[No Partiality with God]
Vss: 6-10:
These verses describe the contrast between good deeds and evil deeds. At first glance, it might seem that a man is saved by his good deeds. When Paul says glory and honor and peace [belong] to every man who does good (v.10), it sounds like salvation is the result of works. The problem is that no one can be actually good enough or work hard enough to qualify for the promised reward. Paul makes this clear in Romans 3:20 where he says, “By works of the Law no flesh will be justified,” and in Galatians 3:11 where he says, “No one is justified by the Law before God.”
To earn salvation by good deeds one must be perfect in every way all the time; therefore, no one can qualify, no one is good enough, no one can be saved by his good works. In Paul’s mind there is no confusion between grace and works; a man can only be condemned by his deeds, but he can be saved by God’s grace.
Vs.11:
Paul says God will judge everyone on the same basis; He will show partiality to no one. No one has an advantage before God because of race, religious background, or nationality. Perfection is the standard, and it applies to everyone.
[No Secrets from God]
Vss. 12-16:
The next point in Paul's argument is found in verses 12-16 where he talks about the relationship between a man's conscience and the Law of Moses. Paul says that people in every culture all around the world know the difference between right and wrong. Even people who never have heard of Moses and who never have heard of the Ten Commandments have many of the same rules that Moses gave to the Israelites (v.14). The Gentiles (non Jewish people all around the world) have the same rules as the Jews because they all have a conscience which God planted in every human heart. Some say that the conscience is nothing more than cultural training, and it is certainly true that culture does influence a person’s conscience. Paul says, however, that men have a God- given instinct that tells them the difference between right and wrong and that they are guilty before a holy God.
Each person will be judged according to the amount of revelation he has received. Those who knew the Law will be judged by the Law; those who never heard of the Law of Moses will be judged by their conscience, but all will be condemned because no one measures up even to the lowest standard (v.12). Knowing what the Law says is not enough, and meeting the Law's requirements is impossible (v.13). All men everywhere are without excuse because of the creation all around them that tells them there is a God and because of their conscience within them that tells them they are guilty before that God.
Paul concludes in verse 16 by saying God will judge the secrets of men's hearts; nothing will be hidden from God, and every motive will be exposed. The only hope for salvation is for a man to give up his efforts to earn salvation and to receive the gift of eternal life because of what Jesus did when He died on the cross for our sins.
