Romans 2: "God Judges the Secrets of Men by Christ Jesus"

Nairobi, Kenya

 This afternoon I sat down and read Romans 2. Two specific verses made me curious and I wanted to make sure I understood them correctly.

Romans 2:6 He will render to each one according to his works

Romans 2:16 on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

 I want to start by saying that I am not an expert on eschatology. I read The Judgment Seat of Christ by Samuel L. Hoyt for a class and it provided some clarity, but also plenty of confusion.  Theology will do that most of the time; I realize that the more I learn about God, the more I have yet to learn about God. I am left in awe and wonder. Hoyt in this book makes a clear distinction between the judgement seat of Christ (2 Cor. 5:10), the “Bema,” and the Great White Throne Judgement (Rev. 20:11). Jesus speaks of the great white throne judgment in the gospels; He will separate the sheep from the goats (Matt. 25:32); the unfruitful branches are thrown away (John 15:6); where the righteous go into eternal life and those who are not in Christ into eternal punishment (Matt. 24:46). But scripture also speaks of a time of reward for the children of God (Mark 9:41, Luke 6:23, 1 Cor. 3:14, 2 John 1:8, Phil. 4:1), ultimately hearing “well done, good and faithful servant” (Matt. 25:21-23).

 Honestly, I still don’t know if Christians stand before Christ twice or all at once, I just know that the Bible says these things. I have learned to believe the Bible, all of it. Scripture does not contradict itself, and just because it doesn’t make sense to me doesn’t mean it’s not all true. I do know that I will give account to Jesus Christ for my life, my actions, my words, and the “talents” that he has entrusted to me (Luke 19:17). I also know that I need not be afraid of standing before Jesus because “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus” (Rom. 8:1).

“Run from him now, and you will meet him as Judge then—and without hope. Seek him now, and you will find him (for “he that seeketh findeth”), and you will then discover that you are looking forward to that future meeting with joy, knowing that there is now ‘no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus’” J.I. Packer

 While I am eternally secure, I should still be focused on pleasing my heavenly Father out of the abundance of joy that my very salvation and security provide. To fully understand this kind of gospel motivation, I want to also pull scripture from Paul’s second letter the to Corinthian church:

2 Corinthians 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

 This chapter of the Bible shows the primary reason, intention, accountability with which Paul approaches all his ministry. He’s reminding the Corinthians that he himself, as well as these believers, must stand before Christ one day. 1 Peter 4:5 says “but they will give account to him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.” This fact that one day every single person who has every lived must stand before Christ Jesus and be judged gave him a healthy fear:

2 Corinthians 5:11 Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others.

 But fear and reverence are not primarily what drives him. In verse 14 he tells us what compels him:

2 Corinthians 5:14 For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 15 and he died for all, that those who live might no longer live for themselves but for him who for their sake died and was raised.

 If you find yourself approaching, obeying, praying to God with a sense of fear, remind yourself of the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Jesus willingly left heave, put on human flesh, suffered, spilled his blood, and ultimately gave up his life for you. He did this while you were “alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds” (Col. 1:21). Jesus didn’t do this for fun, or out of obligation because God the Father made him, his motivation was pure love. John reminds us that we need not be afraid:

1 John 4:18
There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.

 Back to Romans 2:6. The good works flow out of our gospel joy, not out of fearful obligation. Worried about standing before Jesus? Stop and ask the Holy Spirit to remind your spirit of your adoption (Rom. 8) into the family of God. Read John 15 to remind yourself that you can’t do anything apart from Christ working in you anyway. You are loved and chosen and secure and are being formed into the image of Christ, and he forms us through daily abiding and surrender to him. Practice that daily and you need not worry about hearing “well done.”

 What about Romans 2:16? I have learned in my life that secrets are like cancer. What would a father want for a child with cancer? To cut it out, to treat it, to destroy it, whatever it takes to save his child. How does God remove the cancer of secrecy?

James 5:16 Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.

 Have you sinned? Confess your sin to God, because all sin is against God (Psalm 51:4) and we need to mend our relationship with our Father. Confess sin not out of fear, but from your adoption. Are you struggling with the same sin over and over? Confess it to a believer that you confidently trust. Have you sinned against another person specifically? Confess to them and seek forgiveness. Secrecy is a byproduct of fear, not love.

 Christian, strive to live everyday compelled by the love of Christ. Seek satisfaction in him, abide in him, confess sins to him. Live every moment excited to see him face to face.