There is no partiality with God. Romans 2: 9 through 16. Yes, tribulation and anguish upon the soul of every man who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek. But glory, honor, and peace to every man who works what is good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God. Paul continues his discussion about the judgment by works. He also explains that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile in God's eyes. On Judgment Day, both will be judged eternally by their works.
Although Paul was the apostle appointed to the Gentiles, he was not the one who first brought uncircumcised Gentiles into the Church. Rather, God used Peter to do this. After meeting Cornelius by divine appointment, Peter declared," Truly, I perceive that God does not show favoritism.
But in every nation, he who fears Him and works righteousness is acceptable to Him." This truth was corroborated a few years later when all twelve apostles met in Jerusalem and declared that Gentiles did not have to live by the law of Moses. So, Paul was presenting no new doctrine about the Gentiles in Romans. Instead, he was simply reinforcing the teachings of the other apostles.
The lingering problem Paul was forced to repeatedly address was that, despite the Jerusalem decree, many Jewish Christians still struggled to accept Gentile Christians as equals. They did not want to become one flock with the Gentiles unless the Gentiles were circumcised and came under the law. This was the monumental problem that Paul was forced to address in Romans, Galatians, Philippians, Colossians, and other letters. Tribulation and anguish upon the soul of every man who does evil.
In other words, it does not matter whether a person is a Jew or Gentile, nor does the fact that he has been initially saved exempt him from this pronouncement. If he does evil, he will receive tribulation and anguish on Judgment Day. Likewise, every man who does good will receive glory, honor, and peace. Yet the works Paul talks about here are neither circumcision nor the works of the law.
As Paul told the Corinthians, neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God. In harmony with this, Chrysostom writes," Both punishment and reward depend upon our works, not upon circumcision or uncircumcision." So Jews and Gentiles will be judged on the same basis on Judgment Day, their godly works, to the Jew first, and also the Greek. Why does Paul say that glory and honor apply first to the Jews?
Origen points to the fact that back when the Gentiles were still in total ignorance, the Jews had been entrusted with the sacred oracles of God. Furthermore, Jesus was sent only to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Not only that, but the twelve apostles were all Jews. In addition, the first Christian converts were all either Jews or Jewish proselytes. So the Jews came first in honor, for the gospel was first delivered to them.
As Peter told the Jews," You are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers." God, having raised up His servant Jesus, sent Him to you first to bless you in turning away every one of you from your wickedness. Yet their privileged position also means that they will receive a heavier judgment than the Gentiles of Old, who lived in ignorance.
Origen applies to the Jews and Gentiles the following words of Jesus:" That servant who knew his master's will, the Jew but did not prepare himself or do according to his will shall be beaten with many stripes. But he who did not know the Gentile yet committed things deserving of stripes will be beaten with few.
For everyone to whom much is given, from Him, much will be required." And Ambrosiaster writes," Because of the honor due to the patriarchs, Paul always places the Jew first, either to be crowned or to be condemned." For Abraham's sake, his faith is esteemed that much more. However, his unbelief is treated more severely, for he has rejected the gift promised to the patriarchs.
Chrysostom adds," The Gentile was inexcusable, for he had the testimony of creation and his own conscience." Despite this, he did not amend his life. That being the case, how much more blamable was the Jew? For besides all these other things, he had the teaching of the law. For there is no partiality with God. This is one of the main themes of Paul's great argument. There is no longer any distinction between Jew and Gentile in God's eyes.
They both must come to initial salvation in the same manner through faith in Christ. Likewise, as to their final salvation, they both will eventually be judged in the same manner based on their righteous or unrighteous works. Chrysostom remarks," The reason that one person may be honored and the other disgraced is not because one is a Jew and the other a Gentile." Rather, such different treatment comes from the works of each person.
Romans chapter 2:12," For as many as have sinned without the law will also perish without the law." Furthermore, as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law. It may seem strange that those who sinned without knowing the law would still be held accountable. However, as Paul explained in chapter 1, God has planted His natural law in all humans who are past the age of accountability. Therefore, God can rightfully judge the Gentiles for violating the natural law planted in them.
For example, Tertullian writes," Both the people of Israel, by their transgression of his laws and the whole race of mankind by their neglect of natural law, have sinned and rebelled against the Creator." Origen adds," It is no surprise that the same God has sown in the hearts of all men those truths that he taught by the prophets and the Savior." This was so that at the divine judgment, every man will be without excuse, having the righteousness of the law written upon his heart.
