Romans 2
09 Mar 2026 - Theology
Romans 2
God’s Law (1-16)
Romans 2:1-2 - “Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that [ppt] 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 [ppt] commit such things.”
[ppt] judgest = The present participle expresses continuous or repeated action
“judgest” - Strong’s Concordence [2919]
- to judge, divide, separate (verb)
“judgement” - Strong’s Concordence [2917]
- the result of 2919, the eternal judgement (noun)
Romans 2:3 - “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?”
The man who [ppt] does the same will also face this eternal judgement.
Romans 2:4 - “…the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”
“repentance” - Strong’s Concordence [3341]
- to change one’s mind (noun)
Romans 2:10 - “But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that [ppt] worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile:”
The use of the present participle (continuous or repeated action) denotes that this verse is talking about believers.
Romans 2:13 - “(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law [fp] shall be justified.” …
[fp] shall be justified = future passive tense; at a particular time in the future they will be judicially declared as righteous
This verse declares a standard or norm that it is not he who knows the law, but he who does the law that can be declared just before the Judge.
This verse appears to be directly contradicted later in Romans 3:20.
Romans 3:20 - “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his [God’s] sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.”
Even if man is able to do the works of the law, he still can not be justified since a person can be legally correct but morally wrong. No law can make a person morally right, though he can be proven legally conforming to the law.
Therefore, “shall be justified” in Romans 2:13 must be interpreted not as to be made or found righteous in character, but simply to appear as righteous because of having conformed to the directions of the law.
Romans 4:2 - “For if Abraham were justified by works, he hath whereof to glory; but not before God.”
The declaration of righteousness by the law (what we do or don’t do) is not equal to God’s declaration of righteousness.
Obeying God’s Law (17-29)
Romans 2:21 and 23-24 - “Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself?” … “Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you…”
Those who boast in their ability to keep the law, and teach others to do so, dishonor God by breaking the law themselves, and blaspheme the name of God among non-believers.
Romans 2:26-27 - “Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?”
“fulfill” - Strong’s Concordence [5055]
- to perform, execute, carry out
Romans 2:28-29 - “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”
“uncircumcision” - Strong’s Concordence [203]
- Gentiles, those outside the people of God (non-Jews)
Ephesians 2:11-13 - “Wherefore remember, that ye being in time past Gentiles in the flesh, who are called Uncircumcision by that which is called the Circumcision in the flesh made by hands; That at that time ye were without Christ, being aliens from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers from the covenants of promise, having no hope, and without God in the world: But now in Christ Jesus ye who sometimes were far off are made nigh by the blood of Christ.”
Praise God that Gentiles have been brought near to the covenant of promise by the blood of Christ, and it is not by our own ability to keep the law, but by the circumcision of the heart, in the Spirit and by faith.
References
- The Hebrew - Greek Key Study Bible (KJV Version)
- Romans 2 - Greek Interlinear