Romans 2

A Religious mind set will not help us!

I would like to continue with our new series on the book of Romans.

This book is considered Paul’s masterpiece, a very well-constructed summary of Christian Theology.

Considered by many one of the most important books ever written on the Christian faith.

Today we are on the second chapter of Romans.

On Chapter 1 We began by presenting the Gospel

Rom 1:16 For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

Rom 1:17 For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: "The righteous will live by faith."

Last week John Randerson

Presented the rest of chapter 1, he Did a great job taking us through the wrath of God against all evil

Rom 1:18 The wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of people, who suppress the truth by their wickedness,

Rom 1:19 since what may be known about God is plain to them, because God has made it plain to them.

God loves us but as we reject Him and his truth, He will abandon us to our own desires, and we become depraved in our minds, and we sin against our own bodies and suffer the consequences of it.

John finished chapter 1

Now we are in Chapter 2

We can divide the book of Romans this way

The wrath of God 1:18 3:20

The grace of God 3:21-

The Plan of God 9,10,11

The will of God 12 on 16

A religious mind set will not help us; we are sinners.

1 Stop Judging.

Rom 2:1 You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things.

Parable

Luk 18:9 To some who were confident of their own righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable:

Luk 18:10 "Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.

Luk 18:11 The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: 'God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector.

Luk 18:12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.'

Luk 18:13 "But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, 'God, have mercy on me, a sinner.'

Luk 18:14 "I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted."

Our righteous acts are like filthy rags. Isaiah 64:6

Rom 2:2 Now we know that God's judgment against those who do such things is based on truth.

Rom 2:3 So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God's judgment?

Rom 2:4 Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? Is what lead us to repentance

Last year I was preaching on matt 7, the sermon on the mount.

Mat 7:1 "Do not judge, or you too will be judged.

The word judge here is to pass a decree, punish, condemn.

The Greek word Kreeno. The same word Paul used in Romans 2

Mat 7:2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

Mat 7:3 "Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye?

Mat 7:4 How can you say to your brother, 'Let me take the speck out of your eye,' when all the time there is a plank in your own eye?

Mat 7:5 You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye.

I begin to notice as I prepared the message that I came under conviction, it became heavier and heavier upon my heart.

So I stopped writing, and I prayed Lord have I done this to anyone? I was certain he was going to say: no, you are ok, but immediately He reminded of a relationship, and I was so convicted, as a pastor embarrassed.

Several years ago I became very irritated by an older lady, who I felt was unjustly persecuting me. Eventually this lady became ill and passed away, I never cursed her, I even prayed for her healing, but I recognized that in my heart I had judged her. So I repented for my sin and my religiosity. I was deeply repented, And the Lord heard me, a very interesting happen, about 10 years ago, I became a diabetic and 4 years ago I began to take insulin, that same night I was measuring my blood sugar count to know how much insulin I should take, and normally it was anything from 170 to 215 what of course needed to be controlled, after covid my numbers became higher, that night it was down to 86, I thought I must ate something that affected my numbers and I did not need the insulin that night because it would go to low. I thought tomorrow morning I will check again, but it was under 90 since September last year I have not being able to take insulin, I check with the dr my blood test came that my A1C was down to a normal level, it was a direct result of my repentance and not judging anyone.

Don’t judge!

2 Don’t be Stubborn, repent.

Rom 2:5 But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.

Rom 2:6 God "will repay each person according to what they have done."

stubborn, which describes something unreasonably or perversely unyielding, obstinate, or persistent.

The Greek word used here is sklay-rot-ace callousness, hardness.

Stubbornness, someone determined not to listen, with obstinate determination not to change, even when proven wrong.

Would be like me trying to prove to you that the earth is flat, disregarding all the knowledge and technology of today, and when you prove me wrong, I refuse to believe.

Rom 2:7 To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor and immortality, he will give eternal life.

Rom 2:8 But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger.

Rom 2:9 There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile;

Rom 2:10 but glory, honor and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.

