Romans 2:5-10 - How to Piss Off God (Judgment Series, Part II)

Part II: The Conduct of Humanity

Yet, in accord with your hardness and unrepentant heart you are hoarding for yourself indignation in the day of indignation and revelation of the just judgment of God…

Despite the kindness of God, willing one to repentance, people like to say ‘screw that noise’ and do their own thing! Thaaaaaaaat certainly gives God a little attitude! When you tell your 4 year old, “Don’t pick up that bug off the floor,” and they pick up the bug anyway, does it fill you with glee that they’ve literally done the exact opposite of what you asked? No! It surely makes you want to put them in a time out! 

Yet the callous and unrepentant qualities of their hearts builds them wealth on earth, which is repaid with indignation. This is the complete reverse against those in the body of Christ (1 Cor. 3:14-16,) so just a reminder that there is a resolution to this issue, through God’s Son, which we are going to get to. But this is, again, toward the vast majority of humanity content on ignoring God’s divine revelations, here. The ignorance stores (hoards) up anger.

… Who will be paying each one in accord with his acts…

“In accord with his acts” is a very telling phrase. Just because one does not believe in God does not magically mean one cannot commit kind or loving acts; it means that the judger will be hypocritical (and this is even the case if one in Christ seeks to judge, knowing God is the judger.) A good example? Those in the Body, who hear and heed his words through faith-obedience now, are rewarded with the honor of sitting at the right hand of God. Each being paid by their acts is the perfect relative judgment, to which all outside of the Body right now will be held accountable, as stated in the verse above. Judgment, remember, is a form of payment, not a condemnation of humanity. There will be some who receive a positive judgment (2 Cor. 5:9-11, Matt. 10:41-42.)

…to those, indeed, who by endurance in good acts are seeking glory and honor and incorruption, life eonian…

Keep the context in mind, as we go into this verse, in its discussion of judgment through conduct, and not salvation through faith. Since the start of mankind’s conduct in verse 18, the term “faith” has not yet come up.

The individuals that prevail in good acts are seeking three things: glory, honor, and incorruption. These three topics are corrupting to man now, ironically enough. Glory in the flesh, honoring the flesh, and seeking perfection in the flesh would only give someone a swell head. Those who repent with enduring in good acts are seeking glory, honor and incorruption.

These individuals receive life eonian. An “eon,” as we discussed before, is a set amount of time, from point A to point B. Life “eonian,” then, is life for future eons. A sacrifice for good deeds now leads to life eonian later, per the judgment of God.

…yet to those of faction and stubborn, indeed, as to the truth, yet persuaded to injustice, indignation and fury, affliction and distress, on every human soul which is effecting evil, both of the Jew first and of the Greek…

The reverse, then, is affliction and distress on those that seek factions and are stubborn to the truth. Does the term “faction” ring any bells? Maybeeee… Catholic? Baptist? Methodist? Lutheran? Presbyterian? My favorite part here is the order in which the judgment is displayed; on the Jew first, then the Greek. The Jewish nation will be judged first, as God’s chosen people. Imagine the Pharisees’ surprise at the Great White Throne! They believe they do works of their own strength for God, while sinners recognize their infirmities and take to their knees.

Also, this doesn’t mean solely that every bad thing that ever happens to you is judgment to you (2 Cor. 12:7-10.) This is dealing with willful acts of ignorance toward the truth, which all of humanity is a culprit of, apart from faith.

…yet glory and honor and peace to every worker of good, both to the Jew first, and to the Greek.

This is the remainder of the sentence. Those that do good will be judged accordingly. Beautiful. Again, no exemptions, here, but the Jew, and then the Greek, will beget judgment accordingly.