Living an Exceptional Christian Life (Romans 2:12–29)

Introduction

We're going to continue our series in the book of Romans. We're going to look today at an interesting conversation that Paul is having in Romans chapter two. He's going to be talking to a number of groups in the chapter, but specifically to one group, he's going to be addressing hypocrisy that he sees in that group. And it's an interesting call for us as Christians, as Paul is identifying that God seeks authentic relationships with his people. So for us as Christians, how can we live an authentic Christian life? And by authentic really, what we mean is, how do we live an exceptional Christian life?

I grew up going to church. And as a teenager, I was the sound guy in the back. The guy that recruited me to do the sound of our church was the pastor's son. He was heavily involved in the ministry at the church. He had built a big music ministry. He eventually became the pastor of the church.

But I got to know him outside of church. I got to know him individually. I would go with him on drives to concerts and help with the sound. One thing I learned quickly about him was that he had a bad temper. He would get angry quickly. And as a teenager I grew up thinking, “Man, if Christians are like that, I don't want to see that in my life.” Has anyone ever faced something like this?

As I've grown up, I've learned to be less judgmental. I remember when I became a Christian, I prayed and said, "God, if I follow you, I don't want to be a hypocrite.”

And what I've learned is that, the Christian life is a hard dynamic. If the standard is perfection, we're all going to be hypocritical. We're all going to fall. We are broken people in need of a Savior.

But is there something else to the Christian life? Is there a possibility to live an exceptional Christian life? We're going to take a look at that today in Romans chapter two, starting in verse 12.

Scripture Reading

Romans 2:12–29 CSB

12 For all who sin without the law will also perish without the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. 13 For the hearers of the law are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified. 14 So, when Gentiles, who do not by nature have the law, do what the law demands, they are a law to themselves even though they do not have the law. 15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts. Their consciences confirm this. Their competing thoughts either accuse or even excuse them 16 on the day when God judges what people have kept secret, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus. 17 Now if you call yourself a Jew, and rely on the law, and boast in God, 18 and know his will, and approve the things that are superior, being instructed from the law, 19 and if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light to those in darkness, 20 an instructor of the ignorant, a teacher of the immature, having the embodiment of knowledge and truth in the law— 21 you then, who teach another, don’t you teach yourself? You who preach, “You must not steal”—do you steal? 22 You who say, “You must not commit adultery”—do you commit adultery? You who detest idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 For, as it is written: The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you. 25 Circumcision benefits you if you observe the law, but if you are a lawbreaker, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 So if an uncircumcised man keeps the law’s requirements, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 A man who is physically uncircumcised, but who keeps the law, will judge you who are a lawbreaker in spite of having the letter of the law and circumcision. 28 For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, and true circumcision is not something visible in the flesh. 29 On the contrary, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart—by the Spirit, not the letter. That person’s praise is not from people but from God.

Pray

Paul uses a Greek rhetorical style here called diatribe. This is where you put questions and answers into the mouths of imagined people. And you do this to provoke thought.

Two Groups and a Third Group

The Paul is really focusing on two major groups in this chapter. I want to see if we can have a couple people come up. I'll need three people.

Call three people up

Paul is separating two groups of people. And he's talking to those two groups.

We talk of people in groups all the time. We often see ourselves in one particular group. For instance, we might be a particular race within San Diego. And so we're kind of in this group. And so there's like our group and then there's people in other groups or whatever that case is.

And we do that with all kinds of things. We do it in politics, Democrats or Republicans. We do it with races. We do it with all kinds of different groups. We often see ourselves as included in one group, and then everyone else out in some big larger group.

Now remember that Paul is a Jew. He's of the Jewish faith. And so he's really directing his conversation primarily to the one group Jews. But he is speaking here to Jews and to Gentiles. Gentiles, of course, is anyone who is not a Jew.

Group One: Gentiles

And when he is speaking to the Gentiles, he's really speaking about the Gentiles to the imagined Jew in the diatribe. Now the Gentiles are by nature people who don't have the law.

The Jews took pride in the fact that they did have the law from God. But even though the Gentiles didn't have the law, they showed to the world that the law was written on their hearts.

Because even though they didn't have the letter of the law written on stone, handed down to them from their ancestors, they would still show that the law was written on their hearts by their consciences, by the fact that they still had a concept of right and wrong. Even though they didn't have the law written down, they still tended to to know of the law within themselves.

God has in essence planted the law within their hearts. And their conscience. would confirm the presence of right and wrong within them.

Group Two: Jews

Then he turns to the real focus of his conversation. The conversation with the Jew. He starts at the verse 17. He tells the the Jew, now you're calling yourself a Jew. You rely on the law. You you boast about God.

He even says that the Jew knows the will of God. For all intents and purposes, the Jew is on the right track.