Rom 2:11 For God does not show favoritism.

If you know you are stubborn cry out to God he will set you free.

3 Obedience to God is what makes us righteous

Rom 2:12 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.

Rom 2:13 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.

Obedience is what makes the difference, what transforms lives, I may hear truth all my life, but if I never obey it ,put in practice, will do me no good.

Rom 2:14 (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.

Even when they don’t have the law,

1. Thou shall have no other gods before me. (Exodus 20:3) 2. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven images. (Exodus 20:4-6) 3. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain. (Exodus 20:7) 4. Remember the Sabbath day and keep it Holy. (Exodus 20:8-11) 5. Honor your father and mother. (Exodus 20:12) 6. Thou shalt not murder. (Exodus 20:13) 7. Thou shalt not commit adultery. (Exodus 20:14) 8. Thou shalt not steal. (Exodus 20:15) 9. Thou shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. (Exodus 20:16) 10. Thou shall not covet your neighbor. (Exodus 20:17)

They have no other God’s, they are not worshiping idols they respect God, respect and obey their parents, they don’t murder or commit adultery, don’t steal, they don’t lie, they don’t cheat they don’t covet. God will judge them accordingly.

Rom 2:15 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.)

Rom 2:16 This will take place on the day when God judges people's secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.

Faith in Jesus is the answer, not our religious mind set

4 guard your own heart.

Rom 2:17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God;

Rom 2:18 if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law;

Rom 2:19 if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark,

Rom 2:20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth—

Rom 2:21 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?

Rom 2:22 You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?

The term “rob temples” ( hierosule ō ) means “to take objects from a temple by force or stealth” or “to commit irreverent acts, commit sacrilege”

Rom 2:23 You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?

Rom 2:24 As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."

Rom 2:25 Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised.

From the beginning circumcision Was a outward sign of God’s covenant with Abraham and his decedents, but an inward commitment to walk with God in Faithfulness, a commitment from the heart.

Gen 17:1 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.

Gen 17:2 Then I will make my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers."

Gen 17:3 Abram fell facedown, and God said to him,

Gen 17:4 "As for me, this is my covenant with you: You will be the father of many nations.

Gen 17:6 I will make you very fruitful; I will make nations of you, and kings will come from you.

Gen 17:7 I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your descendants after you.

Rom 2:26 So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law's requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised?

Rom 2:27 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.

Rom 2:28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical.

Rom 2:29 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.

1Co 7:19 Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing. Keeping God's commands is what counts.

1Co 7:20 Each person should remain in the situation they were in when God called them.

Our hearts must be right before God.

A religious mind set will not Help us.

Don’t’ Judge

Don’t be stubborn, repent.

Obedience to God, is what will make you righteous, no just trying to be right.

Guard your heart.

Have you asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior? Let me give you an opportunity to do so.

"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. Joh 3:16

To receive Jesus, we need to accept Him as God’s son, repent from our sins and a life of selfishness, asking Him to be your Lord and savior, not that you deserve it, but is a gift from God.

If this is your desire today, please repeat this prayer after me?

Heavenly Father I’m sinner,

I’m sorry for my sins,

I’m willing to turn away from my sins.

I receive Christ as my savior,

I confess him as Lord

from this moment on I want to follow and serve him,

in the fellowship of his church,

In Jesus name. Amen!

1Co 11:23 For I received from the Lord that which I also delivered to you: that the Lord Jesus on the same night in which He was betrayed took bread;

1Co 11:24 and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said, "Take, eat; this is My body which is broken for you; do this in remembrance of Me."

1Co 11:25 In the same manner He also took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in My blood. This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."

1Co 11:26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord's death till He comes.

1Co 11:27 Therefore whoever eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord.

Heb 9:14 dead works, acts, sins

E mau aku ka loko maika’i o ka Haku, Iesu Kristo; me ke aloha a ke Akua, a me ka launa pu ‘ana mai o ka Uhane Hemolele ia ‘olua, a me makou apau. Amen