Lessons #59 and 60
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+ 1. It is best to use this note after you have listened to the lessons because there are +
+ comments given in the actual delivery not in the note. +
+ 2. The Bible abbreviations are as follows: CEV =Contemporary English version, +
+ CEB = Common English Bible, ESV= English Standard Version, +
+ GW = God’s Word, ISV = International Standard Version, +
+ NAB=New American Bible, NASB= New American Standard Bible, +
+ NEB= New English Bible, NET = New English Translation, +
+ NLT = New Living Translations NJB = New Jerusalem Bible, +
+ NJV = New Jewish Bible, TEV = Today’s English Version. +
+AMP = Amplified Bible, UBS = United Bible Society +
+ HCSB = Holman Christian Standard Bible +
+ 3. Notes have not been edited for grammatical errors. +
+ 4. Text is based on 1984 edition of the NIV +
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Results of God’s judgment (Rom 2:7-10)
7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life. 8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. 9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; 10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.
It is our assertion that the second major issue Apostle Paul developed under God’s response to unrighteousness is that God’s judgment is independent of the Law that he discoursed in Romans 2:1-16. So far, we have considered the introductory remarks in verses 1 and 2. This was followed by our exposition of the apostle’s discourse on judgment for hypocrisy, stubbornness, and lack of repentance in verses 3 to 6. Next to this, is a discourse on God’s reward based on a person’s work not mere possession of the Law in verses 7 to 13. He ends the second major issue with a discourse that indicates that law and conscience affect God’s judgment in verses 14 to 16. Our concern in this study is with verses 7 to 13 that for the purposes of our exposition of the passage, we have further subdivided the section into two. The first consists of the results of God’s judgment that in effect cover the concept of reward in verses 7 to 10. This should not surprise you because the word “reward” or “repay” used in Romans 2:6 is translated from a Greek word (apodidōmi) that in verse 6, we stated is used with the sense of “to recompense,” that is, “to reward or punish (whether tangibly or intangibly) based upon what a person deserves.” Thus, although many people once they hear the word “reward” think in positive terms, but the English dictionaries indicate that it is a word that has either positive or negative connotation. Hence, when we use the word “result” in connection with the first subsection, we are concerned with “reward.” This aside, the second concerns explanations of God’s judgment in verses 11 to 13 that in a sense addresses the fact that mere possession of the law does not please God but its application. Our focus in our present study is with the first subsection that is concerned with results of God’s judgment.
Analysis of the passage before us indicates that the results of God’s judgment could be categorized as either positive or negative. However, these results are not neatly divided in the sense that the apostle, for example, begins with positive results and after completing his discourse on them switched to the negative. No! He began with positive result in verse 7 then switched to negative results in verses 8 and 9. After that he returned to state a positive result in verse 10. In order to present our study in an orderly fashion, we will consider verses 7 and 10 together and then verses 8 and 9. The summary we have given of the passage before us leads to a message we believe the Holy Spirit wants you to hear. This message is Be concerned about doing good because the results of God’s judgment on a person’s deeds could be blessing or punishment. It is important we understand that our use of the word “judgment” is to be understood to mean “decision of God conceived of in the legal domain” as this was the meaning of the Greek word (krima) rendered “judgment” in Romans 2:4. The decision of God would lead to certain results that are stated in the passage we are studying.
There is a sense that beginning from verse 7, the apostle illustrated the quotation he expressed in verse 6 in the sentence “will give to each person according to what he has done.” We say this because the apostle used a Greek particle (men) in the beginning phrase of verse 7 that may be used for emphasis with the meaning “indeed.” However, the apostle used it to introduce the fact that he would be contrasting two things related to the concept of reward or recompense. Thus, the Greek particle may be translated “on the one hand” as in the CEB although most of our English versions interpreted the particle as not necessary to introduce the contrasts the apostle gave in the passage of our study so that they did not translate it.
Be that as it may, the first result of God’s judgment is eternal or everlasting life as in the last clause of Romans 2:7 he will give eternal life. Literally, the Greek reads eternal life. Anyway, the sentence he will give of the NIV does not appear in the Greek text, but it is added by the translators of the NIV and many of our English versions to help make sense of the Greek although that also creates another problem as whether eternal life is merited. The use of the future tense is probably not a good one since eternal life is a present possession of believers in Christ. So, if the word “give” should be used, it may be best to use the present to read “He gives eternal life” implying that that is what God does whenever an elect of God believes in Christ. Granting of eternal life is an eternal decision of God and those who are to receive it are the elect. That aside, God’s decision in eternity results in granting of eternal or everlasting life in time to those who believe in Christ.
