Romans 2:5-13

Humanity is without excuse before God.  People can never say that they never knew there was a God because His reality is evident in Creation (1:18-32).  Further, people can never say they were unaware of God’s expectations (2:1-13).  Men do not live up to their own standard (v1).  Neither do they live up to God’s truth (v2), especially His truth as evident in His goodness in Creation (v3-4).

There are two other aspects of God’s judgment that leave man with no standing.

Man is inexcusable when judged by his works, v5-10.

In v5 there is a rather harsh reference to the hardness and impenitent heart that people have that destines them for wrath in the day of judgment.  Where does such a strong assessment have its roots?  The Bible says God knows the secrets of the heart (Heb. 4:13).  But notice that God will hold men accountable for their works.  Deeds reveal the heart.  So it’s not simply that God knows the heart; He sees the hardness and impenitence in the person’s works.

This revealing of the heart is evident both by those who receive eternal life (v7) and those who receive wrath (v8).  Eternal life will be found by those who, in serving their Creator, seek for the glory and honor of the Creator.  Those whose works are self-seeking and disobedient to the truth will receive indignation and wrath.

Further, this proper reward for works is for the Jew first and also for the Greek (or non-Jew, v9-10).  Readers of the Bible know that in the Old Testament the people of Israel were chosen by God to be His people.  But this privileged position (Rom. 9:1-5) does not change the fact that all are judged by the works that reveal their hearts.  It is for the Jew first because of their privileged position.

Man is inexcusable when judged by God’s impartial standard, v11-13.

The primary difference between Jew and Gentile was bound up in the Law.  Israel had received a special revelation of God’s Law through Moses at Mt. Sinai.  The 10 Commandments were etched in stone by God Himself (Exodus 31:18).

Over the course of time very few Gentiles had access to Moses’ law, something that required that they associate with Israel.  Thus one might conclude that God is unfair to hold non-Jews accountable to the judgment of works since they would have been justifiably ignorant of God’s law.  God is thus accused of being unfair in not giving all people the same access to His written law.

Yet, v11 says there is no impartiality with God.  How can this be?  The answer is that all men are judged for their works according to the law of God they have.  Those with the written law are judged by that.  Those without the written law are judged without the written law.  As v13 makes clear: it is not how much law one has heard but whether one has obeyed the truth they have.

The following verses will make clear that Gentiles, without god’s written law, still have God’s law in their conscience.  For now remember that all men have access to truth about god in creation.  They will be held accountable to that truth as it is evidenced by their works.

Are you still making excuses to God?  God says men are without excuse.