Be Careful What You Trust!

Romans 2:12-29

¹² All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. ¹³ For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. ¹⁴ (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. ¹⁵ They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.) ¹⁶ This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

¹⁷ Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; ¹⁸ if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; ¹⁹ if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, ²⁰ an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— ²¹ you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? ²² You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? ²³ You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? ²⁴ As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

²⁵ Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. ²⁶ So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? ²⁷ The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.

²⁸ A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. ²⁹ No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.

Again, Paul’s topic is the good news, the gospel. It is good news about what Jesus Christ has done to aid our relationship with God. But before I can accept that what Jesus has done for me is good news, I need to accept the bad news. And so Paul has worked through several issues. I don’t see God clearly, so why should I consider this as important? You don’t see God because of your bad behavior, knowing or unknowing that causes God’s wrath to blind our thinking, desire and ultimately our will is enslaved to sin.

Well, what about Jewish people? They have so much cultural experience with God. They don’t see a need for the ministry of Jesus on their behalf, so they don’t see the good news there either. Paul begins by saying that they don’t understand God’s standards. God requires perfect behavior in order for us to be justified by our behavior. God does not curve. And we don’t see ourselves or others in the same light, we always see ourselves as better than we are. We need to understand our inherent need for God’s grace and mercy expressed toward us in Jesus. If the Jews will do that, then they will recognize that God’s acts of grace in the lives of their forefathers are actually a foreshadowing of what He will do in the death and Resurrection of Jesus.

Today we come to the trouble of trusting in our knowledge of the Bible as what we need. We need to boil down our acceptance before God to two categories. Either we have behaved well enough to be accepted by Him or else we need a substitute to grant us their life as payment for our sin, thereby rendering us righteous in God’s eyes. This is the picture of the OT sacrifices.

In any event, the Jews were offended by the suggestion that they might not be right with God. We learn from them to not trust in our own knowledge.

1. Don’t Trust in Your Knowledge of the Law

Vs. 12-16

1. Judgement is based on doing, not knowing

        v.13

¹³ For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.

 

1. There is obedience apart from specific revelation

        ¹⁴ (Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. ¹⁵ They show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them.)

Which means that obedience is the more important part, and         knowledge is helpful, but not as essential as obedience.

In other words, it’s better to do the law even when you don’t       know what it says specifically.

Some keep the law because of a lack of opportunity to break it. A        lack of temptation or testing. This is why we are tested, so we    can see what is in our hearts, whether or not we will follow     Christ!

 

1. On Judgement Day all who have sinned will perish

Read 12-13 with verse 16

¹² All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. ¹³ For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.

¹⁶ This will take place on the day when God judges people’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

(Context of those who are seeking to be righteous by keeping the law. Which is not Paul’s gospel presentation in 1:16-17!)

In the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed which is by faith from first to last.

 

 

1. Foundations of Sand in Your Relationship with God

Verses 17-24  

What do people trust that won’t work with God?

In a Jewish context obviously. What might these be for an American citizen today who thinks they are good with God and are not? Better than most. Good intentions. Circumstances conspired against me.

1. Self-identify as the people of God

I am not THAT kind of person, and they are surely in trouble!

“You call yourself a Jew.” What are the Jews relying on? Promises made to Abraham, Covenant with Moses, and Continuing relationship with God because of Covenant with Moses (Old Covenant). What do we know about the majority of the people who left Egypt? Died in the wilderness. What do we know about the people in the time of the Judges? Up and down. What do we know about the people during the time of the monarchy? Up and down, ending in captivity. What do we know about the Jewish people during the time of Christ?

American Christians today: Trusting in Church membership, baptism, a prayer prayed, a bad feeling changed to a good feeling, not intentionally hurting people unless they drive me to it.

Understanding (of our need and God’s offer of salvation) leads to faith (trusting in Christ’s work alone on our behalf, without abandoning keeping the law as a means to blessing) leads to love (the way we are to interact with others) leads to mercy (what we extend to others when they are not good to us).

 

1. Reliance on your good works

Last week’s sermon. This is an attempt to establish your own       standard of righteousness. Paul’s argument in Romans is that    those who have the law are more responsible to God to       have good behavior. They have fewer excuses, which actually     highlights even more to them that they have a sin problem.

Romans 7: ⁷ What shall we say, then? Is the law sinful? Certainly not! Nevertheless, I would not have known what sin was had it not been for the law. For I would not have known what coveting really was if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” ⁸ But sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, produced in me every kind of coveting. For apart from the law, sin was dead. ⁹ Once I was alive apart from the law; but when the commandment came, sin sprang to life and I died. ¹⁰ I found that the very commandment that was intended to bring life actually brought death. ¹¹ For sin, seizing the opportunity afforded by the commandment, deceived me, and through the commandment put me to death.