And the Jew is someone instructed in the law and feels very proud about that. He considers himself a light to those in darkness, and an instructor of the ignorant, the teacher of the immature. He gets down to verse 20 and he says, you look at yourself as the embodiment of knowledge and truth in the law.

Here's what he's going to point out about him. He's going to say you're not much better than this group over here. Even though you have all this special knowledge, you still find yourself in the same condition he is.

He does it through questions. You tell people to do something. Do you do it anyway? You tell people not to steal. Do you steal? And he goes through a list. and he gets the end of it. He says you boast in God. But yet somehow you still dishonor God by breaking the law.

That's the point of what he's saying. He gets pretty serious, saying God is blasphemed because to the Gentiles because of you.

It gets to the end of this he's saying, you are in the same condition that he is. One has the law. One does not have the law. The both of you are in sin before God.

In essence the presence of the law only served to condemn you. And for you the presence of the law in your heart condemns you.

Group Three: “A Jew who is one inwardly”

Paul is going to introduce us to a third person. This third person, he's going to call in verse 29, “a Jew who is one inwardly.”

Now remember, during this time, we're in the first century. Christians are not looked at as a separate religion. Christians are at this point, a sect of Judaism.

So this third person that he's introducing, is different from the other Jews that he is seeing. This is someone who is transformed inwardly by the Spirit of God. There is a spirit within him that is separated from the world, and is one that hasn't been separated by the law, but has been separated by the power of the Spirit of God. It is a person whose praise is not from people but from God.

Obviously, Paul wants us to be the third person.

God’s Judgment

Now, what's interesting about these three groups in this text of Romans? There is something that levels the playing field for all three of these groups, including the 3rd person. And it is God's judgment.

Now, when we think of God's judgment, we immediately think of heaven or hell. And that. plays a part here for sure. But when the Bible talks of God's judgment, it's not all about salvation. We are saved by faith through grace, not by works, so that no one should boast. There's nothing we can do to earn salvation. Salvation is a free gift.

The Bible teaches salvation as a free gift, and we are also accountable about our lives to God. There's nothing contradictory about that statement. Christians and non Christians alike are accountable for their lives to God.

When you're looking at Romans too, the judgment of God is underlying everything that you're seeing here. The key verse for understanding this chapter is verse 13 where he says,

Romans 2:13 CSB

13 For the hearers of the law are not righteous before God, but the doers of the law will be justified.

The term “justified” is a kind of legal term referring to the judgment of God.

You get to the end of 15, talking about Gentiles, where it says, Romans 2:15–16 “Their competing thoughts either accuse or even excuse them on the day when God judges what people have kept secret, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.”

Romans 2:15–16 CSB

15 They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts. Their consciences confirm this. Their competing thoughts either accuse or even excuse them 16 on the day when God judges what people have kept secret, according to my gospel through Christ Jesus.

And then you get to the end of this chapter in verse 29. Where he speaks of the judgment of God and the Jew who is one inwardly. whose praise comes from God.

Romans 2:29 CSB

29 On the contrary, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart—by the Spirit, not the letter. That person’s praise is not from people but from God.

The judgment of God is throughout this text and it's an important thing for us to understand.

The Bible says in Psalm 96:13,

Psalm 96:13 CSB

13 before the Lord, for he is coming— for he is coming to judge the earth. He will judge the world with righteousness and the peoples with his faithfulness.

God will judge the people of the Earth. We are all accountable to him. He will judge people by his righteousness, by his right standard. And he will judge people according to his faithfulness.

The Gospels tell us that judgment is going to come through Christ. The Lord says in John 5:22-23,

John 5:22–23 CSB

22 The Father, in fact, judges no one but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 so that all people may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Anyone who does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.

Now remember, when we're talking about God's judgment, it's more than just salvation. God's judgment also incorporates rewards. For instance, in Matthew Chapter 6, the Lord is constantly urging us to think of rewards from the Father.

For instance, in Matt. 6:1, the Lord says,

Matthew 6:1 CSB

1 “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. Otherwise, you have no reward with your Father in heaven.

He says this in regards to giving, to make sure that, Matthew 6:4 “your giving may be in secret. And your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

He says in reference to prayer, he encourages us to pray alone and, in Matthew 6:6 “your Father who sees in secret will reward you.” Again in verse 18 he's talking about fasting. he says in Matthew 6:18 “your Father who sees in secret will reward you.”

We get to Matthew 16:27 where we see the Son of Man in his return, and we read once more about rewards.

Matthew 16:27 CSB

27 For the Son of Man is going to come with his angels in the glory of his Father, and then he will reward each according to what he has done.

The son of man will return and he will reward each according to what he has done. We are accountable for our lives before Jesus Christ. Paul says this in 2 Cor. 5:10:

2 Corinthians 5:10 CSB

10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each may be repaid for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.

