September 8, 2026 • 22 mins
God’s judgment sounds terrifying until you realize how perfectly fair it is and how deeply it exposes what we actually love. Continuing our Romans series “From Guilty To Glory,” we step into Romans 2 and ask the question many believers have whispered at some point: if salvation is by grace through faith, where do works fit, and why does the Bible speak about judgment according to deeds?
We walk through the difference between the basis of salvation and the basis of judgment. Grace saves, full stop, but grace never leaves a person unchanged. Dr. Timothy Mann explains why outward godly deeds are not the price of redemption but the evidence of a regenerated heart, and why a life barren of righteous fruit cannot honestly claim to be born again. Romans 2:7–10 brings it into focus: the redeemed show a steady pattern of doing good while seeking glory, honor, and immortality, not as a performance but as a new direction of life.
We also slow down to define eternal life, not only as endless time but as a new quality of life, “Christ lives in me,” producing real spiritual breathing. Then we confront the marks of the unredeemed: self-seeking, refusing the truth, and obeying unrighteousness, along with a direct challenge to the popular idea that Jesus can be Savior without being Lord. If you want biblical clarity, Christian assurance, and a serious look at what genuine faith produces, this message is for you.
If this helped you, subscribe for more Bible teaching through Romans, share it with a friend who wrestles with assurance, and leave a review so more listeners can find Foundations of Truth. What part of Romans 2 do you find hardest to accept?
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
SPEAKER_00 (00:00):
Welcome to Foundations of Truth, the
(00:02):
biblical teaching ministry ofDr.
Timothy Mann.
Our mission is to help you buildyour life on the unshakable
foundation of God's Word.
Rooted in Scripture, anchored inthe grace of the gospel of Jesus
Christ.
Each week, Dr.
Mann opens the Bible to bringclarity, conviction, and
encouragement for everyday life.
Today on Foundations of Truth,we continue our series from
(00:25):
guilty to glory from the book ofRomans.
Today's message is on God'sperfect judgment.
Part two from Romans chaptertwo.
Here now is Dr.
Timothy Mann.
SPEAKER_01 (00:36):
Paul said in 1 Timothy 1, speaking of himself,
he said, is a trustworthy sayingdeserving of full acceptance
that Christ Jesus came into theworld to save sinners, among
whom I am chief, he said, amongwhom I am the foremost of all.
And yet for this reason I foundmercy, in order that in me as
(00:57):
the foremost, or as the chief,Jesus Christ might demonstrate
his perfect patience.
And then to all believers, theapostle also continues to say in
Ephesians 2, he said, For bygrace you have been saved
through faith, and that not ofyourselves.
It is the gift of God, not ofworks, so that no one should
(01:19):
boast.
But if salvation is holy byfaith, here's the question,
right?
And this is the right questionto ask.
If salvation is holy by faith,then how do works enter the
picture?
How do works enter the picture?
The Apostle Paul continues inthat great statement in
Ephesians 2, that for by graceyou've been saved, he goes on to
(01:40):
say, For we are his workmanshipcreated in Christ Jesus for good
works, which God preparedbeforehand, that we should walk
in them.
And the same apostle admonishedthe Philippian believers in
Philippians 2.12.
He said, Work out your salvationwith fear and trembling, for it
(02:01):
is God who is at work in you,both to will and to do of his
good pleasure.
In other words, the life that issaved by grace through faith is
to give evidence of thatsalvation by doing God's work.
That's what that says.
Outward, outward godly works arethe evidence of inner faith.
(02:25):
Salvation is not by works, butit'll eventually produce works.
It'll actually produce works.
The presence of godly deeds in aperson's life reveals that he or
she has truly been saved.
In God's infallible eyes, thesedeeds are a perfectly reliable
(02:45):
indicator of saving faith.
And in the same way, the absenceof genuinely godly deeds reveals
the absence of salvation.
In both cases, deeds become atrustworthy basis for God's
judgment.
See, when God sees works thatmanifest righteousness, he knows
(03:10):
if they have come from aregenerated heart.
When God sees works thatmanifest unrighteousness, he
knows if they come from anungenerated heart.
Romans 2, verse 1 through 16,this whole passage, Paul is not
talking about the basis forsalvation.
He is talking about the basisfor judgment.
(03:32):
He does not even begindiscussing salvation as such
until chapter 3.
And so in this present passagethat we're looking at, he is
talking about deeds, works, asone of the elements or one of
the principles that God employsin judgment.
