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Without Excuse (Romans 2:12-16 May 29, 2011)

Let me begin by asking you a question.

Do you believe that the Bible teaches that someone goes to hell because they do not accept Jesus as Saviour?

Let me ask that again:

Do you believe that the Bible teaches that someone goes to hell because they do not accept Jesus as Saviour?

Our passage this morning answers this question. I want to work through this passage and then ask you this question again – and I trust you will see the answer that the Apostle Paul provides.

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To help us grasp the point of this morning’s passage – think for a moment about the times you have shared the gospel. I am sure that many of you would have shared the gospel – only to have the person you are sharing with stop you and ask you a question like this – if I hear you right – only those who hear the gospel can be saved. This seems so unfair:

• What about those who never hear the gospel?

• What about those who try and obey the message they hear – Islam or Buddhism?

• What about the person who tries hard to do good?

Or the more articulate can actually boil their question down more succinctly.

• Do people go to hell because of the circumstances of their birth – born in the wrong country, at the wrong time, into the wrong family?

To some it is unfair that Peter Lloyd was raised in a home, a church, a country where he could hear the gospel and a Kalahari bushman was raised in a place where he never heard the gospel. It seems unfair that Peter Lloyd gets to go to heaven and the bushman goes to hell. These are important questions that go to the heart of the gospel and the justice and fairness of God. Fortunately for us God in His wisdom inspired the Apostle Paul to write an entire book on this subject – the book of Romans. Romans is to my mind one of the most brilliant – well reasoned – incredible pieces of writing in existence.

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But, many struggle with Romans because they miss the overall point and flow of this book. Dave has given you some overview of the book – but to help us this morning I want to remind us of the flow of this book.

I. Introduction (1:1–15) II. God’s Plan (1:16-11:36) III. Our Response (12:1-15:13) IV. Conclusion (15:14-16:27)

If you take out the Introduction and the Conclusion – there are two main sections. 1:16-11:36 where Paul outlines in great detail God’s Plan – why we need salvation, how God saves and how this plan results in His glory. Then in 12:1-15:13 – He gives Our Response to His plan. We are in the midst of this first major section – God’s Plan (1:16-11:36). Let me remind you of the flow of this section.

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A. Summary: The Righteous Shall Live By Faith (1:16-17)

B. Sin: Law Condemns Every Man (1:18–3:20)

C. Salvation: Grace Saves Every Saint (3:21-8:39)

D. Sovereignty: Eternity Displays God’s Glory (9:1-11:36) Let’s look a little closer at these sections. Paul begins with:

A. Summary: The Righteous Shall Live By Faith (1:16-17)

Romans 1:16–17:

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For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

This word – righteous – then becomes a key word. How does a man become righteous? Paul tells us – they become righteous – they gain eternal life – by faith. When you read Romans – Paul is addressing the heart of the gospel. Are you saved by faith alone – or are there some works that you need to do as well? It seems that some of the Jewish Christians in Rome were teaching that to be saved – Gentiles needed to become grafted into Judaism through keeping some aspects of the Law – such as circumcision. This was horrific to Paul. It attacked the basis of the gospel. It was the same error the Pharisees made. It was adding works to grace – and this was not the gospel. So Paul slowly and methodically goes over the basis of the gospel.

B. Sin: Law Condemns Every Man (1:18–3:20) Paul begins by saying that there is a righteousness that comes by law. The problem is that no one can keep this law and so receive this righteousness. But, on the final day – everyone will know full well that they failed to keep the righteous standard of God. Paul sums all of this up in the last verse of this section – Romans 3:20:

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For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

The result is this:

Not one person in hell will accuse God of unfairness – because they deserve hell – and they will know it.

The Law shows every person what the standard of God is. No one keeps the Law – everyone fails the standard. The result is that every man and woman is lost – and on the final day, they will know that they fully deserve the wrath of God. That is the bad news. Paul then gives the good news – and it is good indeed. He sums it up in the first verses of this section.

C. Salvation: Grace Saves Every Saint (3:21-8:39)

Romans 3:21–25:

But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law … — the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.

The Law can only condemn – it cannot save. What is needed is a righteousness from God – apart from the Law. And God provided this – redemption in Jesus. We can become righteous – justified – by faith in Him. God can declare us righteous. We can receive the righteousness of Christ in place of our own filthy rags.

