Romans Chapter 2Excuse #5 - I Know a Lot About God

Response: God's judgment is according to performance, not knowledge.





Romans 2:12-14 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. 13 For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. 14 For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.

Though no person was or ever will be justified by works of the flesh, or of the law - yet there are those who also deceive themselves by believing that simply knowing about God will deliver them from His wrath. This is denied here, and elsewhere:

You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder (tremble in horror). {James 2:19}

The Lord Himself pointed out that it is in the doing of His word that He is known both to us and in us, and by the doing of it that we are firmly grounded upon the Rock:

"Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock…” {Matthew 7:24}

"My teaching is not mine, but his who sent me; if any man’s will is to do his will, he shall know whether the teaching is from God or whether I am speaking on my own authority…” {John7:16-17}

Jesus then said to the Jews who had believed in him, "If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free." {John 8:31}

A mere religious or intellectual knowledge of God is no substitute for a life lived in and unto Him, in His righteousness and power. Many fool themselves in this way. Imagine the looks on the faces of the members of the Jesus Seminar when they come before the judgment seat. They are great scholars with a profound knowledge of the Bible - many of them counting themselves to be Christians. Yet it seems they do not know the God of the Bible and neither does He know them - for He will say to all nominal and intellectualizing "believers":

"Not every one who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you evildoers.’ {Matthew 7:21-23}

And it will be a terrible moment, for they will be cast out much to their shock, surprise and dismay - and there will be weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth in the outer darkness, and it will go on forever.