We used the word “eternal” or “everlasting” to describe the life God gives. This is because the word “eternal” is translated from a Greek word (aiōnios) that may pertain to a long period of time and so means “long ago” when benefit of Christ’s death on the cross was applied to the elect of God, as it is used in 2 Timothy 1:9:
who has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done but because of his own purpose and grace. This grace was given us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time,
The phrase before the beginning of time is literally before the time of ages or before eternal times. Our word may pertain to a period of unending duration and so means “without end, everlasting” as the word is used to describe the punishment due to unbelievers in 2 Thessalonians 1:9:
They will be punished with everlasting destruction and shut out from the presence of the Lord and from the majesty of his power.
The Greek word translated “eternal” may pertain to a period of time without beginning or end hence means “eternal”, as it is used to describe God’s eternal Spirit or Holy Spirit’s involvement in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross for us as stated in Hebrews 9:14:
How much more, then, will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself unblemished to God, cleanse our consciences from acts that lead to death, so that we may serve the living God!
In our passage of Romans 2:7, the word is used with the meaning “everlasting,” that is, “continuing forever or without end.”
The word we indicated has the meaning “everlasting” in our specific verse is used to describe the word “life.” The word “life” is translated from a Greek word (zōē) that may refer to life in a physical sense as the word is used in the warning of the Lord Jesus to us regarding being drawn into greed as recorded in Luke 12:15:
Then he said to them, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.”
The word may refer to life that surpasses physical life, that is, transcendent life. So, it is used to describe the life God the Father or God the Son has in John 5:26:
For as the Father has life in himself, so he has granted the Son to have life in himself.
It is in this sense that the word is used to describe the life believers have in Acts 13:48:
When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and honored the word of the Lord; and all who were appointed for eternal life believed.
In our passage of Romans 2:7, the word means “life” in the sense of “the condition of living or state of being alive” but because of the adjective used, this life refers to the state of being with God. This being the case, although we frequently find the phrase “eternal life” but perhaps when it concerns humans, it is probably better, we use the phrase “everlasting,” that is, “continuing forever or without end.” This is because, with respect to believers, there is a point in time when they receive this life. It is at a time when a person exercises “faith” in Christ. Of course, we cannot be dogmatic about the use of the word “everlasting” since the life we receive at salvation is the life of Christ as indicated by the Holy Spirit through the pen of Apostle John in 1 John 5:11–12:
11 And this is the testimony: God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. 12 He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life.
All we are saying is that although we receive God’s life that begins at a certain point in time but once we have this life, it continues without end. Thus, to remind us of this fact, we suggest that it may be necessary to use the word “everlasting life.” This interpretation is reflected in such English versions as the CEV or GW that used the expression “that lasts forever” or the word “everlasting.”
The recipients of everlasting or eternal life are described as those who devote serious effort to obtain three things mentioned in the verbal phrase of Romans 2:7 seek glory, honor and immortality. The word “seek” is translated from a Greek word (zēteō) that may mean “to seek, look for” in order to find. The word may mean “to request, demand, ask for” as it is used by Apostle Paul to justify his threat of punishing the offenders in Corinth during his visit to them, as recorded in 2 Corinthians 13:3:
since you are demanding proof that Christ is speaking through me. He is not weak in dealing with you, but is powerful among you.
The word may mean “to devote serious effort to realize one’s desire or objective,” hence means “to strive for, try to obtain, aim” as the word is used in describing Timothy’s devotion to the affairs of the Philippians unlike many others as we read in Philippians 2:21:
For everyone looks out for his own interests, not those of Jesus Christ.
In our passage of Romans 2:7, the word is used with the meaning “to strive for” or “try to obtain” in the sense of “to devote serious effort to realize one’s desire or objective.” The Greek used a present participle implying here that of continually striving or trying to obtain the three things the apostle listed. In effect, those described are continually seeking the things described. They are really in that state because they have everlasting life. The focus of the word is simply to describe those involved as seekers of the things mentioned.
