Romans 2:16-23

Nowhere else in scripture do we find someone saying, “my gospel.” The term “the gospel” shows up a lot and even Paul uses that often, but “my gospel”? Why’s Paul so personal with this gospel?

Many say that Paul just really loved Jesus, so he made it a very personal thing.

But actually, every time Paul uses the phrase “my gospel,” he’s using it in defence of his apostleship which was unique.

We covered in Romans 1 that he was made an apostle to the Gentiles. He’s always defending his apostleship.

In Romans 2 the context is judgement, the law and the separation of Jew and Gentile in times past.

In the middle of this, he speaks of “my gospel”. It’s as if this final judgment, in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to “my gospel,” somehow makes his gospel the key to God’s future judgment.

In the Romans 16:25 instance of “My Gospel”, he’s just finished warning people about those who teach a contrary doctrine, and then he says that God is able to establish you according to “my gospel,” and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began

In 2 Timothy, it’s the same thing.

2 Timothy 2:8,

Remember that Jesus Christ, of the seed of David, was raised from the dead according to my gospel, 

Every time that phrase shows up, it is in defence of his apostleship—something personally given to Paul.

Paul also uses the phrase “our gospel” and what’s interesting is that

In 2 Corinthians and 1 Thessalonians, as well as 2 Thessalonians, he always uses that phrase “our gospel” when he’s speaking with Gentiles.

So, in the three places where he says, “my gospel,” he seems to be defending his apostleship but, when he says, “our gospel,” he’s speaking to Gentiles, as if it’s something shared between them.

He says “my gospel” when confronting Jewish issues, as in Romans 2. But “our gospel” when talking to Gentiles which suggests that there was a gospel specifically given to Gentiles. This is fascinating because according to scripture, as Jesus said in John 4:22, salvation was of the Jews.

Paul tells the gentiles in 2 Thessalonians 2:14  to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. They, the Thessalonian gentiles, were partakers in it and were a part of it.

Paul uses other phrases referring to the message he was given. Here are some passages that remind us of this:

2 Timothy 1:10-11

but has now been revealed by the appearing of our Savior Jesus Christ, who has abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, to which I was appointed a preacher, an apostle, and a teacher of the Gentiles.

That last phrase in the verse is important because it refers to the gospel he was appointed to.

In 1 Timothy 1:11 we see,

according to the glorious gospel of the blessed God which was committed to my trust. 

Paul’s gospel stands against teachings of the law, which makes sense because Paul teaches grace, not law.

In 1 Thessalonians 2:4, he says,

But as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, even so we speak, not as pleasing men, but God who tests our hearts. 

Paul’s speaking about his ministry to the Thessalonians, about being entrusted with the gospel.

If we go back to Colossians 1:25, we see the same language. A dispensation was given to him specifically and he preaching of the gospel was entrusted to him.

Galatians 1:11:

But I make known to you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached by me is not according to man. 

By the way, as we’re going back in time in these epistles. Galatians is one of Paul’s earliest epistles.

All of Galatians 1 is Paul proving that this gospel was given to him by Jesus Christ directly.

Back in 1 Corinthians 9:17, Paul says,

I have been entrusted with a stewardship.  The better King James rendition reads, A dispensation of the gospel was committed unto me.

Ephesians 3:2-3

if indeed you have heard of the dispensation of the grace of God which was given to me for you, how that by revelation He made known to me the mystery

Multiple other passages reinforce this. Over and over again, Paul points out the things that were given to him by the Lord Jesus Christ, not just given to all believers in general, but specifically entrusted to him, as though he was responsible for delivering it to others.

The real question from Romans 2:16 is how can judgment according to “my gospel,” be the same as judgment according to deeds as in verse 6?

There seems, on the surface to be a conflict here because Paul’s teaching the gospel of grace, which is not a gospel of law—it’s not a works-based system. Grace is not of works. But in Romans 2, here’s Paul talking about deeds and works? Is Paul saying that my gospel is based on deeds or grace?

Well, Paul’s “my gospel,” doesn’t remove judgment. We learn that from understanding  Romans 2:16:

in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

In fact judgment’s based on it. It proves God’s judgment to be righteous, which is why it’s included in Romans 2 which justifies the righteous judgment of God against the sinfulness of humanity, tracing history and proving that men have always been without excuse.

Romans 3:31 expands this idea. After explaining the gospel, Paul states in Romans 3:31:

Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law. 

This is another passage that can challenge the teaching of grace. Didn’t Christ take the judgment for us?

Yes, He did. He removed the penalty of our sins and took them upon Himself. But we’re still going to be judged by Christ and Romans 14:10 speaks of that.

Romans 2 explains how God judges. We’ve already seen last time how He’s not a respecter of persons—He renders judgment to all men according to their deeds, both Jew and Gentile.

So whether we’re under the law or not, we’ll be judged accordingly.

How can the good news of salvation not all also be a means of judgment?

Salvation is offered to everyone under sin, without exception.

However God’s righteous judgment means He’ll judge according to Paul’s “my gospel,” which declares that it’s offered to all, no matter who they are.

What about the gentiles, who didn’t have the law? Well,  as Romans 2 explains they have consciences.

They have secret things, and God knows their hearts as well. They’ll perish without the law, just as those with the law will be judged under the law. That’s what Paul says.

In 1 Timothy 2: we see God’s will and that,

desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. 

That Paul’s gospel.

Why do all men need to be saved? Because all men are sinners. That’s Paul’s gospel also. So when he says that God will judge the secrets of men according to “my gospel,” that’s what he’s talking about.  Our eternal destiny relies on our faith and acceptance of or our rejection of Pauls’ gospel.

God desires all men to be saved, through the one mediator between God and man, and Christ who gave Himself as a ransom for all.

Gentiles will perish without the law, and Jews will perish under the law unless we trust the finished work of Christ and receive righteousness apart from the law.

Because we understand how God can save outside of Israel’s covenants and laws, it makes perfect sense that Paul would say this in Romans 2.

Now, let’s move on to Romans 2:17,

Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God, 

This is a new thought, but it’ll further explain the question in verse 16.  “according to my (Pauls’) gospel.

Most of the time, the questions we have when we’re reading a text will be answered in the surrounding context, reading around the verse in question.

Romans 2:16 is not a standalone verse, it’s part of a larger context.

Notice that verses 13, 14, and 15 have brackets or parenthesis around them.

These are punctuation marks used to enclose extra information in a sentence such as explanations, examples, or clarifications that aren’t essential to the main sentence but still provide useful details.

This means that Romans 2:16 actually began in verse 12.

Without the parentheses it would read,

For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law  in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.

With or without the law, is the explanation of this passage.

Inside the  parentheses is discussing Gentiles who didn’t have the law and how God will judge them.

Then, in verse 17, Paul turns to the Jews: and we’re still in the context of

God judging the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.

He’s about to explain the judgment he’s referring to—”according to my gospel.”

It won’t be the gospel explained in Romans 3—we’ll get there eventually—but it will clarify what he means in Romans 2:16, which is that whether you’re a Jew or a Gentile, it doesn’t matter.

The rest of chapter 2 examines if being a Jew really benefits anyone.

If you’re a Jew, what profit does that bring? There’s no profit. If you’re circumcised but don’t keep the law, you’re considered uncircumcised. It doesn’t matter, so Jew or Gentile—your identity doesn’t matter in God’s judgment.

In Romans 2:17, ” Indeed you are called a Jew ” tells us that Paul’s speaking to an individual Jew.  He’s addressing a Jew directly and it may or may not be an actual person, but it tells us that Paul’s audience includes Jews.

