6 “who ‘will render to each one according to his deeds‘: 7 eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honor, and immortality; 8 but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath…”
Romans 2:6-8
Have you ever been passed over for a position or a role when you were clearly the more qualified candidate? Have you ever had to watch someone else receive the prize that you worked hardest to obtain? It happens all the time in this biased world! Someone else gets the job because of who they know or how they look NOT because they have the best skills for the task. But, with God, that’s not the case: “For there is no partiality with God.” (Rom 2:11)
God doesn’t care who your parents are, what nationality you are, or what color your skin is. God is unbiased when it comes to judgment, and in that day, all that will matter is what YOU are. Rom 2 tells us that Jew and Gentile alike will be judged by the same criteria. Are you an obedient servant of Jesus Christ, one who patiently continues in doing that which God commands, or do you live your life in rebellion to the truth? Some would argue, “But I was saved by grace, so why is God looking at what I do?” Because what you do is the evidence of whether or not you have been saved! As Jms 2:20 tells us plainly, “faith without works is dead.” If God has granted you faith and put His Spirit within you, the natural result will be that you do good!
Now, consider why these individuals are doing good. Our text tells us they are seeking “glory, honor, and immortality,” but is that the reason they do good? Are they walking in obedience simply to receive a reward for themselves? Is that the main goal? That would be self-seeking, wouldn’t it? Well, that’s exactly how the unrighteous are described in v. 8. They are “self-seeking and do not obey the truth,” so, the righteous cannot be described in this fashion.
The fact is that if you do that which is pleasing to God, you are by nature a seeker after glory, honor, and immortality. In other words, you’re not focused on this life but on eternal matters. You aren’t interested in the glory this world offers, but you’re much more interested in the glory God will share with all His people. (Rom 8:18) Unlike the world that seeks “honor from one another”, you “seek the honor that comes from the only God”. (Jn 5:44) And, you’re not living by the mantra, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die!” (1 Cor 15:32) You believe there is a life after this life, and your state of affairs in the world to come is far more important then your standard of living here. You are seeking immortality or eternal life!
But, why do you seek these things? The answer is simple. You’re not interested in obtaining “things”. Your sight is set much higher! What you want is God Himself, and you are a diligent seeker of Him! (Heb 11:6) Your heart’s cry is that of the psalmist in Ps 73:25-26: “Whom have I in heaven but You? And there is none upon earth that I desire besides You. My flesh and my heart fail; But God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” God has made an astonishing promise to such an individual. He will forever receive the desires of his heart! (Ps 37:4)
Jamie