Knowing and Doing are Two Different Things

Introduction

Romans 2 is centered on the judgment of God. I have mentioned pretty much every message that this chapter is a diatribe or an imaginary argument with an imaginary opponent. Paul is giving a rebuttal to arguments a religious Jew might have to being told God is going to judge you someday. None of us like to hear that we are guilty and none of us want to be punished for our sins. We generally think we are good people, so we come up with excuses for our failures. This is exactly what the Jew is doing in chapter 2. So far we have seen the following arguments:

Argument 1- I am a morally good guy- answer God’s judgment is based on truth

Argument 2- I am a from the right family, a jew answer- God does not show favorites

The Jews thought they were a special people because thousands of years ago, God had given them the law of Moses on mount Sinai. And they were right. Israel is and was God’s chosen people; but in vs 12-16, the third argument is given that this must be evidence that God will be lenient with them. We are the ones who received the law.

Let me bring this argument back down to our level. Imagine you were the CEO of a corporation and you have an employee who you really trust; so you make him the head of the finances. He keeps track of all the records and prepares all the reports. But one day you find out that he has been embezzling from the company. You call him in to the office and say “You’ve been caught stealing from the company and we are going to fire you.” He might respond, “But you can’t do that you need me. I’m the only one who can handle this job.” He has an overinflated view of his position. Just because you entrusted him with the job doesn’t mean he gets a free pass.

Do you see the connection to this argument? The Jew is saying you can’t judge me, we are the one’s you gave the law to. We have this special status and what are you going to do without us. Now you are not a Jew, so let me explain why you need this message too. Many of us know right from wrong, we live in a good country, we might go to church. God has blessed us as a nation and as individuals; so maybe we might be tempted to think, God won’t judge me.

Many of us are Christians and you know a lot of the bible. Paul is going to point out that knowing a lot about the bible does not make you a good person. Knowing a lot about the bible does not even make you a Christian. Knowing a lot about the bible is not enough. Do you think God is going to treat you differently because you are so smart? You have all the right answers for every question, but God wants more than you minds.

This morning we are going to work our way through the text, but I want to draw from it a lesson for both the believer and the unbeliever.

Does possessing the law give the Jew an advantage?

Romans 2:12 “For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;”

Let’s start by asking the question does possessing the law give the Jew an advantage? That depends on what you mean by an advantage. Did the Jews have an advantage? Yes, they did because they had God’s word. God had revealed himself to them. God had told them what he expected of them. God had revealed his plan of redemption to them. Possessing the law is definitely an advantage. Wouldn’t you want to have more information?

During the Olympics this year there was a scandal in women’s soccer and the Canadian head coach Bev Priestman was fined and sent home for using drones to spy on New Zealand’s team training sessions before a match. Canada went on to win the match 2-1. But this practice had been going on for some time in Canada’s soccer league. Why did they do it? Because more information gives you an advantage.

But notice in the text, that advantage doesn’t help Israel. We have two groups spoken of in this text and we will look at them in more detail later, but the first group is those without law clearly references the Gentiles and then we have those in the law which clearly references the Jews. Notice they share one thing in common, they will both perish.

In fact, possessing more information leads to greater responsibility. The Jews had the law and so they would be judged by the law while the Gentiles are judged without the law.

Think of it this way, if I have a twelve year old and a four year old who I am trying to teach to clean their rooms. I am going to hold the twelve year old more accountable than the four year old because I have had twelve years to teach her how to clean her room. She has more information than he four year old brother.

The Jews advantage has become a disadvantage because they are more accountable for what they know. Jesus said Luke 12:48 “But he that knew not, and did commit things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. For unto whomsoever much is given, of him shall be much required: and to whom men have committed much, of him they will ask the more.”

Application question- Does growing up in church give us an advantage? Yes, you have all these amazing opportunities to hear God’s word, to learn about him and you are invited all the time to experience a true relationship with him, but if you don’t take advantage of that opportunity, your advantage will become a disadvantage.

Who possesses the law?

Romans 2:14–15 “For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves: Which shew the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another;)”

We are skipping vs 13 if you notice it is in parenthesis which means it is a break in the thought. We will come back to it in the next point. The next question we are going to ask of the text is who possesses the law. Paul points out that the Jews don’t have as much of an advantage as they think they do by pointing out the universality of the moral law.

