Religious People Need the Gospel (1)

Review:

Paul’s message is God’s powerful gospel. It saves through faith all people who believe.

In 1:18-3:20 Paul explains why all people need the good news of the gospel.

First, he says those who suppress the knowledge of God in creation are already experiencing the wrath of God.

In this morning’s passage, Paul identifies a second group of people who need the gospel.

Who are they?

Are they Jews?

Are they Gentiles?

Are they both Jews and Gentiles?

A second group of people who need the gospel, 1-5

Who these people are, 1a

One author portrayed this person as writing to Paul in the following way:

‘Dear Paul,

I have just read the second half of Romans chapter 1. I congratulate you on a vigorous, refreshing exposé of evil. I agree with you that it is disgusting when people not only behave badly but actually approve of bad behaviour. It did me good to read your chapter. You will be glad to know that I for one do not for a moment ‘approve of those who practise’ (v. 32) these terrible things. On the contrary, I recognise them for the evils they are and agree that such people are ‘without excuse’ (v. 20). I look forward to chapter 2.

Yours sincerely, …’^[1]

The person Paul is having an imaginary dialog with is like this, someone who certainly isn’t guilty of gross sin, and is quite certain of his or her own moral superiority.

The people Paul is addressing:

what is right and wrong.

the wrong in others.

others for what they do.

One author calls them .

Why they need the gospel, 1b-4

They are .

what they condemn others for.

They know others deserve God’s judgment for these things but somehow think .

In addition, they on God’s grace and patience

They are .

What they actually are accomplishing, 5

It isn’t what they think: they are not themselves

They are God’s wrath against them

Why these people aren’t exempt from needing the gospel, 6-11

Paul uses a literary technique called chiasmus to reinforce his main point;

A.  God judges all on the same basis, 6

B.  Those who patiently do good will have eternal life, 7

C.  Those who do evil will suffer wrath, 8

C’.  There will be tribulation and distress for those who do evil, 9

B.’  There will be glory, honor, and peace for all who do good, 10

A’.  God shows no partiality, 11

Paul make two theological points in this section:

God is in judgment, 6, 11

Paul especially points out that Jews will be treated just the same as Gentiles in God’s judgement. No doubt many Jews though differently. They presumed on their covenant relationship with God and felt it was not that counted. How could they be lumped in with the Gentiles?

Both here and in the section we’ll take up next week, Paul shows Jewish people that presuming on their relationship with God is trusting in the wrong thing for eternal safety. God will treat all people the same way in the judgment. This is the first theological point that Paul makes in these verses.

The second is this:

God rewards us according to , 6-11

What is Paul talking about? Is he contradicting what he’s just said about salvation comes through faith alone?

There are two plausible ways to understand these verses that do not contradict what Paul has just said about salvation.

1. The salvation approach

2. Our works our righteousness approach.

1. The potential salvation approach.

This understands Paul as saying that, yes, if you do good persistently, you will gain eternal life. The trouble, as Paul will continue to point out, is that . We all sin. We get selfish, we hurt someone, we deviate from God’s perfect will. If God judges just on the basis of our works, none of us will have eternal life, Jew or Gentile.

2. Our works demonstrate our righteousness approach.

This understands Paul as speaking about professing Christians and their judgment at the last day. saves us, but our works true saving faith. God will judge everyone not on what they’ve claimed before others, but on what they can clearly see.

This is clearly a Biblical idea. James tells us that faith without works is dead faith. Paul would not disagree.

Either of these approaches could be true and absolve Paul of being inconsistent about the way of salvation. My preference is for the first approach. I wonder which one seems the better choice to you?

Leaving this question behind, let’s return to Paul’s main point in verse 6-11. The structure of the passage puts an emphasis on verses 6 and 11: God’s impartiality in judgment.

Those who are not gross sinners like some mentioned in chapter one might think that their morality and distain for gross sins puts them in a special category. It doesn’t, says Paul. He judges not by our own perceived morality, our perception of our own goodness, or claims to have a special relationship to him.

He calls all people, religious or not, to repentance. All have sinned and all need the saving grace of God revealed in his Son, Jesus. It is only as we confess our sin and then put our trust in Jesus alone to save us that we escape the wrath of God.

CONCLUSION

The second group of people who need the gospel are , , people. People who keep themselves from the grosser sins, who live a decent life, and who would never be “One of them.”

Why do people like this need the gospel? Because they do they judge other people for doing and then presume upon God’s patience, refusing to repent.

Because God is impartial in judgement, he cannot and does not favor one group above the other. He will judge everyone according to what they’ve done, not according to the level of their moral standards. The worst sinners and the least of sinners will each face the same judgment unless they repent and put their faith in Jesus to save them. The gospel is the good news that God is ready to save all who turn to him in repentance and faith. Have you?

1. Christopher Ash, Teaching Romans: Unlocking Romans 1–8 for the Bible Teacher, ed. David Jackman and Robin Sydserff, vol. 1, Teach the Bible (Ross-shire, Scotland; London: Proclamation Trust Media; Christian Focus Publications, 2009), 91. ↑