Romans 2:6

Romans 2:6. Who will render, etc. This is the universal principle of God's judgment, and it is set forth in detail in Romans 2:7-10, which form a parallelism. In fact, Romans 2:6; Romans 2:11 are parallel; Romans 2:7-10 being an amplification of the contrast implied in both of these verses.

Works. This is the word so frequently used by Paul in this Epistle and in Galatians. Unfortunately the E. V. sometimes (as here) translates it ‘deeds.' Some difficulty has been raised as to the agreement of this principle with the doctrine of justification by faith, to which such emphasis is afterwards given. But (1) the Apostle is expounding the law, or the revelation of wrath (chap. Romans 1:18), not the Gospel. (2) Good works are the fruit and evidence of faith. ‘The wicked will be punished on account of their works, and according to their works; the righteous will be rewarded, not on account of, but according to their works. Good works are to them the evidence of their belonging to that class to whom, for Christ's sake, eternal life is graciously awarded; and they are in some sense, and to some extent, the measure of that reward' (Hodge). The fact that the Apostle, in this connection, speaks of the judgment as ‘according to my gospel, through Jesus Christ' shows that he was not aware of any inconsistency between the two principles.