15) False Assurance
Notes
Transcript
Introduction
Introduction
Please open your bibles to Romans Chapter 2 Verse 17. Let us read our passage for today.
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.
The context of this verse is the wrath and judgement of mankind due their rejection and rebellion against God. The truth of God has been suppressed by their stubbornness and unrepentant hearts that all men and women are born with.
5 Because of your hardened and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath, when God’s righteous judgment is revealed.
Paul has made the case that each person, on his own, is without excuse. Their rebellion is revealed in their worship, their judgments, their works, their ideas of morality, their consciences, their thoughts, and in the end their motives. The entire man will live a life that ends before the final judge and will find that they have nothing to defend themselves with when they look up to the person that they rejected and see the error of their ways.
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.
On this day, a person with stand before the righteous judge. With nothing hidden from God.
13 No creature is hidden from him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give an account.
A day in which the Lord will judge no matter of their status, wealth, heritage, are any other quality of their own. Every person will one day will stand to be judged. This day is described in Revelation in one of the most sobering passages in scripture, it is a scene of finality, pain, and sorrow.
11 Then I saw a great white throne and one seated on it. Earth and heaven fled from his presence, and no place was found for them. 12 I also saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged according to their works by what was written in the books. 13 Then the sea gave up the dead that were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead that were in them; each one was judged according to their works. 14 Death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.
Condemned men and women have put their trust and faith in the wrong places. Built their life on the foundation of their own choosing. The assurance they have is based in the self. What I can accomplish, what I can create. This is the end result of those who do not find their names written in the book of life.
The Jews would agree with all of this as it pertains to the gentiles but like many people, they know about God, they know he is powerful, they know they need to be saved, and they believe they will be saved from this judgement. But they would miss the most crucial part, and that is that only those that hear of the work Christ accomplished on the cross and put their full hope and trust in the work of God will be saved. They find their assurance in other places than in Christ Jesus.
There is a theme in the new testament where the Jews would struggle to fully embrace the gospel of Jesus. They would struggle with seeing Jesus as the messiah. They would struggle with moving away from the sacrificial system that was made obsolete with the resurrection of Jesus. They would struggle with seeing their need of Jesus as their savior as many had misplaced their confidence in things that do not save.
There were many privileges and blessing that the nation of Israel received as the chosen nation of God. But here Paul will show that their confidence in these things is a self-assurance and will not stand up to the scrutiny of the court.
When they sit before the final judgement. Self-Assured, they have their testimony prepared and established, but they will find that their evidence will fall on deaf ears as it is of no value. They will find that their testimony before the court is inadmissible. Their testimony will have no value and is not valid.
Misplaced Confidence
Misplaced Confidence
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—
Association
Association
The first thing that gave the Jews a false confidence was their heritage and nationality. As the promises were given to Abraham, the Jews were confident that those promises had great weight and they presumed that they promised more than they really did. The Pharisees spoke about their perceived privilege in John
31 Then Jesus said to the Jews who had believed him, “If you continue in my word, you really are my disciples. 32 You will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” 33 “We are descendants of Abraham,” they answered him, “and we have never been enslaved to anyone. How can you say, ‘You will become free’?” 34 Jesus responded, “Truly I tell you, everyone who commits sin is a slave of sin.
John the Baptist would call them out
7 When he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, “Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 8 Therefore produce fruit consistent with repentance. 9 And don’t presume to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you that God is able to raise up children for Abraham from these stones.
Their heritage and ancestry and genealogy were something that built their confidence.
Knowledge
Knowledge
The second area of self assurance that the Jews had was that they trust on their knowledge.
They Relied on the Law
They knew that Israel was blessed to be the nation that received the law. They had Moses and the scriptures where God had recorded his own words for the people.
19 He declares his word to Jacob, his statutes and judgments to Israel. 20 He has not done this for every nation; they do not know his judgments. Hallelujah!
They were the nation that received the Law on the mountain. They were in continued possession of the Law as they had the sacred scrolls that they would read from in the synagogues. This gave them assurance that they had special favor before God.
They Boasted in God
To boast is to show off. They would make a big show of their righteousness. They would speak of the great things God had done and this would give them confidence.
They knew his will
The Jews would also put their trust in the privilege of knowing God’s will. Because they had a history filled with experiences with God, they believed that they were special before the judgement. It is true that they were special as a people throughout history but this would not give them and advantage in the end.
They Approved the Things that are Essential
They approved that the things of God were good and better, superior to other knowledge. They had tested these things and found that they were good.
They were Instructed by the Law
The word for being instructed is where we get the work catechism. This is the idea of being continually taught the words of God. Learning the scriptures were not optional like we make it today. Jewish boys especially would be heavily instructed in the scriptures. They were an integral part of the community of the Jews. Which gave them confidence in their learning of the Law. Their memorization and ability to recite the scriptures from memory.
They poured over the scriptures. Memorizing them, quoting them and in the end not understanding them.
Their knowledge of the scriptures was a false hope. They would also boast in God.
All of these factors lead the Jews to believe that they would be safe or at least spared from the promises of God’s wrath. A false self-assurance that was not a saving assurance. Their knowledge of the right things isn’t enough, God’s interaction and blessings to them were not enough, there is something else that they must put their hope in.
