Romans 2:1-16 ESV

(1) Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing
judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the
very same things.

In Romans 1, Paul sets out to explain that God is just and has a right to judge sin. He
then goes on to list the most depraved and vile sins. He knows his audience is shouting
amen - so he opens chapter two with a wake up call for the self-righteous.

Romans 2:1-5
You is singular in the Greek. Here, the you is a hypothetical complacent Jew, who feels
superior to Gentiles and in no danger of judgment. Paul adopts a popular Hellenistic style
called a diatribe, in which a writer tries to win over an audience to his views by
portraying a debate between himself and a hypothetical opponent. • these very same
things: Paul’s point is that Jews, like Gentiles, turn from God’s revelation to go their own
way. NLT Study Bible

2:1 In 1:18, Paul declares that all unrighteous people are without excuse. Now he
demonstrates that the self-righteous (those who judge others) are inexcusable, by
revealing the standards by which everyone will be judged. Judgment will be (1)
according to truth (vv. 1), (2) according to works (vv. 6), and (3) according to the light
one has of the law (vv. 12). NKJV Study Bible

Thou art inexcusable - This does not mean that they were inexcusable for judging
others; but that they had no excuse for their sins before God; or that they were under
condemnation for their crimes, and needed the benefits of another plan of justification.
As the Gentiles whom they judged were condemned, and were without excuse
Rom_1:20, so were the Jews who condemned them without excuse on the same
principle; and in a still greater degree. Barnes

The point here is not about judging others – we are taught to do so in many different
situations. It is that all have sinned and fallen short – all are in need of repentance.
Those who have been privileged to have the word of God are even more without excuse
because they knew what was right and didn’t do it.

(2) We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who do such things.
(3) Do you suppose, O man--you who judge those who do such things and yet do them
yourself--that you will escape the judgment of God?

2:3. Escape the judgment of God: Jewish tradition taught that Abraham sat at the gate
of hell to prevent any Jew from entering. They were not ignorant of God, but of God’s
design to bring them to repentance. King James Version study Bible

What is important is to keep in mind that doing the works of the Law never saved
anyone. Redemption is and always has been through blood sacrifice. In the OT, men
received that forgiveness and pardon by faith in the atoning work of the priesthood,
animal sacrifices and the Temple system. Doing the works of the Law might make you a
better person, more holy or more blessed but it would never make you saved.

(4) Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not
knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance?

2:4 Sinners who are not yet experiencing God’s judgment should not presume that God’s
mercy will last even another hour. Judgment is withheld only to give time to repent.
Spirit filled life study Bible

Don’t ever presume that because God is merciful, that He is not also just. His mercy
leads us to repent.

(5) But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself
on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed.
(6) He will render to each one according to his works:
(7) to those who 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 and do not obey the truth, but obey
unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.

This is not teaching works based salvation! We are rewarded according to our works –
the first being the work of Jesus on the cross and whether we accepted it or not. That is
what determines eternal life.

(9) There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew
first and also the Greek,
(10) but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also
the Greek.
(11) For God shows no partiality.

Notice that tribulation is for those that do evil, peace for those that do good. Just thought
I’d add in that pretrib plug here!!

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

Romans 2:16
secret life (literally the hidden things): Scripture frequently stresses that God will judge
people according to their thoughts and intentions (see 1 Sam 16:7; Ps 139:1-2; Jer
17:10). NLT Study Bible

This statement brings us back to verse one again – the hidden sins of the heart vs. the
more open, blatant sins of the pagans. All sin is condemned in God’s eyes and all is
worthy of judgment.

If there is sin in our hearts, we need to appropriate the forgiveness that we have available
and repent before God. Let’s keep our hearts clean before Him!!