Who will render to every man according to his deeds

Rom 2:4 Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance? 

Rom 2:5 But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God; 

Rom 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds: 

Rom 2:7 To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: 

Rom 2:8 But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, 

Rom 2:9 Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile; 

Rom 2:10 But glory, honour, and peace, to every man that worketh good, to the Jew first, and also to the Gentile: 

Rom 2:11 For there is no respect of persons with God.

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Truth. This is truth we don't like to hear. We don't like to hear it because it is truth that calls for the things we call 'works', and when we call them 'works', we tell ourselves that we are not saved by 'works' and therefore don't have to concern ourselves with them.

Such a convoluted situation. 

We read this--

Eph 2:8  For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:

Eph 2:9  Not of works, lest any man should boast.

Jas 2:17  Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Jas 2:18  Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.

Jas 2:19  Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

Jas 2:20  But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?

The truth we are saved by GRACE.

We are saved by JESUS CHRIST.

We believe- this is faith.

We believe and from that belief we obey, and from that obedience we live.

If we obeyed without belief, without faith,  what would that mean? If we obey God without believe in God's Son and the sacrifice of His Son, what would that mean?

Before Christ came, those who believed in God followed ceremonial laws. After Christ came those laws were no longer  valid. Belief- faith in Christ Jesus our Lord and His Sacrifice for us is TRUTH. 

If we don't obey the truth, believe the truth, we have nothing.

When we do not live the truth - Christ in us, the Holy Spirit in us will convict us of the truth we need to live. 

We fail and our hearts ache, our emotions tell us we are hopeless, and that must remind us Christ is our hope! He is truth!

When we read about 'Rom 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds' - We shouldn't fear.  We should comprehend that we find FORGIVENESS in CHRIST.

More on this tomorrow by the GRACE and MERCY of our LORD!