“Hearing Is Not Enough” (Romans 2:12-16)

“Hearing Is Not Enough” (Romans 2:12–16)

Pastor Cameron Jungels

Eastside Baptist Church

Sunday AM, March 19, 2017

 

Romans 2:12–16 (NIV)

¹² All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law 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 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, 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 through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

 

1. Everyone will face the just judgment of God, whether they had access to the Word of God or not (12).

 

2. The level of access that people had to the Law of God will be taken into account on the Day of Judgment (12).

a.  Gentiles (or those who have not had God’s revelation) who sin will be judged by God on the last day, but it will be in accordance with the amount of light/revelation/truth that they had received=the knowledge of God in nature.

b.  Jews (or those who had access to God’s divine revelation) who sin will be judged by God on the last day, and it will be in accordance with the amount of light/revelation/truth that they had received=the Law.

c.  The severity of judgment will be determined in proportion to the light of revelation received.

 

⁴⁷ "The servant who knows the master's will and does not get ready or does not do what the master wants will be beaten with many blows.  ⁴⁸ But the one who does not know and does things deserving punishment will be beaten with few blows. From everyone who has been given much, much will be demanded; and from the one who has been entrusted with much, much more will be asked. (Lk. 12:47-48, NIV)

 

1. There is not a path of salvation on the basis of good deeds for Gentiles who have never heard God’s Word.

 

²⁰ Then Jesus began to denounce the towns in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent.  ²¹ "Woe to you, Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes.  ²² But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you.  ²³ And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted to the heavens? No, you will go down to Hades. For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day.  ²⁴ But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you." (Matt. 11:20-24, NIV)