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None deserve this – because all fell short of the glory of God – but we receive this grace as an undeserved gift. What is the result?

Every person in heaven will praise God for grace – because they deserve hell – and they will know it.

Not one person in heaven will get there and think – I played a role in my salvation. The Law will have showed them that they fell short of the glory of God by so far – no one will have any doubt – what they deserved was hell. All will know the only reason they are in heaven is the grace of God. Then the final part of the Plan of God Paul addresses is the Sovereignty of God.

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D. Sovereignty: Eternity Displays God’s Glory (9:1-11:36) Having heard the Plan of Salvation – some might argue that this is unfair – it is unjust. Why does God only choose some for heaven? If God could save all – surely He should? Does this not show God to be unfair? Paul now sets out to show that this is not at all unfair or unjust.

Romans 9:13–14:

As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.” What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God’s part? By no means!

Having heard that the Law condemns and grace saves some still want to argue that God is unfair. Paul sets out his answer to this in chapters 9-11. He focuses on the fact that this question is man-centred – and yet the plan of God is actually God-centred in order to bring Him glory. One of the great gifts to the church has been John Piper unfolding this truth for us in books like Desiring God. But some still struggle to see the glory of God in this – so Paul ends by declaring that if this does not satisfy man’s sense of justice – then perhaps God’s ways and wisdom are beyond us.

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Romans 11:33–36:

Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counsellor?” “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

This section tells us that:

The plan of God in salvation – heaven and hell – will ultimately declare the glory of God.

That is the big picture of Romans. The reason I gave this is that sometimes when Christians read Romans they want to make one section answer every question. The questions are answered – but in order. Paul lays out his answer sequentially.

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It is crucial for us to understand that the section we are in Romans 1:18-3:20 – makes one point and one point only – Law condemns every man. Paul is not speaking of grace or sovereignty here – they come later. In this section – hear the one point Paul is making. For several weeks now Dave has been looking at this section.

He began by looking at 1:18–32 – the law of creation and conscience renders Gentiles without excuse. A Gentile here refers to anyone who is not raised with the Law of Moses. But, what Paul shows is that on the final day – they cannot say – but I did not know my behaviour was wrong.

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Paul says that in the creation – God revealed that there is a Creator and that all men owe allegiance to this Creator. They know enough to honour Him and give thanks to Him. There is abundant evidence of God in creation. The heavens declare His glory. We are fearfully and wonderfully made. Every flower and star and animal screams – Creator. But every single man and woman has chosen to turn from honouring the Creator God to serving idols. And as we will see in this morning’s passage – God also gave every one of us a conscience – a knowledge of certain rights and wrongs. An understanding that the Creator called us to behave according to His moral standards. But Paul notes that everyone chose not to live according to that knowledge. They suppress this revelation of right and wrong because of the sin and wickedness of their hearts. So on the final day – the Law of creation and conscience will render every Gentile without excuse. They knew enough of the law of God – they simply chose not to obey it. But before any Jew can judge them – Paul turns to them in Chapter 2:1-3:20 and says – the Law of Moses renders you without excuse. If you want to add some works to faith – then know – you will fail to do those works perfectly. A Gentile’s conscience gives them some knowledge of right and wrong – but the Law of Moses gave the Jews specific knowledge of right and wrong. Don’t worship idols, don’t commit adultery, don’t steal. That is why Paul says to the Jews in Romans 2:1–3:

Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God?

You know explicitly what God demands – yet you still sin. You are without excuse. We then come to our passage this morning where Paul summarises and clarifies the points he has already made. Turn with me to Romans 2:12:

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For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

Remember the context of this. Verse 11:

God shows no partiality. God gave enough law to every man and woman – Jew and Gentile – for them to know right and wrong. God is not partial. If anyone could keep the law given to them – Jew or Gentile – there is honour and peace for them. But since no one can do this – there is tribulation and distress – for the Jew and the Gentile. God is not partial. Look carefully at verse 12:

For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.

For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law. Here Paul uses Law in its narrow form – the written Law of Moses. Paul is speaking about Gentiles – those who never had the Law of Moses. Those who never had the privilege of having the Law of God written down for them. But – it is not that God gives them a free pass because they did not have the written Law. They still perish – because they have a conscience that teaches them right and wrong – and they fail to live up to this standard. Gentile and Jew perish because the law – either the laws of conscience or the Law of Moses – condemns them. Why does the Law condemn? Verse 13:

For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified.