What do these people rely on? V.17-20

1. Know God’s will
2. Approve what is superior in life
3. You are a light for those in the dark
4. Teacher of the ignorant and immature
5. You know that the law is the embodiment of knowledge and truth about God

Do you who teach teach yourselves? Do you keep the law? Not sometimes keep the law, perfectly keep the law!

Paul picks out coveting in Romans 7. Jesus picks out loving others as God loves others in Matthew 5. Who keeps these commandments perfectly? Do you never actively desire what another person has? Are we reflexively vengeful? How do you drive? Do we really even take these desires seriously?

Are we appropriately grateful for what God has given us and do we really believe that what we have received in life is a gift from Him? Is your spouse a gift? Is your home a gift? Is your car, your clothes, your body, your talents etc.

Are you personally fearfully and wonderfully made by God or do you covet another person’s looks, personality, intelligence, etc. Once the advertisers in our culture get you to coveting, then they get your money.

The point is not to beat you up, the point is to convince you that this is a dead end street, to rely on yourself in any aspect. Move to the righteousness revealed in the gospel that is by faith from first to last?

In Matthew 5 Jesus is working on the Jews about this very issue, the topics he uses are anger for murder, lustful desire for adultery, making an oath for lying, and perfectly expressing the love and mercy of God for loving your neighbor! He says:

Matthew 5: ¹⁷ “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. ¹⁸ For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. ¹⁹ Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. ²⁰ For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

⁴³ “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ ⁴⁴ But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, ⁴⁵ that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. ⁴⁶ If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? ⁴⁷ And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? ⁴⁸ Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

 

1. Law keepers are failures and hypocrites

²⁴ As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the   Gentiles because of you.” Isaiah 52:5

        With the standard of measure you judge, you will be judged. Matt 7:2

People are watching you fail. They should understand that you uphold grace and mercy as the fundamental principles, not law keeping. If not, then they see your hypocrisy.

God’s name= character

John 1: ¹⁷ For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. ¹⁸ No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known.

Jesus is the only standard!!

Our last area of trust is given its own paragraph:

III. Don’t Trust in Circumcision (Or baptism)

Verses 25-29

You can see circumcision an outward sign of identity. (it’s like a   tattoo!)

This is a covenant sign. Since I can see it, then I can make         a distinction between you and I and God.

1. God took circumcision seriously

Old Testament stories about circumcision:

Exodus 4: ²⁴ At a lodging place on the way, the Lord met Moses and was about to kill him. ²⁵ But Zipporah took a flint knife, cut off her son’s foreskin and touched Moses’ feet with it. “Surely you are a bridegroom of blood to me,” she said. ²⁶ So the Lord let him alone. (At that time she said “bridegroom of blood,” referring to circumcision.)

²⁷ The Lord said to Aaron, “Go into the wilderness to meet Moses.” So he met Moses at the mountain of God and kissed him. ²⁸ Then Moses told Aaron everything the Lord had sent him to say, and also about all the signs he had commanded him to perform.

Exodus 12: ⁴³ The Lord said to Moses and Aaron, “These are the regulations for the Passover meal: “No foreigner may eat it. ⁴⁴ Any slave you have bought may eat it after you have circumcised him,

Joshua 5: ² At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.” ³ So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth.

⁴ Now this is why he did so: All those who came out of Egypt—all the men of military age—died in the wilderness on the way after leaving Egypt. ⁵ All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness during the journey from Egypt had not. ⁶ The Israelites had moved about in the wilderness forty years until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the Lord. For the Lord had sworn to them that they would not see the land he had solemnly promised their ancestors to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. ⁷ So he raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way. ⁸ And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed.

1. It’s circumcision AND keep the law

²⁵ Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. ²⁶ So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? ²⁷ The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.

James 2: ¹⁰ For whoever keeps the whole law and yet stumbles at just one point is guilty of breaking all of it.

 

1. Your identity is in what you do

        ²⁸ A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. ²⁹ No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.

Living for praise from God and not men.

Jesus says this often. (He accuses the Pharisees and Sadducees of this)

Paul says this often. Galatians for example.

You say this when you are under pressure from men who do not agree with your worldview and want you to change. If you live for their approval, then you compromise. If you live for God’s approval, then you do not compromise with men and you take the heat of their disapproval!

Hopefully I have made it through this section and convinced you of two great truths. First: You need to keep the law. It is God’s will for your life. We will never rightfully set it aside. Secondly: in your relationship with God, you cannot rely on your ability to keep the law because you won’t do it well enough. You must rely on Jesus’ death for your sin and on the power of the Holy Spirit to energize a law keeping life as you move forward!