Romans wasn’t exclusive to gentiles, there were Jews there too.

Romans 2:17 explicitly says, ” Indeed you are called a Jew.”

That means Paul is writing to Jews as well, those who know about what God gave to the Jewish people.

Also Romans 1:7 speaks of “all who are in Rome,” indicating believers and possibly unbelievers.

Romans 16 describes those “who were in Christ before Paul,” meaning they were part of Peter’s group—the little flock.

He’s about to explain the judgment he’s referring to—”according to my gospel.”

As we said, he won’t explain the gospel until Romans 3, which we’ll get to soon, but it will clarify that whether you’re a Jew or a Gentile, it doesn’t matter. The rest of the chapter examines if being a Jew truly benefits anyone.

And what’s the conclusion?  No! If you’re circumcised but don’t keep the law, you’re considered uncircumcised.

Romans 4:1 says:

What then shall we say that Abraham our father has found according to the flesh? 

Here’s another often misinterpreted phrase.

“Our father”—does that mean Abraham is the father of Gentiles?

Well, first of all, Abraham was neither a Jew nor an Israelite.

Secondly, when Paul says, “our father,” he could be uniting with other Jews among his audience and using an example from Jewish scripture to address them.

Paul’s not blaming them as if to say, “You rest in the law—don’t you know that you shouldn’t do that?” or “You boast of God—didn’t you know you shouldn’t boast?”

He’s not calling them boasters in a negative sense. These are true statements about Israel. They aren’t bad things—at least, not yet.

For example, there are quite a few Psalms that justify what Paul says in this passage.

Psalm 1:1 which many of us know,

Blessed is the man Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners, Nor sits in the seat of the scornful; 

But his delight is in the law of the LORD, And in His law he meditates day and night. 

He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper.  

That’s peaceful a pretty peaceful and restful scene.  The person who keeps the law will be like that.

So if you were a Jew and you had the law, you would seek rest in it.

If that seems like a stretch, let’s look at the well-known Psalm 23 which, interestingly, speaks about Israel during the tribulation.

The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. 

That’s peace and rest.

He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. 

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. 

No fear. Restoration. Green pastures. Waters.

Psalm 23 is read at funerals because it sounds peaceful. But people often skip over the “rod and staff” part.

A shepherd’s staff is a weapon against evildoers.

If you’re a wolf in sheep’s clothing—guess what the rod and staff do? They strike and you’re done.

And that’s the law sometimes.

As long as they followed the law, they found comfort in it. The Shepherd gave them this law to follow.

Psalm 119:165 says:

Great peace have those who love Your law, And nothing causes them to stumble. 

We need to think about verses like this.

We’re not under the law and Romans 6:14 clearly says that,

For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace. 

Galatians 3 calls the law a curse.

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse;

Yet David in Psalm 119:165 says:

Great peace have those who love Your law

See. they knew that if they kept the law, they’d receive liberty, peace, and righteousness.

It was a special privilege that God gave to them.

Psalm 119 continues:

LORD, I hope for Your salvation, And I do Your commandments. 

My soul keeps Your testimonies, And I love them exceedingly. 

I keep Your precepts and Your testimonies, For all my ways are before You. 

Psalm 119:174 says:

I long for Your salvation, O LORD, And Your law is my delight. 

That statement seems at odds with what we know in the gospel today.  Didn’t David know that the law condemns him?

Well, David doesn’t know anything about Christ’s finished work on the cross yet.

Psalm 119:176 says:

I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant: for I do not forget thy commandments.”

Remember Jesus seeking the lost sheep?

A sheep goes astray, and the Shepherd—Jesus—finds the lost sheep.

But what does David say about the lost sheep?

The lost sheep is seeking His commandments.

Psalm 119 aligns with what Jesus says in His earthly ministry.

If the sheep isn’t seeking His commandments, He lets it go.

People sometimes force Paul’s grace toward sinners onto what Jesus teaches—but that’s not what Jesus was saying.

Jesus also said:

“If you don’t build your house on the rock, you won’t stand.”

What was the rock?

In context, it was doing what Jesus said—not just believing what He said.

Loving Jesus’ words meant obeying the law.

The point is that the law was righteous, holy, good, and just and that’s what Paul teaches in Romans 7.

It was a good thing.  However, Paul states in Romans 2 that the law is great—if you do it and that’s exactly what Psalms teaches.

What happens if you don’t do? That’s what Paul’s talking about, righteous judgment in Romans 2.

Psalm 34:2,

My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad.

We might think, it’s not good to boast, and we shouldn’t boast in ourselves. The Bible teaches that boasting in ourselves is self-centred, and prideful.

However, boasting in God is right. That’s what we should boast in.

What is boasting?

It’s praising, taking pride in something but often we praise and take pride in ourselves when we should glory in and take pride in God the creator of all things—because He’s worthy of it.

Whenever scripture speaks against boasting, it’s always directed at boasting in ourselves, our works and accomplishments, but in Psalm 34:2 David says,

My soul shall make its boast in the LORD; The humble shall hear of it and be glad.

They’re not boasting in themselves because they’re humble.

Then in Psalm 44:8 David says,

In God we boast all day long, And praise Your name forever.

Then Psalm 135:4 says:

 For the LORD has chosen Jacob for Himself, Israel for His special treasure. 

So, the Jews made their boast in God—and that was a good thing.

It wasn’t just that they were boasting about their own works.

Reading through the Psalms shows many reasons to boast in God.

Of course, this was under the law. It applied to the Jews.

Israel boasted in God not only because He was the Creator (which anyone could acknowledge), but because God specifically chose them.

Israel wasn’t special because of their own merit; it came from God.

They boasted that “The Lord made us special.”

But we see the fine line here.

If God made your nation, there’s a delicate balance between boasting in what God did and boasting in yourself.

That same caution applies to Christians today.

Didn’t God make us a new creature in Christ?  Yes, and we don’t forget that. It’s not about us.

If we, in the western nations think God has a covenant with our nation, the Bible makes it clear that God hasn’t dealt with any nation the way He’s dealt with Israel.

The New Covenant was made with the house of Israel and the house of Judah (Jeremiah 31:31) and not with anyone else.

That was their boast.

Romans 2:18 continues this thought with another description of the Jew.,

And (The Jews) know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law,

Paul’s speaking of the past. Jews today who don’t know the gospel don’t know the will of God.  But in Romans 2:17, when Paul speaks to “a Jew called a Jew under the law in time past,” they did know the will of God.

Where do we find God’s will for Israel?  In the law and in the prophets.

Some people approach the Old Testament statements about seeking God’s will as if it were a great mystery.

But when God revealed the scriptures to Israel, they knew His will making them more excellent than the Gentiles, who didn’t have God speaking to them.

Israel had God telling them His will in the law.

In Deuteronomy 30:11, in the law given to Moses, the commandments were given to Israel—they weren’t a mystery.

John 4:22, Jesus, speaking to the Samaritan woman, says:

You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. 

Even the Samaritans, who had corrupted Israel’s religion, needed to understand that salvation was found in the Jewish scriptures and the word of God.

Matthew 6:10  the prayer Jesus taught His disciples begins,

“Our Father…” 

Whose Father?  Israel’s.

They made their boast in God.

“Hallowed be thy name”—there’s the boast.

“Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.”

There’s the land and the covenants—on earth, just as He promised them.

“Thy will be done.”

They knew His will, a kingdom coming to earth, from the law and the prophets.

Paul goes on to say in Romans 2:18:

and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, 

A Jew called a Jew under the law knew excellent things.

