Here's an email question, a pretty common question we get a lot about the role of faith and

works in the Christian life.

Hello Pastor John, my name is Anthony from Spain.

Romans chapter 2 verse 13 says, it is the doers of the law who will be justified.

How might I understand this verse in light of Romans 501 and other verses that speak of

our justification coming by faith alone and not by works?

Why would Paul say the doers of the law are justified?

Well this is huge and wonderful, it's such a crucial, crucial question.

So I hope I can tackle the verse, but also state the bigger issue at stake, namely the

relationship between being justified by faith apart from works of the law as any foundation

for our being in God's favor on the one side and the necessity and inevitability of

the fruit of good deeds or law keeping in order to show that that faith in Christ is real.

That's what's so hard for people to get a handle on these days.

So let me make a go at it.

Let's make the context clear if we can.

Romans 2 11 to 13 Paul is concerned to show that the Jews even though they have the law

will not be shown any partiality at the judgment day.

So he's explaining how the judgment, the last judgment will proceed on the last day for

those who have had the law and those who have not had the law, nations have not have any

access to the law.

In verse 11, chapter 2, he lays down the principle, God shows no partiality.

And then he explains how that works, even though the Jews have the law.

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