What he's doing is he's talkingabout the evidences of
(03:55):
salvation, not the means of itor the basis for it.
He's saying this.
He's saying basically that if aperson is truly saved, there
will be outward evidence of itin his or her life.
If a person is not saved, thenthere will be no such evidence.
Now you know this to be thetruth.
We've all been there.
(04:16):
We'll all be there again sooneror later.
Every believer falls short ofGod's perfect righteousness.
Isn't that right?
Every believer.
And sometimes, sometimes willeven fall into disobedience.
Hey, you've been there and donethat.
But a life that is completelybarren of righteous deeds can
(04:40):
make no claim to being redeemed.
In Romans 2, verse 7 through 10,the Apostle Paul draws a clear
line between two classes ofpeople.
As a matter of fact, the onlytwo classes of people that there
are the saved and the unsaved,the redeemed and the unredeemed.
He draws a clear line in versesseven through ten.
(05:03):
He focuses first on the decisivedeeds of the redeemed.
And then next on the decisivedeems of the unredeemed, and
then back again on the deems ofthe deeds of the redeemed.
Let's look at it for a second.
Verse 7.
We see that in verse 7.
That true salvation, he says,eternal life to those who by
(05:23):
patient continuance in doinggood seek for glory, honor, and
immortality.
And so true salvation ismanifested, is shown in a
believer's life throughperseverance in doing good,
through patient continuance ofdoing good.
And the highest good that youcan ever seek is for glory,
(05:48):
honor, and immortality.
That's what this passage says.
Now, although these three termscan be used almost as synonyms
here, they actually do carrydistinct meanings.
But together, put them together,and what they do is they
actually describe what ought tobe our heavenly perspective, our
(06:09):
aspiration, the thing that weaspire to as believers.
First of all, the highest andmost wonderful desire of a
believer, according to thispassage, is glory.
Not glory for ourselves,specifically, and above all,
God's glory.
Listen, a person who does nothave a deep desire within him or
(06:30):
her for God's glory cannot be atrue believer.
That's what it's about.
1 Corinthians 10 31 says, theapostle Paul writes and says,
Whether then you eat or drink orwhatever you do, to all to the
glory of God.
That ought to be the desire ofour life.
(06:50):
Now, what is that?
I mean, I sound so high-minded,right?
I'll live for the glory of God.
To the glory of God.
What does that mean?
Well, to live to the glory ofGod is to actually manifest and
show forth the very nature ofGod in me as a willing vehicle
(07:13):
for his own divine working.
You are a willing vehicle forhis own divine working.
That's what it means to doeverything to the glory of God.
SPEAKER_00 (07:23):
Foundations of Truth exists to proclaim the Word of
God clearly, faithfully, andwithout compromise.
Your financial support helps uscontinue sharing these messages
with others.
Thank you for standing with thebiblical teaching ministry of
Dr.
Timothy Mann.
If you'd like to give a gifttoday, you can do so online.
Foundationsoftruth.net.
That's foundationsoftruth.net.
(07:45):
Here again is Dr.
Timothy Mann.
SPEAKER_01 (07:47):
Second, it says a true believer seeks honor.
Again, not the worldly honorthat most men long for, but the
honor which comes from God.
The honor of him saying, Welldone, good and faithful servant.
You were faithful with a fewthings.
I'll put you in charge of manythings.
Enter into the joy of yourmaster.
Third, it says that a truebeliever seeks immortality.
(08:11):
That day when your perishablebody must put on the
imperishable and the mortal mustput on immortality.
Paul is not discussing here howa person comes to salvation or
how God produces Christ'slikeness in you.
What he's doing is he'sdescribing what the life of a
(08:33):
true believer is like.
What it's like.
Not how, but what?
Pointing out that these divinelybestowed qualities actually will
occur as a result in the finalglory of the divinely bestowed
eternal life.
1 John 5, verse 20, Johnbeautifully states this basic
truth at the end of his firstletter.
(08:54):
He said, We know that the Son ofGod has come and has given us
understanding in order that wemight know him who is true.
And we are in him who is true,in his son Jesus Christ.
This is the true God and eternallife.
Eternal life is not simply aquantity of life or a
(09:17):
chronological duration of life.
Although by its very definition,it'll last how long?
Eternally, right?
Eternal life.
Last forever.
But even the unsaved have aneternal existence.
An existence which will beeverlasting death and
punishment.
Eternal life is, first of all, aquality of life.
(09:42):
The life of God in you, the lifeof God in the soul of man.