When we know Romans from the beginning we tend to focus on the excellency of the Cross of Christ and the gospel—but we forget the excellency that was the law, and we miss something important.

We should understand the function of the law, or we’ll be lead to confusion, problems and wrong teachings.

That’s why we need to learn Romans 2 well.

The law instructed Israel on how to discern right from wrong, how to make righteous judgments, and how to approve things that were more excellent—by teaching them what those excellent things were.

Deuteronomy 4:7-8 is a testimony to Israel’s unique privilege:

For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day? 

Israel had God’s law, and there was no nation with a law so great as theirs.

So, they knew things that were more excellent—because the things given to them were from God.

Hebrews 8:6 shows us the New Covenant for Israel, just as Deuteronomy discussed the Old Covenant for Israel:

But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, inasmuch as He is also Mediator of a better covenant, which was established on better promises. 

When Jesus came to Israel, He performed a more excellent ministry—more excellent than what they already had, which was already excellent.

To illustrate this:

First, the Gentiles had nothing.

Then, Israel was given God’s law—which was more excellent than anything.

Then, Jesus came and introduced something even more excellent, the New Covenant (Hebrews 8:6).

So, Israel had something greater than anything, and Christ brought something greater than that.

Isaiah 60:15 speaks of excellent things. Part of Israel’s promised covenant fulfillment was their nation becoming the glory of the earth.

Let’s try and visualise this increasing excellency through scripture:

Excellent—Israel in their Kingdom.  That’s Isaiah 60:15.

An eternal excellency on the earth that Jesus spoke of—the kingdom to come even though He didn’t bring it at that time.

That law was excellent.

But when their covenants are fulfilled, that’ll be more excellent than everything Israel had under Moses.

We see this increasing excellency throughout scripture even though the kingdom hasn’t yet come.  Israel’s “eternal excellency” isn’t present today.

Christ came—but then He died and ascended to heaven.

So, what’s happening now?

Romans 5 explains that there’s something that abounds over sin and over the consequence of the law:

Grace.

Romans 5:20 states:

Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. 

What Paul talks about here regarding grace is that it is more excellent than anything that’s come before.

It abounds over the law and sin.

In 1 Corinthians 12:31, Paul tells the Corinthian gentiles—”Yes, you have spiritual gifts, but I show you a more excellent way.”

He’s not teaching the law, nor is he teaching the New Covenant

He’s speaking of charity that comes from grace and in Philippians 1:9-10, Paul tells the Philippians that he prays they’ll abound in knowledge, wisdom, and judgment so that they may know things that are more excellent.

They can discern those more excellent things according to the revelation of the mystery that Paul has received.

We’ve been given the manifold wisdom of God—to know the length, depth, and height of the love of God in Christ Jesus and that’s an excellent thing, knowledge and information that speaks of things higher than anything God’s ever revealed before.

These truths are higher than Israel’s kingdom, and we’ve been given graces that were never prophesied about.

Romans progressively reveals the excellency of grace.

Romans 2:19 is still speaking of the Jew,

and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 

If you were a Jew, you had the tools to guide the blind—meaning those who didn’t know the truth.

Isaiah speaks of this—how Israel would be a light to the Gentiles.

Their Messiah would be a light to the Gentiles, but Israel, as a nation, was meant to be a city on a hill—a light to the nations.

In Luke 2:32—when Jesus was born, the prophecy about Him spoke of this,

Some use this verse to argue for the dispensation of the grace of God, claiming this passage refers to the church.  It doesn’t.

It is a prophecy fulfilled about Israel.

This is Simeon speaking of Jesus in Luke 2:29-32.

“Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; For my eyes have seen Your salvation Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples, A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.” 

Jesus is the light referenced in Isaiah 42 and 49.

But notice the last part of the verse:  “… And the glory of Your people Israel.”

Simeon is talking about Jesus fulfilling prophecy to Israel—to make them the city on a hill.

Psalm 119:105 says:

Your word is a lamp to my feet And a light to my path. 

That was David speaking about the law. Light.

Proverbs 6:23 says:

For the commandment is a lamp, And the law a light; Reproofs of instruction are the way of life, 

The law and the prophets were the light of Israel.  But what we have now excels over all of that.

In Matthew 5:13 Jesus says:

You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavour, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. 

What does it mean to be salt?

Some think this is referring to the church, the Body of Christ, that they must be salt and light in the world.

But what does that actually mean?

It was one of Israel’s covenants the Covenant of Salt.

God gave Israel the Covenant of Salt in Leviticus 2:13, Numbers 18:19 and 2 Chronicles 13:5

Salt’s incorruptible nature made it a symbol of enduring covenants.

They were to be the salt of the earth.

So, when we, the Body, claim we’re the salt of the earth, we unknowingly take possession of God’s purpose for Israel.

How did Israel get its savour?  What was the flavour God gave to them?

The law.  They had the law.  They had the privilege of a promised covenant.

They had a King—a Messiah come to them.

Yet Jesus warns them:

“but if the salt loses its flavour, it’s good for nothing.”

If Israel rejected the Messiah, they’d lose their flavour, because their flavour was never about themselves, but about God.

If man doesn’t make his boast in God’s Son, we’ve lost our entire purpose.

Jesus continues in Matthew 5:14:

“You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. 

Where does that light come from? Jesus.

Christians often apply this to themselves.

They say that Jesus is our head—our Savior—so He’s our light now.

He’s our source of salt and Yes, it is from Jesus.

But Jesus was speaking to a nation, saying:

“You are a city on a hill.”  A real city.

When the prayer says, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth,” it means the actual earth and the actual kingdom coming on the earth.

The city is Jerusalem, it’s not all Christians. We’re not a city.

We’re a body, members of the Body of Christ.

A city on a hill cannot be hidden.

Matthew 5:15-16,

Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. 

Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. 

How do they shine their light, and how do they act as the salt?

By living according to the law that God gave them.

That’s why Matthew 5, 6 and 7 speak of law-keeping and explain how to keep the law.

After stating this, Jesus goes on to say in Matthew 5:17,

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. 

He’s saying, “I’ve got salt for you all. I’ve got light bulbs. Here’s the law.”

So, what’s our light in this dispensation, the dispensation of grace?

Are we communicating the law to the world, or has it been given to us to communicate God’s grace?

Grace is our light.

That’s what makes us “children of light” as Ephesians 5:8 and 1 Thessalonians 5:5 describe. It’s by grace.

See the danger here?

Yes, this is scripture, and we must understand it properly.

These are Christ’s words, and we need to know what He’s saying.

But He was sent to Israel, Israel’s Messiah.

Jesus’s earthly ministry was to Israel—to confirm the promises made to the fathers.

In John 3:18 Jesus says:

“He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God. 

You must believe Jesus is the Son—that’s the point of His earthly ministry.

John 3 continues:

And this is the condemnation, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil. 

What constitutes darkness here?  Evil deeds.  What constitutes light?  Good deeds.

“But isn’t He talking about believing in Jesus?”  Yes.

And if you believe Jesus is the Son of God, you will do what He says.

This is what Jesus repeats throughout His earthly ministry:

“If you believe who I am, do what I say.”

Belief was necessary. Why would they follow a carpenter’s son unless they believed He was the Son of God?  Yet, belief always led to obedience.

“Faith without works is dead,”

John 3:20 continues:

For everyone practicing evil hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his deeds should be exposed. 

Many stop at John 3:16—”God so loved the world…”  but Jesus talks a lot about works immediately following John 3:16

That’s the verse about believing and not perishing.

But then Jesus keeps talking about deeds and you have to do them.

