Studying Through Romans Part 7

2:5-8 "But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when His righteous judgment will be revealed. God "will give to each person according to what he has done." To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honer and immortality, He will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger."

These verses have deep truth in them (and so does the rest of the Bible). It is interesting that Paul does not say christians get eternal life and others don't. He says that those who persist in doing good will be given eternal life, while those who are self-seeking and reject the truth will suffer God's wrath. The point is not whether you are saved or not (I am not saying that salvation does not matter) . The point is: are you persisting in good? Are you seeking glory, honor and everlasting life? Are you following Christ?

2:9-11 "There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favortism."

God does not judge you by your nationality or what family you were born into. He does not judge you according to whether your parents are christians or not. God judges you according to what you have done.

2:12-16 "All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God's sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.) This will take place on the day when God will judge men's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares."

This is convicting. Every law that I have broken I will have to answer for. "Yes I knew that it was wrong, but I did it anyway", I will say. I know God's law and therefore I have sinned under God's law. I will be judged by the law. My secrets will be judged by God. But Christ has already paid the penalty for my sin. I am not looking forward to God's judgment and wrath. But I am longing to hear Christ's voice someday welcoming me into heaven.