So all persons have sinned, either against natural law or against the Mosaic Law. Concerning the unbelieving Jews and Gentiles, Theodoret writes," The Jews will be judged based on the teachings of the Mosaic Law.
The Gentiles will be judged based on natural law." Romans chapter 2:13." For not the hearers of the law are righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified." Theodoret comments," The law was not given to tickle the ears of the Israelites, but to lead them into godly living." It is the same with the law of Christ. Jesus says," He who has my commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves me.
And he who loves me shall be loved by my Father, and I will love him, and will reveal myself to Him." Christ asks," Why do you call me Lord, Lord, and do not do the things which I say?" James writes," But be doers of the Word, and not only hearers, deluding yourselves." Yet we must remember that when Paul says," The doers of the law will be justified," he is not talking about our initial justification.
Initial justification is by grace, apart from works, as to our final justification, Paul is not talking about the ceremonial and ritualistic works of the law. Rather, he is talking about the eternal moral principles of the law that have been brought over into Christ's teachings. On Judgment Day, we will be declared righteous based on how we have lived after being saved. This will still be a judgment saturated with grace.
If Christ judged us on an absolute basis, none of us would stand on Judgment Day based on our works. Thankfully, Christ's assessment of our works will be a merciful, forgiving assessment. That is because fallen humans cannot obey God's commandments perfectly. The 18th century spiritual giant, William Law, writes," We cannot offer to God the service of angels. We cannot obey Him as man could when He was in a state of perfection.
Nevertheless, fallen men can do their best, and this is the only perfection that God requires of us." Even many Israelites gave God that level of obedience. For example, the scriptures testify of Zacharias and Elizabeth. They were both righteous before God, walking blamelessly in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord. So, the Israelites were capable of obeying God's commandments. God did not give His commandments for the empty purpose of demonstrating that we are powerless to obey them, as some claim.
Zacharias and Elizabeth obeyed them. So it was possible to obey them, to be sure, neither Zacharias and Elizabeth nor anyone else obeyed them perfectly. However, God overlooked their imperfections because they served Him with complete hearts. It will be the same for us on Judgment Day.
Romans chapter 2: 14 and 15." For when the Gentiles who do not have the law do by nature the things contained in the law, these not having the law are a law to themselves, who demonstrate the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness." What part of the law did the Gentiles do by nature?" Origen explains." It is certainly not the things of the law concerning Sabbaths, new moon festivals, or the sacrifices required by the law." It is not that law which is written in the hearts of
the Gentile people.
Instead, Paul is talking about the things they naturally recognize. For example, they know it is wrong to commit murder or adultery. They know it is wrong to steal or lie. They know they should honor father and mother. Similarly, it seems to be written in the hearts of the Gentiles that there is one God who created all things. Irenaeus writes," The Lord did not abrogate the natural precepts of the law by which man is justified.
For those who were justified by faith and who pleased God observed these precepts before the giving of the law. Rather, the Lord extended and fulfilled these precepts. Theodoret comments, even before the giving of the law, some people followed its righteous precepts, based on the natural law that God has implanted in every human. Abel, Noah, Abraham, and Job are examples of this. However, most humans violated their own consciences. All such things will be revealed on the day of judgment.
Chrysostom adds," By these words, Paul shows that God has made man free to be able to choose virtue and to avoid vice." And do not be surprised that Paul demonstrates this point repeatedly, not just once or twice. Chapter 2: 15 B through 16. And meanwhile, there are thoughts either accusing them or else excusing them in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. Their thoughts either accusing them or else excusing them.
Origen points out that our trial on Judgment Day will far exceed the justice of man. On Judgment Day, we will not have to worry about any false witnesses testifying against us. Rather, our own thoughts will be our accuser or our defender. They will testify either for us or against us.
Origen writes," Our thoughts will either accuse or else defend our soul on the day when God will judge the secrets of everyone." Paul is not speaking about the thoughts we will have on Judgment Day, but about the thoughts we have right now. The good and bad things we contemplate leave marks and traces on our hearts, just like the writing on a wax tablet. None of our actions and thoughts are hidden from God, and they all will be revealed on that day, on Judgment Day.
Our own actions in this life will either condemn us or vindicate us.