Follow God Don’t Just Know About Him

Big Idea: Knowing about God and His Word is not enough. You must follow and surrender yourself to Him in order to truly be saved.

As we look at this passage of Scripture Paul is speaking to the Jews. The Jews are God’s chosen people right. The people God had given His law to through Moses. The law was created to help guide the people to live a life pleasing to God. It offered a way to atone for sins, and how to keep yourself “holy.” It also gave them social rules like what deserves punishment, and what punishment is appropriate for different crimes. The law was honestly impossible to keep, but God knew this. The law was never God’s plan to save His people, Jesus was. The law was created to remind the Israelites of the Holiness of God, and their brokenness because of sin.

Romans 2:17-21

17 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God 18 and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; 19 and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself?

Refer to Verses 17-21a

These verses are one really long sentence. This sentence is speaking to the fact that the Jews have a responsibility to keep the law.

Not only are they to keep the law, but because of their knowledge of the law and God they should be sharing that with others as well. Especially to those who do not have the advantage of know the law, ie. the Gentiles.

However, Paul totally calls out the Jews as he closes this sentence, “you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself?”

Paul is implying here that the Jews are not necessarily relying on the law and boasting in God as much as they said they were.

First Fill-In-The-Blank: Knowing God and His Word are both a Privilege and a Responsibility.

Now let’s put this into persecptive for us today.

Those who have accepted Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior, have been given the Holy Spirit who resides within you to aid you in navigaiting life and understanding Scripture. Christians are the Jews in this scenerio.

We have the relationship with God, and have been called by God to go and make disciples in Matthew 28. We should also have a much greater understanding of Scripture and the Gospel than those who are lost.

Therefore, we as Christians have a responsibility to obediently go and share what we know to those who don’t know about Jesus and his scarifice!

However, things get real messy when we fail or begin to fall victim to sinful tendinces. As we’ll see in the next section.

Illustration: My desire for knowledge for my selfish ambition.

Romans 2:21b-24

While you preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. 24 For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

Refer to verses 21b-23

Here Paul is asking some rhetorical questions.

The heart of the matter exists in: are you practicing what you are preaching and teaching? Or are you being a hypocrite?

God is not interested in disingenuous actions done to bring up oneself or save face.

God is interested in our obedience to what His Word tells us to do, and if you are being obedient then He will be glorified!

Refer to verses 23-24

Here we see the very dangerous and unfortunate result of hypocrisy.

God is dishonored and people are rejecting God!!!

This is an extremely serious matter that the church at large must be on guard against all the time.

If we are not then we now know what the result will be!

People will become turned off by the gathering of two faced Christians.

Why should they come see or hear about how God has changed your life if they haven’t seen any change?

If we don’t look and and act any different from those who are lost then why would the lost think they need to be found?

People need to see God in us. We should be the light of the World! God’s love should be overflowing out of us!

Philippians 2:14–15“Do all things without grumbling or disputing, that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,”

We should be standing out in this world not blending in, because blending in will ultimately lead to sin in this world we live in.

Second Fill-In-The-Blank: Following God and His Word is Necessary.

If we find ourselves falling away from God or into sin. Something needs to change!!! Because we are now not only hurting ourselves, but also God’s reputation.

If we are going to call ourselves Christians; little Christs. We had better act like we are.

We are representing God and His Son Jesus who sacrificed more that we can imagine to save us from our own mistakes and sins!

Illustration: Alan Graber, commenting on how I actually follow God’s Word.

Romans 2:25-29

25 For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. 26 So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. 28 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God

Refer to verses 25-26

Here Paul is speaking to a misconception that some of the Jews were holding onto that because of their circumcision they are already God’s, and see no need for a Savior.

They thought the act of circumcision was enough to protect them from their sin.

A more common misconception nowadays is baptism or being a good person.

However, all are sadly mistaken. Circumcision, baptism, being a good person and knowing the law are not enough. You must be obedient to God and actually follow the law (His Word).

Refer to verses 27-29

God is not concerned about your physical appearance, but the desires of your heart.

Do you desire to follow God, to love and obey him? Or do you desire sin, and act like you love and obey him?

You can fool any person, but you cannot fool God.

Third Fill-In-The-Blank: Desiring to and acutally Following God and His Word is Life Changing.

If you think coming to church, getting baptized and calling yourself a Christian is going to save you from the penalty of sin. Death and eternal separation from God in a very real Hell.

Please hear me! It does not! The only way for you to become a child of God, and saved from that hopeless penalty is by surrendering yourself to God.

By believing that Jesus died and paid the price for your sin, but then came back to life. So, that He can freely give you this gift of salvation.

Then confessing to Him that you know you are a sinner, and seeking forgiveness from those sins, and repenting or striving not to commit them any longer.

That will save you! Nothing else!

If you haven’t made that decision I would urge you not to wait any longer.

If you have already accepted Christ, but you have been struggling with a sin. I would urge you not to let that affect your relationship with God anymore. Seek forgiveness, and turn from that sin.