The first thing listed is “glory” that is translated from a Greek word (doxa) that may mean “brightness, splendor, radiance”, that is, the condition of being bright or shining and so it is used to describe the physical phenomenon associated with the light that blinded Paul prior to his conversion while on his way to Damascus to persecute Christians, as stated in Acts 22:11:
My companions led me by the hand into Damascus, because the brilliance of the light had blinded me.
The phrase the brilliance of the light is more literally the brightness of the light. The word when used of God means “glory” that could refer to “His power, brilliance, splendor, presence, authority, and majesty.” It is the context that determines which of these meanings is most applicable. Take for example, the word is translated “glory” in connection of the second coming of Jesus Christ as He stated in Matthew 16:27:
For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what he has done.
Because after the word “glory,” the verse goes on to speak of judgment “glory” here has the sense of authority of God the Father. Take another example, the word “glory” is used to describe that which is associated with an angel that announced the birth of Jesus to the shepherds as narrated in Luke 2:9:
An angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified.
The phrase glory of the Lord is here a visible manifestation of divine presence that appeared in form of light or radiance. Take another example of the word “glory” being used to describe an effect of Jesus’ miracle of turning water into wine that the Holy Spirit through Apostle John indicates reveals an element of Jesus’ true nature in John 2:11:
This, the first of his miraculous signs, Jesus performed at Cana in Galilee. He thus revealed his glory, and his disciples put their faith in him.
The sentence He thus revealed his glory, according to the UBS Translators’ Handbook, may be translated “there he showed how wonderful he was.” Of course, what Jesus revealed was His power or might in the miracle so that “glory” here refers to His power or might. Still take another example where Apostle Paul used the word in the context of speaking about God and His promises to the Corinthians as we read in 2 Corinthians 1:20:
For no matter how many promises God has made, they are “Yes” in Christ. And so through him the “Amen” is spoken by us to the glory of God.
Glory here refers either to the “honor” or “praise” of God. Thus, we see that the meaning of the word “glory” depends on the context. In our passage of Romans 2:7, the word “glory” is used in the sense of “recognition by God.” Hence, those described in our passage desire more than anything to be recognized by God certainly in the eternal state.
The second thing listed that some people are striving or trying to obtain is “honor.” The word “honor” is translated from a Greek word (timē) that may mean “price” as in the amount of money paid to Judas Iscariot to betray the Lord Jesus as stated in Matthew 27:9:
Then what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet was fulfilled: “They took the thirty silver coins, the price set on him by the people of Israel,
The word may mean “value” as it is used by Apostle Paul to describe human principles or human philosophy that are ineffective in dealing with human’s sinfulness in Colossians 2:23:
Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship, their false humility and their harsh treatment of the body, but they lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence.
The word may mean “compensation” such as that that should be given to teaching elders of a local church as stated in 1 Timothy 5:17:
The elders who direct the affairs of the church well are worthy of double honor, especially those whose work is preaching and teaching.
The word may refer to the act of showing of honor, reverence, or respect and so it is translated “respect” in the instruction given to believing slaves regarding their masters in 1 Timothy 6:1:
All who are under the yoke of slavery should consider their masters worthy of full respect, so that God’s name and our teaching may not be slandered.
In our passage of Romans 2:7, it has the sense of “honor” as heavenly possession. This honor is certainly to be realized in the eternal state. By the way, only Jesus Christ during His earthly ministry that received both glory and honor on this planet during His transfiguration experience as Apostle Peter stated in 2 Peter 1:17:
For he received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to him from the Majestic Glory, saying, “This is my Son, whom I love; with him I am well pleased.”
The third thing listed some people are striving or trying to obtain is “immortality.” The word “immortality” is translated from a Greek word (aphtharsia) that pertains to the state of not being subject to decay hence the word has the meaning “immortality” as it is used to describe a result of Christ’s death on the cross in 2 Timothy 1:10:
but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, Christ Jesus, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel.
The word has the meaning of “unceasing” or “undying” as it is used to describe the kind of love believers ought to have toward the Lord Jesus as used in Apostle Paul’s final greetings to the Ephesians as recorded in Ephesians 6:24:
Grace to all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with an undying love.
The meaning “imperishable” is used for our word in the NIV in 1 Corinthians 15 in dealing with resurrection, for example, that is the meaning used in 1 Corinthians 15:54:
When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: “Death has been swallowed up in victory.”
