Sunday, March 2, 2014

Paul's Epistles Part 8 – Romans - Jews and the Law

Paul's Epistles
Part 8 – Romans - Jews and the Law
Pastor Bruce A. Shields
House of Faith Church | www.PS127.org | www.TruthDigest.org

INTRODUCTION
We are going to look at the Epistles of Paul in this series of sermons. We have already looked at who Paul was, our faith being reported around the world, not being ashamed of the Gospel, being Guilty of sin, Apostasy, the Results of Apostasy.

Last week we discussed You are Without Excuse.

Today we will take a look at Romans 2:17-28. Jews and the Law.


SCRIPTURE REFERENCE
Romans 2:17-28
 17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; 18 if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19 if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”[b]

25 Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. 26 So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? 27 The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the[c] written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.

28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.





I.                   YOU CALL YOURSELF A JEW
a.      If you call yourself a Jew, you
                                                             i.      Implying the special favor, yet, we just read in previous verses that they are without excuse for sin.

                                                          ii.      Rely on the law and boast in God
1.      They blindly relied on this law to save, yet, it was never designed to save.

2.      They boasted about who they were in God...in the fact that they were Jews.

                                                       iii.      You know His will and approve and what is Superior
1.      They were the only nation who had the literal Word of God, and proved it over and over.

                                                         iv.      Because you are instructed by the law
1.      The very Word of God


b.     You are convinced that
                                                             i.      The Jews were meant by God to be the light to the Gentiles, and lead them to the Lord.

                                                          ii.      You are a guide for the blind

                                                       iii.      a light for those who are in the dark
1.      It has always been God's Will that His Word, Will and Way be given to the entirety of mankind.

                                                         iv.      an instructor of the foolish
1.      The Gentiles were foolish in their worship of false gods of human invention, talked about in the previous verses.

                                                            v.      a teacher of little children
1.      Speaking of the Holy Spirits view of the so called great Greek intellectuals of the day, who in professing to be wise became the very fools who were to be instructed by the Jew.

                                                         vi.      Because you have, in the law, the embodiment of knowledge and truth
1.      The Word of God, which is light-years ahead of mankind's knowledge, is knowledge and truth, and true wisdom to light the path.


c.      You teach others AND yourself!
                                                             i.      They mocked and made fun of the Gentile world, putting themselves above them, yet, not applying the very law to themselves that they law upon the people as a burden impossible to bear.

                                                          ii.      You preach against stealing
1.      Do you steal?

                                                       iii.      You say people should not commit adultery
1.      Do you commit adultery?
a.      The Holy Spirit through Paul is placing Israel in the same state as the Gentile world. There was no difference. They were just as guilty as the Gentiles, and in need of God's Savior.

                                                         iv.      You abhor idols
1.      Do you rob temples?

                                                            v.      You boast in the law
1.      Do you dishonor God by breaking the law?
a.      In other words, due to having the law and not keeping the law, they were dishonoring God, even more than the Gentiles were, who did not have the law.

                                                         vi.      As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you." (Isaiah 52:5; Ezekiel 36:20,22)
1.      The Jews were bringing criticism upon the Lord by living in opposition and in open contradiction to their own profession.



II.               HOWEVER, YOU ARE LAW BREAKERS
a.      Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. 
                                                             i.      Their "act" of circumcision stood for nothing if they were breaking the law of God.

                                                          ii.      This shows us that religious rites, no matter how much God-given, contain no properties of Salvation.


b.     So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised?
                                                             i.      Therefore, if the Gentiles keep the righteousness of law, through Jesus Christ, they are regarded as though they were circumcised.

1.      Colossians 3:9b-11 "...since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. 11 Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all."


c.      The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.
                                                             i.      Ones trust in Jesus satisfies the demands of the Law and, thereby, secures the "Righteousness of the Law," which in fact, is the only way it can be secured.

                                                          ii.      The Jews who are outside of Christ, try to keep the letter of the Law by engaging in all of its rituals, but continue to transgress the Law.

                                                       iii.      What they are "doing" doesn't change their lives.



III.   THE TRUE JEW IS
a.      A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 
                                                             i.      This verse alone destroys the notion of a national salvation. There is only one salvation, which is in Christ, and personal.


b.     No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code.
                                                             i.      It is ONLY the work which is carried out by Christ inwardly which constitutes Salvation.

                                                          ii.      Circumcision of the heart refers to a person being changed, which is done in one's spirit and speaks of being born-again.

                                                       iii.      The rules and regulations, laws of Moses or laws in a church, do not save.


c.      Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.
                                                             i.      Keeping religious rituals will get you the praise of men, but not God.

                                                          ii.      Men can truly praise God ONLY when they truly accept Christ, which means to truly trust Christ, and not rituals.



CONCLUSION

We, followers of Christ, like the Jews, need to be mindful that we do not fall prey to believing that laws, deeds or rituals hold the power of Salvation, rather, the Law of Moses shows humankinds guilt of sin, deeds are outward expressions of the Salvation we attain in trusting Christ, and rituals or ordinances of the church, are merely outward expressions of spiritual truths which take place within us.

We, like the Jews, should be mindful not to think ourselves higher than others, and remember that we were not called to receive Salvation and burry it, rather, receive and live it, drawing others to the light, which is Christ in us.






Want to learn more about Salvation and Getting Saved?    CLICK HERE!     

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