Paul's gospel teaches that God is just when He justifies believers because Christ has already paid the full price for sin, and the final judgment — the believer's reward and the lost person's recompense — is reserved for the Lord's coming.
God, through Paul, builds His case against the whole human race — the immoral, the moral, and the religious — and the verdict is that all are guilty enemies of God. Yet God is not winking at sin: Christ paid the total price at the cross, which is why God can be just in being the justifier of those who believe. Paul then instructs believers to judge nothing before the time, because both the believer's reward and the lost person's recompense wait until the Lord comes.
Romans 2:16 — Paul explicitly ties God's judgment of the secrets of men through Jesus Christ to 'my gospel.'
Romans 5:18 — Paul's clearest contrast between the judgment that came through one man's offense and the justification that comes through Christ's righteousness.
In Romans 2:14-16, Paul writes that even Gentiles who do not have the Law 'do by nature the things contained in the law,' showing the work of the Law written in their hearts while their conscience bears witness and their thoughts accuse or excuse one another. This sets up the day 'when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.' Paul's case against humanity concludes in Romans 3: 'There is none righteous, no, not one... they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one' (Romans 3:10, 12) — so that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God (Romans 3:19) — and 'by the law is the knowledge of sin' (Romans 3:20). The basis of this judgment and deliverance is stated in Romans 5:18: 'Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.' Paul also commands believers, 'judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts' (1 Corinthians 4:5), and asks, 'Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth' (Romans 14:4).
Les shows that in Romans 1–3 Paul builds God's case against the whole human race, starting with those most obviously guilty — the immoral — and moving from the immoral to the good moral person, and then to the religious Jew, since the Jews had the only real religion of Paul's day. The conclusion Paul reaches in Romans 3 is that all three groups are enemies of God (Clips 1, 2). Les also contrasts this with the Law: when Israel was under the Law, she could not get by with faith plus nothing; the Law demanded doing (Clip 0). Paul then delves into the problems of the whole human race, not just Israel, to show the knowledge of sin (Clip 6). Les stresses the character of God in this judgment: God is not an ogre waiting to zap people nor a Santa Claus waiting to be manipulated, but a God of mercy (Clip 2). Since Christ has already paid the total price for sin at the cross, God is not winking at sin or cutting corners when He is just in being the justifier of those who believe (Clip 4). On the practical side, Les emphasizes that believers are in no position to judge one another — Paul absolutely rejects that — because God has received each believer and God alone will do the judging (Clip 7). Toward the unsaved world, Paul's only assignment is to preach the gospel, and believers can only sow the seed (Clip 5). Finally, judgment is delayed until the end of time: believers will not receive their reward, and the lost will not receive their just recompense, until the end — because believers are making impacts on people all around them as they go through this life (Clip 3).
Les points out that Paul builds God's case in a deliberate order: first the immoral person, who obviously stands in need; then the good moral person; then the religious Jew, since the Jews had the only real religion of Paul's day. When Paul reaches Romans 3, the conclusion is that whether immoral, moral, or religious, all are enemies of God (Clips 1, 2). Les adds that the Jew under the Law could not get by with faith plus nothing — the Law demanded doing (Clip 0) — and for the whole human race, the Law only brings the knowledge of sin (Clip 6).
Les teaches that God is not an ogre waiting to zap people, but neither does He wink at sin. Christ paid the total price for sin at the cross, and because of that finished work, God can be just in being the justifier of those who believe (Clip 4). Paul expresses the same in Romans 5:18: condemnation came through one man's offense, but the free gift of justification comes through the righteousness of the one — Jesus Christ.
Paul writes, 'judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come' (1 Corinthians 4:5). Les explains why: believers are still making impacts on people all around them as they go through life, and the lost are likewise still living out their own time. So the believer's reward and the lost person's just recompense are both reserved until the end of time (Clip 3).
Les emphasizes that while judgment belongs to God, believers are not to take it upon themselves. Paul's question is pointed: 'Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth' (Romans 14:4). God has received him, and God is the one who will do the judging — believers are not the boss (Clip 7). Toward the unsaved world, Paul's only assignment is to preach the gospel; believers can only sow the seed, because conviction is something only God can do (Clip 5).
