Principles of God’s Judgment: Impartiality (Part 1)

Romans 2:11-13

¹¹ For there is no partiality with God. ¹² For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law ¹³ (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified;

(Verse 11-13) – “For” - This particle is used here to confirm what is said before, particularly that this punishment should be experienced by the Jew as well as the Gentile. For God would deal with both on the principles of justice in an impartial fashion, giving us a fifth element related to God’s judgment, that is, His impartiality. The Greek word for “partiality” means literally “to receive a face,” that is, to give consideration to a person because of who he is. That exact idea is seen in the popular symbolic statue of justice as a woman blindfolded, signifying that she is unable to see who is before her to be judged and therefore is not tempted to be partial either for or against the accused. Sometimes she is also pictured with her hands tied, suggesting she cannot receive a bribe.  The word thus means “partiality,” in pronouncing judgment, in favoring one party or individual more than another, not because his cause is more just, but on account of something personal—on account of his wealth, or rank, or function, or influence, or by personal friendship, or by the fear of him. It has special reference to a judge who pronounces judgment between parties at law. The exercise of such partiality was strictly and often forbidden to the Jewish magistrates; Lev. 19:15; Deut. 1:17; Prov. 24:23; James 2:1, 3,9. In his capacity as a Judge, it is applied often to God. It means that he will not be influenced in awarding the retributions of eternity, in actually pronouncing and executing sentence, by any partiality, or by regard to the wealth, function, rank, or appearance of people. He will judge righteous judgment; he will judge people as they ought to be judged; according to their character and deserts; and not contrary to their character, or by partiality.

The connection here demands that this affirmation should be limited solely to his dealing with people as their judge. And in this sense, and this only, this is affirmed often of God in the Scriptures; (Deut. 10:17; 2 Chr. 19:7; Eph. 6:9; Col. 3:25; Gal. 6:7-8; 1 Pet. 1:17; Acts 10:34). It does not affirm that he must make all his creatures equal in talent, health, wealth, or privilege; it does not imply that, as a sovereign, he may not make a difference in their endowments, their beauty, strength, or graces; it does not imply that he may not bestow his favors where he pleases where all are undeserving, or that he may not make a difference in the characters of people by his providence, and by the agency of his Spirit. All these are actually done, done not out of any respect to their persons, to their rank, function, or wealth, but according to his own sovereign good pleasure; Eph. 1. To deny that this is done, would be to deny the manifest arrangement of things everywhere on the earth. To deny that God had a right to do it, would be,

(1)  To maintain that sinners had a claim on his favors;

(2)  that he might not do what he willed with his own; or,

(3)  To affirm that God was under obligation to make all people with just the same talents and privileges, that is, that all creatures must be, in all respects, just alike.

This passage, therefore, is very improperly brought to disprove the doctrine of decrees, or election, or sovereignty. It has respect to a different thing, to the actual exercise of the office of the Judge of the world; and whatever may be the truth about God’s decrees or his electing love, this passage teaches nothing in relation to either. It may be added that this passage contains a most alarming truth for guilty people. It is that God will not be influenced by partiality, but will treat them just as they deserve. He will not be won or awed by their rank or function; by their wealth or endowments; by their numbers, their power, or their robes of royalty and splendor. Every man should tremble at the prospect of falling into the hands of a just God, who will treat him just as he deserves, and should without delay seek a refuge in the Savior and Advocate provided for the guilty: 1 John 2:1-2.

Unfortunately there is partiality even in the best of human courts, but there will be none in God’s Day of Judgment. Because of His perfect knowledge of every detail and because of His perfect righteousness, it is not possible for His justice to be anything but perfectly impartial. Such things as position, education, influence, popularity, or physical appearance will have absolutely no bearing on God’s decision concerning a person’s eternal destiny. This means that all men everywhere and in all circumstances are on the same footing as far as their eternal destiny goes.  No one has a better chance and no one has a lesser chance, humanly speaking.  There is no consideration whatsoever of human factors in the issue of salvation – God is not influenced in any way by anything that any man man, anywhere, at any time has ever done or been when He affects salvation on the sinner.

The most magnificent and exalted creature God made was Lucifer, the “star of the morning, son of the dawn.” But because of his prideful ambition to raise himself even above his Creator, to make himself “like the Most High,” even the high-ranking, majestic Lucifer was cast out of heaven by God to Sheol (Isa. 14:12-15). The most exalted became the most debased. If ever there was a being whose position merited special favor before God it was Lucifer. But his high position instead made him more accountable for his evil rebellion and he therefore will receive the greatest punishment of any creature in hell.

When Peter saw how God was working in the life of Cornelius, he was finally able to get beyond his Jewish prejudice against Gentiles and confess, “I most certainly understand now that God is not one to show partiality” (Acts 10:34). Like his Lord, Paul was not impressed by a person’s elevated religious position (Gal. 2:6). That quality of justice is also implied in the apostle’s declaration that “God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, this he will also reap” (Gal. 6:7). Who a person is will have no bearing at all on what he reaps at God’s judgment. “The one who sows to his own flesh shall from the flesh reap corruption, but the one who sows to the Spirit shall from the Spirit reap eternal life” (v. 8).