Speaking about his own eternallife, the apostle Paul said in
Galatians 2.20, it is no longerI who live, but Christ lives in
me.
And the life which I now live inthe flesh, I live by faith in
the Son of God who loved me anddelivered himself up for me.
(10:05):
And so Paul's point in thispassage that we're looking at
this morning is that the personwho actually possesses the life
of God will reflect the truecharacter of God.
And it is on that basis, it ison the basis of that reflected
godly character that you will bejudged.
(10:29):
It is just as impossible for aperson having eternal life to
indefinitely fail to reflectsomething of God's character as
it would be for you toindefinitely hold your breath.
Let's try it.
Let's all hold our breath andsee how long we can do it.
Can you do it indefinitely?
(10:52):
No, of course not.
And in the same way, it's justas impossible for someone to
have the life of God in them toindefinitely never reflect
anything of the character ofGod.
Eternal life induces spiritualbreathing just like physical
life induces bodily breathing.
(11:14):
Why?
Because you're born again by theSpirit of God.
That's regeneration.
You say, well, the Bible saysjustification by faith alone.
Yeah, it does.
But justification by faith alonedoes not negate works of
righteousness in the believer'slife.
I mean, Scripture makes clearthat just as surely as we are
(11:35):
saved by our faith, we will bejudged by our works.
It's clear about that.
And when in sovereign grace Godreceives a sinner at his or her
time of conversion, he asksnothing of you but that you
believe in Jesus Christ andsubmit to him.
But here's what you need to geta hold of.
(11:57):
From that moment on, whathappens is you enter into a
responsibility of obedience.
And the mark of your newspiritual life becomes your
obedience to God.
That's the mark of your newspiritual life.
Faith in Christ does not producefreedom to sin and do as we
(12:20):
please.
It doesn't.
What faith in Christ does do isit produces freedom from sin and
it produces a new God-givendesire and a new God-given
capacity to do what pleases him.
James makes this relationshipbetween faith and works
explicitly clear.
(12:41):
Explicitly.
In James chapter 2, he says,What use is it, my brethren, if
a man or person says he hasfaith but has no works?
And then he asks this rhetoricalquestion Can that faith save
(13:04):
him?
What's the answer to thatrhetorical question?
No.
Because he goes on to say, if abrother or sister is without
clothing, this is an interestingexample.
If a brother or sister iswithout clothing and in need of
daily food, and one of you saysto them, Go in peace, be warm,
and be filled, and yet you donot give them what is necessary
(13:27):
for their body, what use isthat?
Even so, in the same way, hesays, even so, faith, if it has
no works, is dead.
Being by itself.
But someone may well say, Youhave faith, and I have works.
(13:48):
Show me your faith without theworks, and I'll show you my
faith by my works.
You believe that God is one.
You do well.
The demons also believe.
The demons also have faith andshudder and tremble.
(14:09):
But are you willing torecognize, you foolish fellow,
that faith without works isuseless?
For just as, or in the same way,just as the body without the
spirit is dead, also so-calledfaith without works is dead.
(14:32):
So in Romans 2, verse 7, Paul isfocusing on the completed,
fulfilled, eternal life thatcomes after the final judgment
when the eternal state begins,and this completed eternal life
will be rendered according tothe salvation evidenced by those
good deeds the believer hasmanifested during his life on
(14:53):
earth.
Verse 6.
What about the dean the deeds ofthe unredeemed?
Verses 8 through 9.
Here, what happens?
The Apostle Paul contrasts thosewho prove by their good deeds
that they belong to God withthose who similarly prove by
their bad deeds or their evildeeds that they do not belong to
(15:17):
God.
Now, of course, those who do notbelong to God manifest many evil
characteristics, but there'sthree here, three general
underlying ones that Paulmentions in verse 8.
The very first characteristic ofthe unredeemed, it says here, is
that they are what?
What is it?
Self-seeking.
(15:37):
Self-seeking.
It's interesting, as I wasstudying the passage this week
and dealing with the originallanguage, I found that this
phrase actually translates asingle Greek word, which kind of
has the root meaning of amercenary or a hireling.
In other words, the idea is thatof a mercenary who does his work
simply for money without regardfor the issues or any harm he
(15:59):
may be doing.
Everything he does is for thepurpose of serving and pleasing
self.
Now I think that certainly fitswith the Bible's emphasis that
the basic problem of anunregenerate person, the basic
problem of us sinners, is beingtotally wrapped up in ourselves
and having no place in our lifefor God.
(16:21):
The second consequentcharacteristic of the
unredeemed, it says here, isthat they do not obey the truth.