In our passage of Romans 2:7, the Greek word has the sense of “incorruptibility,” that is, the incapability of decay. So, what those described strive for is “incorruptibility.” Anyway, the three things the apostle listed that we have considered in effect describe the fact that those who are believers should be heavenly minded in that whatever honor or recognition they are after are governed by the fact that they should be concerned with things that are not subject to corruption or decay. Human honor or recognition passes away but not the honor or recognition from God that will last throughout eternity.
Those who strive or try to obtain the three things listed are described as those involved in good work as in the clause of Romans 2:7 To those who by persistence in doing good. The clause as it reads, makes the entire verse imply salvation by works. This would, of course, contradict the apostle’s teaching regarding salvation. For example, later in this epistle to the Romans the apostle clearly indicated that election or so consequent salvation cannot be by works in Romans 11:6:
And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
Furthermore, the apostle had also communicated that no one could be in right standing with God by observing the law as he wrote in Galatians 2:16:
know that a man is not justified by observing the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by observing the law, because by observing the law no one will be justified.
It seems to me that it is the translation of the clause To those who by persistence in doing good we are considering that makes Romans 2:7 imply salvation by works. I propose a different translation based on the Greek. Literally, the Greek reads to the ones (who) according to perseverance of good work. In order to unpack the literal translation, I suggest the translation to the ones (who) because of steadfast endurance/perseverance which produces good work. This translation implies those who seek the three things we have considered are those who produce good work because of steadfast endurance/perseverance God gives since they are those whom God had decided to give eternal life and not those who work for it. In other words, it is because such individuals already have eternal life that they produce what is stated or strive for the three things – glory, honor, and immortality – we have considered. Let me justify my translation.
The word by in the clause of Romans 2:7 To those who by persistence in doing good is translated from a Greek preposition (kata) that certainly could mean “by” as a marker of the mode in which a thing is done. But in our verse, it is as a marker of reason for something that the word is used and so has the meaning of “because of.” This meaning of our Greek preposition is reflected by the translators of the NIV when they translated what the apostle wrote about God’s judgment due to stubbornness of hypocritical Jews that refuse repentance in Romans 2:5:
But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.
So, it is not like our interpretation of the Greek preposition is unheard of. The CEB probably had this interpretation in their use of the phrase “based on” to interpret our Greek preposition.
We unpacked the literal phrase perseverance of good work in the literal Greek phrase to the ones (who) according to perseverance of good work we are considering, to read steadfast endurance/perseverance which produces good work. The Greek syntax used enables the word “of” in the literal phrase of good work to be translated which produces good work. This interpretation fits well in what the apostle wrote later in Romans 15:33:
The God of peace be with you all. Amen.
The phrase God of peace may be unpacked to read God who produces peace. Thus, our translation steadfast endurance/perseverance which produces good work is not without basis. By the way, we used the expression “steadfast endurance” or “perseverance” because the apostle used a Greek word (hypomonē) that may mean “patience, endurance, steadfastness, perseverance,” that is, the capacity to hold out or bear up in the face of difficulty. Another meaning of the Greek word is “expectation”, that is, the act or state of patient waiting for someone or something as it is used to describe the church in Philadelphia in Revelation 3:10:
Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth.
The clause Since you have kept my command to endure patiently is more literally Because you have kept the word of my patient endurance. In our passage, the sense is that of “perseverance” or “steadfast endurance,” that is, that inward fortitude that is required to consistently act according to what is right regardless of the pressure that is brought to bear on a person.
It should not be difficult to accept that “steadfast endurance”, or “perseverance” produces good work because of what the Scripture says about it. To begin with, endurance is from God as Apostle Paul asserted in Romans 15:5:
May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you a spirit of unity among yourselves as you follow Christ Jesus,
The clause God who gives endurance is more literally God of patient endurance that may be understood to mean that God produces or gives patient endurance. It is because God produces it in the believer that we are instructed to go after it as the Holy Spirit instructed Timothy through Apostle Paul as we read in 1 Timothy 6:11:
But you, man of God, flee from all this, and pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, endurance and gentleness.
Certainly, one of the ways God produces patient endurance, or perseverance is through the testing of believer’s faith as the Holy Spirit asserted through James in James 1:3:
because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.
James also conveyed that endurance produces an observable spiritual trait that believers manifest when they are spiritually matured as implied in James 1:4:
Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.
