Some Key Words (6/13/00)

Without the Law (anomos [460]):

to sin in ignorance of the Mosaic law, without knowledge of the law, to live ignorant of law and discipline; lawlessly

Law (nomos [3551]):

the Mosaic law, the law of the Spirit, of Christ our King, a principle equivalent to a law; anything established, received by usage, a custom, law, command, a rule which will bring God's approval on those who observe it, a precept or injunction, the rule of reasonable action, moral instruction of Christ; to parcel out, law, regulation, Mosaic law, Gospel law, a principle

Just (dikaios [1342]):

that which is right, which is expected by the one who sets the rules, that which is expected as duty and claimed as a right, one who conforms his actions to justice without failure, self-imposed conformity to just character, the life conditioned by God's standards; righteous, observing divine law, upright, virtuous, keeping God's commands, innocent, faultless, wholly conformed to God's will, approved by God; equitable in character or act, innocent, holy

Instinctively (phusis [5449]):

the nature of things, the order of nature as opposed to abnormal and perverse, or as opposed to man's artifice, physical origin, a mode of action which is established by long habit (second nature), distinctive peculiarities, natural strength

Work (ergon [2041]):

performance, making, working, work as a single performance, the result of work, a goal attained by accumulated labor, calling, work done for Christ, Christ's miracles; employment, what one is occupied with, an undertaking, a product accomplished by hand, art, industry, or mind, an act or deed, a thing done; an act, an effort

Hearts (kardia [2588]):

heart as the seat of thought, reason, understanding, will, affection, somewhat synonymous with mind or understanding, conscience, the inner part; the seat of physical life, the seat of spiritual life, the soul or mind, understanding, will, and character; thoughts and feelings, the middle

Conscience (suneidesis [4893]):

to know together with oneself, to be one's own witness, man's awareness of his relation to God; the soul distinguishing between moral good and bad and prompting toward the good; moral consciousness

Thoughts (logismos [3053]):

a reckoning, consideration, reflection, considerations determining conduct; a reasoning, a judgment, a decision; reasoning, conscience, conceit

Accusing (kategoreo [2723]):

to speak against, to impeach, accuse in a legal sense; to make an accusation before the judge; to be a plaintiff, charge with offence

Defending (apologeomai [626]):

to make one's defense, to give a full account of, consider well; to give account of oneself in a legal sense

Judge (krino [2919]):

to make a distinction, come to a decision, judge, pass sentence, give opinion, discern, think, esteem, determine, condemn, to be called into question; to pick out, select, choose, to approve, esteem, prefer, to deem, think, to determine, resolve, decree, to judge, pronounce judgement, to rule, preside over, to contend together, to dispute, to go to law; to distinguish, decide, try, condemn, punish

 

Paraphrase: (6/13/00)

12 His impartiality shows in the fact that judgement will be according to knowledge - those who sinned not knowing the Law will die unjudged by the Law, those who sinned knowing the Law will suffer its judgements. 13 For the Law is not satisfied by simply hearing and knowing it, but only by doing what it says can one be considered just by God. 14 Some who have never heard the Law show themselves followers of the Law by their actions, 15 because their conscience is guided by the Law which is in their hearts, and that conscience will pass judgement on them 16 on the day of God's judgement of the secrets of men; which judgement will be accomplished by Christ Jesus.

Key Verse: (6/13/00)

2:13 - It is those who do who are justified in God's eyes, not those who hear and don't act.

People Mentioned: (6/14/00)

N/A

Some Parallel Verses (6/14/00)

2:12

 Ac 2:23 - Lawless and godless men were used of God to nail Jesus to the cross. 1Co 9:21 - Paul would speak to the lawless as though lawless himself, in order to win them to Christ.

2:13

Mt 7:21 - Calling Him 'Lord' won't save you, salvation is to those who do His will. Mt 7:24-27 - To hear and to act are the mark of the wise man, to hear and ignore the mark of the fool. Jn 13:17 - God's blessings are on those who both know and do. Jas 1:22-25 - The one who studies and does what study shows right will be blessed, the one who does not act is deluded if he thinks he has done well.

2:14

Ac 10:35 - God welcomes all who fear Him and do right, regardless of nationality. Ro 1:19 - He has made Himself evident to all.

2:15

Ro 2:27 - In keeping the requirements of the Law, the uncircumcised in flesh show themselves circumcised in spirit.

2:16

Ro 16:25 - God alone can establish us in the belief and understanding of the Gospel message. 1Co 15:1 - It is this Gospel message that Paul preached and made known, that his hearers might stand fast in it. Gal 1:11 - That message was not written by man, but by Christ Jesus, 1Ti 1:11 - God Himself, who entrusts His preachers with it. 2Ti 2:8 - The lynchpin of the message is Jesus Christ risen from the dead, a descendant of David. Ac 10:42 - He has ordered us to preach of the Judgement, and of the Judge. Ac 17:31 - This Judge, and the reality of a Judgement Day, God has proven to all by raising Christ from the dead. Ro 3:6 - God's judgement of man through Christ will be just and righteous. Ro 14:10 - Since God will judge all, why do we try to judge each other? 

 

New Thoughts (6/14/00)

God, Your ways are marvelous to me! Here I am in two unrelated systematic studies, and You use them both to reinforce a single message to me! Faith requires action. True belief cannot be satisfied in knowing alone. God, I'm hearing You, and I know I fall way short in this. I am one who gets really edgy at the idea of speaking out Your gospel to strangers. Is pride yet so great within me? Does my reputation mean more to me than You do? Sometimes - when I'm honest with myself - I fear it does. Lord, You alone are the power to change my foolishness to wisdom. I pray that, as You have worked with me in so many other areas, You will work with me here. Mold me after Your will. Use the means You must to bring me to active faith, to enable me to do Your will as You have revealed it. Bring me to that point of balance that is centered in You. Help me to overcome my fear, my pride, my nervousness, to speak boldly in Your name. Help me to know Your prompting in each situation, how to reach the one I'm with, and not drive them farther from You. Help me to step out with faith to speak as Peter did, without fear for my own lack or my own reputation, but only for Your glory.