The Workings of Our Inner Life
I. Knowing Our Inward Parts - Job 38:36; Psa. 51:6; Pro. 20:27: Jer.
31:33
- A. Our spirit - Rom. 2:29; 1 Thess. 5:23; 1Pet. 3:4
- B. Our conscience - Rom. 2:15; Acts 24:16
- C. Our heart - Rom. 2:5, 15, 29; Heb. 10:22
- D. Our soul - Rom. 2:9; Heb. 4:12
II. Our Inner Life and God's Judgment - Romans 2:1-16
- A. God judges the secrets of men (what is hidden within our hearts)
- Rom. 2:1-5,
11-12, 16; 1 Cor. 4:5; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rom. 14:10-12
- B. The activity of our inner life
- 1. The activity of the mind
- a) Judging - Rom. 2:1
- (1) Judging proves that man knows the difference between right
and wrong and makes him inexcusable - Rom. 2:1
- b) Despising - Rom. 2:4; Matt. 6:24
- c) Reasoning that accuses & excuses - Rom. 2:15; 2 Cor. 10:4-5
- d) Repentance - Rom. 2:4; 2 Cor. 7:9-10
- 2. The activity of the heart
- a) Hardness - Rom. 2:5
- b) Reasoning - Rom. 2:15; 1 Tim. 2:8
- c) Peace - Rom. 2:10; Col. 3:15
- d) Recognizing the work of the law - Rom. 2:14-15
- 3. The activity of the soul
- a) Self-centered - Rom. 2:8; Phil. 2:19-21
- b) Pressure and anguish - Rom. 2:9
- 4. The activity of the will
- a) Disobedient - Rom. 2:8
- 5. God's judgment based upon our degree of light and our practice
- Rom. 2:11-16
III. Our Inner Life and Self/Religious Deception - Romans 2:17-24
- A. The nature of self deception
- 1. Pride of heart - Rom. 2:17
- 2. Having a sense of superiority from mere knowledge - Rom. 2:18
- 3. Superior attitudes and being position conscious - Rom. 2:19-20
- B. Confronting the self deceived - Rom. 2:21-24
- 1. "Practicing what you preach" - Rom. 2:21-22
- 2. Applying to yourself what you demand of others - Rom. 2:21-22
- 3. Being faced with reality - Rom. 2:23-24