Romans 2:1–29: God's Impartial Judgment and the Circumcision of the Heart (two sessions)

Says Paul teaches both judgment according to deeds and justification by faith apart from works. God “will repay each one according to his deeds” (2:6; compare 2:16), and “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ” (2 Cor 5:10). Yet “a man is justified by faith apart from works of the law” (3:28; compare 3:20), God “justifies the ungodly” (4:5), and “there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (8:1).

Implies Judgment according to deeds is real and impartial, and it is not a second way of salvation alongside faith (2:6, 16; 3:9, 20, 23, 28). It is real: 2 Cor 5:10 applies it to believers. It is impartial: Jew and Greek are judged by one standard (2:9–11). It is not a second way of salvation, because 3:20–28 and 4:4–5 exclude works as the ground of acceptance. Implies Works never form part of the ground of the verdict of justification. The verdict is given now through faith (5:1), and “no condemnation” (8:1) is a present and settled fact for those in Christ. The judgment according to deeds does not reopen that verdict. An account in which the works of the whole life form part of the ground of the final verdict falls outside this boundary.

Uncertain Who the people of 2:7, 10 and 13 are. Conservative interpreters hold two readings. Both are given here on equal terms, and neither is the team's view. - The law-standard reading. Paul states the standard by which the law judges, the principle that “the man who does these things will live by them” (Lev 18:5; וָחַי בָּהֶם, vakhay bahem), which Paul cites as the law's principle in Gal 3:12 and Rom 10:5. If anyone did the law, God would declare him righteous; but no one does. Grounds: the passage belongs to an indictment that ends with “no one will be justified in His sight by works of the law” (3:20) and “all have sinned” (3:23); 2:12 speaks of “all who sin”; Gal 3:10 shows that the law's demand is total. Difficulty: 2:7 and 2:10 sound like real people who receive eternal life. - The evidence-of-faith reading. Paul describes the obedience that comes from faith and the Spirit, which God acknowledges at the judgment as the evidence of a true faith, not as the ground of acceptance. Grounds: 2:7 speaks of seeking “glory, honor, and immortality,” the language of Christian hope (5:2; 8:18–25); 2:29 speaks of circumcision “by the Spirit,” and 8:4 of the law's righteous standard fulfilled in those who walk according to the Spirit; believers will be judged for “the things done in the body” (2 Cor 5:10). Difficulty: Paul has not yet spoken of faith in Christ or of the Spirit in Romans 2, except at 2:29, and 3:20 seems to shut every door through doing.

Both readings agree that works never form part of the ground of the verdict of justification.

Uncertain Whether 2:7, 10 and 13 describe believers' deeds appearing at the judgment as the evidence of a living faith; this is where the two readings differ. Says Paul also speaks of reward and loss for a believer's work at the Day, though the builder “himself will be saved” (1 Cor 3:15).

Other views, reported by reference: N. T. Wright speaks of a future justification on the basis of the whole life lived, anticipated by present justification by faith. The Council of Trent (Session 6, 1547) taught that nothing preceding justification, whether faith or works, merits its grace, but that justification includes inward sanctification and renewal, and that eternal life is both grace and a reward which the good works of the justified truly merit. Jas 2:24 is left to a James study.

The team's position agrees with the Westminster Confession: God justifies “not for any thing wrought in them, or done by them, but for Christ's sake alone” (WCF 11.1), and good works are “the fruits and evidences of a true and lively faith” (WCF 16.2).