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If you have law – you know right and wrong. If you fail to obey that law – you are unrighteous. The Jews heard the Law through the teachings of Moses. The Gentiles heard the law through their conscience. But hearing the Law is not enough. You have to keep it. The Jews were those who were privileged to be given the written Law of God. They heard it taught. They were trained in it. They memorized it. They wrote it out and stuck it on their doorposts. They wrote it on small bits of paper and carried them around with them. But having the Law and hearing the Law did not make them righteous before God. What it did was to set a standard – and to fail to live up to that standard meant you were unrighteous. When Jesus came He gave the Sermon on the Mount to Jews who heard the Law. He said – your righteousness must exceed that of the Scribes and Pharisees. How high was the standard? – You must be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect. Do that and you will be justified. It was not just restraining from adultery – it was never looking at a woman with lust. It was not just not murdering – it was never losing your temper in anger. This meant that the best of Jews – men like the Apostle Paul – were actually the chief of sinners and in need of salvation. The Jews had the Law – but many thought simply having it was enough. In a similar vein we have to be careful. Like the Jews had the Law – we have the gospel – but having it is not enough. We have to accept it – trust it – have it live in our souls. In churches – children grow up hearing the gospel. But this does not save. You have to act on it. Some think that a child is saved because of:

• Their baptism or confession of faith.

• Their standing as Covenant Children.

• Their upbringing in a Christian home and church. They have to accept the gospel.

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But the Jews were in a worse position. The Law could not save – it could only condemn. No one could keep the Law. The Law was meant to show them their need of a Saviour. Similarly – Gentiles should have known their need of a Saviour. Verse 14:

For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

Here is Paul’s argument. When God created man in His image – part of being made in the image of God is that some of the law of God – the standards of God – right and wrong – are imprinted on your heart. There are absolutes of right and wrong that come from above. In every society – certain actions are deemed wrong. Murder, rape, theft. Just because a tribesman in darkest Africa never sees a copy of the Ten Commandments – the law of God on his conscience tells him that murder is wrong. He can suppress that truth. He can sear His conscience. But he knows it is wrong. He shows the work of the law written on his heart. He becomes a law unto himself – in the sense of he intrinsically knows right and wrong – his conscience bears witness and tells him. When he stands before God on the final day – no one can say – I had no law. I did not know I was violating your law God. His conscience will accuse him – you stole, you hurt another, you lied – you knew it was wrong. His conscience will excuse him – another time you did not steal – you knew right and wrong – another time you did not hurt – you knew right and wrong. You know you stand guilty before God. Last week – Dave put this slide up:

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“How do you feel when someone lies to you?” . . . cheats on you?” . . . steals from you?” You just know that these actions are wrong. This is the law written on your hearts. But why do we think this is wrong? Lying, cheating, stealing – benefits you – so why do you just know they are wrong? Let me phrase things this way. Are there any absolute rights and wrongs? Who decides what is right and wrong? I have had this discussion with many non-Christians. They fight like tigers to not have to say that there is an absolute right and wrong – because that implies a higher authority who decides right from wrong – ie God. And it implies that they have violated the law set by this authority and are condemned. Any thinking atheist knows that the theory of evolution struggles mightily with these ingrained ideas of right and wrong. What do I mean? If survival of the fittest is the aim – then the strong kill the weak, take the females, steal the food. Murder, rape, theft are evolutionary advantages … so why does our conscience say they are wrong? Evolution should leave us with consciences that say this is good. So what evolutionists try and do is say at some point – morality moved from what benefits the individual to what benefits the tribe. There are more evolutionary advantages to benefitting the tribe as opposed to the individual.

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Murdering your tribe-mate, stealing his wife and taking his food weakens the tribe – so we developed feelings of morality that say this is wrong – to make the tribe stronger. Here is that fount of all wisdom – Wikipedia under the entry for Morality. You might have to listen carefully:

Evolutionary biologists, particularly sociobiologists, believe that morality is a product of evolutionary forces acting at an individual level and also at the group level through group selection (though to what degree this actually occurs is a controversial topic in evolutionary theory). Some sociobiologists contend that the set of behaviours that constitute morality evolved largely because they provided possible survival and/or reproductive benefits (i.e. increased evolutionary success). Humans consequently evolved “pro-social” emotions, such as feelings of empathy or guilt, in response to these moral behaviours. In this respect, morality is not absolute, but relative and constitutes any set of behaviours that encourage human cooperation based on their ideology to get ideologic unity… Human morality, though sophisticated and complex relative to other animals, is essentially a natural phenomenon that evolved to restrict excessive individualism and foster human cooperation. On this view, moral codes are ultimately founded on emotional instincts and intuitions that were selected for in the past because they aided survival and reproduction.1

Morality is a product of evolutionary forces acting at an individual level and also at the group level through group selection. But I hope you see the many problems with this. Here is one. Murdering your tribe-mate, stealing his wife and taking his food might weaken your tribe – but murdering someone from a rival tribe, stealing his wife and taking his food strengthens your tribe. This is precisely what Hitler argued. Evolutionary morality gave the Aryan tribe the right – indeed the imperative to murder the Semitic tribe – the Jews. Yet even liberal atheists say this was wrong. They know it is wrong – even though evolutionary theory says it is right. There is also another problem. There is no tribe, society, group in history that has not been filled with murder, rape, theft. We don’t just sin against other tribes we sin against anyone – and usually against our tribe – if it suits us. We sin against those closest to us – wife, kids, family. Why develop tribal morality if we keep violating that morality? Why develop a conscience when we have to keep living with a guilty conscience? It makes no sense. And one more problem. Listen again to a sentence from the article in Wikipedia:

1 Wikipedia entry for Morality. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morality

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In this respect, morality is not absolute, but relative and constitutes any set of behaviours that encourage human cooperation based on their ideology to get ideologic unity.

Morality is not absolute. It is whatever suits the tribe at the time. If we decide enslaving another tribe is acceptable – then it is morally alright. Slavery is moral. If we decide killing the elderly, the weak, the intellectually challenged, the unborn – is right – then it is moral. I well remember arguing with an atheist this very point. He was adamant – there are no absolutes in morality – nothing is absolutely wrong. Whatever society deems right for that time is right. Our conscience evolves – it merely reflects what our tribe thinks at the time. I asked him – what if society deems paedophilia acceptable? He responded – they wouldn’t. I said – well if no society could deem it acceptable – then it is an absolute. He didn’t like that. He said – well – if society did deem it acceptable – then that society would be wrong. Then he went silent. He knew that he had undermined his whole argument. He had admitted some things are seared on our consciences – we know they are wrong. He ended the conversation. Here is the point – regardless of how some try to argue it away – there is no doubt that we know some behaviours are wrong. We know it – because they are burned into our hearts by the Creator. On the day of judgment – no sociobiologist will say to God – but society said it was acceptable. No Gentile who never hears the law of Moses – will say – but I didn’t know it was wrong. There is a law written on the hearts of men. And Paul’s point is that this law condemns. There is no one who has ever lived who has not repeatedly violated the law of conscience God implanted in their heart. They are guilty. They have sinned against the Creator and his law. They know they are guilty and deserving of hell. Let me put up the one of this morning’s slides again.

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• What about those who never hear the gospel?

• What about those who try and obey the message they hear – Islam or Buddhism?

• What about the person who tries hard to do good?

Or the more articulate question.

• Do people go to hell because of the circumstances of their birth – born in the wrong country, at the wrong time, into the wrong family?

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Absolutely not – they go to hell because they are sinners and without excuse.

Law – either or both the Law of Moses or the law of conscience – Condemns Every Man (1:18–3:20) Romans 3:20:

For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

The result is this:

Not one person in hell will accuse God of unfairness – because they deserve hell – and they will know it.

Why is this so hard? Why do Christians who know this struggle so hard with it? I believe it is because it opposes our man-centred idea of fairness. Let me ask you the question I started with.

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Do you believe that the Bible teaches that someone goes to hell because they do not accept Jesus as Saviour?

Nowhere in Scripture does it say this. Our passage this morning makes it clear

They go to hell because they are sinners who knowingly violated the law and are without excuse.

It would be true to say:

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The Bible teaches that someone goes to hell if they do not accept Jesus as Saviour – because they are already going there and He is the only escape?

