Big Picture: Having indicted Gentiles for sinfully rejecting God’s revelation in nature (general revelation), Paul shows that Jews have also turned from the even clearer revelation that God gave them in the Law Covenant of Moses (special revelation). Jews do the same things as Gentiles – they commit the same sins. Therefore, Jews are justly earning for themselves the same wrath that is already falling on Gentile sinners. God’s judgment is according to truth, and he must fairly assess the works of every person. And this criterion of impartial fairness applies even to the Jew who is proud of being a member of God’s people.

Introduction:  The sermon’s title and proportionality. 

Point 1:  Self-righteous Jews are as guilty as the Gentiles before God (1-5)

Point 2:  God judges every human being impartially on the same basis: works (6-11)

• Jews have no right to think that the Law Covenant of Moses, in itself, puts them in any better situation than the Gentiles before God.

Point 3: Judgment and the Law (12-16)

• “God judges people by what they know, not by what they do not know.” (D.A. Carson) 
• Human responsibility is tied to human privilege: the more we know - the clearer God’s revelation - the more severely we are held accountable.