Salvation of God-fearers In Spite of Israel Romans 2 Romans chapter two is part of one large introductory section that emphasizes the sinfulness of Israel and the nations. The underlined sections of the following outline show where chapter two is structured in this first section of Romans. The Sinfulness of God s People & The Nations 1:18 3:20 a Sinful World Deserving of Death 1:18-32 b God s Judgment: Justifying & Condemning 2:1-16 c Israel Failed to Bring Salvation to the Nations 2:17-23 d Failure of Israel & Blasphemy of Nations 2:24 c Gentiles Saved Though Israel Failed 2:25-29 b God s Vindication: Faithful & Just 3:1-8 a Sinful World Guilty Before God 3:9-20 This chapter begins with the justifying and condemning judgment of God. Corresponding to this first b section is chapter 3:1-8 (b ) concerning the vindication of God and His judgment. The first c section in the outline begins to grasp the central essence of chapter two. Israel rightly boasted in God and in His Law through which God identified them as His covenant people. Being His special people they were chosen to be a priestly people on behalf of the nations. They were chosen to be salt and light unto the nations and to win the nations over to saving faith in the true and living God. Though the nations of the world were not a part of the covenant community of Israel, they would be saved if they trusted in the covenant God of Israel. Even the Apostles affirmed this same point concerning the era before Christ. (see Acts 10:34-35, Is.45:22) Tragically Israel failed in their high and holy calling. They failed to bring healing to the nations, and failed to lead them to faith in the true and living God. Instead, Israel poisoned the nations all the more. Israel s sinfulness and rebellion caused the nations to blaspheme the truth of God. Nevertheless, even though they polluted the world with idolatry and sin, God still reached out and saved some God-fearing Gentiles who were outside the boundaries of the Law-covenant of Israel. Therefore, a significant problem abounded before the coming of Christ, and a stinging indictment pervaded over Israel. The problem was that God s good intention through Israel was only making matters worse for the nations and creation. In addition to the indictment upon Israel, their God-given Law did not give them any favoritism in the sight of God. In fact, God s Law only made God s judgment worse for Israel; for they were responsible for the light they had from God s word. To aggravate Israel s problem even the more, Paul says that the saved Gentiles would even join God in judging Israel! (2:27) In contrast to many Jews, the God-fearing Gentiles had the Holy Spirit. Thus, they were considered doers of the Law and true Jews.
2 Relying on various commentators 1, this summarizes my understanding of what Paul is saying in chapter two. The rest of this study is a brief defense and explanation of this interpretation. I. Paul s Serious and Literal Statements A. The Hypothetical Barrier Standing in the way of a literal interpretation of this chapter is the assumption that many of Paul s emphatic statements are merely hypothetical. Many assume that Paul is trying to prove the exact opposite of what he writes. The following passages are often explained away as if Paul was simply leading his readers to an obvious conclusion which is that they can not do, keep, or fulfill the Law. Paul says that God s final judgment will render eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality (v.7). There will be glory, honor, and peace to everyone who works what is good (v.10). Paul says the doers of the law will be justified in the day when God will judge the secrets of men (v.13,16). Paul says that an uncircumcised man who keeps and fulfills the Law will judge the Jew who breaks the Law (v.25-27). Many commentators assume that Paul is simply pointing out what it would take if a person had to be good enough to go to heaven. Since this is impossible, these passages are interpreted as principle statements of a hypothetical argument. And since no one can be good enough, then Paul does not really mean that people do, keep, or fulfill the Law of God. B. The Hypothetical Problems 1. Paul s Worthless Argument vs. Weighty Argument Paul s whole argument is leading up to the question in 3:1, What advantage then has the Jew? His argument is that some Gentiles actually have done the Law, fulfilled it, and kept the righteous requirements of it. These Gentiles will judge the law-breaking Jew! So then what advantage does the Jew have? Is circumcision of any profit to the Jew if Gentiles are regarded as the truly circumcised, and have praise from God? Paul anticipates these questions in 3:1 because he has been very serious about these Gentiles in chapter 2. If Paul really means that Jews and Gentiles can never really fulfill the Law of God in any sense, then there would be no Gentile-superiority to which a Jew would respond, in shock, saying: Then what advantage do I have! If Paul was arguing that a Jew and Gentile were simply on the same level in these passages, then a Jew could easily rise up in self-defense saying, See, that Gentile will never judge me! And even less does the Gentile have the Spirit, nor praise from God! Thus we can see that unless Paul really meant what he wrote about Gentiles in chapter two, then his argument is impotent and unable to provoke the shocking Jewish question in 3:1. 1 N.T. Wright says Paul is talking about present day Christians in Romans 2. This is plausible, but I think James Jordan s explanation of God-fearing Gentiles explains the passage better. See Jordan s The Sociology of the Church, p. 83 122.