John 3:21 Jesus still speaking says,

But he who does the truth comes to the light, that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God.” 

This is the same message in John 5 and John 14.

Jesus says, “Believe in me and do what I say.”

See? The law and obedience to it! The problem? We can’t do it! But that doesn’t water down it’s importance.

Back to Romans and Paul states in Romans 2:19-20

and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law. 

An instructor of the foolish—what does that term mean?

What’s a fool?

Someone who doesn’t know.  A fool isn’t simply an insult—it describes ignorance.

A fool lacks understanding and, as a result, makes foolish choices.

Here, the Jews had the knowledge of God’s will and were instructors of the foolish—to make them no longer foolish.

They were teachers of babes. You teach them, so they learn how to act and behave.

What did they teach?

The law.

Romans 2:20 explicitly states that they had the form of knowledge and the truth in the law.

Now, remember in Romans 1:18, Paul speaks of those who have the truth and how they’ll be judged too.

Isaiah 65:5 states, speaking of Israel:

Who say, ‘Keep to yourself, Do not come near me, For I am holier than you!’ These are smoke in My nostrils, A fire that burns all the day. 

This is where the common term “holier than thou” comes from.

This is an accusation often levelled at religious or “churchy” people and some of them certainly deserve the accusation—but the phrase itself comes from Isaiah 65.

Israel had become self-righteous—even while breaking the law themselves.

The law gave Israel an advantage—it allowed them to know God’s will.

They could be guides, instructors, and teachers.

But the prophets—who spoke alongside the law—brought their sins to light.

The law was light.

When they obeyed it, they walked in light, shining that light to others, but the prophets revealed when their light had gone out.

That was the prophets’ role.

But the people didn’t think they were wrong—or they just didn’t care.

But the prophets called out their sins anyway. That’s why the prophets were hated—they manifested people’s sins, and in response, people killed them.

Jesus was the same and Paul was the same.

But what about God’s word?  Can The Word judge us?

Yes.

Yet people don’t want it to.

That’s why many leave churches—they see hypocrites and walk away.

And yes—there are hypocrites in the church.

We’ve all been hypocritical at times.

Yet people assume that because there’s hypocrites in the church, the Bible must create hypocrites and that may sometimes be true.

Everyone Jew, gentile, Christians today, and the unbelieving world can be hypocritical.

But God’s word calls hypocrites out. That’s what Paul does in Romans 2.

In Romans 2:21, Paul starts asking questions.

You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself?

Paul’s asking exactly what the Old Testament prophets did.

“You who have the law—what are you doing behind closed doors?”

Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel and David all said that.

And now, Paul says it.

Paul, speaking about the law and the prophets in Romans 2, teaches as the prophets did.

In Paul’s gospel, there’s a bigger problem than Israel failing to keep the law.

That was a problem—but there was more to it than that.

Romans 2:21 continues:

You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? 

That’s hypocrisy, enforcing the law yet breaking it themselves.

Hypocrisy abounds.

Romans 2:22 states:

You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 

How do you define adultery.

Jesus defined adultery in Matthew 5 as including thoughts.

But Jews, however, didn’t define it that way.

Why?  Because, for them, it was about deeds, not thoughts.

Their religion had created this system.

Romans 2:23 continues:

You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonour God through breaking the law? 

Do we in the church today worship idols?

We have a Bible in the bookshelf, never read, we have a cross necklace or a statue of Jesus on the cross, we have a picture of Jesus on the wall and altars in the church.

Are we sure we don’t worship idols?

What is idolatry?

It is the wrong worship of God, and it happens quite a bit in churches today and there’s very little instruction in the church about what idolatry really is.

Ask a Jew who follows the Jewish religion are they keeping the law perfectly?

They’ll say, “Yes, we can.”

At first, we might think they’re saying they’re without sin.

But that’s not what they mean.

They aren’t claiming to be sinless because, under the law, transgression was accounted for through sacrifices and offerings.

Keeping the law included sinning and then making the necessary sacrifice and offering.  That was part of the law.

The law didn’t necessarily expect people to keep it perfectly.

That’s why sacrifices for sin were built into the law itself.

So, a Jew might say, “Yes, I can keep the law.”

If someone broke a commandment, they would offer the proper restitution.

Then, they’d be in good standing—until the next transgression, at which point they’d offer another sacrifice.

Christians sometimes think this way.  They sin, then confess repeatedly.

So, they feel “up to date” and  spiritually clean at that moment.

Paul challenges this idea by asking this Jewish audience, “do you dishonour God through breaking the law?”

Sure, sacrifices are offered.

But isn’t that testimony against a person’s own righteousness?

The fact that you have to kill an animal, offer a sacrifice, and confess your sin—doesn’t that prove that we’re dishonouring God?

What about divorce?

Jesus said that God allowed divorce because of human sin.

Moses permitted it because of their transgressions and the law provided for it.

Some people say the Bible teaches slavery. It does not.

But there are laws about it.

Why?

Because sin exists in the world.

Slavery existed everywhere until the last couple of hundred years.

It was common across many cultures.

So, the Bible had laws that were actually opposed to slavery, even though it also regulated it.

Just as it regulated divorce.

But that’s not how it was in the beginning.

That wasn’t God’s intent, but sin caused these allowances.

Romans 1:18 states that God’s wrath is revealed now, not just in the future. While this may seem the opposite to grace, it actually reinforces the need for salvation. No one can save themselves, human righteousness is insufficient, and only God’s grace offers hope.

We’ve seen already that Paul teaches in Romans 1:20 that God’s truth is evident in creation, making people without excuse. Even without scripture, His power and nature are clearly seen.

Romans 2 reinforces that God’s judgment is fair and applies to everyone, both Jews and Gentiles. Hypocrisy—claiming morality but failing to live by it—is condemned.

We saw in Romans 2:1-5 that just hearing the law is not enough; a person must live by it.

God’s judgment is based on deeds, not words as we saw in Romans 2:6-10. Even those without the written law instinctively know right from wrong, proving that moral awareness is universal.

Gentiles, who weren’t given the law, still follow moral principles, showing they have an internal moral compass, and we see that in Romans 2:14-15 and we’ll read that passage,

Romans 2:13-15

(for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them).

Paul explains that God sees beyond actions—He judges thoughts, motives, and intentions.

Romans 2:16

in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel. 

Hebrews 4:12,

For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. 

Jesus demonstrated His divine knowledge in Matthew 9:4,

But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, “Why do you think evil in your hearts? 

Knowing people’s thoughts!

Paul confirms that we’ll all will stand before Christ at judgment in Romans 14:10,

But why do you judge your brother? Or why do you show contempt for your brother? For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. 

God judges fairly and without favouritism.

Romans 2:16 introduces Paul’s gospel, aligning judgment with God’s complete revelation which was always revealed progressively throughout man’s history.

Salvation has always been by grace through faith but Pauls’ gospel, salvation by grace through faith without works offered freely to all, including directly to the gentiles, and the new creature, the body of Christ, was hidden since before the creation, a mystery, but is now fully known through Paul’s gospel.

The gospel doesn’t condemn—it offers salvation.

Romans 1:16, Paul writing,

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. 

All mankind is condemned by sin, whether they have the law or not. Justification comes only through faith in Christ, not through works which we’ll see in Romans 3:21-22.

Paul continues proving in Romans 2:17-29 that all men are without excuse, reinforcing that righteousness is found only through faith in the completed work of Jesus Christ.

Paul hasn’t yet quoted scripture.

Instead, he’s making arguments based on creation and conscience, stating that people can recognise truth through nature. He doesn’t quote scripture again until Romans 3.

