Romans Chp 2 Vs 17 to 29: 'The Religious Sinner'

Notes from a message preached by Dr J Stewart Gillespie on: Romans Chp 2 Vs 17 to 29: 'The Religious Sinner' A section that deals with the failings of the Jewish people At last a section that I can fall asleep during! Of no relevance to me! I can see the relevance of Chps 1 + 2: The Power of the Gospel to change lives (Rom1:1) The Proof of the Gospel in personal experience (Rom1:1), in the Promise of the Gospel (1:2) in the Person in the Gospel (1:3) in the Power of His resurrection (1:4) in the Product of the Gospel in changed lives (1:5) That section on doubts and deliverance (1:1-7) The Result of the Gospel (1:8-17) in changed lives The descent of man (1:18-32) rejecting the Worship of God, the Ways of God, the Wisdom of God and the Works of God But here is a section that I can switch off on – there is no relevance to me, it is about where the Jewish people of old went wrong! Before you dismiss it altogether, a word of caution, where the Jew of yesterday went wrong the professing Church of today goes wrong! I can see many parallels between the condition of the Jew of Romans 3 and the professing believer of Revelation 3:20 at Laodicea – the Church of the last days of the Church age; Christ is on the outside: “I stand at the door and knock...” a condition so very similar to the nation of Israel at the 1st coming of Christ: “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.” (Joh 1:11) the condition of Israel at His 1st coming is the same as the condition of the Church as His 2nd Coming approaches; He is on the outside! We have outward formality but no inward reality We have religion but no relationship We have a church but no Christ v1 – there is one obvious problem with the conclusion Paul has so far drawn from his examination of all peoples at all times, all concluded under sin (3:23) Paul has concluded all under sin: The Rotten Sinner of Rom1 The Self Righteous Sinner of Rom2 The Religious Sinner of Rom 2 In Johns Gospel we find: Things we don't know (John 21:21-22) Things we will know (Jo13:7) Things we ought to know (Jo3:10) Things we know but we didn't know that we knew them (Jo14:5,6,9) All of the above represents a journey of learning into the infinity of Gods ways and purposes. All of the above represent encounters between Christ and those seeking for the truth. In Johns gospel there is also another group, another attitude and a different spirit. People who think they know it all! They thought they knew the prophets (John 7:40-44,52) They thought they knew the law (Jo8:4-9) They thought they knew the scriptures (Jo5:39) They thought they knew God (Jo8:54-55) They thought they knew Christ (Jo7:12,20) They thought they knew the Father (Jo8:33,39,44) There are few things in our life so dangerous as a conviction drawn from inadequate information, not just in Johns gospel: Matt22:23ff. It might be the best conclusion we can draw but if we don't have the right information we draw the wrong conclusion. It seems that confidence is no guarantee of certainty! It seems that you can be wrong! When it comes to salvation, be very careful about getting it wrong! It will certainly come out in the wash but by then it will be too late; “depart from me I never knew you.” In Romans 2:17-29 we are dealing with the same people as in Johns gospel! In this section there are those who think they have salvation sussed! “Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,” (Rom 2:17) They have a 3 X confidence and a '3 fold cord is not easily broken!' There 3 Fold Confidence / 3 Fold Boast:

1. Jew - Racial Claims – Race
2. Law - Righteous Claims – Rules
3. God - Religious Claims – Religion

We may well ask: 'so what is wrong with all of that?'

Law - Righteous Claims – Rules

They had learned the desires of God They had gained knowledge (v18) and understanding, they knew the “will” of God, they had an understanding of what was pleasing to God in any given situation, a great advantage, they understood the desires of God. What do you do if someone says: 'I've a great new god come and worship it with me'? The men of chapter 1 would have jumped on the band wagon but not the Jew they had the commands of God: “Thou shalt worship no other God except Me”

What do you do if society begins to say that life is expendable, that human life is not valuable simply because it is human life, that some lifes can be destroyed for purposes of convenience? The Jew knew the desires of God; “thou shalt not kill.”

What do you do when the government of the land loses its discernment into a pit of deep rooted moral corruption, when politicians are easily swayed by men and woman pursuing their own lusts, and laws begin to change permitting the union of men with men and women with women. The Jew knew the desires of God on this: “male and female created He them.” How quickly and easily and clearly the Word of God deals with moral errors of their day and of ours too!

Paul will give a few simple and clear examples of these (2:21,22), not hard to understand. They had learned the discernment of God Even beyond that they had learned discernment: “approvest the things that are more excellent” - a sensitivity not only to outright evil but an ability to choose the best. Not only what was right but what was best! There can be a subtlety and a sensitivity to that! The Jew had gone beyond the expectations of some Christians with: 'what is the harm in it?' Many an excuse can be used for sin when God given discernment is lost:

Lot (Gen19:20): “this city is near to flee unto...it is a little one.”. Its a smaller sin than the last one! Its just ½ the size! I've cut down, not so much, not so often. It's a little one! Maybe it is but its still a sin!

Achan (Joshua 7:20ff): “a goodly Babylonish garment...” Its a good one. Shame to let it go to waste!

Saul (1Sam15:9ff): He kept the “best of the sheep”. Its the best one!

How we need the Word of God to keep us from compromise! Times might change, the world might change but as God looks down on our tiny sinful, little planet He does not feel compelled to keep up with latest fashions upon earth. Our God does not change and His Word does not change!

His Word keeps us from compromise:

Shammah (2Sam23:11) defends a field of lentils against the Philistines, doesn't matter the value, they belong to the king! No compromise.

David (1Sam17:34) rescues a lamb from the mouth of the lion, he's the shepherd and it is his lamb, no compromise!

They had learned direction from God In a dark world they were able to “guide” the heathen, they had direction (2:19) They considered themselves doctors of Gods Law They considered themselves to be “instructors” and “teachers” the word for doctors of the law (cf. Luke 2:46) It didn't bring them any closer to Him! What's the problem? The difference between knowing and doing! Rules can tell us what's right but they can't make you righteous! “Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.” (Rom 3:20)

God - Religious Claims – Religion (v23-24)

Made their “boast of God” (v17) Actually they caused others to “blaspheme” God (v24) They had : Broken His Laws (v23) Blasphemed His name (v24) There religion did not bring them into a relationship Do you bring honour to God (v23) or Glory to His name (v24)?

Jew - Racial Claims – Race (v25-29)

If their religion lacked relationship then then racial claims lacked reality They had the token and the sign of circumcision but the reality of it Circumcision had been given to Abraham as a token of Gods covenant (Gen 17). The promises passed to the next generation by Gods election and not by natura; generation: they passed onto Isaac the son of promise and not to Ishmael! Circumsion was a sign of Gods promise to Abraham, a covenant. Did Abraham have a side to keep in this promise? That covenant did begin with a command to Abraham: “... the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.” (Gen 17:1) This covenant was a sovereign act of God in grace but it was also set in the context of Abraham's spiritual and moral conditions!

God had chosen Abraham, a man who God had marked out by:

1. Separation by Faith (Gen12:1)
2. Justification by Faith (Gen15:6)
3. Sanctification by Faith (Gen14:23)
4. Consecration by Faith (Gen17:1)

Abraham had one thing to do as part of this covenant “thou shalt keep my covenant” (17:9) – to circumcise his male offspring! What did that circumcision on the 8th day mean? If it meant anything it meant separation and consecration from the world around. Abraham was different and his seed had to be different No point in claiming the token (Gen17:11) and denying the reality!

https://graceinchrist.org/romans