Law is used in a couple different ways in this passage and we know this because the law of the Jews is contrasted with the law of the Gentiles. They are two different things. We know from reading the bible that the Jews had the law of Moses. Normally when we read law in the book of Romans, this is what is being referenced except when context makes it clear it isn’t.

Paul points out that the Gentiles have a law. They are a law unto themselves meaning their own nature dictate a law to them. Notice in vs 14 the words by nature. There is something about the way God made us that we know some things are instinctively wrong. This is a reference to what we would call natural law. The Jews possess externally the law of Moses, but the Gentiles have the natural law. The evidence of this is the fact that they do things contained in the law.

I will use one example. Not every culture is agreed on every area of morality but there are some basic commonalities. For example, we all know that it is morally wrong to kill someone just because I felt like it. Every culture would punish such crimes. There may be certain people they allow to get away with it because of position, but as a general rule they know this is wrong.

This natural law is written on the hearts. Because of this phrase there are some who believe this is a reference to saved Gentiles. I do not believe this is who is spoken of because the whole context is about Jews and Gentiles who will be judged. So what does it mean it is written on their hearts? The text tells us their conscience and their thoughts bear witness to the truth of this law.

Guys, there are some things which you don’t have to be told are wrong. In your heart you know these things are wrong. Its like when a young child hits their brother or sister and then runs away. They know they have done something wrong. The conscience is malleable, trainable for good or evil, but there are some things our consciences know are wrong.

We then justify our actions by accusing others, blame shifting or coming up with excuses. This seems to imply that the person who blame shifts knows what they have done is wrong.

Application question- Before you became a Christian, did you know some basic things were right and wrong? This knowledge was evidence that you have enough knowledge ultimately to be guilty. Some have argued that the lost in some tribe in the jungles of Africa will get to go to heaven for free because he doesn’t know. Paul is showing us that they all do know something and they are guilty because of what they do know. God has not left any of us without a witness to himself.

What is the basis of our judgement?

Now we come back to vs 13. The argument the Jew presents is that having the law should grant them some special status. Paul comes back with an argument that hearing, and knowing the bible are not enough. You must do what you know.

Romans 2:13 “(For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.”

This verse is a hypothetical, if you could do all the law you would be justified or declared righteous. But we know Romans 3:23 “For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;” No one is righteous. Romans 3:10 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:” So the point is having a bible on your coffee table or a vast knowledge of biblical trivia in your mind won’t get you to heaven. You have to actually do what it says and none of us do that perfectly.

Again, this argument is primarily for the lost, but let me challenge the believer this morning. Knowing what God’s word says does nothing for you. Sunday evenings, I am preaching on spiritual disciplines. Many of you probably are thinking, “Yeah, yeah I know all that.” Kids in Sunday school have commented that the No all that already. Maybe you do, but here’s the point are you doing it.

Knowing and hearing are not enough, you must act on what you know. James 1:22–25 “But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”

Knowing and doing are too different things. Just knowing a bunch of stuff isn’t going to get you anywhere, you must act on what you know.

Conclusion

Paul concludes with an understanding that we can’t ever completely do all the law. He has said the basis of our judgement will be our works which evidence our faith. The choices you make show what is really in your heart and God will judge those. The rule or standard by which you will be judged is the law you have. When we stand before the judgement seat, we will all be guilty so the only hope is found in vs 16.

Romans 2:16 “In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel.”

a. God will judge the hidden things- secrets of men- You might have a lot of things you think no body knows. Maybe you are harboring pornography, lies, stealing things here and there. Maybe it is a hatred of others. You think no one sees, but God sees the heart and judges the secrets of the heart.

b. The only solution to your problem is the gospel- Our only hope lies in faith in the death burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Application question- The question this morning is not did you grow up in a Christian home, it isn’t even how much of the bible you know; but have you received Jesus Christ as your savior by faith in the gospel? In a moment, I ask if you do not know Jesus as your savior please come talk to us so we can help you.

Christian, the main take away for you today has been that God desires obedience over mere knowledge. Maybe you are proud of all the things you know but are you doing them? Are you applying God’s word to your life? Don’t treat the bible merely as a textbook of facts but as a pointer to God himself and a guidebook for living.