(12) All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. (13) For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous. (14) Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, (15) since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them. (16) This will take place on the day when God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares.
(17) Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to 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 infants, 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 brag about 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."
(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) 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 written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.
(28) A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. (29) No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God.
One of the many things Paul is good at is correcting the Jews and especially the Jewish leaders. He was able to do this you remember because he was a Jew at one time. He was the same way that he sees these Jews being here.
We are going to look at not only what Paul is laying out for these Jews here but also what the application is today for us as Christians.
Paul starts by laying out to them some reasons why they, the Jews, think they are so special. But then he quickly takes that and points out to them that these reasons are what actually make them hypocrites.
Let’s look at some of these and then look at how Paul turns them around.
They are Jews, the chosen people of God.
That they rely on the law and they had been the ones God had entrusted it to.
They bragged about their relationship with God and not idles and such that the Pagans worshipped.
They knew His will being God revealed it to them.
They approved of what was superior in dietary laws, lifestyle restrictions, worship instruction etc.
They believed that they were a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, and a teacher of infants.
That they had in the law knowledge and truth.
I can see how over hundreds and hundreds of years of God giving the Jews this direct revelation, and no others, how they could have gotten so self-righteous.
Here is what Paul tells them about all this and pretty much pops their bubble.
They taught others but did not really teach themselves in a way that was meaningful.
They preached against stealing but yet stole.
They preached against adultery, but committed adultery.
They abhorred idols but yet stole them from pagan temples.
They bragged about the law, yet dishonored God by breaking it.
Paul quotes to them a portion of Isaiah 52:5
(24) As it is written: "God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."
You see the Jews because of there hypocritical ways were causing others to think of them and God as a joke. They had not been taken seriously by some and all it did was make God look bad.
The Jew as we Christians, have a big responsibility. We as Christians are also called to be a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, an instructor of the foolish, and a teacher of infants as stated in verse 19.
That is why God keeps us here. There is no other reason as Christians for us to stay on this world but to do what it is God has called us to do and to bring Him glory through it. No other reason.
If we are here and we are not doing what it is God has called us to do, then how are we bringing Him glory. Us being here is just then a big waste of time for us and God.
Some out there say that God wants to be wealthy, God wants us to be free from illness, and God wants us to have whatever it is that we want out of life. Well you are going to have to sit down with me and show me that.
God wants us to glorify Him. That may not be with us getting anything for ourselves out of it here on earth. Our reward comes to us in heaven. That is our guarantee.
That is the riches that we see talked about in the bible. That is the winning of the race. That is our prize. It is heaven. Isn’t that enough? I hope it is.
God tells us to be careful of the things of this world; that we should not be worldly; that we should not lust after things in this world.
Why would God want to pollute us with things of this world that will only take our minds off of Him?
If God chooses to bless us with some things in this world that is fantastic, but we can’t expect these things from God. Whatever God does decide to give us should always be used and appreciated in a way that brings Him glory and furthers His kingdom. Remember if God gives you something it isn’t really yours, God has given it to you so you can glorify Him with it. Not to idolize or horde it in any way.
It is not enough to be like these Jews here and just look on the outside like we are righteous and glorifying God. We must be truly committed to this and believe it with all our heart.
Verse 16 says God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ, as my gospel declares. God knows if you are just a Christian outwardly and not inwardly. He knows.
(13) For it is not those who hear the law who are righteous in God’s sight, but it is those who obey the law who will be declared righteous.
Let me ask you a question. If you haven’t heard the law, how are you supposed to obey it?
(14) Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law, (15) since they show that the requirements of the law are written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts now accusing, now even defending them.
Jews and the written law – The Jew in Old Testament times was given the written law so that they knew what God expected of them. God also gave them the law so that they would be able to see that they could in no way fulfill it. It was to show them their sin. This was to set the stage for the coming of Jesus so that the Jew would see that their hopelessness could now be turned to hope.
Romans 7:6 - But now, by dying to what once bound us; we have been released from the law so that we serve in the new way of the Spirit, and not in the old way of the written code.
Christians and the Holy Spirit - We really don’t need for ourselves to have the written law. God through the Holy Spirit instills this in us. I do feel that every word in the Bible is important for us to know, but if we did not have it God still through the Holy Spirit instills in us what we need to know.
We talked about this a week or two ago, about God making it clear to all people from the beginning of time the knowledge of Him and of wrong and right.
Remember Romans chapter 1 verse 20
20For since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—His eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse.
God not only puts in us the knowledge of Him but how we are suppose to conduct ourselves while we are here on this world. It is written on our hearts. It is like God has put it in our DNA.
Remember we are made in the image of God. Not that we look like Him but that He has instilled in us certain qualities that are somewhat like His. He has done this so that there will be no excuse when it is time for Christ to judge us.