And so the person who seeks hisor her own way above all else
naturally resists any other way.
Including God's, which is theway of truth.
(16:42):
What's interesting here is thatdisobedience of the truth is
synonymous with rebellion.
And spiritual rebellion is whatthe fall was all about.
And it's really what humannature is all about.
I mean, let's be honest, we arein our unredeemed state, in our
human fleshly nature, we arerebels by nature.
The enemies of God.
(17:03):
Third characteristic of theunredeemed here is that they
obey unrighteousness.
What the Bible clearly tells usregularly is that no person, not
one, no person lives in aspiritual or moral vacuum.
Nobody.
(17:41):
Matthew 6.
And with that, having said that,then it can be deduced that no
person serves no master.
It's either God or another.
And when man does not serve God,when a person does not serve
God, all other masters lead youto sin.
(18:03):
When you do not serve God.
Serving God means obeying God'swill.
Serving another master meansserving sin.
The road to hell here, the roadto hell is not paved with good
intentions.
The road to hell is very simplydefined right here in this
passage as the spirit ofantagonism or the spirit of
(18:26):
rebellion against the Lordshipof Jesus Christ.
These people say, Well, I hadJesus as my savior, but I didn't
have him as my Lord for all thistime.
And listen, and then he becamethe Lord of my life.
No, probably what happens, youactually got saved over here.
Dichotomy of separating outJesus as Savior.
(18:48):
I take him as my personalsavior, and then somewhere down
the road, I take him as mypersonal Lord.
After I grow and become adisciple of Jesus Christ, he
becomes my Lord.
All that is is a foolishdichotomy made up by men who are
more concerned about gettingnumbers and converts than they
are about making disciples ofJesus Christ and preaching the
truth of God's word.
(19:08):
On one occasion, afterresponding to something that
Jesus told him to do, Petersaid, Not so, Lord.
You can't say, Not so, and Himbe Lord.
It doesn't work.
Not so, Lord.
No, listen, Christian can't dothat.
The road to hell is defined hereas the spirit of rebellion
(19:30):
against the Lordship of JesusChrist.
SPEAKER_00 (19:33):
You've been listening to Foundations of
Truth, the biblical teachingministry of Dr.
Timothy Mann.
If you'd like to hear thismessage again or learn more
about this ministry, visit usonline, foundationsoftruth.net.
If these broadcasts encourageyour faith and help you better
understand the scriptures, wouldyou prayerfully consider
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Your tax-deductible gifts helpplace biblical teaching on radio
(19:57):
stations and digital platformswhere people around the world
can hear the life-changinggospel of Jesus Christ.
To give a gift securely online,visit foundationsoftruth.net.
That's foundationsoftruth.net.
Foundations of Truth with Dr.
Timothy Mann is supported inpart by Cat Care Clinic, located
in Ormond Beach, and servingfamilies with thoughtful and
(20:20):
compassionate veterinary carefor cats.
We're grateful for theirpartnership in helping carry
biblical truth farther.
We're thankful for AMN Plumbing,a local ministry partner serving
the Ormond Beach, Daytona Beach,Port Orange, New Smyrna Beach,
and surrounding areas withdependable plumbing service.
Their support helps makeFoundations of Truth available
(20:41):
to more listeners each week.
If you've been encouraged by theteaching of Dr.
Timothy Mann on Foundations ofTruth, here's an opportunity to
meet him in person.
Join Dr.
Mann Saturday, September 19th,10 a.m.
to 2 p.m.
at From My Library to Yours,Christian Bookstore in Port
Orange for a special authorevent featuring his book, Saved.
(21:01):
Understanding God's Work in Us.
There'll be book signing,conversation, and brief talks
with a QA at 10 15 a.m.
and 1 15 p.m.
That's Saturday, September 19th,at the Pavilion next to Massage
Envy in Port Orange, Florida.
Foundations of Truth with Dr.
Timothy Mann.
It's supported in part by LutherRice College and Seminary,
(21:23):
equipping men and women forministry through biblically
faithful theological education.
As a leader in online learning,we are grateful for their
partnership in helping carrybiblical truth farther.
SPEAKER_01 (21:34):
Before we close today, I want to tell you about
a resource that I believe willbe a genuine help to you.
I've recently published my firstbook, Saved, Understanding God's
Work in Us.
In over 30 years of pastoralministry, one of the questions
I've encountered more thanalmost any other is this.
How can I know that I am trulysaved?