What is this “finished work” or “perfect work”? Before we answer this question, we should observe that the phrase finished or perfect work has been rendered differently in our English versions in an attempt, perhaps, to explain what it means. For example, the RSV used the phrase full effect while the NASB used perfect result. In spite of these various rendering, the question still remains as to what “full effect” or “perfect result” or “finished work” means. The verse does not directly state what this “finished work” is, but there are several factors that help us to understand what this “finished work” is. The first fact is the word “work” that is translated from a Greek word (ergon) that also means “an assigned task,” “the result of someone’s activity.” The second fact in understanding what the “finished work” refers to is the final reason for the “finished work,” which is spiritual maturity. So, based on these two facts we state that the “finished work” or “full effect” or “perfect result” is a reference to an observable spiritual trait that a person manifests when the individual is spiritually matured. In effect, perseverance should be allowed to produce in the believer a characteristic that demonstrates a faith that is unfaltering in the face of trial. This characteristic is not defined, so must refer to the general behavior pattern that a believer exhibits in the face of trial that reflects spiritual maturity. We are certain that our interpretation that “finished work” is a reference to an observable spiritual trait or behavior pattern is correct because the Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul indicates elsewhere that perseverance should produce character. I am referring to Romans 5:3-4:
3 Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope.
Clearly, Apostle Paul indicates that “perseverance” would produce “character.” The word “character” is translated from a Greek word (dokimē) that also means that which causes something to be known as true or genuine, in the sense of being what it appears to be – “evidence, proof of genuineness, evidence for the fact.” Thus, perseverance should produce that which would indicate spiritual maturity. Hence, when we say that the “finished work” is a reference to spiritual trait we can understand it as that evidence in the life of the believer that would indicate spiritual maturity. Thus, the sentence Perseverance must finish its work in James 1:4 implies that we should allow endurance to produce in us spiritual character that shows that we are matured. There is no better indicator of spiritual maturity than to remain unshaken in face of difficult trials. In other words, if we face trials and never falter in our faith, we indicate that we have attained spiritual maturity. Hence, it is not surprising that the Lord Jesus used our word to describe some faithful believers in the Asiatic churches that He sent messages through Apostle John, for we hear Him speak of knowing the perseverance of those in Ephesus in Revelation 2:2:
I know your deeds, your hard work and your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate wicked men, that you have tested those who claim to be apostles but are not, and have found them false.
Similar assertion is made about the church in Thyatira in Revelation 2:19:
I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first.
Hence, it should not be difficult to accept that steadfast endurance/perseverance can produce the three things the apostle listed in the passage of Romans 2:7 that we are considering.
All the same, we assert that the clause of Romans 2:7 To those who by persistence in doing good is better translated to the ones (who) because of steadfast endurance/perseverance which produces good work. We use the word “work” because the word “doing” of the NIV is translated from a Greek word (ergon) that may mean “work” in the sense of that which one does as regular activity as Apostle Paul used it to describe the activity of Epaphroditus in Philippians 2:30:
because he almost died for the work of Christ, risking his life to make up for the help you could not give me.
The word may mean “deed” as that which displays itself in activity of any kind as Apostle Paul used it to describe sinful activities that believers should reject in Ephesians 5:11:
Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them.
In our passage of Romans 2:7, the word means “duty,” that is, “work that a person is obliged to perform for moral or spiritual reasons.” Before focusing on good work, we should recognize that there are two important specific work we should be aware of. The most important work/duty God demands of all is first and foremost to believe in Jesus Christ. This we learn from the answer of Jesus Christ to the Jews who wanted to know what they must do, to do the works of God as reported in John 6:28:
Then they asked him, “What must we do to do the works God requires?”
The Lord Jesus’ answer to them is given in John 6:29:
Jesus answered, “The work of God is this: to believe in the one he has sent.”
The Jews used the plural “works” in their question, but Jesus used the singular “work” in His answer. The phrase work of God is subject to two interpretations. It could refer to what God requires, or the work God accomplishes in people. Therefore, Jesus’ answer implies that the work/duty God requires is faith in Christ but then it is God who works in an individual to have faith since people could not believe on their own without God producing faith in them as conveyed by the Lord Jesus in His declaration recorded in John 6:44:
“No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him, and I will raise him up at the last day.
The next specific work/duty we should be aware of is that of preaching the gospel or witnessing to others about Christ. We derive this from the instruction of the Holy Spirit to the church in Antioch as stated in Acts 13:2:
While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.”