His arguments in Romans 2 don’t require an understanding of scripture—we only need to be alive. This applies to everyone, which is why all men are without excuse.

Manmade systems of justice come to the same conclusions: judgment should be fair, applied equally to all, and based on truth and deeds.

Romans 2:9-13 states that wrath or glory comes to each soul based on their actions. Those who pursue righteousness receive glory, while those who reject righteousness face wrath, indignation, and tribulation.

Romans 2:9-11 explains that God’s judgment applies to all. Paul makes it clear that judgment is not only for the Gentiles but also for the Jews, who might assume they’re exempt because they had God’s law and were His chosen people. However, God’s judgment applies equally to everyone.

Tribulation will come to every soul that does evil, whether Jew or Gentile and likewise, glory, honor, and peace are given to those who do good.

This judgment is based on deeds, not national heritage, meaning Jew and Gentile alike are judged fairly.

Romans 2 is not describing the gospel of grace but rather judgment according to works and Paul clarifies that.

Once again, we need to understand that Romans 1 and 2 is laying down the case that all mankind needs God’s salvation because it’s utterly impossible for us to make God’s standard of righteousness on our own merits.

God’s not judging people’s works today, but Paul hasn’t got to the Gospel as yet. He’s laying this foundation of man’s state first.

He refers to the time when God gave the law to Israel. The law wasn’t meant to make them superior but to prove that even with the guidance of the law they’d still fail.

In Romans 2, Paul’s not yet fully introduced the law—this comes in Romans 3. He speaks about Jews and Gentiles, emphasising their real separation in the Bible.

The Jews were given divine revelations, scriptures, and prophetic messages, while Gentiles didn’t have these privileges. However, this doesn’t alter judgment. God doesn’t show favouritism. He’s the One truly just judge.

All are judged equally.

Romans 2:12 states,

For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law 

Paul’s saying that judgment isn’t based on scripture alone but on creation, conscience, and moral understanding—things that all people have, regardless of religious knowledge. Therefore all are without excuse.

With that in mind, it’s important to define conscience. Conscience is the natural ability to judge right from wrong. Some may call it a moral sense, but the Bible refers to it as a righteous standard. This isn’t something people learn—it’s an ingrained part of human nature.

Conscience can be shaped or hardened over time, but it’s something everyone’s born with.

If people didn‘t have a conscience, morality would have to be taught completely from scratch to every human being. But that isn’t the case.

Even children naturally understand guilt, justification, and blame. They excuse themselves, accuse others, and instinctively feel shame when doing wrong. Some of this comes from instruction, but much of its simply there.

Over time, repeated exposure to sinful actions and thoughts leads to a hardened conscience. Many adults become numb to shame, making laws necessary to enforce morality.

The Bible describes people without feeling, acting without concern for right or wrong. Some justify their behaviour by saying they’ve done this thing for years, and they feel no guilt.

The law exists to awaken the conscience, reinforcing what people instinctively know.

All people know that judgment is real and just. Across cultures and ages, people recognise moral guilt. However, pride often makes people, believe they’re morally perfect. Pride and guilt both stem from conscience.

Pride occurs naturally—it’s not taught. People easily believe they’re better than others.

If humans had no natural moral sense, they’d act purely on instinct, like animals, but people form rules, societies, and governments, even without scripture. Where does this moral structure come from? It’s built into human nature.

Atheists often argue that morality is created by human reason, and they dismiss conscience as common sense. But where does common sense originate from?

Morality is God-given—an instinctive understanding of right and wrong. Animals don’t possess the same moral awareness, proving that conscience is uniquely human.

If a person has a desire for say, a thousand dollars, and his neighbour has a thousand dollars in his wallet, what stops that person overpowering the neighbour and taking the thousand dollars? Conscience! The inner voice that distinguishes right from wrong.  And only those with a hardened, or seared, conscience would do such a thing, hence the necessity for laws in this fallen world. If mankind could live by their God given conscience there’d be no need for law or law enforcement.

This is the foundation of the New Covenant given to Israel in Jeremiah 31:31 and referred to by Jesus in Matthew 26:28, during the Last Supper, and referred to by Peter at Pentecost in Acts 2. God will put His law in their minds, and write it on their hearts; Israel’s hearts and minds as we see in Jeremiah 31:33.

The Bible teaches that conscience can be seared—meaning people lose sensitivity to right and wrong.

1 Timothy 4:2 describes people,

speaking lies in hypocrisy, having their own conscience seared with a hot iron, 

They reject the truth, and they say one thing but do another. This is hypocrisy—knowing what’s right yet failing to act on it.

In Romans 2 points out that those who had the law and judged others were guilty of the same sins. They condemned people for their actions while harbouring evil thoughts and desires themselves.

Ephesians 4:19 describes people as being without feeling, meaning their conscience no longer influences their choices.

Ephesians 4:18 explains that Gentiles have their understanding darkened,

having their understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God, because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart; 

See, they lose their moral sense, giving themselves over to sinful desires. Many become numb to guilt, justifying their actions instead of acknowledging their wrongdoing. Society often educates people out of listening to their conscience, teaching them to reject guilt as an unnecessary burden. This leads them to an entitled or it’s someone else’s fault mentality.

When people ignore their conscience, they make choices that contradict God’s truth. The Bible speaks of losing innocence, meaning exposure to evil eventually makes it seem normal.

What once shocked them becomes acceptable. The world promotes this idea, dismissing morality as subjective or something that changes depending on how people look at it, but scripture warns against it.

Moral insensitivity exists on different levels. While psychopaths lack moral awareness altogether, many people suppress guilt in everyday life, justifying actions they once knew were wrong. The Bible frequently warns against self-deception or people convincing themselves that wrong is right. Eve, for example, deceived herself; the serpent introduced the lie, but she chose to believe it.

The phrase, “You should know better” reflects this concept. People instinctively recognise moral truth, even when they deny it.

As we’ve already seen in Romans 2:12,

For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law 

This means that even without scripture, conscience convicts them.

If people claim ignorance of what’s right and wrong, it’s because they’ve hardened their conscience, convincing themselves that truth doesn’t apply to them.

Remember Romans 1 explains that people knew God but refused to honor Him. See their rejection became the norm. Over time, absence of God leads people to demand proof of His existence, not because He’s absent, but because their conscience no longer recognises Him.

People often ask for evidence of God, but such a request comes from a heart that has been hardened to reality. Throughout history, only a minority have questioned God’s existence and most of them are from recent generations.

Romans 2:6 states that God will judge every person according to their deeds, whether they have the law or not. This idea is not exclusive to Jewish tradition; throughout history, pagan religions have shared the same belief of “If we do good, our god will bless us. If we do evil, our god will curse us.” This reflects human conscience, which naturally recognises righteous judgment.

Romans 2:8 explains that those who reject truth and obey unrighteousness will face indignation, wrath, and tribulation. In other words if someone does evil, they’ll be judged accordingly.

Romans 3:19 says,

Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 

Israel was not exempt from guilt. Romans 1 explains that, and God gave the Gentiles over to a reprobate mind, meaning they were guilty in their sin. However, Israel, despite being God’s chosen people, was also guilty.

God rescued them from Egypt, yet they sinned and died in the wilderness. Even after entering the promised land, they continued to sin. The law was given to prove that no one’s innocent, not to show that some are superior.

Romans 2:13 clarifies that,

(for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; 

This was a major statement against Israel, as many believed they were righteous simply because they had the law. John the Baptist and Jesus taught the same principle—being part of Israel did not guarantee salvation.

