Romans 2:6

‘Who will render to every man according to his works.'

In this verse the thought from Romans 2:5 continues. At the day of wrath and of the righteous judgment of God all will receive according to what they have done, whether good or bad (2 Corinthians 5:10), ‘because God will render to every man according to his works'. This latter phrase comes directly from the Scriptures, so Paul is saying, ‘let the Jew recognise from his own Scriptures what the principle of judgment will be' (see Psalms 62:12; Proverbs 24:12; Job 34:11; Jeremiah 17:10; Jeremiah 32:19), a position confirmed by Jesus Christ Himself (Matthew 16:27). Then it will not be his relationship with Abraham which will matter. What will matter according to his own Scriptures is what he has done and how he has behaved. All will be treated on the same basis.

That this principle refers to good works as well as bad works comes out in what follows. But this does not conflict with the idea that righteousness is by faith, for the whole point of God coming to men with His righteousness is that they, having received His righteousness, will begin to be righteous. The point is that no man can be clothed in God's righteousness without it deeply affecting him. In the end what we become is thus proof of what we really believe.