Romans - Part 3 - Aug. 16th
Romans Part Three
II. The Need for the righteousness of God 1:18 – 3:20
C. The Need of the Jew 2:17-3:8
1. His law cannot make him righteous 2:17-24
2. His circumcision cannot make him righteous 2:25-27
3. His birth cannot make him righteous 2:28-29
4. His arguments cannot make him righteous 3:1-8
Introduction:
Israelites who remained in Palestine, or who returned to it after the Babylonian captivity, were designated as “Jews”, even though tribes other than Judah were included.
There is no doubt that many Jews felt they were immune from God’s judgment. After all they were God’s chosen people --- they thought God would never send a “Jew” to hell. Gentiles --- now that was a different story --- they were wood for the fire in hell in the minds of the Jew.
Many people who call themselves Christian suffer from the same ego driven faith. They take comfort from their Christian heritage ---- but overlook their personal accountability.
Paul starts by reviewing the things, which in their minds gave them an inside track with God.
Paul’s raises the question, “Are the Jews, to whom the law was given, also lost?”
Vs. 17 -20 Paul begins by stroking their ego. “Indeed you are called a Jew….” --- “rest in the law” --- “make your boast in God” --- “and know His will” --- “approve things that are excellent being instructed out of the law”.
I can see the Jews sitting in the congregation as the letter is read looking around and smiling at each other. Paul has just blasted the heathen and the moralist and now is seems to be lifting up the Jews.
In verse 19 and 20 he pours it on --- “you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness” --- “an instructor of the foolish” --- “ a teacher of babes” --- can you see those chest swelling.
Because the Jew had receive training since his youth in the law, the Jew felt confident that he could discern those things that are more excellent. Confident that he would be saved by his law, the Jew was convinced that he had been made righteous and therefore was able to assume the four roles; a guide to the blind and a light to those who are in darkness (after all the Gentile was in unjewish darkness), an instructor of the foolish (the Gentile was a fool because he did not know the law), a teacher of babes (the Gentile was immature, an object of Jewish disgust).
Vs 21 -24 brings them back to the real world. Paul’s question begins to let the air out of those over inflated chest. There is more than a little sarcasm in his question. “You, therefore, teach another, do you not teach yourself?”
The Jews loved to teach the Gentiles about the commandments of God --- the same commandments that they themselves were breaking. The Jews were ready to preach morality but their lives did not back up their message.
A challenge for the church today --- maybe better stated --- the question for the church today is --- “do you not teach yourself?”…..
You who say --- do not commit adultery --- do you commit adultery?
Do you rob temples? You who make boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?
Vs. 24 the law has not made them righteous……….
Vs. 25-27 In addition to the law, the Jew prided himself on the rite of circumcision. Circumcision never justified the Jew, but it is not meaningless either if it aids in keeping the law. It was a sign instituted by God between Himself and Abraham. It expressed a separation of a people of God form the rest to the world. It was an obedient act by the people in response to instruction from God.
It is “profitable if you keep the law”. If you break the law then its effect is nullified.
Verse 26 had to hit full in the face because it places them on equal ground with the Gentile. Paul was saying they are no different than the Gentile --- the same rules apply to all.
Worst yet --- if a Gentile --- an uncircumcised man --- kept the law his righteousness was above a circumcised Jew who was not a keeper of the law. Ouch!!
Verse 27 --- now the tables are turned completely. If an uncircumcised Gentile gives his heart to God, and lives in a righteous relationship to the law, he is more pleasing to God that the circumcised Jew who does not.
Lack of circumcision would not condemn a Gentile --- just as the possession of circumcision would not save the Jew. Therefore, the circumcised Jew is in the same pitiful state as the uncircumcised heathen if the Jew had broken the law. Since all Jews have broken the law, Paul’s conclusion is that his circumcision cannot save him.
Again many parallels can be drawn between the Jew and the Church of today. If the Church does not love, honor and obey the clear instructions of God, how can it claim to be righteous? Is it any wonder why non-believers point to the Church and say “hypocrite!” We must be clear as we witness to the world --- each of us are sinners --- there is none righteous, no not one --- but there is a promise from God --- we are not without hope --- there is a way to reconcile ourselves with God and find forgiveness --- His name is Jesus.
Verse 28-29 --- not everyone who calls themselves a Jew is a Jew --- just as not everyone who calls themselves a Christian is a Christian…………Paul states that a true Jew is one whose ancestor is Abraham and whose heart is God’s……..
Their natural birth cannot make them righteous……………
3:1-8 Paul continues the subject of the guilt of the Jews in the first eight verses of chapter three. He anticipates the arguments in rebuttal to his conclusions that neither Israel’s law, her circumcision, nor her birth could save her. The theoretical objections are stated in the odd-number verses and Paul’s answer to each objection in the even-number verses.
So it would go like this;
Objection: vs. 1 --- If all you said in 2:17-29 is true, then what is the advantage of being a Jew and what profit is there from circumcision?
Answer: vs. 2 ---The Jews have had many special privileges. The most important is they were entrusted with the oracles of God. The Old Testament Scriptures were given to Jews to write and to preserve; but how have the people of Israel responded to this tremendous privilege? On the whole, they have demonstrated an appalling lack of faith!
The church of today has been entrusted with the Word of God. We are God’s voice before the world. How are we doing in demonstrating our faith in the commandments and statures of God?
Objection: vs. 3 --- Well, granted that not all Jews have believed, but does this mean that God will go back on His promises? After all, He did choose Israel as His people and He made definite covenants with them. Can the unbelief of some cause God to break His word?
Answer Vs. 4 --- Certainly, not! Whenever there is a question whether God or man is right, always proceed on the basis that God is right and every man is a liar. This is what David said, in effect, in Psalm 51:4 “the complete truthfulness of all You say must be defended, and You must be vindicated every time You are called into question by sinful man”.
Objection: Vs. 5 --- If that’s the case, why does God condemn us? If our unrighteousness causes the righteousness of God to shine more gloriously, how can God visit us with wrath? (Paul is giving an example of a typical human argument)
Answer: Vs 6 --- Such an argument is unworthy of serious consideration. If there were any possibility of God’s being unrighteous, then how could He be fit to judge the world? Yet we all admit that He will judge the world.
Objection: Vs 7 --- But if my sin brings glory to God, if my lie vindicates His truth, if He causes man’s wrath to praise Him, then how can He consistently find fault with me as a sinner?
(the first part of verse 8 ) Why wouldn’t it be logical to say----
Answer: vs. 8 (Paul speaking) Let me interrupt to say that some people actually accuse us Christians of using this argument, but it is a slander.
Objection: Why wouldn’t it be logical to say, “Let us do evil, that good may come?”
Can you imagine Satan standing before the throne saying, “Aren’t you proud of me --- I have been so bad --- people look at me and see absolute evil --- the worst I am the better you look --- so how about it God --- aren’t you proud of me?”
(Paul) All I can say is that the condemnation of people who talk like that is well-deserved.
(Actually this last argument, stupid as it seems, is constantly leveled against the gospel of the grace of God. People say, “If you could be saved just by faith in Christ, then you could go out and live in sin. Since God’s grace super abounds over man’s sin, the more you sin, the more His grace abounds. Paul answers this in Chapter 6)
What Paul is demonstrating is that all their arguments don’t change the truth, they are sinners --- thus they are lost!
The Jew’s law will not save him.
The Jew’s circumcision will not save him.
The Jew’s birth will not save him.
The Jew’s arguments will not save him.
Neither will yours save you!
Let us pray…………………