Romans 2:12-29

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Sermon

Earlier in the night, we will do an exercise where we walk through some moral situations that need to be examined with a biblical worldview. If we claim we love God’s word, can we examine things through the lense of scripture?

Sermon notes

What is a hypocrite?

Maybe do some discussion about some hypocrites at their school?

Most people agree that most of Romans 2 is intended for Jews. They felt very superior to others because they had been given the law of God. Paul proves to them that if they dont actually follow the law, then its of no use to even own it. They are still not justified (v13) by the law if they dont do it.

But this week, God has been showing me that many times we line up more with the Jews in the bible than the Gentiles.

Lets focus in on Verses 17-24

Romans 2:17–24 ESV

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? 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.”

Lets track some of this down.

In Matthew 15:14, Jesus throws some similar language around to the Pharisees.

Here, The idea is that the Jews were given the laws of God to show the world salvation, yet they are hypocrites.

We see this outlined in Isaiah 56

Lets go back to Romans 2.

Walk through 17-24.

maybe even substitiute christian in for Jew.

Basically he’s calling them to examine if they are a hypocrite.

This is culminated in verse 23.

Then we get to verse 24.

What is he talking about?

Reference to Isaiah 52:5

The people are in capitivity and their ruler dispises God. Isaiah places blame on them for this because they are not living in a manner that proves they actually believe in their own God. It compels their rulers to blaspheme God because of it.

Check out this quote

Quote from Moo’s commentary on romans p.162

The Jew’s sense of mission toward the rest of the world is rooted in the OT. When therefore, Paul asserts that the Jew was convinced he was a “guide to the blind” and “light for those in the darkness” we think of the duty of God’s servant… The Jews however far short of their responsitbiltiy to enlighten the Gentile world they may have fallen, continued to boast in these mandates as a means of highlighting their importance and the value of their law in the eyes of a skeptical and sometimes hostile Gentile World.

Explain quote

Heres where we want to finish up chapter 2 to find out what we need to do.

Romans 2:29 ESV

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.

So bascially Paul says, who you say you are doesnt matter. Its your true identity that matters.

You can tell everyone you are a christian, but in the end, we prove who we are.

I may close this with the take homes below.

Exegete

Segment heading in ESV - God’s Judgement and the Law

Whether you have access to the law or not, if you sin, you are subject to God’s punishing wrath.

If we started here with our study, then this wouldnt sound very fair.

“Wait, if someone hasnt been given the rules, they still have to follow the rules?”

We are talking about the written law now. The one given to israel. But this also goes back to Romans 1:18-32. God has given every person enough knowledge of him to declare them guilty. They have suppressed that knowledge instead of following up on it and acting upon it.

Here in ch. 2, Paul is declaring that anyone that doesnt have Jesus is going to hell. Wether they had the written law, or the law on their hearts, it doesnt matter, They still have failed.

It seems like we almost need a gap theory here. That there is a forbearance for those that trust God but dont have knowledge of Jesus yet.

Specifically here in verses 2-16, this seems to be written to repremand Jews, not condemn or exalt gentiles. Its almost like he is saying, are you kidding me Jews. You dont obey it when you have heard it your entire life, yet these other gentiles obey it and they havent even ever heard it.

Verse 17-24

You sit there and pretend to be holy, without excuse, yet you keep doing the very things that you are teaching against.

Several chapters later, we know Paul is going to declare that sin is forgiven by the work of Jesus Christ. It almost is as if we can say, thats is better to ignorant of the law, yet abide by it mostly, and depend on the forbearance of God in Christ, than it is to know the law, pretend to follow it, demand others follow it, and be secretly not following it.

Could that be true? That hit and miss living based on the gospel of Jesus is better than pretending to be holy.

what is a hypocrite?

a person who is in contradiction to his/her stated beliefs.

Verse 24

Romans 2:24 ESV

24 For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

Isaiah 52:4–6 ESV

4 For thus says the Lord God: “My people went down at the first into Egypt to sojourn there, and the Assyrian oppressed them for nothing. 5 Now therefore what have I here,” declares the Lord, “seeing that my people are taken away for nothing? Their rulers wail,” declares the Lord, “and continually all the day my name is despised. 6 Therefore my people shall know my name. Therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here I am.”

This is intense. Paul pulls Isaiah 52:5 into this to show what happens when Gods people do not follow Him faithfully. I went back to study Isaiah. The commentors also begin to mention this. Besides God saying how long they stayed in captivity, Isiaah also tells them that the reason their captors continue to profane the name of God and not take them serious is because they continue to be unfaithful to God. They started out unfaithful and they continued to stay unfaithful to him. Almost, literarly, if their captors would see them serious about their God, it would have been different.

Dude, this is serious. Putting on a religious show with no faith to back it up is very serious.

verse 29 - The true identity of a child of God, a jew, is one that has a heart that is circumcised. This is done by the Spirit, not the written law of God.

For those that have a circumcised heart, God is the one that praises them.

Observations from youth planning meeting

We think saved = following rules

But being saved = circumsized heart

Some take homes:

1. Are you religious? Well then, are you faithful?

2. Do people of the world follow God’s law more than you do?

3. Consistancy in God’s law is an overflow of who you are, not what you call yourself.

We talked about doing a moral test from internet to set this up.

Moral Quiz.docx