Romans 2:17-29

Privilege brings Responsibility

Blessed afternoon brothers and sisters in Christ.

Allow me to introduce my self...

I have entitled this afternoons sermon - Privilege brings Responsibility

Who is that character who said,

“With Great Power Comes Great Responsibility”

Who can guess?

Answer - (Uncle Ben) from the Marvel Movie Spiderman.

It is also true that Privileges Brings Responsibility. For example:

We live in a democratic country and we have many privileges that people living in a Communist country cannot enjoy. With our democracy, comes the responsibility to vote responsibly. Failure to vote responsibly has its consequences.

My kids had the privilege of receiving a very cute dog as a gift (her name is Cindy), but they have the responsibility of taking care of the dog, feeding her, cleaning her messes, etc…Failure in DOING these responsibilities would warrant a “reprimand” from my wife, and from me too. (laugh).

Again, Privilege brings Responsibility. That is what we are going to see in our passage.

Now, going back to the text…maybe going back a little bit to the first few verses of chapter 2 would help us properly understand the passage we are studying today.

Romans 2:1 (NASB95)

Therefore you have no excuse,

In Chapter 2, Paul begins with “Therefore you have no excuse...” excuse from what?

Well, Paul continued his exposition in Chapter 1, where Paul said that “man are without excuse” (1:20) for the sins they have committed against a Holy and Just God.

Romans 1:20 NASB95

For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.

For God will judge without partiality (2:11) , and God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus (2:16).

Romans 2:16 NASB95

on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.

Romans 2:17 NIV

Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God;

Here in our passage, in verse 17, Paul now focuses his argument with a representative Jew. A Jew is a person belonging to the tribe of Judah. One of the twelve tribes of Israel. They were the COVENANT PEOPLE of God.

Israel had the privilege of receiving the Law and Circumcision (physical sign of membership as people of God) through the Abrahamic and Mosaic Covenant.

In our Passage, Paul repeated the word Law 11 times within the 13 verses we’ve read.

He repeated the word Circumcision 6 times. It tells us that these are important in his argument.

There are 2 Major distinctive of the JEWS -

Mosaic Law & Circumcision

However, this privilege of receiving the LAW and Circumcision also brings RESPONSIBILITY.

The Responsibility is for them to obey the Law as their loving response to the covenant they have with God. They were God’s Covenant People and they were supposed to model how to Worship God, how to Love God, and to Tell People About God - but....what happened???

Here in our passage, Paul exposes the Jew’s INCONSISTENCY between their CLAIM and CONDUCT.

What Paul argues in this section is that:

The Jew cannot rely on either the law or circumcision to protect him or her from the judgment of God.

Paul argues that the Jews special status does not give them automatic immunity from the righteous judgment of God.

God’s word given to Israel and his covenant with the people are great privileges; but they do not, in themselves, justify or save.

Paul enumerates privileges that Jews claim for themselves (vv.17-20)

Reliance on the Law

Boasting of their relationship to God

Know God’s Will

Guide to the Blind

Light to those who are in Darkness

Educator and Teacher of the Law

The Jews rested their sense of moral superiority over the Gentiles because they believed that God had granted them special privileges through the Law.

Paul uses a series of questions to remind the Jews of their failure and hypocrisy (vv. 21–23)

Romans 2:21–23 NASB95

you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God?

Stealing

Adultery

Robbing Temples

There is a tragic irony in the fact that the Jew who boasts in God’s law ends up dishonoring God and breaking the law.

In verse 24, Paul cited Is 52:5 from the Greek OT (the Septuagint, ) as support that Jewish sin resulted in God’s name being dishonored among the pagan nations when the Jews were defeated and exiled.

Isaiah 52:5 NIV

“And now what do I have here?” declares the Lord. “For my people have been taken away for nothing, and those who rule them mock,” declares the Lord. “And all day long my name is constantly blasphemed.

Paul contends that circumcision and observance of the law cannot be separated (vv. 25-27)

To be a Jew will do one good in the sight of God only if he keeps the law of God. A Jew who breaks the law is no better than a Gentile.

If one has the symbol of Judaism and lacks the substance, of what value is the symbol? Symbols are of value only when there is a reality to which they correspond. Circumcision profits, but only if the law is observed (v. 25).

Circumcision has value when accompanied by OBEDIENCE to the LAW.

Thus, Claim and Conduct must go together.

Let us reflect from this - It would be a tragedy when one is Christian only in words and not in practice.

The Cross hanging on the neck becomes meaningless if the conduct of the one wearing it contradicts the message of the cross.

That person becomes a stumbling block for the believers and observers.

Knowledge of the Truth of God’s Word and Obedience cannot be separated.

We can’t just be hearers of the Word, Let us be doers of the Word as well.

We cannot just say we have FAITH but has no action to back it up.

James warns us when he said, “Faith, if not accompanied by action, is dead” (James 2:17)

James 2:17 NASB95

Even so faith, if it has no works, is dead, being by itself.

Living Faith is not alone, it produces fruit (fruit of the Holy Spirit).

Galatians 5:22–23 NASB95

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law.

Faith and Obedience Are Bound Together

Faith and obedience are bound up in the same bundle. He that obeys God, trusts God, and he that trusts God, obeys God. He that is without faith is without works; and he that is without works is without faith. Do not oppose faith and good works to one another, for there is a blessed relationship between them; and if you abound in obedience your faith shall grow exceedingly. Charles H. Spurgeon

Paul explains why circumcision does not guarantee salvation (vv. 28-29)

Romans 2:28–29 NASB95

For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.

For the circumcision that ultimately counts before God is the circumcision of the heart, accomplished by the Spirit.

A true JEW, a true worshipper of God, is one who is circumcised in the heart.

This is the beauty of the Gospel, those who believe in the Gospel of Jesus Christ have undergone a circumcision of the heart.

To be “in Christ” is to be spiritually circumcised

Colossians 2:11–12 NIV

In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

We Christians have the privilege of receiving the Written Word of God. But the Word of God will prove to have value for us when we READ, STUDY, and MEDITATE so that we will be equipped for every good work.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 NIV

All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.

We Christians have the privilege of being made part of God’s family, and God has given us spiritual family - the Church, the local church. So that in the church, we will be able to use the different gifts that God have bestowed to every believer.

Every believer has a gift.

1 Peter 4:10–11 NASB95

As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the manifold grace of God. Whoever speaks, is to do so as one who is speaking the utterances of God; whoever serves is to do so as one who is serving by the strength which God supplies; so that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom belongs the glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Proper Response:

A. Self Examination: Is my claim (follower of Christ) goes together with my conduct (Christ-like character)?

B. Act: Ask for God’s forgiveness for the times you have dishonored the name of the LORD through you actions or inactions.

C. Self Examination: Am I truly circumcised in the heart? Is my faith producing good works?

D. Act: Make use of your God-given privileges (Bible, Church, Small Group), to equip you for maturity and service, for the glory of God.