In Romans 1:21 through 30 the Apostle Paul is referring to people from the past who had known God and His ways and had then rejected them, “had become vain in their imaginations” and had “darkened their hearts (minds).”  Thinking themselves to be wise, they “became fools.”  These were Israelites–God’s “chosen people”–who had left Him and embraced Satan.  Interjected in his message in verses 16 through 20 Paul lets us know that what he is about to say relative to the past (vss 21-31) was continuing to take place at the time of his writing (approx. 55 A.D. within the church.

In verses 21 through 31 Paul shifts his focus back to the past.  Then in verse 32 he brings us back to his day which has remained the same to this day.  As was noted in the previous posting (Ch. 1-C), his emphasis was directed to the church to which he was writing, with application in most the other churches.  Apparently, there were those who were patterning themselves after their religious ancestors.  We pick up the narrative in 2:1 where Paul refers to what he had written in the previous verse.

“Therefore, ….”  At this point the apostle addresses those in the congregation who were pointing a judgmental finger at sinners in the church, but were doing the same things (see 1:18-32) as those whom they were accusing.  From 2:1 through 6 he warns all church sinners that they will be judged by what they were DOING (vs 3).  In John 12:48 Jesus warns sinners that HE will judge every person by “the Words which I have spoken,” which comprise the Holy Bible from Genesis to Revelation which He condensed into Ten Commandments.

Evidently, there were quite a number of sinners in the Rome church who were quite prolific in their sinning ways.  In verse five Paul warns them that, because they continued to sin following conversion, that they were “treasuring (storing) up their sins” which would all be revealed on the Day of Judgment at which time God would “render to every man according to his DEEDS (works)” (vs 6).  Let that sink in. Undoubtedly church people then, as today, routinely repented of their sins.  But, as is still the case, their repentance was false because it was based on a false conversion.  True conversion is followed by a total reversal of life from sinner TO saint, not from sinner to sinner AND saint, a status “sinners saved by grace” claim to occupy.  They claim to be saved IN sin, not saved FROM sin, which requires sin to be permanently removed from their lives.  Jesus Himself addresses this theological problem in Revelation 3:14-17 where He addresses the church that would be living during the Laodicean era,–the final church era in which we are living today.  Here Jesus calls sinning church members “vomit” which He will “spew out of His mouth” at judgment.  These are those whose conversion was false which, rendered their repentance also false.  They had not turned from sin at “conversion” and did not intend to because of Adam’s sin transfer miracle which had made obedience to God impossible.

In his letter to the Rome church, Paul is addressing those in the church of his day and, through his epistle, those who would be in the church until the return of Jesus Christ.  As Jesus prophesied about the Laodicean Church era of today, His description of the Laodicean church shows that nothing has changed between 90 A.D. and 2023 A.D.  The people of Paul’s day and the people of today will be held accountable to the same “righteous judgment of God” Who will judge every human ever born by comparing their life’s “walk” to His Word and will “render to every man according to his deeds” (Rom. 2:5,6).  What was required of Adam and Eve is required of all people in every age–STRICT, UNWAVERING OBEDIENCE TO GOD’S LAW.  

In Romans 2:7 through 11 Paul lays out the end result of a life of holiness created by obedience to God’s Word.  For those who “by patient continuous in well-DOING,” glory, honor, peace and eternal life will be their reward.  Contrary-wise, those who “do not obey the Truth of God” will receive indignation, wrath, tribulation and anguish.  Such will be the end result of sinful man’s DOINGS regardless of who that man is, for “God is no respecter of persons” (vs 11).

In verses 12 through 16 Paul makes clear the fact that both Jews and Gentiles are required to obey the Word of God, even though the Gentiles did not have that Word during their pre-conversion walk.  He points out that every man has a sense of God, of a higher power Who created all things and maintains all things.  Gentiles who did not have the written and spoken Law knew innately what they should and should not do.  This remains true today.  Man knows by observing nature that there is a Creator and that certain things should be done and other things should not be done.  In verses 14 and 15 Paul states that Gentiles who do not have access to God’s Law but live according to it “have the Law written in their hearts” and operate according to their conscience which reflects the Law.  Other Gentiles, having the same “voice” speaking to them from their hearts, reject it.  Read The Three Resurrections.  Key word–Three.  As is brought out in that series, the second resurrection will involve those who “heard” the “voice” of God during their lifetimes but refused to obey it.  This will include those who were in “the church” during their earthly lifetimes.  This gives us hope for our loved ones who reject our stand for the Lord in this life.  Those who embrace Him during their 120-year grace period following the second resurrection will live forever outside New Jerusalem.  God’s Very Elect, who will be raised during the first resurrection due to their obedience to Him in this life, will live inside New Jerusalem where Father and Son will reside.  Those who refuse God’s offer following their resurrection will be cast into the Lake of Fire and burned to ash.  Thus says the Lord in His Holy Word.  Let us strive to rise from the earth in the first resurrection, meet Christ in the air and go with Him to Jerusalem where He will establish the Kingdom of God on earth from which He and His Very Elect will rule, first the earth for 1000 years, then the universe forever.  Read God’s Very Elect: Future Caretakers of the Universe.  Key word–Caretakers.  L.J.