Romans 2
by Pastor David Groendyk

We’re in the middle of a very long section from Romans 1:18–3:20 that teaches us all about God’s wrath against sin. But while chapter 1 focuses on the sin of the pagan Gentiles who suppress the truth and revelation about God, chapter 2 is very different. Chapter 2 focuses on the sin of the religious Jews. One commentator calls this whole chapter a bucket of cold water for the religious person. It’s easy for us to point the finger at all the wicked people “out there,” but if we’re caught pointing outward all the time, we’ll end up missing our own sin that condemns us.

If the major problem with the pagan is a willfully ignorant unrighteousness, the major problem with the religious person is self-righteousness. Time and space don’t allow for us to pick apart Paul’s complex argument, but notice all throughout this chapter the difference between outward actions and inward heart change. The religious person is willing to judge other people for their sin, but their own hearts remain hard and impenitent (v. 5). The religious person hears the law of God but does not do it, a direct contrast to the Gentile who does the law without ever having heard it (v. 13). The religious person teaches others the law but does not follow the law themselves (v. 21), even though they consider themselves to have a special relationship with God and to be the holder and knower of truth (vv. 17–20). The self-righteous person thinks that their own outward obedience saves them and makes them righteous before God’s eyes. But the question Paul is forcing the Jew to ask himself is this: Do you really think you’ve kept God’s law? All it takes is one read through the Sermon on the Mount in Matthew 5–7 to realize that each one of us is horribly guilty of consistently breaking God’s law. You might not struggle with homosexuality like the pagans do (1:26), but have you ever lusted after anyone? Then you’ve broken the seventh commandment, just like the pagans. You might not have murdered like the pagans (1:29), but have you ever been angry with someone? Then you’ve broken the sixth commandment, just like the pagans. On and on and on we could go.

At the end of the day, these Jews are trusting in their own works to save them rather than God’s mercy and grace through Christ. Even though they profess to have faith in God, as one commentator says, theirs is an empty faith. And here are two diagnostic questions that that commentator gives from this chapter to help us diagnose empty faith. First, do you only ever talk about God theoretically? Empty faith doesn’t personalize the truths of Scripture. The things it teaches never penetrate the heart of the teacher (v. 21). “Jesus is the Savior” but do you believe he’s your Savior? “Sin is rebellion against God” but do you believe your own anger and lust are offensive and ugly to God? “God ordains whatsoever comes to pass” but do you believe God is sovereignly at work even in your own sickness? There’s a great difference between speaking these truths and believing them personally. The second diagnostic question is, Do you feel a sense of moral superiority toward others? The Jews certainly did. If you are relying on your own works to save you rather than the mercy of God, it will be easy for you to look down on other people and cast the first stone. The church is not supposed to be a great bastion of morality that brags about its own obedience and condemns the wicked culture around it. The church proclaims a gospel that says we’re all guilty and corrupt sinners and that God’s grace can reach anyone. No true believer should ever feel a sense of superiority to anyone, because they will have been humbled by the great salvation of God.

Romans 2 describes the sin and the temptations that often befall the church, so it is especially poignant for us. It warns us against pointing our fingers outwardly and that we must first point our fingers at ourselves. But more than that, it’s teaching us to forsake and abandon our own self-righteousness and look to Christ alone for salvation. We can’t ever be righteous enough to earn heaven, and it’s not even close. Look to Christ who is your righteousness, justification, and redemption. He is the great gift God gives to us and our only hope of being in the right when we stand before God on that last day.