Realize again when we talk about God's judgment, not everything is about salvation. Look at how Paul is saying this. He's saying that we, all of us, must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ. And that at this judgment, we are all accountable for our lives before him.

Now I believe that this judgment is a judgment for Christians, and really the question is, what did you do with the gift of salvation that God gave you? Did you live a lackluster Christian life? Or did you live an exceptional Christian life?

Now I'm sure all of us would prefer to be a beggar in heaven, if there is such a thing. Probably not. But all of us would prefer to be a beggar in heaven than to be the richest man in hell.

But what if you had an opportunity to be a rich man in heaven? Look at what Jesus says about possessions in Matthew 6:19-21,

Matthew 6:19–21 CSB

19 “Don’t store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal. 20 But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

Jesus asks us a question about our heart and says that our heart shows where our treasure is.

Now suppose you get a new job. This job lasts for two weeks. At the end of these two weeks, you have an option of two checks. One check will only be enough to last you for another two weeks. It's now very much the other check though, that check will last you forever, for the rest of your life. Now, which check would it make sense to work for?

So many of us are focused on that check that only lasts two weeks. We get caught up in the things of the here and now, on things that are temporary.

But the Lord is really calling you to an extraordinary life. He is calling you to an exceptional life, and it's a life that says I want to work for those things that are going to last for eternity.

Remember that Romans 2:29 person, that person whose praise is not from people, but from God. How can we be that person? How can we live an exceptional Christian life? I think we see it in scripture in three ways.

First,

An exceptional Christian life pursues inner transformation.

Jesus makes comments to the Pharisees that sound a lot like Paul’s words to the Jew in Romans chapter two.

Matthew 23:25–26 CSB

25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. 26 Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup, so that the outside of it may also become clean.

Jesus tells the Pharisee to focus on the inside of the cup. on the inside in here. The Christian life. is focused on the inside. of the cup of our soul. as so much of the Christian life is about surrendering today.

The Christian life is about being aware of sin in your life. When you were in the world, you weren’t thinking about sin. Sin was probably the thing you were running to. But when you surrender your life to Jesus. when you become more aware of his holiness, the more you realize how weak you are and how much you need him.

Listen to David's words in Psalm 51:7-10,

Psalm 51:7–10 CSB

7 Purify me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow. 8 Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones you have crushed rejoice. 9 Turn your face away from my sins and blot out all my guilt. 10 God, create a clean heart for me and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

We need to be renewed and pursue a steadfast spirit. Look what else he says in verse 12. Psalm 51:12:

Psalm 51:12 CSB

12 Restore the joy of your salvation to me, and sustain me by giving me a willing spirit.

We need to be renewed and restored, reminded of the joy of our salvation.

Here's a secret of the Christian life that maybe nobody has told you: You're going to mess up. We all get caught up with life. We miss reading our Bible some days. We miss praying like we should. We leave church fired up and ready to take on the week, only to find ourselves on Monday not feeling up to it.

The Christian life says, whatever happened yesterday happened. The Lord holds my tomorrow. I'm going to surrender to Jesus today. Lord wash me clean and let me live for you today.

We are constantly pursuing things. We live our life. in a pursuit. We get into education and start pursuing it through tests and getting through exams so that we can get that degree, that degree that's going to get us the better job and then we get that better job and we work 9 to 5’s, and we start pursuing 5:00 o'clock so we can go home. And we pursue relationships. We're constantly people in pursuit.

But God is calling us to pursue things that matter. God is calling us to pursue an exceptional life in him. And sometimes to pursue that exceptional life means I need a renewal and restoration in my life. God, forgive me of my sins. Restore the joy of my salvation.

An exceptional Christian life pursues inner transformation.

Second,

An exceptional Christian life is led by the Holy Spirit.

In Romans 2:29,

Romans 2:29 CSB

29 On the contrary, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart—by the Spirit, not the letter. That person’s praise is not from people but from God.

Paul is describing someone who has a circumcision of the heart, which comes by the spirit of God in his life. He's going to repeat the same kind of language in Philippians 3:3, where he says,

Philippians 3:3 CSB

3 For we are the circumcision, the ones who worship by the Spirit of God, boast in Christ Jesus, and do not put confidence in the flesh—

Paul says we are this third person, these individuals who are set apart from the world. We are people who worship God by the Spirit of God in our life.

Did you know that God leads you to worship him? Now, when you come in on a Sunday and you're worshiping him, you are worshiping him by the Spirit of God. Now, when you're in your car, on your way to work and you're worshiping him, you're worshiping him by the Spirit of God and your life. When you wake up in the morning, or when you've seen God do something incredible in your life, and you stop and you worship him, you're worshiping him by the power of the Spirit of God in your life.

