GOD'S JUSTICE

Passage: Romans 2:6-16

Key verse: 7,8

NIV

6 God “will repay each person according to what they have done.”[a](A) 7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor(B) and immortality,(C) he will give eternal life.(D) 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil,(E) there will be wrath and anger.(F) 9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil:(G) first for the Jew, then for the Gentile;(H) 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.(I) 11 For God does not show favoritism.(J)

12 All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law(K) will be judged by the law. 13 For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey(L) the law who will be declared righteous. 14 (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law,(M) they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) 16 This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets(N) through Jesus Christ,(O) as my gospel(P) declares.

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Footnotes
  1. Romans 2:6 Psalm 62:12; Prov. 24:12
Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.
Source: BibleGateway

ESV

6 (A)He will render to each one according to his works: 7 to those who (B)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[a] and (C)do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. 9 There will be tribulation and distress (D)for every human being who does evil, the Jew (E)first and also the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and (F)peace for everyone who does good, (G)the Jew first and also the Greek. 11 For (H)God shows no partiality.

God's Judgment and the Law

12 For all who have sinned (I)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 (J)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, (K)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 (L)written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them 16 (M)on that day when, (N)according to my gospel, God judges (O)the secrets of men (P)by Christ Jesus.

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Footnotes
  1. Romans 2:8 Or contentious
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Text Edition: 2016. Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.
Source: BibleGateway

1. God's just standard (6-11)

God's judgment is righteous because he is just. He judges every person according to what that person has done. His righteous standard is Jesus (16). God does not look at the outward things, but at the inner motives of the heart--at what a man seeks. Man was created to glorify God. When a man seeks glory, honor and immortality from God, God will give him eternal life. But when men are self-seeking and reject the truth to follow evil, there will be wrath and anger, trouble and distress.

2. Not what we know, but what we do (12-16)

God does not judge us by how much we know but by how we put what we know into practice. Those who know the Bible will be judged more strictly. But God created all men in his image, with consciences, so every man can know enough to be responsible for his own choices and his actions. God judges the secrets of the heart by the perfect standard, Jesus.

Prayer: Lord, I want to seek you, and glorify you. Forgive my self-seeking habits.

One Word: Who can stand before the Judge?