Likewise, just because a person owns a Bible or attends church doesn’t mean they’re saved. Many churches hold the truth, but that doesn’t mean all members believe, or understand, or trust the gospel. Salvation only comes through faith in Christ, not simply through an association with Christianity.

This levels the playing field. Salvation is not determined by nationality, culture, or religious affiliation. We may ask, “What about those who live in non-Christian societies?” The truth is, Christian civilisation doesn‘t save people. Being in the Western world doesn’t guarantee salvation, just as political leaders claiming Christianity don’t make their nation righteous.

Ultimately, all people are guilty before God, regardless of location or upbringing. The question is not who’s guilty, but how can we be saved?

God has provided a solution through Christ.

Faith in Jesus Christ is the only way to receive true righteousness.

Romans 3 confirms that none are righteous, and none do good enough to justify themselves. No amount of good deeds can outweigh or cover past sins. Someone must pay for those sins, and Christ is the only one who could. He was sinless, God in the flesh.

James 1:22 says,

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. 

This aligns with Paul’s message in Romans 2. Paul discusses judgment, while James exhorts his audience to maintain a pure conscience.

James wrote to the twelve tribes of Israel scattered after Acts 8, when believers fled Saul (Paul’s) persecution.

His teachings summarise what Jesus taught during His earthly ministry, reinforcing obedience and faith under the law. Unlike Paul’s writings, James doesn’t introduce new revelation, the mystery of the church, or the body of Christ.

James 1:22 urges Israel to act on their faith, while Paul explains why human effort alone is not enough for justification. Both emphasize that hypocrisy occurs when people hear the truth but don’t act on it.

James describes this principle with an illustration in James 1:23 – 24,

For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man observing his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself, goes away, and immediately forgets what kind of man he was. 

This shows man’s tendency to ignore truth and convince ourselves that actions don’t matter.

Both Paul and James emphasise righteousness through action, but Paul clarifies that no one can fulfill God’s standards, therefore, justification comes not through works but through faith in Christ.

The difference is that in James this as instruction, urging his audience to follow through on their faith with works, while Paul reveals the deeper issue—that no one can keep God’s law, leading to the ultimate solution which is that Christ died because we couldn’t fulfill righteousness ourselves.

James makes very little reference to the revelation of the mystery given to Paul. It closely resembles Old Testament teachings and Jesus’ ministry to Israel under the law. His focus is on righteous living and moral purity.

Ezekiel 33:31 also addresses the issue of hearing but not doing. It speaks of Israel, who had received the law but failed to act on it.

“They sit before you as my people; they hear your words, but they do not do them.”

This principle applies universally—many listen to truth yet.

They love with their words but fail to do, following their own selfish desires. Hypocrisy, professing faith while not living according to God’s commands.

The same principle appears in Matthew 7 where Jesus teaches about building a house on the rock. Many people miss what Jesus is saying.

Matthew 7:24-25

Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.

Jesus continues, in Matthew 7:26-27

But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand: and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell. And great was its fall. 

This passage doesn’t simply teach faith—it emphasises faith followed by obedience.

Many mistakenly assume these passages say that just believing in Jesus automatically establishes a firm foundation, but Jesus teaches hear that faith must be accompanied by doing. Without the doing of the word, the foundation crumbles. Same as James 2’s message—faith without works is dead.

James, Matthew 7, and Ezekiel all address righteous judgment, urging people to act according to God’s commands.

Paul’s the same in Romans 1 and 2. He  acknowledges these principles but instead of saying, “Do this because judgment is coming,” he explains that no one can do it.

As we’ll see when we get to Romans 3 that human effort is not enough to satisfy God’s standard of righteousness therefore all are condemned.

What do we learn from Matthew 7, Romans 2, James 2 and Ezekiel 33? That righteous judgment is required. The fact that not everyone who believes in God or Jesus always acts righteously. It’s proof that we’re all without excuse and that’s Paul’s point, no one can claim innocence.

First John reinforces this idea. Some might think everything changed after Jesus’ resurrection, but it didn’t.

First John is known as the “love epistle,” but it teaches love under the law, just like the Old Testament.

The first commandment was to love God with all your heart, mind, and soul, and the second was to love your neighbour. In the same way that the Old Testament taught love, First John emphasizes the law’s role in defining righteousness.

1 John 3:7

Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness (does righteousness) is righteous, just as He is righteous. 

Clearly righteous comes only if they do righteously. Just claiming righteousness without action is hypocrisy.

1 John 3:18 backs this up:

My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. (In deed, works).

This aligns with James’, Jesus’s, and Ezekiel’s teaching, which Paul confirms in Romans.

Conscience should convict those who fail to act on what they know is right. God’s law explicitly defines righteousness and magnifies human failure.

Returning to James 1, we see his emphasis on purity of conscience.

James 1:25

But he who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does. 

And then James 1:26 warns:

If anyone among you thinks he is religious, and does not bridle his tongue but deceives his own heart, this one’s religion is useless. 

This highlights hypocrisy appearing religious but not acting accordingly.

James 1:27 describes true religion:

Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world. 

This is a noble, righteous call to holiness, but it’s impossible to achieve perfectly.

James is writing to people who received the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, those under God’s new covenant. The Old Testament taught “Do what God commands.” Now, James says: “Do it because you love Jesus.” The principle’s the same. Obedience, doing, is expected.

However, in this dispensation of grace, the Holy Spirit seals believers in Christ because we just can’t fulfill righteousness on our own and Paul expands on this in Romans 3.

James 2:8 states this:

If you really fulfill the royal law according to the Scripture, “YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF,” you do well; 

Again, this aligns with Paul’s teaching that those who do righteousness receive life. However, James 2:10 warns:

For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. 

Here’s the whole problem, no one can fully keep the law.

The disciples, after understanding this from Jesus’s words to the rich young ruler, asked him in Matthew 19:25,

When His disciples heard it, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?” 

Jesus responded in Matthew 19:26,

But Jesus looked at them and said to them, “With men this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.” 

With human effort alone this’s impossible!

James doesn’t immediately direct his audience to Christ as the solution. Instead, James 2:12 states:

So speak and so do as those who will be judged by the law of liberty.

He essentially says, “If you claim righteousness, then live by it consistently.” But how? That’s unanswered.

James continues in James 2:20, that Faith without works is dead.

He urges the twelve tribes to keep doing good works.

This leads to a question: What is faith, and where does it come from?

Paul will answer this in Romans 3, explaining that faith—not works—is the key to justification.

Romans 10:17 says,

So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God

However, Romans 2 makes it clear that it’s not the hearers of the law who are justified, but the doers. If someone hears God’s law, hears Jesus’ teachings, and has faith because of what they hear, but doesn’t act on His words, they fall into the category James warns about.

Now, James is not discussing Romans 3, 4, and 5, which focus on the gospel of grace. He’s not saying that trusting in Christ’s finished work requires additional actions for justification. He’s not talking about the gospel that saves at all. Instead, he’s saying that if someone hears what God has said, whether in the Old Testament or in Jesus’ teachings, but doesn‘t act on it, their faith is dead.

Jesus says in Matthew 7, “If you hear my words and do not act on them, your house is not built on the rock.” He’s not saying, “I’m dying for your sins and offering grace because you can’t fulfill righteousness.”

Instead He warns that entering the kingdom may require carrying one’s own cross, even unto death. If someone claims belief in Jesus but refuses to stand for Him, their faith is empty.

Today’s salvation is by grace alone through faith alone, trusting in Christ’s finished work on the cross. However, Romans 2 and James aren’t teaching this yet.