It is a question that deserves acareful, biblical answer.
(21:54):
And that is exactly what thisbook is designed to give.
Saved, understanding God's workin us, walks through what the
scripture teaches aboutsalvation, what God has done for
us, what he is doing in us, andthe assurance that every
believer can have because of hiswork.
If you want to understandsalvation more deeply, stand on
firmer ground in your faith, orbe better equipped to share the
(22:16):
gospel with someone you love,then this book was written for
you.
You can find it on Amazon,Barnes and Noble, and Books a
Million, and pretty muchanywhere you buy books.
Just search Saved, UnderstandingGod's Work in Us by Dr.
Timothy Mann.
I pray it strengthens yourfaith.
Thanks for being with us today.
God bless you.
Welcome to Foundations of Truth, the
(00:02):
biblical teaching ministry ofDr.
Timothy Mann.
Our mission is to help you buildyour life on the unshakable
foundation of God's Word.
Rooted in Scripture, anchored inthe grace of the gospel of Jesus
Christ.
Each week, Dr.
Mann opens the Bible to bringclarity, conviction, and
encouragement for everyday life.
Today on Foundations of Truth,we continue our series from
(00:25):
guilty to glory from the book ofRomans.
Today's message is on God'sperfect judgment.
Part two from Romans chaptertwo.
Here now is Dr.
Timothy Mann.
SPEAKER_01 (00:36):
Paul said in 1 Timothy 1, speaking of himself,
he said, is a trustworthy sayingdeserving of full acceptance
that Christ Jesus came into theworld to save sinners, among
whom I am chief, he said, amongwhom I am the foremost of all.
And yet for this reason I foundmercy, in order that in me as
(00:57):
the foremost, or as the chief,Jesus Christ might demonstrate
his perfect patience.
And then to all believers, theapostle also continues to say in
Ephesians 2, he said, For bygrace you have been saved
through faith, and that not ofyourselves.
It is the gift of God, not ofworks, so that no one should
(01:19):
boast.
But if salvation is holy byfaith, here's the question,
right?
And this is the right questionto ask.
If salvation is holy by faith,then how do works enter the
picture?
How do works enter the picture?
The Apostle Paul continues inthat great statement in
Ephesians 2, that for by graceyou've been saved, he goes on to
(01:40):
say, For we are his workmanshipcreated in Christ Jesus for good
works, which God preparedbeforehand, that we should walk
in them.
And the same apostle admonishedthe Philippian believers in
Philippians 2.12.
He said, Work out your salvationwith fear and trembling, for it
(02:01):
is God who is at work in you,both to will and to do of his
good pleasure.
In other words, the life that issaved by grace through faith is
to give evidence of thatsalvation by doing God's work.
That's what that says.
Outward, outward godly works arethe evidence of inner faith.
(02:25):
Salvation is not by works, butit'll eventually produce works.
It'll actually produce works.
The presence of godly deeds in aperson's life reveals that he or
she has truly been saved.
In God's infallible eyes, thesedeeds are a perfectly reliable
(02:45):
indicator of saving faith.
And in the same way, the absenceof genuinely godly deeds reveals
the absence of salvation.
In both cases, deeds become atrustworthy basis for God's
judgment.
See, when God sees works thatmanifest righteousness, he knows
(03:10):
if they have come from aregenerated heart.
When God sees works thatmanifest unrighteousness, he
knows if they come from anungenerated heart.
Romans 2, verse 1 through 16,this whole passage, Paul is not
talking about the basis forsalvation.
He is talking about the basisfor judgment.
(03:32):
He does not even begindiscussing salvation as such
until chapter 3.
And so in this present passagethat we're looking at, he is
talking about deeds, works, asone of the elements or one of
the principles that God employsin judgment.
What he's doing is he's talkingabout the evidences of
(03:55):
salvation, not the means of itor the basis for it.
He's saying this.
He's saying basically that if aperson is truly saved, there
will be outward evidence of itin his or her life.
If a person is not saved, thenthere will be no such evidence.
Now you know this to be thetruth.
We've all been there.
(04:16):
We'll all be there again sooneror later.
Every believer falls short ofGod's perfect righteousness.
Isn't that right?
Every believer.
And sometimes, sometimes willeven fall into disobedience.
Hey, you've been there and donethat.
But a life that is completelybarren of righteous deeds can
(04:40):
make no claim to being redeemed.
In Romans 2, verse 7 through 10,the Apostle Paul draws a clear
line between two classes ofpeople.