Their knowledge gave them great confidence before the judgement. There was also a confidence in the position God gave them.
Position
Position
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—
The Jews were convinced that they were the spokes people for God. Which in reality they were supposed to be just that. They were to be a people that made God’s name known among all the nations. They were to be a guide for the blind. For those that could not see. To take there hand and to lead them. They were t o lead people to the light in the darkness.
6 “I am the Lord. I have called you for a righteous purpose, and I will hold you by your hand. I will watch over you, and I will appoint you to be a covenant for the people and a light to the nations,
We hear language like this in the new testament as well.
14 “You are the light of the world. A city situated on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket, but rather on a lampstand, and it gives light for all who are in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.
Along with leading the blind they were to correct the foolish and ignorant. They were to teach the immature. And to be the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth. Each of these is a privileged positions that God gave the Jews. They were to be the example for the entire word. They were the ones given the path to guide the blind, the light to shine in the darkness, the wisdom to correct the foolish, the knowledge to instruct the simple one, and the Law to be a living example of the knowledge and truth it revealed.
At first this looks like a commendation of the greatness of Israel, that Israel was given great blessing and honor and they were. This gave them great confidence before the Lord but there was an issue. They did not do it.
Instead of living it out they out they in the end did the opposite.
False Religion
False Religion
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?
With four rhetorical questions he reveals the issue. Their confidence was in the heritage, knowledge, and position they were given but instead of living them out they proved to be hypocrites.
You are teachers but you don’t follow your own teaching.
1 Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to his disciples: 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees are seated in the chair of Moses. 3 Therefore do whatever they tell you, and observe it. But don’t do what they do, because they don’t practice what they teach.
They preach “you must not steal” Do you steal”. The bible rebukes the leaders of Israel many times for fleecing the flock, devouring widows, or turning God’s temple into a den of thieves.
13 He said to them, “It is written, my house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of thieves!”
Continually described as those of greed
25 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you clean the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside they are full of robbery and self-indulgence.
You who say “you must not commit adultery” - do you commit adultery? Yet they would attempt to get around this by using divorce as a loophole.
32 But I tell you, everyone who divorces his wife, except in a case of sexual immorality, causes her to commit adultery. And whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
You who detest Idols. Do you rob temples? Each of these statements would have risen in their mind to know what he was speaking of. Knowing all that they knew did not produce in them the ability to do what was right.
17 So it is sin to know the good and yet not do it.
This was an inditement and charge against them. One to bring them to the reality that they were not privileged when it came to the final judgement
6 He will repay each one according to his works: 7 eternal life to those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honor, and immortality; 8 but wrath and anger to those who are self-seeking and disobey the truth while obeying unrighteousness. 9 There will be affliction and distress for every human being who does evil, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek; 10 but glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does what is good, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.
Even with all of the advantage the Jews were given they would not receive eternal life based on these confidences. Their works betrayed them.
Grandiose prayers, exaggerated fasting, always boasting in God but doing it for their own reasons. A form of legalism where they would act the part of a faithful proclaimer of God. Boasting that God had blessed them and in doing so built in their minds an assurance that this would save them.
All of their knowledge did not lead to correct practice.
16 But God says to the wicked: “What right do you have to recite my statutes and to take my covenant on your lips? 17 You hate instruction and fling my words behind you. 18 When you see a thief, you make friends with him, and you associate with adulterers. 19 You unleash your mouth for evil and harness your tongue for deceit. 20 You sit, maligning your brother, slandering your mother’s son.
Those that God put in the position to guide fail in the task.
24 Blind guides! You strain out a gnat, but gulp down a camel! 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. 27 “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which appear beautiful on the outside, but inside are full of the bones of the dead and every kind of impurity. 28 In the same way, on the outside you seem righteous to people, but inside you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness.
They revealed that they two were blind, groping in the darkness, foolish in need of correction, and the immature in need of training of that which is good.
They poured over the scriptures. Memorizing them, quoting them and in the end not being instructed by them.
39 You pore over the Scriptures because you think you have eternal life in them, and yet they testify about me. 40 But you are not willing to come to me so that you may have life. 41 “I do not accept glory from people, 42 but I know you—that you have no love for God within you. 43 I have come in my Father’s name, and yet you don’t accept me. If someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him. 44 How can you believe, since you accept glory from one another but don’t seek the glory that comes from the only God?
The final inditement was that they dishonored God by breaking the law that they so greatly boasted in.
Great Blasphemy
Great Blasphemy
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.
Paul reveals that the Jews who believed they would receive special treatment by God and would not incur God’s wrath are shown to be the ones that were described in Ezekiel as the people who would dishonor God’s name among the nations.
23 I will honor the holiness of my great name, which has been profaned among the nations—the name you have profaned among them. The nations will know that I am the Lord—this is the declaration of the Lord God—when I demonstrate my holiness through you in their sight.
The implication here is that you have no confidence to stand before the same judge that your life has demonstrated nothing but blasphemy.