3 The literal interpretation of chapter two carries more weight for Paul s argument because it puts the Jew in the dock so that they suffer the Gentiles finger-pointing accusation which prosecutes God s Law against the Jew. 2. Accomplishment vs. Evidence Later in 3:20 Paul says by the deeds of the Law no flesh will be justified. Many use this verse to support their hypothetical reading of chapter two. In this verse it seems that Paul is simply saying that we can not justify ourselves with good deeds. This is certainly true, and obvious, but not Paul s specific point. In 3:20 Paul is denying how God accomplishes justification. God does not justify anyone through the deeds of the Law-covenant of Moses. For this reason Paul will quickly say in the next verse that God has worked apart from the Law (v.21). The point is that God has accomplished justification through the work of Christ, not through the works of the Law-covenant. By way of application, Paul denies even more on the human side of the equation. Since God does not use the Law-covenant, then certainly no man can justify himself by using that Law. Whether it is the instrument used by God or man, to justify a man, it will not work. Either way, it will only expose man s sin. And since this is Paul s point specifically about the Law-covenant through Moses, then even more does his point apply to any moral law, pagan law, or governmental law under creation. No such law will ever be the means by which a person is justified. Well, if this is the case, then how can Paul literally mean that the doers of the Law will be justified (2:13). The difference is that, in chapter two, Paul is affirming the evidence of one s salvation, and the evidence of who will be justified on the Day of Judgment. A person s fulfilling and doing God s Law is about living out the faith which one has. The righteous requirements of God s Law were not given to the nation of Israel so that they could live up to some ethical standard apart from saving faith. The true doers of that Law always had saving faith in the God of that Law. Doing good works, rightly, was always an evidence of saving faith; and indicated that such a person would be justified in the final judgment. Even more so, their good works evidenced that they would receive the benefits which Moses Law anticipated Christ to accomplish for them. (more on this below) 3. The Domino Effect If Paul is hypothetical about fulfilling the Law here in chapter two, then shouldn t we say that he is hypothetical about fulfilling the Law throughout the book of Romans? If this first domino falls in chapter two, then we should also say that Paul is hypothetical when he later says Christians establish, submit to, and fulfill the Law of God (3:31, 8:7, 13:8-10). Clearly, Paul is not hypothetical in those verses, and therefore neither should we assume that he is being hypothetical in chapter two, speaking of God-fearing Gentiles during the Old Testament era. The preceding three points have shown that the hypothetical explanation is seriously flawed considering the intention of Paul s argument, the Biblical teaching on doing God s will, and the consistency desired when interpreting Romans. Now moving
4 on, we need to establish a good foundation of assumptions and reasons for interpreting Romans 2 literally and accurately. II. Eight Assumptions and Reasons For a Non-hypothetical Interpretation 1. The Law-Covenant; Not the Law of Nature The Law they are doers of is not the natural law revealed through creation which all humanity instinctive has impressed upon their hearts. Paul is writing about the Law-covenant through Moses. Most translations put comma in the wrong place in verse 14. It should say, for when Gentiles, who do not have the Law by nature, do the things in the Law Paul is saying these Gentiles did the Law, even though they were outside the boundaries of that Law-covenant. That Law was not part of their natural heritage, family history, or ethnic race. (compare with Gal.2:15). Though being outside the Law s boundaries, they were doers of it. 2. Doing, Keeping, & Fulfilling the Law-Covenant was Not About Sinless Perfection 2 When Paul affirms them as doers of the Law, he clearly does not mean they were sinless or perfect individuals. If so, then of course, Paul would certainly be hypothetical. But rightly doing, keeping, and fulfilling the Law in this context was always a by faith way of life under its tutelage, which anticipated the Faith/Jesus to come. (Gal.3:11,24; compare with Heb.11:39,40) Anyone saved in the Old Testament lived by faith and trusted in the promises of God that would come true in Jesus. In this way the Law was fulfilled and kept by God s people; and it was not an act of self-righteousness, nor of selfsalvation. And their good works were simply a fruitful evidence of one s personal salvation. 3. The Goal of the Law-Covenant: Jesus Christ When passengers jump on board a train they simply get in the railcar and ride to their destination. In the same way the Law-covenant was like a train carrying all of its passengers to Jesus Christ. Jews and Gentiles jumped on board the Law Train, so to speak, and anticipated the promises that would come true in Christ. In this sense the Law-covenant always anticipated the work of Jesus Christ. Therefore, Christ has always been the goal of this Law. (This is the point in 10:4-6) In other words, this Law always bore witness of Christ to come (3:21). This is critical to understand because any rightful way of doing this Law, which anticipated Jesus work, was simply an implicit way of trusting in the work Jesus would accomplish. 4. Paul s Chronological Argument In Romans 3:21 Paul says But now the righteousness of God is manifested This means before this verse Paul has been writing about the history before the time of Christ. Romans 1:18 3:20 is the tragic story of what happened from creation to Christ, 2 John Piper explains how Christians fulfill God s law imperfectly in his The Future of Justification, p.215-225. Many of his explanations about Christians fulfilling the law in an imperfect way should be applied to the God-fearing Gentiles of Romans 2. It would make his (and others ) interpretation of Romans more consistent throughout the book in regard to the fulfillment of God s law, whether in chapter 2 or chapter 13. For Piper s hypothetical understanding of chapter two, see p.107-110.