As a matter of fact, the onlytwo classes of people that there
are the saved and the unsaved,the redeemed and the unredeemed.
He draws a clear line in versesseven through ten.
(05:03):
He focuses first on the decisivedeeds of the redeemed.
And then next on the decisivedeems of the unredeemed, and
then back again on the deems ofthe deeds of the redeemed.
Let's look at it for a second.
Verse 7.
We see that in verse 7.
That true salvation, he says,eternal life to those who by
(05:23):
patient continuance in doinggood seek for glory, honor, and
immortality.
And so true salvation ismanifested, is shown in a
believer's life throughperseverance in doing good,
through patient continuance ofdoing good.
And the highest good that youcan ever seek is for glory,
(05:48):
honor, and immortality.
That's what this passage says.
Now, although these three termscan be used almost as synonyms
here, they actually do carrydistinct meanings.
But together, put them together,and what they do is they
actually describe what ought tobe our heavenly perspective, our
(06:09):
aspiration, the thing that weaspire to as believers.
First of all, the highest andmost wonderful desire of a
believer, according to thispassage, is glory.
Not glory for ourselves,specifically, and above all,
God's glory.
Listen, a person who does nothave a deep desire within him or
(06:30):
her for God's glory cannot be atrue believer.
That's what it's about.
1 Corinthians 10 31 says, theapostle Paul writes and says,
Whether then you eat or drink orwhatever you do, to all to the
glory of God.
That ought to be the desire ofour life.
(06:50):
Now, what is that?
I mean, I sound so high-minded,right?
I'll live for the glory of God.
To the glory of God.
What does that mean?
Well, to live to the glory ofGod is to actually manifest and
show forth the very nature ofGod in me as a willing vehicle
(07:13):
for his own divine working.
You are a willing vehicle forhis own divine working.
That's what it means to doeverything to the glory of God.
SPEAKER_00 (07:23):
Foundations of Truth exists to proclaim the Word of
God clearly, faithfully, andwithout compromise.
Your financial support helps uscontinue sharing these messages
with others.
Thank you for standing with thebiblical teaching ministry of
Dr.
Timothy Mann.
If you'd like to give a gifttoday, you can do so online.
Foundationsoftruth.net.
That's foundationsoftruth.net.
(07:45):
Here again is Dr.
Timothy Mann.
SPEAKER_01 (07:47):
Second, it says a true believer seeks honor.
Again, not the worldly honorthat most men long for, but the
honor which comes from God.
The honor of him saying, Welldone, good and faithful servant.
You were faithful with a fewthings.
I'll put you in charge of manythings.
Enter into the joy of yourmaster.
Third, it says that a truebeliever seeks immortality.
(08:11):
That day when your perishablebody must put on the
imperishable and the mortal mustput on immortality.
Paul is not discussing here howa person comes to salvation or
how God produces Christ'slikeness in you.
What he's doing is he'sdescribing what the life of a
(08:33):
true believer is like.
What it's like.
Not how, but what?
Pointing out that these divinelybestowed qualities actually will
occur as a result in the finalglory of the divinely bestowed
eternal life.
1 John 5, verse 20, Johnbeautifully states this basic
truth at the end of his firstletter.
(08:54):
He said, We know that the Son ofGod has come and has given us
understanding in order that wemight know him who is true.
And we are in him who is true,in his son Jesus Christ.
This is the true God and eternallife.
Eternal life is not simply aquantity of life or a
(09:17):
chronological duration of life.
Although by its very definition,it'll last how long?
Eternally, right?
Eternal life.
Last forever.
But even the unsaved have aneternal existence.
An existence which will beeverlasting death and
punishment.
Eternal life is, first of all, aquality of life.
(09:42):
The life of God in you, the lifeof God in the soul of man.
Speaking about his own eternallife, the apostle Paul said in
Galatians 2.20, it is no longerI who live, but Christ lives in
me.
And the life which I now live inthe flesh, I live by faith in
the Son of God who loved me anddelivered himself up for me.
(10:05):
And so Paul's point in thispassage that we're looking at
this morning is that the personwho actually possesses the life
of God will reflect the truecharacter of God.
And it is on that basis, it ison the basis of that reflected
godly character that you will bejudged.
(10:29):
It is just as impossible for aperson having eternal life to
indefinitely fail to reflectsomething of God's character as
it would be for you toindefinitely hold your breath.
Let's try it.
Let's all hold our breath andsee how long we can do it.
Can you do it indefinitely?
(10:52):
No, of course not.