5 So now what have I here”— this is the Lord’s declaration— “that my people are taken away for nothing? Its rulers wail”— this is the Lord’s declaration— “and my name is continually blasphemed all day long.
Your life is a living campaign against the laws of the court. You do not honor the laws, you do not honor the court. How bold can you be, how prideful, and smug that you will get a free pass through the court.
No you will find yourself standing next to every Gentile you look down on and will find that you have no advantage before God.
They will come to realize the truth of Psalm 51
4 Against you—you alone—I have sinned and done this evil in your sight. So you are right when you pass sentence; you are blameless when you judge.
The Jews had been given great advantages in relation to the Gentiles. In their sin and rebellion they proved that those advantages did not produce any more righteousness than the Gentiles. Instead, knowing the Law of God and what his will was, knowing what they were supposed to do, did not lead them into bringing Glory and Honor to God. Instead it dishonored his name and proved that they were also without excuse and without any merit to stand before the judge.
Paul is breaking down the different ideas that there were those that would be excused from God’s wrath because of something in themselves. But instead he shows that without an intervening hand of God there would be no hope for mankind.
Conclusion
Conclusion
When we look at this passage we can ask ourselves do we do the same things that the Jews were doing. Do we have the same false assurances.
Assurance in Our Associations,
People like to have titles and like to be associated in groups and with other people. We wear the jersey of the winning team. We join groups and associations that are going in the direction we want to go. If you start to think about it, people are grouped in so many different ways. For good or for bad. People are grouped by stereotypes, demographics, classifications. People want to be associated with the group that has the advantage and they defend that advantage.
As soon as the team starts losing or there is conflict, the ship is abandoned, they flee as they do not want to be guilty by association.
There is a strong desire to be associated with other people. Like the Jews there are many who trust that their associations will be enough to save them. They trust that they are in the right church or the right religion, the right denomination. They will present their testimony and the judge will reject the evidence as it does not pertain to the case at hand.
Assurance in Our Knowledge
Confidence in memorization, Confidence in having a bible at home, Confidence in the histories and various nuances of the word
Assurance in Boasting in God and knowing God’s will
We can spout off the great commandments and the great commission. We know we are to flee from sin. Make every effort to supplement our faith. We are great at knowing the will of God.
Assurance in Being Instructed in the word.
We find confidence in the instruction we have received. The number of verses we have memorized. The number of books we have read.
None of these justify the sinner. This is the point God is making. Paul is setting up the argument that without God no one will be found just before the judge.
21 But now, apart from the law, the righteousness of God has been revealed, attested by the Law and the Prophets. 22 The righteousness of God is through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe, since there is no distinction. 23 For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; 24 they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus. 25 God presented him as the mercy seat by his blood, through faith, to demonstrate his righteousness, because in his restraint God passed over the sins previously committed. 26 God presented him to demonstrate his righteousness at the present time, so that he would be just and justify the one who has faith in Jesus.
It is the faith of a regenerate person that will save.
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.
For believers, true Christians they will stand before the judgement seat of Christ to receive what has been earned. Whether for good or evil.
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.
10 But you, why do you judge your brother or sister? Or you, why do you despise your brother or sister? For we will all stand before the judgment seat of God.
This evaluation is not one of deciding if a person has earned salvation or not for those that stand before the judgment seat will only be believers. But a judgement of motives.
5 So don’t judge anything prematurely, before the Lord comes, who will both bring to light what is hidden in darkness and reveal the intentions of the hearts. And then praise will come to each one from God.
12 If anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, costly stones, wood, hay, or straw, 13 each one’s work will become obvious. For the day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire; the fire will test the quality of each one’s work. 14 If anyone’s work that he has built survives, he will receive a reward. 15 If anyone’s work is burned up, he will experience loss, but he himself will be saved—but only as through fire.
The Jews had great advantages but for us today here we have even greater advantages. We have the full scriptures recorded. We have seen the Son and God’s full plan has been revealed. We have access to so much writing and commentary on the word.
How much more do Christian’s today blaspheme the name of God before the world because the words that come out of their mouths do not match up with how they live.
Sin is not dealt with and not only allowed but accepted inside churches that proclaim that they follow the word of God as their guide, Jesus as their savior, God as their father. But yet they can not stand before questions like “do you not teach yourself?”
What about you? Do you know there is a God and that all sin earns his wrath? Do you know that you are without excuse before the Lord? That destruction is the end without salvation. Do you know Jesus as your Lord and savior? Have you confessed him as Lord and savior?
If you have not I invite you to do that here today. After church I will be here to meet with you and answer any questions you have.
If you are a believer, have you become too confident in what you say and proclaim that you have forgotten that you must live them out. Are you living a life that brings glory and honor to his name or does your life look just like all of the lost people of the world. Living a life that blasphemes and disgraces his name.
If this is you, in a moment you will have an opportunity to change that by being in communion with the Lord through repentance and confession.
Let us be a people that honor God with our lives. Let us never get comfortable in false assurances that lead us to lives that do not match what we teach. This is not perfection it is progression. Growing to look more and more like our savior every day.
Let us pray.
Let us pray.
Prayer
Blessing/Benediction
23 Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely. And may your whole spirit, soul, and body be kept sound and blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