What Scripture says is that you cannot be saved unless you accept Jesus as Saviour. The Law condemns – but grace saves. Imagine this scenario. A great ocean liner is sinking in the freezing waters of the arctic. Death is imminent. Minutes before the ship goes under another ocean liner arrives – launches a couple of rescue boats that head for the sinking ship. Sailors in the rescue boats call out through loud speakers to those on the railings – jump into the water – swim clear of the liner – and we will rescue you from the water. Some jump in and swim clear. Some think it is too dangerous or hard they hesitate and perish. Many are on the other side of the ship and don’t hear the message. Here is the point – everyone on that boat was headed for death. It was not whether they heeded the call to jump and swim clear or not that had them headed for death. Similarly – it is not whether someone accepts or rejects Jesus that sends them to hell. On the final day – it is whether or not they obeyed the standard of righteousness revealed to them by God. Paul spends 11 chapters outlining the Plan of God in salvation. He labours to show that it is our sin – our rejection of the law of God that condemns us. And some twisted sense of man-centred fairness still cries out – that is unfair.

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Paul would answer by saying – God is totally fair. In fact He is more than fair – in His grace He gave every person on earth enough light and revelation to get to heaven. Paul then asks – what have we done with that revelation? They rejected it in favour of sin. No one is sent to hell because they failed a standard they are unaware of. Others want to cry out that if God can save everyone – He should. Later in chapters 9-11 – Paul answers this. But here in chapters 1-3 – Paul would say this. God has no obligation to save everyone. God’s obligation is to justice. And justice declares every man and woman guilty. And yet many still find this unfair. They look for ways to make God seem unjust. They hear Paul say:

They go to hell because they are sinners who knowingly violated the law and are without excuse.

And they ask – what about infants or the mentally incompetent? Do they knowingly violate the law? Are they headed to hell? The reality is that Scripture does not directly speak to this. Perhaps they do have a measure of law appropriate to their understanding. Perhaps God graciously saves them apart from faith in Christ. We don’t know. What we do know is that God is never unfair or unjust. However He deals with them it will be in accord with justice and may well include a measure of grace we don’t know of. Instead of arguing against this truth that we are condemned by violating the law we have revealed to us – we should follow the pattern of Paul. Remember that grace saves. We should be overcome by the incredible love of God that He would ever choose to place His love on anyone and save them. We are like Israel in Ezekiel 16:1–6:

No eye pitied us, … for we were abhorred, on the day that you were born. “But when the Lord passed by us and saw us wallowing in our blood, He said to us in our blood, ‘Live!’

Instead of wondering if it is fair for God not to choose everyone – we should be overcome that he chose to save anyone.

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Yes we are condemned by violating His law. Yes we are dead in our trespasses and sins. But in chapter 3 onwards – we find hope. Salvation through His gospel. He can give us a righteousness that the Law cannot – the righteousness of Christ. There is a way to live. Paul knows that it is only when men know that they are lost sinners – without hope – that they will call out for a Saviour. Men know they are sinners. The law of God tells them so. When we share the gospel – this is where we start. They are sinners – without excuse – lost – without hope. Only when they know this – can we move to grace. The great preachers and evangelists know this. Charles Spurgeon:

“The law is the needle, and you cannot draw the silken thread of the gospel through a man’s heart unless you first send the needle of the law to make way for it. If men do not understand the law, they will not feel that they are sinners. And if they are not made conscious sinners, they will not feel that they are sinners. And if they are not made conscious sinners, they will never value salvation.”

D.L. Moody:

“The law drives man to Calvary and no further.” Martin Luther :

“The first duty of the Gospel preacher is to declare God’s law and show the nature of sin, because it will act as a schoolmaster and bring him to everlasting life which is in Jesus Christ.”

John Bunyan :

“The man who does not know the nature of the law cannot know the nature of sin, and he who does not know the nature of sin cannot know the nature of the Saviour.”

John Wesley:

“Preach 90% Law and 10% Grace.” And Charles Spurgeon again:

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“They will never accept grace until they tremble before a just and holy law.” And we should proclaim this among the nations. When the Jews ask if God is fair – Paul says – while men deserve hell – He sent His Son as a Saviour. That is beyond fair – that is grace. This ends all thought of God as unfair and unjust. What about those who have never heard. It moves the conversation from law to grace. So proclaim this gospel to the nations that some might be saved. Romans 10:13–16:

For “everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.” How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!” But they have not all obeyed the gospel. For Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed what he has heard from us?”

Know that all men are condemned. Their one hope is the gospel of grace. So go and tell them. That is the point of this passage.