04.05. LESSON 5

LESSON 5

Atheistic historians know that after nations flourish for a time they decay and die to be supplanted by other nations. Though these historians know that the clock of civilization runs down periodically, they do not know the real cause of its so doing. Superficially and little to the point, they talk about "a natural moral balance" that must be maintained, meaning that, when the immorality and corruption of a race ends in racial extermination, a more wholesome race takes its place to restore, temporarily, "a natural moral balance." Following this cycle, authorities say that a score of civilizations have perished.

Only historians who believe the Bible can know that the appalling pagan morals described in Romans 1:1-32 and this flux of civilization are the result of God’s wrath against men who "refuse to have God in their knowledge." To belie airs, faced with general biblical teaching such as, "The Most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will, and setteth up over it the lowest of men" (Daniel 4:17); and such as, God "made of one every nation of men to dwell on all the face of the earth, having determined their appointed seasons, and the bounds of their habitation" (Acts 17:26); and faced with the particular examples of the Noahic flood, Sodom and Gomorrah, and many similar things, the conclusion is inescapable that God deals personally with individuals and with nations, both for blessing and for cursing.

Inasmuch as all nations that dishonor God go the same route, the fate that has always overtaken godless nations must befall modern nations (nay, is already befalling them), for they are drifting away from God and his word. Many of the shocking, abhorrent sins of the flesh, which Paul says are an outpouring of God’s holy wrath upon those who reject him, are not strangers in America today, even in some of her churches and institutions of so-called higher learning. And of course the defaulting nation with the most light is the most culpable.

Humanity on Probation

If Psalms 115:16, "The heavens are the heavens of Jehovah; but the earth hath he given to the children of men," seems to teach that man alone is responsible for earthly history, Psalms 103:19, "Jehovah bath established his throne in the heavens; and his kingdom ruleth over all," expands the former truth into the fuller truth that God from heaven "ruleth in the kingdom of men." Man is God’s responsible, probational steward of earth, and must account for his trust.

Within the framework of God’s will, man has a certain freedom. God will not and Satan cannot invade and violate human freedom in the crucial choice of a man’s entire life, namely, the master whom he will serve. Since man is under compulsion to decide between the mutually exclusive God and Satan, he is not as free as some think. With this choice, his liberty ends, for God controls the issue. That a man after choosing to put his hand into fire can, then, choose to escape injury is no more false than that he after choosing to sow to flesh can, then, choose to escape corruption. "God is not mocked" ’in either nature or religion. Only when the initial choice can be changed, can the issue be changed. Without man’s consent and cooperation, even God, during the period of probation, will not change the direction of earthly history. Man has been given the initiative of action on earth, and must answer to God for what happens. Man’s fidelity as God’s steward is the very quintessence of an orderly, moral world.

God’s Judgment of His Steward The proud, sensorious Jews heartily approved the condemnation of the Gentiles recorded in Romans 1:1-32, but they did not realize that they themselves also stood condemned. Therefore Paul begins in Romans 2:1-29 an argument, which runs through Romans 2:1-29, Romans 3:1-20, to convince them that they are even more guilty than are the despised, abominable Gentiles. To avoid unnecessarily arousing their pride and prejudice, he gradually approaches his frontal attack upon their empty pretentions and bigotry. From this tactical approach (Romans 2:1-16), we get our fullest and profoundest knowledge concerning God’s judgment of Christ-less men of all time. In it are found the four fixed principles upon which this judgment rests. The first principle is, God judges "according to truth." To Paul, this principle is self-evident; hence he makes no effort to prove it. God’s estimate of men depends upon their moral fidelity, integrity, and reality, according to enlightenment, not upon their rituals and pretentions. Obviously, Paul has the Jews in mind, and is warning them against storing up wrath for themselves "in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God," by, instead of being led to repentance by God’s goodness, hardening themselves against it. The second principle is, "God will render to every man according to his works." Another axiomatic truth. On the basis of works, men fall into only two groups, namely, well-doers and evil-doers. The former choose God and receive his reward; the latter reject God and receive his curse. To God, human works are either white or black, not different shades of gray. If Paul seems here to favor salvation by works, wait till you hear his whole argument. But mark well that the judgment unto condemnation of these verses does justly turn on human character. The third principle is, "There is no respect of persons with God." That is, God’s judgment ignores incidentals of birth, such as race, caste, and culture. This is not so self-evident; therefore Paul lingers for a few verses to argue the point. He shows the Jews that, if they are safe before God merely because they possess his law, the Gentiles are equally safe, because they too by nature possess God’s law. This proves too much for the Jews. Thus, Paul adroitly turns the Jews against themselves, makes them ridiculous, and hopes thereby to get an honest hearing for the remainder of his honest argument. The fourth principle is, "God shall judge the secrets of men." Christ the appointed Judge says: "There is nothing covered up, that shall not be revealed; and hid, that shall not be known" (Luke 12:2). Recall that while Christ lived among men, he often surprised them by revealing their inmost thoughts, for "He himself knew what was in man" (John 2:25). Every hypocrite is to be exposed, every slandered innocent is to be vindicated, and every dark thought is to be dragged out into light. And this is the test each of God’s stewards, ancient and modern, unless he has the Christ as Pleader, must pass with a perfect score to escape condemnation. "Think on these things," my readers.

Questions