Romans 2:6-11: 6 who will render to each person according to his deeds: 7 to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; 8 but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. 9 There will be tribulation and distress [e]for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, 10 but glory and honor and peace to everyone who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 11 For there is no partiality with God.
In the 6th verse the Apostle Paul says, “Who will render to every man according to his deeds“–at the time when God’s judgments will be manifested as stated in the 5th verse. Coming to the seventh verse, he points out that those who patiently continue in well doing, seeking for glory, honor, and immortality shall receive eternal life, at the time indicated in the preceding two verses. At that time, those who will persist in wrongdoing shall be punished by experiencing divine indignation and wrath. But those who (the world of mankind), when the judgments of the Lord are abroad in the earth, will comply with the principles of righteousness shall experience divine favor and blessings, both Jews and Gentiles.
This presentation of the matter is in harmony with the general teachings of the Scriptures which show that the church of Christ, Jesus’ most faithful followers now being selected out from the nations of the earth, shall receive “glory, honor, and immortality;” while the world of mankind–the righteous and obedient–whose trial for eternal life will follow the glorification of the church, shall receive the “glory, honor, and peace” of perfect human conditions. Mankind’s trial will occur during Christ’s 1,000-year reign when God’s kingdom will be established on earth. Then all will be raised from the dead (John 5:28-29), all (starting with the Jews and spreading over the whole world) will be forgiven and taught righteousness (Jeremiah 31:31-33), and all the willing and obedient will be restored to the human perfection that Adam lost when he sinned (See Isaiah 35 and Acts 3:20).