And in the same way, it's justas impossible for someone to
have the life of God in them toindefinitely never reflect
anything of the character ofGod.
Eternal life induces spiritualbreathing just like physical
life induces bodily breathing.
(11:14):
Why?
Because you're born again by theSpirit of God.
That's regeneration.
You say, well, the Bible saysjustification by faith alone.
Yeah, it does.
But justification by faith alonedoes not negate works of
righteousness in the believer'slife.
I mean, Scripture makes clearthat just as surely as we are
(11:35):
saved by our faith, we will bejudged by our works.
It's clear about that.
And when in sovereign grace Godreceives a sinner at his or her
time of conversion, he asksnothing of you but that you
believe in Jesus Christ andsubmit to him.
But here's what you need to geta hold of.
(11:57):
From that moment on, whathappens is you enter into a
responsibility of obedience.
And the mark of your newspiritual life becomes your
obedience to God.
That's the mark of your newspiritual life.
Faith in Christ does not producefreedom to sin and do as we
(12:20):
please.
It doesn't.
What faith in Christ does do isit produces freedom from sin and
it produces a new God-givendesire and a new God-given
capacity to do what pleases him.
James makes this relationshipbetween faith and works
explicitly clear.
(12:41):
Explicitly.
In James chapter 2, he says,What use is it, my brethren, if
a man or person says he hasfaith but has no works?
And then he asks this rhetoricalquestion Can that faith save
(13:04):
him?
What's the answer to thatrhetorical question?
No.
Because he goes on to say, if abrother or sister is without
clothing, this is an interestingexample.
If a brother or sister iswithout clothing and in need of
daily food, and one of you saysto them, Go in peace, be warm,
and be filled, and yet you donot give them what is necessary
(13:27):
for their body, what use isthat?
Even so, in the same way, hesays, even so, faith, if it has
no works, is dead.
Being by itself.
But someone may well say, Youhave faith, and I have works.
(13:48):
Show me your faith without theworks, and I'll show you my
faith by my works.
You believe that God is one.
You do well.
The demons also believe.
The demons also have faith andshudder and tremble.
(14:09):
But are you willing torecognize, you foolish fellow,
that faith without works isuseless?
For just as, or in the same way,just as the body without the
spirit is dead, also so-calledfaith without works is dead.
(14:32):
So in Romans 2, verse 7, Paul isfocusing on the completed,
fulfilled, eternal life thatcomes after the final judgment
when the eternal state begins,and this completed eternal life
will be rendered according tothe salvation evidenced by those
good deeds the believer hasmanifested during his life on
(14:53):
earth.
Verse 6.
What about the dean the deeds ofthe unredeemed?
Verses 8 through 9.
Here, what happens?
The Apostle Paul contrasts thosewho prove by their good deeds
that they belong to God withthose who similarly prove by
their bad deeds or their evildeeds that they do not belong to
(15:17):
God.
Now, of course, those who do notbelong to God manifest many evil
characteristics, but there'sthree here, three general
underlying ones that Paulmentions in verse 8.
The very first characteristic ofthe unredeemed, it says here, is
that they are what?
What is it?
Self-seeking.
(15:37):
Self-seeking.
It's interesting, as I wasstudying the passage this week
and dealing with the originallanguage, I found that this
phrase actually translates asingle Greek word, which kind of
has the root meaning of amercenary or a hireling.
In other words, the idea is thatof a mercenary who does his work
simply for money without regardfor the issues or any harm he
(15:59):
may be doing.
Everything he does is for thepurpose of serving and pleasing
self.
Now I think that certainly fitswith the Bible's emphasis that
the basic problem of anunregenerate person, the basic
problem of us sinners, is beingtotally wrapped up in ourselves
and having no place in our lifefor God.
(16:21):
The second consequentcharacteristic of the
unredeemed, it says here, isthat they do not obey the truth.
And so the person who seeks hisor her own way above all else
naturally resists any other way.
Including God's, which is theway of truth.
(16:42):
What's interesting here is thatdisobedience of the truth is
synonymous with rebellion.
And spiritual rebellion is whatthe fall was all about.
And it's really what humannature is all about.
I mean, let's be honest, we arein our unredeemed state, in our
human fleshly nature, we arerebels by nature.
The enemies of God.
(17:03):
Third characteristic of theunredeemed here is that they
obey unrighteousness.
What the Bible clearly tells usregularly is that no person, not
one, no person lives in aspiritual or moral vacuum.
Nobody.
(17:41):
Matthew 6.
And with that, having said that,then it can be deduced that no
person serves no master.