James has no knowledge of faith without works. **

James 2:21 states,

Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered Isaac his son on the altar? 

He doesn’t of  Romans 4, which clarifies justification by faith alone.

James continues, James 2:22,

Do you see that faith was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect?

He insists that Abraham’s work was necessary to fulfill the righteousness declared in Genesis 15:6

And he believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness. 

James then concludes James 2:24,

You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only. 

His point is that if God commands something, a person must believe it and act on it. Abraham first in Genesis 15, then obeyed in Genesis 22.

In this dispensation, this dispensation of grace that was revealed to Paul after James’, God says, “I’ve done it for you,”. He did the works that man could not you see.

We simply believe it.

However, God never commanded additional works for justification, unlike the system James is talking about.

James doesn’t acknowledge faith apart from works because his audience was taught to obey. He doesn’t address Paul’s revelation of the gospel of grace at all.

Instead, he speaks to people who should know better those who’ve heard but don’t act.

Hearing truth but failing to act on it hardens the conscience. This is how hearts become hardened, by constantly hearing without responding. People open their Bible once in a blue moon, yet never apply it. Over time, this numbs the conscience and the line between right and wrong and fact and fantasy is blurred.

What James and Romans 2 emphasise is not the gospel of grace but obedience to the law. Romans 2 states plainly that it’s not the hearers of the law who are justified, but the doers.

Returning to Romans 2:14, we see Paul’s alignment with other scriptures. Paul was given God’s manifold wisdom, fulfilling His word and explaining His plan. He teaches from creation, law, and history because understanding God’s mystery of free salvation is easy when we see it in light of how we’re condemned because of our inability to keep the law. However, James never explains this.

Read James, we don’t learn about Paul’s teachings, but reading Paul explains explain James and that’s crucial.

Romans 2:14 continues, stating,

for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 

Here, Paul clarifies that the law is demonstrated through actions, not merely hearing it.

Clearly, the law itself doesn’t justify anyone, only obedience to it does. Gentiles who instinctively do what’s morally right, despite not possessing the law, demonstrate that righteousness is known by everyone.

Non-Christians often misunderstand these arguments. They claim that morality is separate to belief in God. They argue that civilisations have developed moral systems without religion.

Some people say that no moral thing that a believer can do that an unbeliever can’t, or religion doesn’t add to morality, and we agree agreeing unbelievers can give to the poor, help their neighbours, and avoid wrongdoing. However, this overlooks the first commandment whish is to love God with all your heart, mind, and soul, which unbelievers can’t possibly obey since they don’t believe God even exists. Some say this doesn’t affect other aspects of morality, but recognising and honouring the Giver of Life is foundational. Gratitude and awareness of God as the source of all things is vital to truth.

An unbeliever can’t believe in God, understand spiritual truths, judge spiritual matters, and bear the fruit of the Spirit. While unbelievers may show kindness, their motivation is different. By contrast, believers walk by faith, through grace, in Christ Jesus while a non-believer can’t be justified by faith because they reject the very source of justification—Christ.

This is not because believers are morally superior. They’re certainly not. It’s because of Christ. Sure, unbelievers can give to charity and help the poor, but morality isn’t just about physical actions. Spiritual righteousness requires faith in God.

This also shows the blindness of heart in those who think they can be just as righteous as God, without God. It is an incredible form of pompous insolence to claim, “I don’t believe in God, but I can be as righteous as Christians claim He is.”

This suggests they view themselves as the moral standard while rejecting the very foundation of morality.

Now, back to Romans 2:14 where Paul asks, “How can Gentiles, who do not have the law, be condemned?”

Some argue that since they were never given the law, they have an excuse. If the law gives knowledge of sin, and Gentiles don’t have the law, how can they be guilty? Paul answers this by pointing out that Gentiles still have conscience, which serves as a moral guide. Even without written commandments, they instinctively know right from wrong. Paul’s clear all are without excuse.

Gentiles who don’t have the law still, by nature, do the things in the law. This refers to conscience, that internal awareness of good and evil.

They may not follow specific Jewish customs, such as wearing tassels or observing the Sabbath, but they still understand foundational moral principles like not murdering and showing kindness.

Even humanism, which rejects God, promotes love for humanity. But where does this concept originate? From conscience that inbuilt moral code placed by God. Even those who reject divine law still follow moral reasoning, proving that morality is inborn, not invented.

Paul writes that even without written law those who act against their conscience are guilty and their own awareness condemns them. If someone breaks the law of their conscience, they stand judged before God and that’s every one of us.

Some say that if conscience is my law, then I determine my own rules, but God placed conscience within humanity, ensuring a universal moral code. People don’t invent morality, it’s instinctive, and shapes societies and laws.

Romans 2:14-15 says,

although not having the law, are a law to themselves (the gentiles), who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them 

This describes how laws, rules, and governments develop based on moral awareness, even without direct religious influence. This applies gentile nations like Australia and America which were never commanded to enforce Israel’s laws but still built its legal system upon those moral principles.

Even if those nations reject biblical law, their societies establish laws and governments according to the conscience placed within humanity.

Anarchists and many libertarians claim human governments are unnecessary, and we just need rely on human conscience to maintain order. But without government, individual moral responsibility becomes essential, and when people reject moral responsibility because of their hardened conscience lawlessness and chaos would follow.

Romans 13 explains that governing authorities exist to uphold righteousness. Rom 13:5 says,

Therefore you must be subject, not only because of wrath but also for conscience’ sake. 

This shows that the role of government should not be simply about force but also about moral accountability.

Many Libertarians argue that governments enforce laws at gunpoint and while it’s true in some cases, many laws align with human conscience, such as prohibiting murder and theft. The non-aggression principle which is central to libertarian thinking relies on a basic moral awareness which as we’ve seen is flawed at best.

Survival of the fittest means the strong should dominate the weak, yet human conscience rejects this idea and even anarchists recognise the need for individual moral responsibility to maintain social stability.

Romans 2:15 states,

who (and the who is the gentiles) show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)

This doesn’t mean people automatically follow God’s law, but rather that they possess this natural understanding of right and wrong.

The law serves two primary functions: to justify and to condemn. While no one is truly righteous, the law defines morality and holds us accountable.

Romans 3:19 confirms,

Those under the law have their mouths stopped, for all are guilty before God.

Paul describes the law in 2 Corinthians 3:7, stating, “If the ministry of death, written and engraved in stone, was glorious…”

Here, Paul refers to the Mosaic Law as the ministry of death. See, the law reveals sin but doesn’t bring salvation, it only shows that people have failed.

2 Corinthians 3:9 further emphasises this, calling the law the ministry of condemnation.

This challenges those who take pride in the law, whether it’s ancient or modern Israelites or modern Christians who display commandments publicly. The law is righteous, but it also brings death and condemnation.

It can’t save anyone. Only God’s grace can. Paul explains that the law is for the unrighteous, not the righteous. However, since no one is truly righteous, the law convicts all people.

Romans 2:15 confirms that the law’s role to justify or condemn is reflected in human conscience. People instinctively create laws and rules that mirror the moral principles found in God’s law. However, once someone begins judging others based on law, they must judge themselves as well, proving that no one perfectly keeps the law.

This universal guilt confirms Paul’s key message, that All are guilty before God, and none can uphold righteousness perfectly.

Romans 2 warns those who judge others to be careful. Paul’s argument is not based on the law of Moses but on conscience. Though the Mosaic law is often referenced, he’s making a bigger point, that God’s given every person a conscience that testifies to right and wrong.