Law Versus Faith
Les explains the contrast Paul draws in Romans 2: under the Law, the Jew could not get by with faith plus nothing — the Law demanded doing. This shows why no one can be justified by law-keeping.
God's Case Begins With the Immoral
Les shows that Paul is building God's case against all of humanity, beginning with those who are most obviously guilty — the immoral — and heading toward the conclusion in Romans 3 that 'there is none that doeth good.'
All Three Groups Are Enemies of God
Les walks through Paul's sequence in Romans 1–3: the immoral person, the good moral person, and the religious Jew — and shows the verdict that all are enemies of God.
Why Judgment Waits Until the End
Les answers why believers will not receive their reward — and the lost their recompense — until the end of time: because believers are still making impacts on people all around them.
God Is Just in Justifying Believers
Les emphasizes that God is not cutting corners or winking at sin: since Christ paid the total price at the cross, God can be just in justifying those who believe.
Preach the Gospel to the Unsaved
Les explains that Paul's only relationship to the unsaved world is preaching the gospel — believers can only sow the seed, not force a result.
Paul Reaches the Whole Human Race
Les shows that Paul, unlike Jesus in the Gospels dealing with Jews under the Law, delves into the problems of the whole human race — the murder, rape, and immorality seen on every newspaper front page.
God Alone Judges His Servants
Les teaches that believers are in no position to judge other believers: God has received them, and God is the master who will do the judging.
Romans 2:14: 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:
Shows that even without the written Law, Gentiles reveal the work of the Law by nature.
Romans 2:15: Which shew 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;)
Their conscience bears witness and their thoughts accuse or excuse, giving every person moral awareness.
Romans 2:16: In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.
Paul's own summary of his gospel: God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ.
Romans 3:10: As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:
The verdict of Paul's case against all humanity.
Romans 3:12: They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.
Les quotes this as the conclusion that all — immoral, moral, and religious — are guilty.
Romans 3:19: Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God.
The Law stops every mouth and makes the whole world guilty before God.
Romans 3:20: Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.
The Law cannot save; its only role is to give the knowledge of sin.
Romans 3:26: To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.
God is just while justifying those who believe because of Christ's work.
Romans 5:18: Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life.
The core of Paul's gospel on judgment: condemnation through one man, justification through Christ's righteousness.
Romans 14:4: Who art thou that judgest another man's servant? to his own master he standeth or falleth. Yea, he shall be holden up: for God is able to make him stand.
Believers are not the master; God alone judges His own servants.
1 Corinthians 4:5: Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord come, who both will bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will make manifest the counsels of the hearts: and then shall every man have praise of God.
Paul's command to leave judgment until the Lord comes.
1 Corinthians 5:12: For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within?
Paul's relationship to the unsaved world is preaching the gospel, not judging them.
Yes. Paul builds God's case against the whole human race — the immoral, the good moral person, and the religious Jew — and the conclusion is that all are enemies of God and none doeth good (Romans 3:10-12; Clips 1, 2).
No. Les teaches that God is not cutting any corners — Christ paid the total price for sin at the cross, so God can be just in being the justifier of those who believe (Clip 4). The cross is what makes God's mercy just.
Paul says to judge nothing before the time until the Lord comes (1 Corinthians 4:5). Les explains that believers are still making impacts on people around them throughout this life, so both the believer's reward and the lost person's recompense are reserved until the end of time (Clip 3).
Because God alone is the judge. Paul asks, 'Who art thou that judgest another man's servant?' — every believer stands or falls before his own master, God, who has received him (Romans 14:4; Clip 7). Toward the unsaved world, the believer's role is to preach the gospel, not to judge (Clip 5).
Paul shows that the Law demanded doing, so no Jew under the Law could get by with faith alone (Clip 0). Yet the Law's real work is to bring the knowledge of sin — and it is the only place that knowledge is found (Romans 3:19-20; Clip 6).
Watch the Teaching: Why Even "Good People" Can't Escape God's Judgment — Romans 2