It's either God or another.
And when man does not serve God,when a person does not serve
God, all other masters lead youto sin.
(18:03):
When you do not serve God.
Serving God means obeying God'swill.
Serving another master meansserving sin.
The road to hell here, the roadto hell is not paved with good
intentions.
The road to hell is very simplydefined right here in this
passage as the spirit ofantagonism or the spirit of
(18:26):
rebellion against the Lordshipof Jesus Christ.
These people say, Well, I hadJesus as my savior, but I didn't
have him as my Lord for all thistime.
And listen, and then he becamethe Lord of my life.
No, probably what happens, youactually got saved over here.
Dichotomy of separating outJesus as Savior.
(18:48):
I take him as my personalsavior, and then somewhere down
the road, I take him as mypersonal Lord.
After I grow and become adisciple of Jesus Christ, he
becomes my Lord.
All that is is a foolishdichotomy made up by men who are
more concerned about gettingnumbers and converts than they
are about making disciples ofJesus Christ and preaching the
truth of God's word.
(19:08):
On one occasion, afterresponding to something that
Jesus told him to do, Petersaid, Not so, Lord.
You can't say, Not so, and Himbe Lord.
It doesn't work.
Not so, Lord.
No, listen, Christian can't dothat.
The road to hell is defined hereas the spirit of rebellion
(19:30):
against the Lordship of JesusChrist.
SPEAKER_00 (19:33):
You've been listening to Foundations of
Truth, the biblical teachingministry of Dr.
Timothy Mann.
If you'd like to hear thismessage again or learn more
about this ministry, visit usonline, foundationsoftruth.net.
If these broadcasts encourageyour faith and help you better
understand the scriptures, wouldyou prayerfully consider
becoming a financial partnerwith us?
Your tax-deductible gifts helpplace biblical teaching on radio
(19:57):
stations and digital platformswhere people around the world
can hear the life-changinggospel of Jesus Christ.
To give a gift securely online,visit foundationsoftruth.net.
That's foundationsoftruth.net.
Foundations of Truth with Dr.
Timothy Mann is supported inpart by Cat Care Clinic, located
in Ormond Beach, and servingfamilies with thoughtful and
(20:20):
compassionate veterinary carefor cats.
We're grateful for theirpartnership in helping carry
biblical truth farther.
We're thankful for AMN Plumbing,a local ministry partner serving
the Ormond Beach, Daytona Beach,Port Orange, New Smyrna Beach,
and surrounding areas withdependable plumbing service.
Their support helps makeFoundations of Truth available
(20:41):
to more listeners each week.
If you've been encouraged by theteaching of Dr.
Timothy Mann on Foundations ofTruth, here's an opportunity to
meet him in person.
Join Dr.
Mann Saturday, September 19th,10 a.m.
to 2 p.m.
at From My Library to Yours,Christian Bookstore in Port
Orange for a special authorevent featuring his book, Saved.
(21:01):
Understanding God's Work in Us.
There'll be book signing,conversation, and brief talks
with a QA at 10 15 a.m.
and 1 15 p.m.
That's Saturday, September 19th,at the Pavilion next to Massage
Envy in Port Orange, Florida.
Foundations of Truth with Dr.
Timothy Mann.
It's supported in part by LutherRice College and Seminary,
(21:23):
equipping men and women forministry through biblically
faithful theological education.
As a leader in online learning,we are grateful for their
partnership in helping carrybiblical truth farther.
SPEAKER_01 (21:34):
Before we close today, I want to tell you about
a resource that I believe willbe a genuine help to you.
I've recently published my firstbook, Saved, Understanding God's
Work in Us.
In over 30 years of pastoralministry, one of the questions
I've encountered more thanalmost any other is this.
How can I know that I am trulysaved?
It is a question that deserves acareful, biblical answer.
(21:54):
And that is exactly what thisbook is designed to give.
Saved, understanding God's workin us, walks through what the
scripture teaches aboutsalvation, what God has done for
us, what he is doing in us, andthe assurance that every
believer can have because of hiswork.
If you want to understandsalvation more deeply, stand on
firmer ground in your faith, orbe better equipped to share the
(22:16):
gospel with someone you love,then this book was written for
you.
You can find it on Amazon,Barnes and Noble, and Books a
Million, and pretty muchanywhere you buy books.
Just search Saved, UnderstandingGod's Work in Us by Dr.
Timothy Mann.
I pray it strengthens yourfaith.
Thanks for being with us today.
God bless you.
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