding. The Jews had more light, and instead of being compassionate on those who were in the darkness, they became critical and proud. Here is the birth of the ‘religious’ life, and fanciful, romantic, self-deceit. Imagining that they stand on better and higher ground with God, in that they are the circumcised seed of Abraham, in this they took pride and with it a false sense of security in the Covenants and law. And although they knew His condemnation against idolatry and immorality, they soon presumed that their position and religious works kept them in good stead with God; as God’s proprietors. Persisting in sin, they became hard and impenitent in heart (without shame or regret) as they mistook God’s goodness and forbearance from immediate Judgment for His.....

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