Aq – The Judgment of the “Good Person” 2: 5-10

The Judgment of the “Good Person”
2: 5-10

The judgment of the “good person” DIG: According to this passage, why are not even the “good person” exempted from God’s judgment? How is the Gentile idea of learning different than the Simatic idea of learning? How will the “good person” be judged? How does God show His impartiality in judgment?

REFLECT: Has God’s kindness led you toward real love for Him? Or do you now take the relationship for granted? How so? How do your deeds reflect your faith in Yeshua? How have you served others with your life? Read Psalm 14 and note how it relates to this passage.

Paul turns his attention to the “good person” who is standing in judgment over the pagan Gentile whom he has described in Chapter One.

But by your stubbornness, by your unrepentant heart, you are storing up anger for yourself on the Day of Anger, when God’s righteous judgment will be revealed (2:5). A very striking picture – storing up wrath for one’s self. Paul declares that because the “good person” is judgmental, it is as if he is water flowing downstream into a dam, storing up divine anger against himself. He reminds his readers that divine anger is nothing less than releasing the waters of the unrepentant heart on the Day of Judgment in the far eschatological future. Therefore, God’s patience with sin must not be confused with weakness on His part. Laying down the principle of judgment: The “good person” will be condemned on account of his deeds and according to his deeds. However, the righteous will be rewarded, not on account of their deeds, but according to their deeds at the Bema Seat of Christ (see below).

The Gentile idea of learning is merely the transfer of information; but the Semitic idea of learning is actions. We don’t have to choose between deeds or creeds. It’s not either/or, it’s both/and. Our transformation is the proof of our salvation (James 2:14-24). Faith has legs. For He will pay back each one according to his deeds (Romans 2:6; also see Psalm 62:12 and Proverbs 24:12). Good deeds are not the means of salvation, but they are the evidence of salvation.⁴⁸ Good deeds will reveal if a person is justified, or ever saved to begin with.

To those who seek glory, honor and immortality by perseverance in doing good deeds, He will pay back eternal life (2:7). Paul didn’t need a crystal ball to tell the future. He knew from Yeshua and His apostles that those who sought after, and followed Him would enjoy eternal life. He also knew that those who reject the truth and follow evil would experience eternal anguish. Paul was not exaggerating. He was delivering a sobering description of the way things really are. And guess what? If he were to sit down with you over a cup of coffee today, he would say the same thing. Those who place their faith/trust/belief in Yeshua, and what He has done, will receive eternal life (see the commentary on The Life of Christ, to see link click Ms – The Eternal Security of the Believer).⁴⁹

At the end of your life on earth you will stand before God, and He is going to evaluate how well you served others. Later, Paul will declare: So then, every one of us will have to give an account of himself to God (14:12). Think about the implications of that. One day God will compare how much time and energy went toward ourselves compared with what we invested in serving others. At that point, all our excuses for self-centeredness will sound hollow, “I was too busy,” or, “I had my own goals,” or, “I was preoccupied with working, having fun, or preparing for retirement.” To all these excuses God will respond, “Sorry, wrong answer. I created you, called you, saved you, and commanded you to live a life of service. What part of that did you not understand?” The Bible warns the “good person” . . . God will pour out His anger and wrath on those who live for themselves (2:8 NLT), but for believers, it will mean loss of rewards (see the commentary on Revelation Cc – For We Must All Appear Before the Bema Seat of Christ).⁵⁰

Yes, he will pay back misery and anguish to every human being who does evil, to the Jew first, then to the Gentile (2:9). Paul wants to emphasize the absolute impartiality of God’s judgment. If Jews have priority for blessing, they also have priority for cursing as well. YHVH had indeed chosen Isra’el above all others to be His chosen people (Deuteronomy 6:14, 7:6 and 14:2). Among all the families on earth, only you have I intimately known (Amos 3:2a). But God immediately went on to say: This is why I will punish you for all your crimes (Amos 3:2b). Isra’el had greater light, because Torah knowledge should have made the Jew more aware of how God functions, and thus, greater blessing . . . so the Jew will be judged first.

Dear Heavenly Father, Though it is easier to point at someone else and call them wrong, we need to realize that even the smallest of sins – even one wrong thought, will keep out of Your holy and perfect heaven, those who are trying to get in by their own goodness. Thank You that Your Son Yeshua took the punishment for Your wrath against sin, by His dying in the place of all who choose to love and to follow You as their Lord and Savior.  He made the One who knew no sin to become a sin offering on our behalf, so that in Him we might become the righteousness of God (Second Corinthians 5:21).

Praise You that You are a righteous judge who hates sin. In great mercy and love (Ephesians 1:4-5, 2:8-9) You adopted into your family all who would choose to have faith/trust/belief on You as their Savior. After you heard the message of truth – the Good News of your salvation – and when you put your trust in Him, you were sealed with the promised Ruach Ha’Kodesh.  He is the guarantee of our inheritance, until the redemption of His possession – to His glorious praise (Ephesians 1:13-14)! Praise You that the judgement of death for sin is paid and our joyful response is to love You back in gratefulness. How wonderful it will be to praise and worship You through all the many long ages of eternity! In Yeshua’s holy name and power of His resurrection. Amen

But glory and honor and shalom to everyone who keeps doing what is good, to the Jew first, then to the Gentile (2:10). Since ADONAI is impartial, the criterion He uses in judgment is not whether one is a Jew or a Gentile, but rather, whether one has, or has not, placed their faith/trust/belief in Yeshua Messiah as their Lord and Savior (see As – Paul’s Gospel).