Exegesis of Rom. 2:1-5 (Updated)

[topic continuation from here]

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? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. (Rom. 2:1-5)

This is a powerful passage in the book of Romans. Also, Rom. 2:4 happens to be one of the intended proof texts for the theory of 'common salvific grace' and the 'well-meant offer', of which I am convinced it is neither. It is therefore important that we should exegete the text within its context and see what the passage teaches, and thus what Rom. 2:4 actually teaches. Does it actually teach what the Neo-Amyraldians say it teaches? I contend not.

Rom. 2:1 starts off with the word 'Therefore'. It is thus a continuation from the previous chapter, showing forth that the conclusions in Rom. 1:18-32 specifically logically leads to the concepts that will be mentioned in Rom. 2:1 onwards. Rom. 1:18-32 exposes the depravity of Man in general who, 'although they knew God, did not honor Him as God nor give thanks to Him, but they became futile in their thinking and their foolish hearts were darkened' (Rom. 1:21), and ended stating their depravity to such an extent that they 'not only do them [evil deeds], but give approval to those who practice them' (Rom. 1:32b), a most wicked proposition indeed.

After exposing the depravity of Man in general with an eye towards the Gentiles, Paul uses the fact of their depravity to silence the talk of the Jews, who are denoted in the phrase 'every one of you who judges'. That Paul now turns to the Jews and is talking to them can be seen in the metnion of the Law later in Chapter 2, and also the mention of 'Jew' and 'Greek' in verses 9-10, corresponding to the two group of audiences Paul had in mind in Chapters 1 and 2 respectively., not to mention that verse 17 specifically identifies Paul's audience as the Jews. A little undertstanding of the view Jews had of Gentiles then would show also that the Jews had a judgmental attitude towards the Gentiles, priding themselves on being the chosen people of God while the Gentiles are all going to hell. Paul, in verse 1 therefore, turns the table against the self-righteous Jews who judge everyone but themselves, thinking themselves as being a guide to the blind, light to those in darkness, instructor of the foolish, teacher of children and possesor of the Law (Rom. 2: 19-20). Yet, Paul expose their wickedness in their deeds — doing the same sinful things the Gentiles do, and bring hypocritical. Paul reminds the Jews of their common knowledge in the Law that the judgment of God rightly falls on those people who do such things (v. 2). Paul then applied the Law and rebuked them because they think that they can escape the judgment of God even though they do the same things they themselves condemned as deserving punishment if they are done by the Gentiles (v. 3), thinking that their status as God's people would exempt them from judgment. Of course, Paul will discount such hypocritical self-righteous teaching in verses 6-10, ending off with the statement that God does not show any partiality (v. 11).

In between verses 1-3 and 6-11 are the ones that we are going to focus on. In verse 4, Paul is stating that God shows kindness, forbearance and patience in his dealings with these Jews, and that such is meant to lead them to repentance. However, the hard and impenitant or unrepentant hearts of the Jews would mean that the kindness, forebearance and patience of God would have no effect. Therefore, such would increase the meausre of wrath against these Jews in the Final Judgment, and thus they will be more severly punished by God.

Now, we have already seen that Rom. 2 is talking about the Jews. As such, Rom. 2:4 is most definitely talking about the Jews. The Jews as the Covenant people of the Old Testament thus show that the main focus of the text is to the Covenant people of God. Therefore, this means that the text cannot be used to prove anything regarding the 'common salvific grace' theory or the 'well-meant offer', as this is not primarily directed towards everyone. Now, application can definitely be made to apply it to those who are self-righteous from other religions, but then applications can never be made to use prove doctrine of any kind, especially the scared doctrines regarding the will of God. Even granting that it talks about the world doesn't help their position, for it is one thing to apply it to the collective class of 'world', and another to apply it to individual reprobates within the world.

Nevertheless, aren't there possible reprobates within the Covenant people of God? Most definitely! However, the fact of the matter is that God works primarily through covenants, and therefore whatever is said about the collective may not be applicable to the individual within the group, especially one that will be removed from the group if exposed for what they actually are. For example, in the passage of Rom. 2:4, most definitely the Jews who refused to repent are possibly reprobates, yet they being in the Covenant people would mean that God's kindness, foreberance and patience would be over them to lead them to repentance, yet not as intended towards them in particular as individuals, but to them as part of the collective Covenant people.

Through all this, there is an added dimension to the entire matter. As this was written to the Jews, God's kindness, forebearance and patience was expressed to them mainly in the Old Testament — the Law and Prophets. We thus can see that the Law was intended to lead people to repentance, contra New Covenantal Theology, and thus God's kindness, foreberance and patience obligates them to repentance. However, it was unable to not becuase the Law was weak, but because we are weak (Gal. 3:10). And this is the point that Paul was going to drive home later. After showing forth the hopelessness of both Jew and Gentile of having a righteousness of works, with a summary in Rom. 3:10-18, Paul would then set forth the Gospel of free grace through Christ Jesus later, which was his intention all along.

In conclusion, through this short exegesis, it is hoped that we have a better understanding of Romans. Also, we have seen that Rom. 2:4 cannot be used to prove the theory of 'common salvific grace' or the 'well-meant offer'. What it does prove is that God is always kind, patient and forebearing with His covenant people, and in bringing the elect to faith and repentance also. Reprobates within the Covenant community (the Church) are treated with patience also because they are part of the collective, not because God has intention to save them. At the same time, such kindnes shown to them obligates them (gives them more responsibility) to repent and store up wrath against them for rejecting this undifferentiated kindness of God.

We wil next look into various writings by certain Puritan and Reformed divines, to see whether their writings actually promote the theory of 'Common salvific grace' and the 'well-meant offer', as Tony Byrne claims they do.

[to be continued]