Before we get into our verses for today, I want to return to verses 5-11 of chapter 2 because in my excitement for sharing what I had learned about the word "perish" (apollumi), I failed to address two issues that deserve closer attention: 1) Paul’s theology on faith and works, and 2) Paul’s theology on hell. It will take several minutes for me to present my thoughts, don’t hesitate to stop me if you have a question, but if you can wait, we’ll have time at the end for your observations and questions.

To set the context, let’s again read verses 1-11:

Paul is addressing an "imaginary" opponent…he might even have had in mind a particular person who opposed "his gospel" and had raised objections in past confrontations. Whether or not that is true, Paul is using a presentation method that is still used today…you set up a "straw man" and then knock him down. In this case, these objections have much more substance than most "straw men".

In verses 1-11, Paul reminds the Jews of four important things:

1. He warns them that they are trading on the mercy of God...that they are trying to take advantage of the great kindness of God and ignoring His wrath.
2. They were using the mercy of God as an invitation to sin rather than an incentive to repent.
3. Paul insists that in God's economy there is no "most favored nation" clause.  There may be nations which are picked out for a special task or for a special responsibility, but none is picked out for special privilege and special consideration.
4. Paul insists that behavior is the external evidence of having a right relationship with God, not racial heritage. 

If verses 5-11 were all Paul wrote on the subject of works, it would be easy to conclude that he and James were saying the same thing (as some scholars believe); salvation is obtained by a combination of faith and works. But we can see from his teaching in other places that Paul does not see faith and works as two separate components of salvation; one which God does and one which we do, but rather, one in the same. It’s all about Jesus, from first to last…whether it’s saving grace or living grace, it all about Jesus! He says clearly in Galatians 2:20-21:

I no longer live, but Christ lives in me, and the life that I now live in the flesh I live by the faithfulness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing. (ISV)

And in 1Corinthians 15: 9-10: 

For I am the least of the apostles and not even fit to be called an apostle because I persecuted God’s church. But by God’s grace I am what I am, and his grace shown to me was not wasted. Instead, I worked harder than all the others—not I, of course, but God’s grace that was with me. (ISV)

And again, in Philippians 1:12-20:

Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has actually turned out for the progress of the gospel. As a result, it has become clear to the whole imperial guard and to everyone else that I am in prison because of Christ. Moreover, because of my imprisonment most of the brothers have been made confident in the Lord to speak God’s word more boldly and courageously than ever before. Some are preaching Christ because of their envy and rivalry, while others do so because of their good will. The latter are motivated by love, because they know that I have been appointed for the defense of the gospel. The former proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition and without sincerity, thinking that they will stir up trouble for me during my imprisonment. But what does it matter? Just this, that in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is being proclaimed, and because of this I rejoice. Yes, I will continue to rejoice, because I know that this will result in my deliverance through your prayers and the help that comes from the Spirit of Jesus Christ. This is according to my eager expectation and hope that I will have nothing to be ashamed of. Instead, because of my boldness Christ will be exalted in my body, now as always, whether I live or die. (ISV)

Let’s see how James views faith and works:

But someone may say, "You have faith, and I have works." Show me your faith without any works, and I will show you my faith by my works." (James 2:18)

It is not the works we do for God that count, but only the works done by Jesus through us...only the works accomplished by God’s grace that lives in us have any eternal value.  In contrast with what we see in James (2:18), the works that count do not show our faith, but reveal the faithfulness of Jesus.

On several occasions before, you have heard me say that Paul has no theology on the subject of hell…he never uses the word in any of his writings. In his Letter to the Romans, he is introducing himself and outlining his theology to a church or group of churches he’s never yet visited. His Letter to the Galatians contains almost the exact same outline of his theology, but in abbreviated form…he had started the churches in Galatia and was responding to the threat of false teachers who were attempting to undermine his gospel. Never once does he mention that hell will be the "reward" for those who do not accept his gospel.

In these verses, Paul says that our "deeds" determine our path to reconciliation. For those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life…. glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. At the end of this age, when the Son of Man comes in His glory, this group will pass into the age of life with God. (Matthew 25:46)

But to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek…For there is no partiality with God. The path to reconciliation for those who do not obey the truth involves a detour that those who have accepted God’s grace in this age get to avoid. At the end of this age, when the Son of Man comes in His glory, this group passes into the age of the remedial punishment of God. (Matthew 25:46)

If Paul was ever going to teach the Romans about hell, this seems like a great place to do it, but instead of warning them about eternal torment, he says they will experience wrath, indignation, tribulation and distress. All this is designed to destroy everything that is not of God so that He may be all in all. (1Corinthians 15:28 and Ephesians 1:23)

Those who believe in eternal torment often quote 2Thessalonians 1:6-10 in support of their belief: For after all it is only just for God to repay with affliction those who afflict you, and to give relief to you who are afflicted and to us as well when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, when He comes to be glorified in His saints on that day, and to be marveled at among all who have believed—for our testimony to you was believed.

The words "eternal destruction" are the Greek words aionios olethros and even scholars who believe in eternal torment agree that these words can be correctly translated "the age for the destruction of the flesh". The penalty, according to Paul, for those who do not believe and obey the truth of his gospel will be living through "the age for the destruction of the flesh" where they will experience wrath, indignation, tribulation and distress. Doesn’t sound like a pleasant experience and one that I intend to avoid, but it certainly does not describe endless torment.

Now for this lesson’s verses, let’s read 17-29:

As we read these last verses in chapter 2, Paul minces no words as he dynamites the foundation of Jewish arrogance.

To a Jew, a passage like this must have come as a shattering experience. He was certain that God regarded him with special favor, simply and solely because of his national descent from Abraham and because he bore the badge of circumcision in his flesh. But Paul introduces an idea to which he will return again and again. Jewishness, he insists, is not a matter of race at all; it has nothing to do with circumcision. It is a matter of conduct. If that is so, many a so-called Jew who is a pure descendant of Abraham and who bears the mark of circumcision in his body, is no Jew at all; and equally many a Gentile who never heard of Abraham and who would never dream of being circumcised, is a Jew in the real sense of the term. To a Jew this would sound like the wildest heresy and leave him angry and aghast.

In context, Paul is definitely speaking directly to Jews, but as we discussed in our last lesson, God is no respecter of persons...He shows no partiality (Acts 10:34; Romans 2:11).  Every group, whether identified as national, racial or creedal, uses something to set them apart from all others.  To the Jew, it was circumcision; to the "white", it skin color; to the "black" it's skin color; to the heterosexual, it is sexual orientation; to the homosexual, it is sexual orientation...ad infinitum.

Every religion has it's "circumcision" and so does every Christian denomination.

To some it is the Sabbath, to some it is baptism, to some it is church government, to some it is Spiritual gifts, to some it is the role of women in the church, to some it is alcohol, to some it is the place of icons in the church, to some it is sacraments, to some it is music, to others it is musical instruments...

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