Read vss 5-7
Misunderstanding continues & false doctrine of Salvation by works…
That Salvation is by doing good, moral deeds, & not just the doing of good works but persevering in the doing of good works,
giving rise to another false doctrine, no eternal security & loss of Sal.; you don’t know if you are saved until after death. Sal, is not by faith in Christ alone but Sal. is by your works…joining our denomination, some ritual, like water Bapt. & certainly by morality, & by doing good deeds in church…giving, praying, witnessing etc.
You have to work your way into heaven.
& you do not know if you have done enough to be saved until after death
As we enter this vs. we know this is not true, it is not the gospel that Paul teaches:
Gal. 2:21 "I do not nullify the grace of God; for if righteousness comes through the Law, then Christ died needlessly.“
To those who by perseverance
First of all, Greek construction joins vss 7 & 8 by the phrase: on the one hand…on the other hand In contrast with each other…what is it that separates these, puts them in contrast?
7 to those, on the one hand, this refers to those who believe in Jesus Christ
Those on the one hand who by perseverance
KJ patient continuance NIV by persistence
Perseverance, patient continuance, by persistence
Greek hupomone to persevere; a bearing up under; even expectation!! patience, endurance as to circum. or things, in contrast with makrothumia–longsuffering –or endurance in regard to people
Used in Spiritual Love of 1 Cor. 13…love is longsuffering in refer. to others
To those who by perseverance in what? Expectation of what?
In doing good Problem: KJ & NIV & NASV all translate this as verb; namely a participle & the problem is, is that this is not a verb & this problem really begins the problem in correctly understanding this vs, this passage.
Lets first take the anarthrous descriptive adj. agathos describing that which is good, profitable, useful, good of intrinsic value.
Plus: the anarthrous noun ergon work, performance singular! & the singular is used here in contrast with the plural of vs 6 according to deeds
To those on the one hand, by, or according to perseverance of good work; good deed
What is that good work?
There is so much evidence in Paul’s own writing teaching that Salvation is not by works, deeds of the flesh but by faith alone, in Christ alone:
Rom. 2:15---works of /law
3:20; 3:27-28; 4:2 & 6; 9:32;
Gal. 2:16 & 21; 3:10
Eph. 2:8-10;
So, if, since – we are not saved by good works, deeds of flesh; what is referred to here in Rom. 2:7—good work?
Faith in Jesus Christ
Is there any support for this?
John 6:26-29
7 to those, on the one hand, according to perseverance in good work
They stand fast in work of Christ on cross!
They offer to God, as their deed by which to be judged, the good work of Christ and their faith in Jesus Christ.
seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life;
Seek Present Active Ptc zeteo to seek after, ptc. Seeking
We are all seeking something, & each of us is responsible for what we seek & how we seek it! Some seek security; happiness; good health, fun/pleasure; etc. What you seek is your own responsibility
but in context: what are they seeking?
Man seeks to escape judgment by God…vs 3
Man seeks Eternal Life, Salvation; man seeks to be Righteous before God, by God.
Lets look at this word, & just stay w/Paul
Rom. 9:30-33
Rom. 10:3-4
Gal. 2:17
Back to Rom. 2:7 to those, on the one hand, according to perseverance in good work of Jesus Christ, then as bel.s in good work of HS
Seek goal, objective
for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life;
for glory Where does this come from? Paul is talking about Judgment from wrath of God, so where does glory fit in?
Rom. 3:23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
Sin is in conflict with the glory of God
& must be taken care of –this is at issue in Sal.; Justification; Reconciliation; Since man has fallen short of Glory of God,
That is of the radiance of the essence of God.
What can man do to measure up to the glory of God?
Nothing!
Glory cannot come out of that which has no glory!
So all man can do is to receive glory of God from God!
& how can man receive glory of God from God?
Through good work of Jesus Christ on the cross, received by faith alone!
And honor What is distinction of glory & honor?
Greek: honor, respect, reverence, esteem;
Glory: brilliance! Radiance; & when used of God or w/moral idea – best represented by whiteness of light!
Honor less splendid than glory but with a heavier idea of substance in that honor refers to discharge of duty, or conduct.
Glory comes or is revealed in excellence
Honor comes or is revealed in execution
Glory is more identified with everything that has public interest –to all mankind…Glory of God Rom. 1:23
Honor is more limited, confined to the one connected to it!