5 and the failure of God s covenant people to bless the nations. Therefore, this entire section concerns the pre-christ era in which sin and condemnation reigned over God s creation (Rm.5:12-21). Therefore I disagree with commentators who say that Paul is talking about New Covenant Christians in Romans 2. It all applies to Christians today, but Paul is specifically writing about the Spirit s work in Old Covenant Gentile Godfearers. They were also anticipating the long awaited But now era, of when God would reveal His righteousness through the Messiah. 5. Believers in Old & New Covenant: Differences and Similarities I think Paul is certainly speaking of Old Covenant God-fearers in chapter two, because in the New Covenant era no believer is outside the New Covenant boundary. The new Law of faith (3:27) or Law of the Spirit of life (8:2) now includes all of God s covenant people. Concerning similarities, just as we have the work of God s Spirit in our hearts, even so the Gentile God-fearers had a heart circumcision in the Spirit which showed the work of the Law written in their hearts (v.29,15). Also, as our hearts today either condemn us or do not condemn us, even so the God-fearing Gentiles had thoughts accusing or excusing themselves. (compare v.15 to I John 3:20-21) Another similarity is the work of the Holy Spirit. Jesus spoke of the Spirit s work in the Old Testament (John 3:8-12). Nicodemus should have known these earthly things because it was clearly taught in the Old Testament. If he did not understand the work of God the Spirit, he would not understand the work of God the Son, i.e. heavenly things. Thus the Holy Spirit worked in the people of God during the Old Testament, yet now He works in us to a greater degree. 6. The Good News of Jesus Being the Judge This future justification is a vindication of all those who have evidenced fruits of faith in this life. On that day believers will be publicly acknowledged and acquitted by God. Since Paul says this future judgment is according to my gospel (v.16) then any justifying or vindicating verdict will be consistent with, and an expression of, the Judge s gospel. Therefore, when Paul quotes Ps.62:12 & Pr.24:12 saying God will render to each one according to his deeds (v.6) he anticipates a gracious justification upon these believing Gentiles just as those two Old Testament passages anticipated mercy and gave comfort. It is wrong and misleading to say that our future justification is based on our works, even if they are the fruitful works of the Holy Spirit. Our justification now, and the one on the final day, is only based upon our union in the death and resurrection of Christ. On the basis of our saving union with Christ, we will be publicly justified in that judgment which is according to works (Rev. 20:12). All of our works, especially our good works through the Spirit, will be judged and vindicated. And the saving work of Christ is the reason we will pass that judgment, just as much as He is the reason we are now justified. Faith is the root of all fruitful good works. The saving root that justifies us produces fruit. The scripture teaches that both the root and its fruit are necessary for eternal salvation, while at the same time one is a root and the other is necessarily fruit. For this reason, just as Christ condemned the fig tree for having no fruit (Matt.21:19), He
6 will also condemn men who have a faith which bears no fruit - for such is the faith of demons (James 2:19). 7. Jesus, Peter, and Paul: The Same Message Jesus and Peter taught the same thing Paul is writing here. In Luke 11:31,32 the God-fearing Assyrians and the queen of the South will rise up in the final judgment to condemn the generation of Jesus day. Implicit with Jesus statement is that those Godfearers will be justified, while those Jews will be condemned. In Acts 10:34,35 Peter acknowledges God s impartial judgment and acceptance of God-fearers as he began preaching to one Cornelius! To say that Paul is just being hypothetical in verse 13, means that Jesus, Peter, and a host of other passages that teach the same point, are merely hypothetical as well. When we conclude that Paul does not mean what he says, then it is time to re-examine our assumptions. 8. The Accusation of the Prophets Paul quotes Isaiah 52:5 and Ezekiel 36:22 in verse 24. The Isaiah passage precedes the work of God the Son in Isaiah 53. The Ezekiel passage precedes the work of God the Spirit in Ezekiel 37. Nevertheless, Paul emphasizes the prophets words of judgment upon Israel. Even after the return from Babylonian exile, the indictment of the prophets still stands. The return to the land did not cleanse them of their idolatry, adultery, and thievery (21-23). As the prophetic words of accusation preceded the work of the Son and of the Spirit, even so Romans chapter two speaks of God-fearers during the Old Covenant era anticipating the work of the Son and Spirit. III. Application Israel failed in their great commission to bring God s salvation to the world; and as a result poisoned the world even more with their sin. Today when a local church plagues itself with immorality and idolatry it poisons the world with wickedness like old Israel. We are called to boast in God and in the Law of the Spirit of Life (8:2) but when a church lives in unrepentance it also causes the nations to blaspheme our God. Thankfully though, the same Spirit who was at work on Day One of creation is doing even greater works through us today. The Spirit s work of new creation in Christ has begun, and we are the first-fruits of the great harvest to come. All of God s people are now within His new, redeeming, and everlasting covenant. This New Covenant will never pass away. And through Him, whose blood seals us; we now rule and conquer Satan under our feet (Rm.16:20).