Romans 2:6-11

Romans 2:6-11 He will render to each one according to his works:  to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury.  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.

God will repay each person according to his works.  Uh oh!  This is the same bad news that Paul gave to the Gentiles in chapter 1.  On judgment day all people that are not in Christ by faith will be judged by their works to determine their eternal destination. Not a single person will be found to have the perfect works required to receive eternal life. Therefore, in this passage, Paul is explaining a hypothetical salvation of unbelievers based on works alone.  At this point Paul has not yet explained the good news of faith in Christ. 

In thoroughly laying out the gospel in Romans, Paul began by giving the spiritual condition of human beings with the Holy God who created the universe and everything in it. Beginning in Rom. 1:18 and going through Rom. 3:20 Paul explained that this condition was totally hopeless for both Gentiles who did not have the law and Jews who had the law. This is the immediate context of this section. His conclusion in Rom. 3:9-10 is that all, Jews and Gentiles, are under sin and that none are righteous. He ends this section of Romans by stating in Rom. 3:20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

It would be a terrible mistake for anyone to read this passage and think their works were good enough to earn eternal life.  Even worse would be to think that works are needed along with faith in Jesus Christ.