The Christian life is impossible to live outside of the power of the Holy Spirit in you. Why is that? Because my flesh is going to take me down.

We see this again in Galatians 5:16-18 where he says,

Galatians 5:16–18 CSB

16 I say, then, walk by the Spirit and you will certainly not carry out the desire of the flesh. 17 For the flesh desires what is against the Spirit, and the Spirit desires what is against the flesh; these are opposed to each other, so that you don’t do what you want. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

Did you know there's a battle in your life for what leads you? An exceptional Christian life has to be a Spirit-led life.

If I'm attempting to live the Christian life in my own power, saying that I've, I've got this, I've got it all together, I’ll call God on speed dial when I need him, that's a sure recipe to crash and burn. We put no confidence in the flesh. We know where our flesh takes us.

The Bible says you are a new creation in Christ. And as new creations in Christ, we are people under new leadership.

You know, when you join the military, you sign that contract, and you show up the basic training, you're going to learn real quick. that you've now submitted yourself on the new leadership that the. leadership of the US government is now in control of your life, and it's going to tell you what time to wake up what time to eat. What time to go to bed, what to wear, how to cut your hair. where to go, where not to go. You are under new leadership that you must submit to.

And when you become a Christian. you are under new leadership that you must submit to. You are a servant in the Kingdom of God. and servants in the Kingdom of God are led by the spirit of God in their life.

An exceptional Christian life pursues inner transformation.

An exceptional Christian life is led by the Spirit of God.

Last,

An exceptional Christian life seeks the praise of God above anything else.

Ephesians 2:29 repeats this idea of being separate from the world and belonging to a new kingdom. He says,

Ephesians 2:19 CSB

19 So, then, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with the saints, and members of God’s household,

Now when you step into faith in Jesus Christ, you become a son or daughter of God. You are now part of his household, and as part of his household, you seek to be under his rules.

Now sometimes your family will be the odd one in the neighborhood. People in the neighborhood just don't act like your family does. and they'll try to tempt you and try to pull you away. They'll try to be obstacles. Or maybe they just won't like your family, and they'll push against you.

Paul experienced something like this in his letter to the Thessalonians.

1 Thessalonians 2:1–4 CSB

1 For you yourselves know, brothers and sisters, that our visit with you was not without result. 2 On the contrary, after we had previously suffered and were treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, we were emboldened by our God to speak the gospel of God to you in spite of great opposition. 3 For our exhortation didn’t come from error or impurity or an intent to deceive. 4 Instead, just as we have been approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel, so we speak, not to please people, but rather God, who examines our hearts.

Paul says, listen, we're facing opposition because of the gospel. They're fighting against us. They're fighting against us because of what we believe about Jesus Christ.

But the grace of God is so valuable in my life, the gift of salvation is such a sweet thing in my life. that no matter what any one says, no matter what the world thinks, no what, no matter what they throw at me. I will live for Jesus.

The praise of God is more important to me than anything else in my life.

Imagine you're on a journey home and you know that this path leads you home. But there are obstacles in the way.

You’re walk through a neighborhood that's not safe at night. Yeah, I'm really sure about this part of town. There are signs that I want to take you all different ways. There are people trying to sell you things along the path. There's physical brushes and things trying to get in your way.

And you can get distracted by all the different things. Or you can focus your mind and your heart on the path to home.

As Christians, we're members of God's household, and we're heading home. And no matter what the world shouts at us, we're heading home.

And when we get home. your father can know that you lived a lie for him. An exceptional Christian life seeks the praise the God above anything else.

Do you know where the praise of God starts? It starts by faith in Jesus Christ. And if you haven't put your faith in him, do it today. Follow him. Let him lead you. Let him guide you. You can do that to day.

God is calling you to an exceptional life in him through faith in Christ. Amen.

Conclusion

An exceptional Christian life pursues inner transformation.

An exceptional Christian life is led by the Spirit of God.

An exceptional Christian life seeks the praise of God above anything else.

Prayer

Communion

We will have communion, remembering Jesus and his sacrifice for us. Meditate on the Lord and where your heart is with him.

1 Corinthians 11:23–26 CSB

23 For I received from the Lord what I also passed on to you: On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took bread, 24 and when he had given thanks, broke it, and said, “This is my body, which is for you. Do this in remembrance of me.” 25 In the same way also he took the cup, after supper, and said, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.” 26 For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes.

Last Song

Doxology

Numbers 6:24–26 CSB

24 “May the Lord bless you and protect you; 25 may the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; 26 may the Lord look with favor on you and give you peace.” ’

Jude 24–25 CSB

24 Now to him who is able to protect you from stumbling and to make you stand in the presence of his glory, without blemish and with great joy, 25 to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, power, and authority before all time, now and forever. Amen.

You are dismissed. Have a great week in the Lord!