Romans Chapter 2: Faith -Vs- Religion



    1: Therefore you are inexcusable O man whosoever you are that judges for wherein you judge another you condemn yourself for you that judges does the same things 2: But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things 3: And thinkest thou this Oh one that judges them which do such things and does the same that you shall escape the judgment of God 4: Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance 5: But after your hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God 6: Who will render to every one according to their deeds 7: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality eternal life: are we saved by good works as an isolated reading of this passage (6-11) would suggest? Ephesians 2:8-9 says differently 8: But to them that are contentious and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness indignation and wrath 9: Tribulation and anguish upon every soul of those who do evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile 10: But glory honor and peace to everyone who works good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile 11: For there is no respect of persons with God 12: For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law 13: For not the hearers of the law are just before God but the doers of the law shall be justified 14: For when the Gentiles which have not the law do by nature the things contained in the law these having not the law are a law unto themselves 15: Which show the work of the law written in their hearts their conscience also bearing witness and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another 16: In the day when God shall judge the secrets of all by Jesus Christ according to my gospel 17: Behold you are called a Jew and rest in the law and make your boast of God 18: And know his will and approve the things that are more excellent being instructed out of the law 19: And are confident that you yourself are a guide of the blind a light to them who are in darkness[1] 20: An instructor of the foolish a teacher of babes which have the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law[2] 21: You therefore who teach another teach thou not thyself? You who preach a person should not steal do you steal 22: You who say a person should not commit adultery do you commit adultery You who abhors idols do you commit sacrilege 23: You who make your boast in the law through breaking the law you dishonor God 24: For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you as it is written 25: For circumcision verily profits if you keep the law but if you be a breaker of the law your circumcision is made uncircumcision 26: Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision [3] 27: And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature if it fulfill the law judge you who by the letter and circumcision does transgress the law 28: For he is not a Jew which is one one outwardly neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh 29: But he that is a Jew which is one inwardly and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter whose praise is not of [any] person but of God


[1] Before Christ came, the Law of Moses, observed with a pure heart, was counted as faith in the coming Messiah, because the Law was all about Jesus. Paul wrote to the Galatians, that the Law guarded and protected them until faith came, and that the Law revealed Christ Galatians Chapters three and five.
[2] Paul later told false Christians the same thing, accusing them of having a form of righteousness but denying the power of it. There is power in the name of Jesus. There is power in the gospel of Jesus Christ. Power to be born again, power to live holy lives as we are commanded in the Word of God, Power to have faith toward God.
[3] Whether Jew or Gentile, it always was—and always is—about faith.


   


Additional commentary pending for this chapter. Questions and comments are welcome.
 

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