Romans 5:20 states that the law was added, causing sin to abound.

This is reinforced in Romans 7:5, where Paul describes how the law stirs sinful desires, leading people into further condemnation. However, believers are now delivered from the law, serving in the newness of the Spirit rather than the old letter.

Paul poses a question in Romans 7:7, “Is the law sin?”

His response: “God forbid!” The law itself is not sinful, but it exposes sin. Without the law, people would not recognise lust as sinful until confronted with “Thou shalt not covet.”

Conscience acts as an internal moral law but does this mean conscience is bad because it condemns wrongdoing. The world says yes. In modern psychology, people are often encouraged to reject guilt, convincing themselves there’s nothing wrong with their actions. Instead of recognising their faults, they’re told, “You’re fine as you are. If God doesn’t accept you, then forget God.”

This is a bold and arrogant stance that hardens the conscience against truth.

The reality is that we’ve broken the moral laws of our own conscience. Conscience isn’t bad—it helps us understand right and wrong.

Romans 2:15 God’s truth is written in people’s hearts and that conscience bears witness to their accountability before Him.

Paul’s argument is not based on scripture alone but on the undeniable truth of conscience.

Once someone begins accusing or excusing others, they prove that they recognise morality. Their conscience bears witness.

For example, someone may say, “I accuse you of being a hypocrite.”

By making that accusation, they reveal their own understanding of right and wrong. They admit that moral failure exists—even in themselves.

People often excuse their wrongdoing by saying, “I’m not as bad as you.” But this is still an admission of guilt. Excusing sin means judging it according to a standard, but whose standard? If the standard is based on humanity, then judgment is flawed, because God’s standard is absolute.

Paul says that everyone is guilty before God. The common assumption that “Nobody’s perfect” proves that all people fall short. Some people reject religions that acknowledge this human imperfection and insist that sin must be accepted as normal. However, the Bible refuses to excuse sin, even if it means condemning everyone.

Despite humanity’s failure, God has given a way to be saved through Jesus Christ. Salvation is not earned; it’s a gift of grace. However, a person must first recognise their sinful condition before they can believe in salvation through Christ from that sin and the curse that goes with it.

In Romans 2:16 Paul states,

in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel

This verse speaks of judgment. Some readers, knowing that Paul preached a gospel different from others, may assume this refers to Romans 3, 4, and 5, or Ephesians. However, Paul hasn’t got there yet. He hasn’t explained salvation by grace in this passage.

The last time Paul mentioned the gospel was in Romans 1:16, saying,

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation

This clarifies that Paul’s gospel doesn’t condemn—it saves.

Some believe that not accepting the gospel is what condemns a person, but that’s not true.

Romans 1:16 makes it clear that people are already condemned because of sin and the gospel is the only hope for salvation.

People are already condemned.

When God judges righteously, He does so without favouritism, according to truth and based on each person’s deeds. The gospel can save people from judgment, but everyone’s already condemned.

Some ask, “What about those who have never heard the gospel?”

The real question should be, “How can we reach them so they can be saved?” Everyone’s guilty before God, and no one deserves eternal life. If someone has never heard the gospel, they should be told because they can be saved by it.

If we were to ask people directly, “Have you ever heard the gospel that Christ died for yours and my sins and rose from the dead?”, some might reply, “No, I have never heard.” But at that moment, they’ve heard it. They don’t need it repeated a million times throughout their lives. It is nearly impossible to find someone who’s never heard the gospel without also sharing it.

The reality remains that everyone is condemned until they accept salvation. Being born in a Christian nation doesn’t justify anyone. Every individual must believe and understand the truth personally.

Romans 2:16 states in the context of the gentiles not having the law but knowing the law written in their hearts,

in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my (Paul’s) gospel.

What are the secrets of men?

People don’t reveal all their thoughts, actions, and motives. Many things remain hidden, sometimes even unknown to themselves. However, God knows every thought, every deed, every hidden intention.

One day, God will expose all things in judgment. Will anyone be without excuse on that day? God judges not only actions but also thoughts.

Paul explains that judgment is not based on hearing the law but on doing it. Even if someone claims ignorance, the Bible refutes this idea, stating that God manifests His truth within each person. Everyone has a conscience, and those who ignore it have hardened their hearts.

Humans can hide truths from one another, but nothing’s hidden from God.

Romans 2:16 confirms that Jesus Christ will judge all people, proving that He must be both omniscient and divine. Some claim that Jesus was only a man, dependent on the Father’s knowledge. But if this were true, He couldn’t judge perfectly. To render judgment, He must be fully God, knowing all things, and fully man to be able to atone for sins.

Hebrews 4 speaks about the Word of God and God Himself and declares, that The Word of God is alive and powerful, sharper than any two-edged sword. It pierces and divides the soul and spirit, joints and marrow, and discerns the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

This book, containing the words of the Creator, is more than ink on a page. It reveals and judges what’s hidden in the human heart.

Hebrews 4:13,

And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account. 

Who is the “He” here?

The Word of God that the previous verse is talking about! The Word of God is personalised.

Many believe they can hide behind walls, clothing, or darkness, thinking they’re concealed but, these barriers only affect human perception, not God’s. He sees everything and nothing’s hidden from Him.

This realisation is terrifying, which is why Paul, in 2 Corinthians 5:11  refers to knowing, the terror of the Lord,

Paul’s not referring to God’s anger but to God’s perfect knowledge. He says he speaks openly to their conscience because God knows his heart and theirs.

Matthew 9:4 records Jesus perceiving men’s hearts, questioning their thoughts even though they hadn’t spoken.

Romans 14:10 emphasizes that by saying we will all stand before the judgment seat of Christ. See Christ Himself sits on that throne, proving yet again His divinity.

Romans 2:16 states that God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my (Paul’s) gospel.

This raises an important question: What does it mean that God judges according to Paul’s gospel?

At this point, Paul hasn’t yet explained grace in Christ, yet he includes this statement here.

The answer lies in Paul’s unique revelation.

Jesus Christ Himself entrusted Paul with the mystery of God’s will, the manifold wisdom of God, and the dispensation of grace. Because of this knowledge, Paul could understand God’s judgments more fully.

Any judgment God makes will always be in accordance with His complete revelation. He doesn‘t judge outside of His eternal wisdom. While He has revealed truth gradually throughout history, He has always known that salvation comes by grace through faith.

Though it was once hidden, it’s now been revealed. When Paul says God will judge according to his gospel, he means that God will judge in light of His full plan.

This is good news, especially when considering Romans 3, which reveals that no one can be justified by their own righteousness. God looks not at a person’s works but at their faith in Christ.

Paul has not yet fully explained the gospel here in Romans 2, except for his statement in Romans 1:16 that the gospel of Christ is the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believes—first to the Jew, then to the Greek.”

In Romans 2, Paul repeatedly emphasises that God does not show favouritism—He judges all people equally. Since all are guilty before Him, everyone faces the same problem. Romans 1:16 assures us that the gospel is the solution—it is the power of God for salvation.

Paul understands how God interacts with humanity today—through conscience, morality, and creation and this wider understanding allows us to see the righteousness of God’s judgment.

Paul teaches in Romans 2 that all are condemned, whether they have the law or not, and that justification comes through faith alone, with or without the law and that message is different from the gospel of the circumcision, the kingdom, or the law of Moses.

There is now justification available through Christ, something that could not be achieved through the law of Moses. This is why God will judge the secrets of men according to the gospel revealed to Paul.

Next, in Romans 2:17, Paul will continue proving that every person is without excuse, as he shifts focus to those actually under the law and begins quoting scripture.