In warning masters to be considerate of their slaves, Paul reminds them that “both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him” (Eph. 6:9). “He who does wrong will receive the consequences of the wrong which he has done,” the apostle assured the Colossians, “and that without partiality” (Col. 3:25). Peter admonished his readers, “If you address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each man’s work, conduct yourselves in fear during the time of your stay upon earth” (1 Pet. 1:17).

For - This is used to give a reason for what he had just said, or to show on what principles God would treat man, so as not to be a respecter of persons.  As many - Whosoever. This includes all who have done it, and evidently has respect to the Gentile world. It is of the more importance to remark this, because he does not say that it is applicable to a few only, or to great and incorrigible instances of pagan wickedness, but it is a universal, sweeping declaration, obviously including all.

Have sinned - Have been guilty of crimes of any kind toward God or man. Sin is the transgression of a rule of conduct, however made known to mankind. Without law - This expression evidently means without revealed or written law, as the apostle immediately says that they had a law of nature, (Rom. 2:14-15). The word “law,” is often used to denote the revealed Law of God, the Scriptures, or revelation in general; (Matt. 12:5; Luke 2:23-24; 10:26; John 8:5, 17).

God’s impartiality does not exclude His taking into account the varying spiritual light that people have. Paul mentions two distinct groups of sinners: those who have not had opportunity to know God’s Law and those who have had such opportunity. He is speaking, of course, about the Law given through Moses to the people of Israel. Those without the Law are therefore the Gentiles. Thus, it is not that Gentiles have no awareness of God or sense of right and wrong. The apostle has already established that, through the evidence of creation, all men have witness of God’s “eternal power and divine nature” (1:20). Gentiles who have sinned without the law will therefore also perish without the Law, that is, they will be judged according to their more limited knowledge of God. That, of course, includes the vast majority of humanity of all times. Even with the increased ability to distribute God’s Word in the various languages of the world, and the remarkable new techniques and media for preaching the gospel, most people in the world today have never heard clear teaching from the Bible, much less grasped clear knowledge of its saving truths.

Shall also perish - The Greek word used here occurs frequently in the New Testament. It means to destroy, to lose, or to corrupt, and is applied to life, (Matt. 10:39); to a reward of labor, (Matt. 10:42); to wisdom (1 Cor. 1:19); to bottles, (Matt. 9:17). It is also used to denote future punishment, or the destruction of soul and body in hell, (Matt. 10:28; 18:14; John 3:15), where it is opposed to eternal life, and therefore denotes eternal death; (Rom. 14:15; John 17:12). It is in this sense the word is evidently used in this verse. The connection demands that the reference should be to a future judgment to be passed on the pagan.

It will be noted here that the apostle does not say they shall be saved without law. He does not give any reference at all to their salvation. The strain of the argument, as well as this express declaration, shows that they who had sinned - and in the first chapter he had proved that all the pagan were sinners - would be punished. If any of the pagan are saved, it will be, therefore, an exception to the general rule in regard to them. The apostles evidently believed that the great mass of them would be destroyed. On this ground they evinced such zeal to save them; on this ground the Lord Jesus commanded the gospel to be preached to them; and on this ground Christians are now engaged in the effort to bring them to the knowledge of the Lord Jesus. It may be added here, that all modern investigations have gone to confirm the position that the pagan are as degraded now as they were in the time of Paul.

Without law - That is, they shall not be judged by a law which they do not have. They shall not be tried and condemned by the revelation which the Jews had. They shall be condemned only according to the knowledge and the Law which they actually possess. This is the equitable rule on which God will judge the world. According to this, it is not to be apprehended that they will suffer as much as those who have the revealed will of God; (compare Matt. 10:15; 11:24; Luke 10:12).

But because they have God’s natural revelation in creation, as well as the witness of right and wrong in their hearts and consciences (v. 15), they are guilty and accountable. They will therefore perish without the Law. Perish pertains to destruction but not annihilation. It basically has to do with that which is ruined and is no longer usable for its intended purpose. That is the term Jesus used to speak of those who are thrown into hell (Matt. 10:28). As He makes clear elsewhere, hell is not a place or state of nothingness or unconscious existence, as is the Hindu Nirvana. It is the place of everlasting torment, the place of eternal death, where there will be “weeping and gnashing of teeth” (see Matt. 13:42, 50). All people are created by God for His glory, but when they refuse to come to Him for salvation they lose their opportunity for redemption, for becoming what God intends for them to be. They are then fit only for condemnation and destruction.

The lost Gentile will just as surely perish as the lost Jew, but, as Paul has already intimated (v. 9), their eternal tribulation and distress will be less than that of the Jews, who have had the immeasurable advantage of possessing God’s law. Jesus stated the principle clearly. Using the illustration of the slaves of a master who returned after a long journey, He said, “That slave who knew his master’s will and did not get ready or act in accord with his will, shall receive many lashes, but the one who did not know it, and committed deeds worthy of a flogging, will receive but few. And from everyone who has been given much shall much be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more (Luke 12:47-48).