In the horrid depravity of the heathen, the truth of our Lord's words was shown: “Light was
come into the world, but men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil; for
he that doeth evil hateth the light.” The truth was not to their taste. And we all know how soon a
man will contrive, against the strongest evidence, to reason himself out of the belief of what he
dislikes. But a man cannot be brought to greater slavery than to be given up to his own lusts. As
the Gentiles did not like to keep God in their knowledge, they committed crimes wholly against
reason and their own welfare. The nature of man, whether pagan or Christian, is still the same; and
the charges of the apostle apply more or less to the state and character of men at all times, till they
are brought to full submission to the faith of Christ, and renewed by Divine power. There never
yet was a man, who had not reason to lament his strong corruptions, and his secret dislike to the
will of God. Therefore this chapter is a call to self-examination, the end of which should be, a deep
conviction of sin, and of the necessity of deliverance from a state of condemnation.
Chapter 2
Chapter Outline
The Jews could not be justified by the law (1–16)
of Moses, any more than the Gentiles by the
law of nature.
The sins of the Jews confuted all their vain (17–29)
confidence in their outward privileges.Verses 1–16
The Jews thought themselves a holy people, entitled to their privileges by right, while they were
unthankful, rebellious, and unrighteous. But all who act thus, of every nation, age, and description,
must be reminded that the judgment of God will be according to their real character. The case is
so plain, that we may appeal to the sinner's own thoughts. In every wilful sin, there is contempt of
the goodness of God. And though the branches of man's disobedience are very various, all spring
from the same root. But in true repentance, there must be hatred of former sinfulness, from a change
wrought in the state of the mind, which disposes it to choose the good and to refuse the evil. It
shows also a sense of inward wretchedness. Such is the great change wrought in repentance, it is
conversion, and is needed by every human being. The ruin of sinners is their walking after a hard
and impenitent heart. Their sinful doings are expressed by the strong words, “treasuring up wrath.”
In the description of the just man, notice the full demand of the law. It demands that the motives
shall be pure, and rejects all actions from earthly ambition or ends. In the description of the
unrighteous, contention is held forth as the principle of all evil. The human will is in a state of
enmity against God. Even Gentiles, who had not the written law, had that within, which directed
them what to do by the light of nature. Conscience is a witness, and first or last will bear witness.
As they nature. Conscience is a witness, and first or last will bear witness. As they kept or broke
these natural laws and dictates, their consciences either acquitted or condemned them. Nothing