LIVE-IT-OUT GUIDE

PMC BIBLE MARATHON: SESSION 11

Sermon Recap & Discussion

Sermon Date: 12^th August 2018

Text/s: Romans 2:11-16

Title: The Impartial God

Speaker: Mr Maurice Lim

(The sermon recording and slides can be found on the PMC website and MyPMC App.)

Key Lessons

1. God will judge impartially.

2. God will judge according to the truth we received.

3. God will judge according to our works.

4. God will judge our secrets.

Digging Deeper into Scripture

Context – Having outlined his gospel message and explained his commission to preach it, in 1:1-17, Paul has told the Romans of the devastating situation facing mankind. Everyone is under God’s wrath (1:18) because everyone has wilfully rejected the Creator, refusing to glorify Him or give thanks to Him (1:21) and exchanging His truth for a lie (1:25). God’s wrath is now manifested by His handing us over to our sinful desires, and the result is the mass of sinful thoughts and actions listed in 1:25-31. Apart from righteousness that comes by faith in the gospel, we are all under God’s wrath and face death (1:32).

It is possible, however, that some may wish to exclude themselves from Paul’s analysis. This would include those who think themselves better than others and especially the Jews. So, Paul now devotes his attention to establishing that there are no exceptions.

Read Romans 2:1-16

1) Why do people think they don’t deserve to face God’s judgment? What would your friends say?

2) Consider verses 1 to 5.

a) Who is Paul addressing at the start of chapter 2? Why does this person pass judgment?

b) What is Paul’s instant verdict on those who think themselves better than others?

3) Consider verses 6 to 11.

a) What is the basis of God’s judgment? Why does this condemn us? What do our deeds reveal? (Compare the vocabulary of v7-8 with that of 1:21-23.)

b) People often portray heaven as sterile and boring, and hell as exciting and sociable – ‘All my friends will be there.’ What does Paul say?

4) Consider verses 12 to 16.

a) What difference does it make, having or not having the Law? Why will the outcome be the same either way?

b) In verse 16, why does Paul draw the connection between God’s judgment and the gospel?

MAIN IDEA: If possible, as a LG, draft a sentence that captures the main idea for Romans 2:1-16.

APPLICATION: How can we live out Romans 2:1-16 in the coming week? How can we apply this Main Idea to our lives?