Romans for Youth
Commentary by Pastor Ron Beckham

Verse 1.  “Therefore you have no excuse, everyone of you who passes judgment, for in that which you judge another, you condemn yourself; for you who judge practice the same things.”

Romans 3:23 says that “ALL have sinned…”  To say bad things about other people is a sin.  If we were perfect we COULD judge them, but we are not perfect.  Before you say anything bad about somebody, stop and pray, for none are good in the sight of God.  They need the Lord and so do we.

Verse 2.  “And we know that the judgment of God rightly falls upon those who practice such things.”

If someone is mean to you, God WILL take care of them.  Maybe not now, but He will!  He HAS taken care of them through Jesus Christ, who died (paid the price) for their sins and ours.  God’s judges everybody. But we are safe when we TRUST in the Lord.

Verse 3.  “But do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment on those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God?”

People think bad thoughts and then do bad things.  You can point your finger at bad people and judge them, but we are ALL sinners in the sight of God.  We need God’s help, His Son, to help us be good.

Verse 4.  “Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and tolerance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?”

God is patient, waiting for us to be sorry and pray to Him.  “Repentance” is when we are sorry and also stop doing what is bad.  God is kind and is waiting for us to pray for His help.

Verse 5.  “But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God,”

We cause most of our own trouble.  People are stubborn and don’t want to change.  It makes God angry (wrathful) because He loves us and knows we are in trouble unless we TRUST in the Lord Jesus.

Verse 6.  “who will render to each person according to his deeds:”

“No one will see me,” you might think and then do something bad.  But God does see you and He wants to make you good inside.  He will make things happen that will change what you do.

Verse 7.  “to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life;”

When you try to do good things, you are seeking God.  You are looking for eternal LIFE through our Lord.

Verse 8.  “but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation.”

But if you selfishly just look out for yourself, tell lies and do bad things, you will anger God and bring trouble into your life.

Verse 9.  “There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek,”

Those who do bad things will become afraid.  We see this in the Bible about the Jews (the people of Israel) and everybody else, as well.

Verse 10.  “but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.”

If you do GOOD, then good will come to you.  Inside you, where it counts, you need God and His glory.  Trust in Jesus and you will know God’s peace, whether you are Jewish or not.

Verse 11.  “For there is no partiality with God.”

God is fair.  Everybody can look to His Son Jesus Christ and be saved.  Everyone can have His Holy Spirit inside and know the peace of God.

Verse 12.  “For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law;”

Even if you never heard read the Bible, God still expects you to live a good life.  If you do bad things, no matter who you are or where or when you live, God knows what you have done.  Bad people do suffer for what they have done.

Verse 13.  “for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.”

It’s more than just HEARING God’s words (reading the Bible).  You also need to DO what He wants.  He wants you to be a person who loves God and is good to other people.

Verse 14.  “For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves,”

The Law of God was given through Moses (Exodus 20) to the Jews (the people of Israel).  “Gentiles” are those who are not Jews.  If you love God and care for other people, you will not be judged by God’s Law.

Verse 15.  “in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,”

God wants us to do good things, even when we don’t have to.  He has written His Law inside us and our conscience will show us what to do.  Your conscience is what you need – You KNOW when you have done something that is not good.

Verse 16.  “on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.”

The “gospel” (good news) is that Jesus Christ, the Son of God, came to earth and died for us.  He rose from the dead and if we trust in Him, we will live forever.  God is our judge and will reveal everybody’s secrets.  If we have faith in Him, we don’t need to be afraid.

Verse 17.  “But if you bear the name ‘Jew’ and rely upon the Law and boast in God,”

The Jewish people thought they were special – They were and are special in the sight of God.  But because God gave the Law to the world through them, they thought they were better than other people.  That was a big mistake.

Verse 18.  “and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law,”

In the Law is God’s will.  For instance, it is essential that we be nice to others and not steal from them.  We learn that from the Law.

Verse 19.  “and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,”

Many think that because they know SOMETHING about God, they know EVERYTHING.  They have “light” (understanding) and think OTHERS are “blind” (DON’T understand).  GOD is the “light to those who are in darkness.”  We ALL need HIM.

Verse 20.  “a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth,”

It is a mistake to think that we are wise because we know the Law.  It is GOD who is wise and mature.  All of us are foolish and immature, which shows us our need of God.  We each “see” a little bit, and we need the help of each another.

Verse 21.  “you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal?”

Before we teach we need to be taught.  When you tell someone, “Don’t steal from others,” first make sure YOU do not steal.

Verse 22.  “You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?”

Paul, who wrote these words, asks questions to show us our need for Jesus.  “Adultery” is wrongfully taking someone’s husband or wife.  “Idols” are little statues that people worship as “gods” – He asks, do YOU do such things?

Verse 23.  “You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God?”

Those who pretend they keep God’s Law, but don’t, insult God – He is not pleased by those who pretend they are His, but are not.

Verse 24.  “For ‘the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,’ just as it is written.”

When people pretend to serve God, but break His Law, others get angry at God because of those who pretend to serve Him.

Verse 25.  “For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.”

To be “circumcised” (to be religious like Jews or Christians) is good, but like everybody else, we all are supposed keep God’s Law.  Neither the Jews nor anybody else can keep God’s Law.  We need God to help us be good.

Verse 26.  “So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?”

If an “uncircumcised” person (someone not Jewish) somehow could keep God’s Law, wouldn’t they be just as good as someone who called himself a Jew (“religious”)?

Verse 27.  “And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor of the Law?”

Being a part of a religion (like the Jewish or Christian religions) doesn’t mean we keep God’s Law.  IF someone who is NOT religious KEEPS the Law, he or she is better off than somebody who is religious, but does NOT keep the Law.

Verse 28.  “For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh.”

To be Jewish in the sight of God is NOT something about our outward bodies.  To be religious in God’s sight is not what we think it is.  As seen in the next verse, we need to be CHANGED inside by the Holy Spirit of God.

Verse 29.  “But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.”

Ron Beckham, Pastor
Friday Study Ministries
www.fridaystudy.org
ron@fridaystudy.org