Theology for Everybody: RomansSample

The most important day of your life is the day after your last day. On your last day, you die, and then the next day, you will be into your eternal life. Paul says, "He will render to each one according to his works.” You’re saved by grace, but you’re rewarded for works. “To those who by patience and well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality.” This refers to those who are filled with the Spirit and live in a way that honors God. “He will give you eternal life. But there will be wrath and fury for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth but obey unrighteousness. There will be tribulation and distress for every person who does evil.” Jesus came through the Jews; that’s where God started. “The Greek” refers to the rest of us.

“But glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and the Greek.” Here’s the key: God shows no partiality. We tend to show a lot of partiality in our judgment. If someone is like us, then we give them a pass. We look the other way for those on our team. But if someone hurts our feelings, we’re going to double down. God is impartial, and He judges everyone.

Our highest view of authority, if we have no concept of God, is that the government will bring judgment, justice, and righteousness. We need to understand that there is a God who is over government, and our hope is in Him.

True judgment, justice, and righteousness are taken care of in one of two ways: the cross of Jesus for you or Jesus ruling over you in hell. Those are your only two options. But ultimately, if we’re talking about judgment, God needs to judge us. If we’re talking about justice, God must deal with our sins. And if we’re talking about righteousness, we must accept and acknowledge our unrighteousness. Jesus Christ, our great God and Savior, came to the earth and lived without any sin. He was perfect and altogether righteous and good. But we hated Him, and we opposed Him. We arrested Him, and we crucified Him. The cross shows how bad we are and how good God is. On the cross, Jesus Christ, our great God and Savior, substituted Himself for us. When He died and endured the Father’s wrath, He took the judgment for our sins. He paid the penalty for sin and died. Then He rose from death and gave us His righteousness, which is a gift.

If you want to understand judgment, then you’ve got to look to the cross of Jesus. If you want to understand justice, then you need to look to the cross of Jesus. And if you want to understand righteousness, then you need to look to the cross of Jesus. Paul addresses these three main themes in Romans chapters 1 and 2. If you receive Jesus, then His death is for your justice. It is the payment for your sin. But if you reject Jesus, then you are storing up wrath for yourself for the day of judgment when you will ultimately stand before Jesus.

None of us will die and stand before a mirror to give an account to ourselves for ourselves. You’ll stand before God, and one of two things will happen. You will either belong to Jesus and enter into blessing, or you will not belong to Jesus and enter into cursing. Those are the only options.

In a world where people are judging, they need to welcome God to judge them. In a world where people demand justice, they need to cry out for God to justify them and give them His righteousness. Everyone longing for judgment, justice, and righteousness is ultimately seeking Jesus, whether they know Him or not. Judgment and justice will be perfect for all, either in heaven or in hell, through Jesus.

Today’s Reflection

How does knowing that true judgment, justice, and righteousness come from God affect the way you live?