20160701 Friday, July 1 2016
Romans 02: The Doers Of The Law

by Wayne Blank
See also 1 Year Holy Bible Reading Plan

"For not the hearers of the Law are just before God, but the doers of the Law shall be justified"

The LORD (see The Identity Of The LORD God and The LORD God Our Saviour) created everything and everyone by means of His Holy Spirit - which manifested itself through all natural Law. The laws of biology (see The Biology Of The Resurrection) and geology (see How Did The Flood Happen?) are no different than the laws that the LORD gave to mankind e.g. the Biblical dietary laws are about health, not "religion" (see What Makes Creatures Clean or Unclean?). The Laws of the LORD cannot be overcome - only ignored by foolish people while they are destroying themselves by ignoring what really works.

The Hebrew root word, pronounced ev-eel, means someone who despises wisdom, who mocks God's Word and is proudly guilty of violating it - hence why ev-eel is often translated into English as fool (the English word evil, although regarded as Anglo-Saxon in origin, is so close to the Hebrew word in meaning and pronunciation that it is very likely that the Anglo-Saxon word originated from the Hebrew farther back into antiquity). While there are a number of other words of the Holy Scriptures that also mean and are translated as fool, ev-eel goes to the very heart of the matter; evil means fool, and fool means evil.

The English-language word ill is an abbreviation of evil, which means adversity. Sailors spoke of an "ill wind," not meaning that the wind was sick, but that it opposed the direction into which they wanted to sail. In humans, ill is used psychologically, as in ill will, or physically, as in ill health, even though physical "illness" is not necessarily the result of evil behavior - "ill" has, unfortunately, come to mean sick, even if the sick person is not "ill," or evil. But so again, there is no difference between God's Law of one matter and God's Law of everything else. When right is violated, things go wrong.

Paul, in writing to the repentant people of Rome (see Paul's Letter To The True Church Of Rome), reminded them of "where" they came from - and "where" some would return if they turned from the Truth to follow mere carnality.

"2:1 Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou that judgest doest the same things. 2:2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things.

2:3 And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God? 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?

2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 2:8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 2:9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 2:10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

2:12 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; 2:13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified. 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: 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;) 2:16 In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel." (Romans 2:1-16 KJV)

The people of Israel were created from the nations around them as a living prophecy of how the Kingdom of God will be created from all nations on Earth (see When Will The Prophecy Of Israel Be Fulfilled?). When the Israelites rebelled against God's Law, they were left to destroy themselves with their way (see What Happens To A Nation When God's Law Is Forsaken?). The symbolism of "Israel" was applied to other things that themselves were prophetic of those who truly repent and heed God's Law.

Abraham was not an Israelite or a Jew - they were one of the branches of Abraham's descendants who didn't even exist in Abraham's lifetime (see the Fact Finder question below). It was however Abraham's righteousness, his faithfulness and obedience to God's law, that made him the key ancestor, not only of the Israelites, but of the Messiah Himself (see the Fact Finder question below).

"2:17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, 2:18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; 2:19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, 2:20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. 2:21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? 2:22 Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? 2:23 Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? 2:24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.

2:25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. 2:26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? 2:27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?

2:28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 2:29 But he 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 men, but of God." (Romans 2:17-29 KJV)

Fact Finder: (a) Why is Abraham listed as the key ancestor of King David and the Messiah i.e. "1:17 So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations" (Matthew 1:17 KJV)? (b) What other man is a key ancestor of those who obey God's Law? Why did he survive the Flood?
(a) See the study series about Abraham, beginning with A Biography Of Abraham: The Genealogy Of Abram
(b) See The LORD's Seed Covenants With The Two Men Of Iraq