Paul began his letter to the Romans by declaring the racial impartiality of God (2:11). It is important to remember that the racial separation in the Old Testament helped preserve the genealogical line of Christ. This wall of division between Jews and Gentiles was very important, for salvation (Christ) would be of the Jews. Yet now that the promise of the Abrahamic covenant has been fulfilled in Christ, the dividing wall between Jews and Gentiles has been broken down (Eph. 2:14).
The Jews no longer have exclusive rights to the gospel. According to Paul, the gospel is impartial and has gone into all the world, and is powerful enough to save both Jews and Gentiles: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek” (Rom. 1:16).
Not only is the gospel impartial, but the law is also impartial: “There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality” (Rom. 2:9-11).
The law and the gospel do not show any racial favoritism. Gentiles can be saved by the gospel, just as Jews can be condemned by the law: “For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law” (Rom. 2:12).
Adapted from The Kingdom of God: A Baptist Expression of Covenant Theology by Jeffrey Johnson
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