The Great Charade
Romans 2:1-29
Introduction
We continue today to look at Romans and we will look at all of Chapter 2 because there is a theme woven throughout these 29 verses
What is that theme? The Great Charade – title of my message
This letter was written to whom? The Roman Church – basically to the Church
Do we know what a “charade” is? We play a game called Charades…people trying to guess what the person is doing or who they are
I think many in the Christian church today are like this…they are playing a game of Charades in their life
Everyone around them is trying to guess as to who they are…because at work they are one person, at home another, at church even a different one
They walk around trying to pull off some type of deception…well that is fitting
The word “charade” itself means “a blatant pretense or deception”
Paul here is saying to us as the church…we need to walk the talk and not be a part of the Great Charade
Read Romans 1:1-2; 11-12; 21-29 / Pray
1. The Universality of Sin
Before in Chapter 1, we see the blackness of the Gentiles but now Paul is showing that the state of the Jews was bad too
That they had appointed themselves to have power to censure, control and condemn others
We know that Romans 3:23 tells us “all have sinned”
From the time of our birth until we die…we are all sinners…there are none righteous…none who do good (Rom 3:10-11)
But because of God’s unmerited favor, undeserving love…because of His great mercy and love…He provided a way of escape from that sin
Sin leads to death…that death of being separated from Him forever…but Jesus came to give us life…to escape the penalty of death
And after we are saved…have received the gift of His great salvation…we are still subject to our sin nature…but God desires…He expects for us to resist that nature
Turn to Gal 5:16-18 (Expound)
We see here in vs 1-2 that God says that sin is inexcusable…in other words…NO EXCUSES
The same judgment that we apply to others will be applied to us (vs 1)
Did you know we typically judge others for things that we despise about ourselves?
Example on Law & Order (Being Fat – despised fat people)
To judge means to pronounce an opinion of right or wrong…we all have an opinion about what is right or wrong don’t we
Look at vs 21-24
Do we who judge others for certain things…do the very things we despise?
In other words, are we failing to walk the talk? Are we playing charades?
Vs 24 says that we give God a black eye because of our charades…how? If this is being a Christian…count me out!
Vs 2 says that what we are judged against is God’s Truth (vs 2)
God’s truth is right and everything else is wrong…not our opinions
Paul said in Romans 3:4 “…yea, let God be true, but every man a liar…”
God’s word is truth (John 17:17)…we must be slow to judge others and let God do His job…we can hardly workout our own salvation much less others
Matthew 7:3-5 Jesus says how can we look at the speck in someone else’s eye when we have a 2 x 4 in ours?
Hypocrite! First remove the 2x4 form your eye and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from someone else’s eye
In other words, you can’t help others get rid of the sin in their lives until you have first dealt with yours…you hypocrite!
Leave the judging to God…He will deal with them in accordance with His Word
We too are without excuse…that’s why the Word of God is so essential in our lives…it is the truth and it will set us free from the law of sin and death
2. God Is No Repector of Persons (11-12)
God loves you and me…but we can’t go thinking that we are void of His judgment
We can’t go thinking because our parents love God that He will let me into His Kingdom because of them
And we can’t think because we walked an aisle in some church years ago that we are OKAY!
What God desires is to see a changed life living for Him…
Remember our passage in Gal 5…turn there and look at vs 19-21 then vs 22-26
The only way that you and I can exhibit the fruits of the Spirit is if the Spirit lives in us…if you are producing bad fruit…you are a bad tree
There are so many in the church today that say they’re a good tree but all they produce is bad fruit
O! at church…they just seem like they are IT spiritually…but what about at home? What about at work? What fruit is being exhibited there?
Listen, if they don’t match up…we are part of the Great Charade that Paul is talking about here…pretending to be something we are not…deception
How do we fix that? How can we produce good fruit? Gal 2:20 (quote)
How do I crucify myself? You can’t…only God can…you have to die…only the Word of God can bring you to the place of being crucified
And you cannot be crucified unless you are first made alive in Christ…it does not good to crucify a dead man
Gal 5:16 “Walk in the Spirit and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh”
Trans: Paul says that Sin is Universal and God is no respector of persons, and lastly Paul says
3. Christianity Works from the Inside Out (vs 27-29)
The Jewish were very aware of the outward appearance of being righteous…
They were very aware of circumcision as well…again an outward showing of being religious or righteous
There are many in church today that are the same way…legalistic…looking down on folks whose outward doesn’t appear as what they think they should
But look what the Word of God tells us in vs 27-29 (KJV)
In other words, Christianity Works from the Inside Out…if we will allow God to do the work of circumcising the heart…it will translate to our flesh
A true circumcision is not just trying to obey the law…be legalistic if you will...rather it is a changed heart produced by God’s Spirit
I promise you that if a person’s heart has been truly changed by God…you will see the fruits of a good tree being produced in that person’ life
Col 2:11 When you came to Christ, you were “circumcised,” but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision—the cutting away of your sinful nature. (NLT)
What is it that helps circumcise or cut away the sin nature of the heart? It is simply… His Word
Turn to Heb 4:12 (Expound)
Paul is telling us here that Christianity works from the inside out
Conclusion
Well, Paul has challenged us today…he has shown us that…
1. Sin is Universal…no one is exempt
2. God is No Respector of Persons
3. Christianity Works from the inside out
Where are you at today in your walk? Are you the Jewish hypocrite that judges others for the same things you do?
Are you different at church than at home or work? What kind of fruit are you producing?
Are you trying to appear outwardly righteous and yet are full of dead men’s bones inside?
Well, the only thing that can change that is God…Have you truly received His free gift?
As we sing…if you need to, you come…lay yourself on the altar…you come.
Pray
