Romans 2

[image by Lawrence OP]

God will put everyone on trial

So you have no excuse if you put someone else on trial—you’re actually prosecuting yourself since you engage in the exact same behaviors. And when God prosecutes someone, we know He always sentences them correctly. Oh, humanity, do you really think you can get away with prosecuting others without having God prosecute you for doing the exact same things? Or are you intentionally taking advantage of God’s abundant kindness, patience, and the way He delays punishment? Don’t you realize that God’s kindness is what leads you to repentance? Your stubborn and unapologetic hearts are accumulating anger for yourselves on the day when God finally reveals his accurate verdicts.

Our actions have consequences

God will repay each person for everything they’ve done:

• If you don’t give up on doing good, and you pursue honor, want a good reputation, and resist corruption, then you’ll be compensated with unending life. 

• But if you do have selfish ambitions, defy the truth, and let corruption persuade you, then you’ll be compensated with anger and rage. 

Everyone who does EVIL will experience affliction and claustrophobia—especially for the Israelites but also for the Non-Israelites. But everyone who does GOOD will be highly regarded and experience peace—especially for the Israelites but also for the Non-Israelites. God is unbiased. 

The law applies to everyone

If people defy God even if they don’t know the law, then they’ll still die (just without being aware of the law). But if people know the law and STILL defy God, then they’ll be put on trial under the law. If you want God to view you as upright, you don’t need to HEAR the law—you need to APPLY it. Sometimes non-Israelites instinctively follow the law even though they’ve never heard of it—and when they do that, they actually become the law to themselves in the sense that they are carrying out the law’s job. The law is written on their hearts, and their consciences will serve as the witnesses in their trial while their own thoughts will alternately prosecute them and defend them on the day when God judges everyone’s secrets through the Chosen One Jesus. 

Promoting the law without following it damages God’s reputation

Would you say that you can be described as someone who:

• is an Israelite

• relies on the law

• takes pride in God

• knows what God wants

• lets the law teach you to accept the things that are truly valuable

• sees yourself as a guide to the blind and a light to those in darkness

• instructs the senseless

• teaches children

•  views the law as an outline of knowledge and truth

If you meet all those criteria and teach others, then why don’t you teach yourself? You proclaim that people shouldn’t steal, but do you yourselves ever steal? You say that people shouldn’t cheat on their spouses, but do you yourselves cheat on your spouses? You detest knock-off gods, but do you rob the church? You take pride in the law, but do you insult God by breaking the law? Just like it’s written,

“God’s cause is belittled among the non-Israelites because of you”

—Isaiah 52:5.

God’s people are distinguished by the Spirit—not their heritage

Sure, the Israelite sign of circumcision is beneficial if you practice the law, but if you defy the law then your circumcision might as well be a foreskin. If someone with a foreskin keeps the law, then shouldn’t his foreskin be accounted as circumcision? If someone with a physical foreskin follows the ordinances to completion, then wouldn’t he bring you to court for defying the law even though you have a copy of the law and have been circumcised? The person who is called an “Israelite” actually isn’t one, because circumcision isn’t a condition that can be physically seen. The thing that defines someone as a real Israelite is his internal circumcision of the heart which is shown through the Spirit rather than written documents. Even if most people don’t celebrate that kind of person, God does.