The clause the work to which I have called them refers to the missionary activities of Barnabas and Saul that consisted of preaching of the gospel. This we learn because of the assertion that both men completed the work they were asked to do as per what is recorded in Acts 14:26–27:
26 From Attalia they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been committed to the grace of God for the work they had now completed. 27 On arriving there, they gathered the church together and reported all that God had done through them and how he had opened the door of faith to the Gentiles.
Certainly, the sentence of verse 26 refers to the completion of the first round of preaching of the gospel by Barnabas and Saul to Gentiles as described in the thirteenth and fourteenth chapters of Acts. There can be no doubt that Apostle Paul regarded the preaching of the gospel as work of God because he described the Corinthians as the result of his work in the Lord Jesus Christ as recorded in 1 Corinthians 9:1:
Am I not free? Am I not an apostle? Have I not seen Jesus our Lord? Are you not the result of my work in the Lord?
It is not my intention to consider what constitute good works as such at this point, but I will make brief comments about good works that are pleasing to God. Any good work that pleases God is actually one that He enables the believer to accomplish. Take for example, giving to the needy is certainly good work but if such would please God, He would have to make the provisions for it as well as create in the believer the willingness to be generous. This assertion is implied in what Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians regarding their generosity as implied in 2 Corinthians 9:8:
And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.
The word “grace” in the sentence God is able to make all grace abound to you refers to benefit from God in terms of material blessings and the spiritual motivation to share them with others. In other words, God provides the material blessings that are needed for generosity, but He also causes the believer to be willing to share such blessings. Of course, any good work that a believer would do that pleases God is already determined by God as indicated in Ephesians 2:10:
For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.
It is Apostle Paul’s point in this verse that whatever good work we do, that is already in God’s plan for us. We say this because the expression “prepared in advance” is translated from a Greek verb (proetoimazō) that also occurs twice in Greek NT; it means “to prepare beforehand, to prepare in advance.” The apostle used it to describe those who are recipients of God’s mercy in Romans 9:23:
What if he did this to make the riches of his glory known to the objects of his mercy, whom he prepared in advance for glory—
So, the Holy Spirit tells us that whatever good work we do, it is already in God’s plan for us to do. This is a reminder to us that God is in absolute control of all things, and we are here on this planet for His glory. The point is that we should recognize that any good work that we will do that pleases God is aided by Him and also that such work is already part of His plan for the believer. Although any good work that we are to do is part of God’s plan but to ensure that we are rewarded, it is important that we be controlled by the Holy Spirit. This means that there can be no sin present when we do any good work. It is no surprise that the Holy Spirit through Apostle Paul conveys that for a person to do good work requires being cleansed from anything that pollutes the soul as that is implied in 2 Timothy 2:21:
If a man cleanses himself from the latter, he will be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.
The word “latter” is more literally “these,” which in the context of this verse refers to three things a pastor or believers should cleanse themselves from that are: shame associated with the gospel, entanglement with the affairs of this life, and discussions that lead to not showing reverence to God, which includes heresies. Other pollutants of the soul are sins. If a believer should do good work that will please God, such a person must be controlled by the Holy Spirit, implying absence of sin of any kind at the point of good work. By the way, although at this point we are not going to consider the good works mentioned in the Scripture, there is one that is not often recognized that I want to bring to your attention. It is the raising of children properly in the fear of God as implied in the qualifications Apostle Paul listed for considering a widow worthy of support by a local church of Christ as stated in 1 Timothy 5:10:
and is well known for her good deeds, such as bringing up children, showing hospitality, washing the feet of the saints, helping those in trouble and devoting herself to all kinds of good deeds.
Be that as it may, when the apostle wrote the clause of Romans 2:7 To those who by persistence in doing good or literally to the ones (who) because of steadfast endurance/perseverance which produces good work he in no way intended to convey that salvation is by works but that good work is that which should characterize those who have done the first good work which is faith in Christ produced in them by God. Those who have believed in Christ would then continue to do other good works that God approves or have in His plan for each believer. Hence, we contend that the apostle conceives of believers who have eternal life as those who will continue in doing what God approves regardless of the challenges or obstacles they may face. They will continue to do so because of steadfast endurance/perseverance God gives them. Anyway, the first positive result of God’s judgment or decision is eternal life He gives to the elect who in turn strive for eternal recognition by God through the good they do. There is more to cover but let me end by reminding you of the overall message of Romans 2:7-10 which is Be concerned about doing good because the results of God’s judgment on a person’s deeds could be blessing or punishment.
10/25/24