MORE THAN HEARERS
ROMANS 2:18-29
PAUL WROTE THE BOOK OF ROMANS AS A MEANS OF INTRODUCTION TO THE CITY-CHURCHES OF ROME. HE HAD A GREAT DESIRE TO VISIT THERE, THOUGH THE CHURCH ITSELF WAS NOT ESTABLISHED BY HIM. PAUL DESIRED TO BE AN ENCOURAGER TO THE ESTABLISHED CHURCH, AND POSSIBLY TO HAVE THE CHURCH ENCOURAGE HIM IN HIS MINISTRY.
PAUL SEEKS IN THIS LETTER TO GIVE THE CHURCH IN ROME A BROAD AND COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT HE BELIEVES ARE THE KEY THEOLOGICAL DOCTRINES OF THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH. HE IS WRITING THIS LETTER FROM CORINTH, AFTER RUNNING INTO DIFFICULTY WITH JEWS IN EPHESUS, AND WANTS THE PEOPLE OF ROME TO HEAR DIRECTLY WHAT HE TRULY BELIEVES.
PAUL BEGINS HIS LETTER BY ENCOURAGING AND THANKING GOD FOR THE CHURCH IN ROME. HE WANTS THEM TO KNOW THAT HE IS IN PRAYER FOR THEM, AND IS THANKFUL FOR THEM.
CHAPTER TWO, BRINGS US INTO A KEY THEOLOGICAL POINT FOR PAUL, IN THAT HE EXPRESSES THAT BOTH JEW AND GENTILE STAND EQUALLY GUILTY BEFORE GOD WITH REGARDS TO SIN AND THE NEED OF FORGIVENESS.
IT MAY APPEAR FROM THE DIRECTNESS OF THE DISCOURSE THAT PAUL HAS SOME KNOWLEDGE OF THE SITUATION IN ROME, BUT HE IS INDEED DEALING WITH THIS ISSUE IN A GENERAL SENSE. WE KNOW THIS FOR TWO REASONS.
1. PAUL WOULD HAVE SOME GENERAL KNOWLEDGE ABOUT THE SITUATION IN ROME, THROUGH WHAT HE LEARNED ABOUT THE REPUTATION OF THE CHURCH. ALL CHURCHES HAVE A REPUTATION THAT IS NOT HID FROM THE OUTSIDE WORLD.
2. PAUL FORMED A FRIENDSHIP WITH AQUILLA AND PRISCILLIA WHILE IN CORINTH. THE EMPEROR CLAUDIUS EXPELLED ALL JEWS FROM ROME, AND THEY SETTLED IN CORINTH WHERE THEY PRACTICED THEIR TRADE AS TENTMAKERS. THEY ESTABLISHED A CHURCH IN THEIR HOME, AND WHEN PAUL CAME TO CORINTH, WELCOMED HIM AND BUILT THEIR FRIENDSHIP. NO DOUBT AS PART OF THEIR RELATIONSHIP AQUILLA AND PRISCILLIA WOULD HAVE INFORMED PAUL OF THE CHURCH IN ROME.
3. PAUL WOULD ALSO HAVE THE GENERAL KNOWLEDGE OF THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN JEW AND GENTILE. HE KNEW THAT THE JEWS REGARDED THEMSELVES AS A PRIVILEGED PEOPLE, THE “CHOSEN PEOPLE OF GOD.” THEY SAW THEMSELVES WITH SPECIAL STATUS, AND GREW TO DEPEND ON THAT STATUS AS THEIR MEANS OF SALVATION. ONE WRITER HAS SAID:
“TO BE A MEMBER OF THE JEWISH RACE WAS TO ENJOY CERTAIN RELIGIOUS ADVANTAGES OVER OTHER NATIOSN. GRADUALLY, HOWEVER, PRIVILEGE GAVE BIRTH TO SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS…THEIR NATIONAL IDENTITY WAS INEXTRICABLY BOUND UP WITH MOSAIC LEGISLATION. THEY BOASTED OF THEIR UNIQUE RELATIONSHIP TO GOD. HE WAS THEIRS AND THEIRS ALONE. NO OTHER NATION HAD BEEN SO BLESSED. GOD WAS THE FATHER OF ISRAEL.”
JEWS WHO LEFT JERUSALEM AS A RESULT OF THE PERSECUTION THAT OCCURRED AT THE TIME OF PENTECOST AND LEAD TO THE DEATH OF STEPHEN, SETTLED IN ROME AND STARTED THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH THERE. THEY HELD THE POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP IN THE CHURCH. THEY REFERRED TO THE GENTILE BELIEVERS AS “BABES” OR “INFANTS” IN THE CHURCH AND WERE NOT LEADERSHIP MATERIAL.
WHEN CLAUDIUS ORDERED THE EXPULSION OF THE JEWS FROM ROME, GENTILES WERE PLACED IN POSITIONS OF LEADERSHIP IN THE CHURCH. WHEN THE EXPULSION ENDED, THE JEWS CAME BACK TO THE CHURCH IN ROME AND EXPECTED TO BE GIVEN THEIR POSITIONS OF AUTHORITY BACK. WHEN THIS DID NOT HAPPEN IT CREATED GREAT TENSION IN THE CHURCH THERE.
PAUL SEEKS IN CHAPTER TWO, TO BRING EVERYONE TO AN EQUAL STATUS BEFORE GOD. PAUL USES VERSES 1-16 TO SHOW THAT ALL ARE EQUALLY GUILTY BEFORE GOD. HOW SHOCKED THE JEWISH POPULATION MUST HAVE BEEN TO HEAR PAUL SAY:
ROMANS 2:9-11:
THERE WILL BE TROUBLE AND DISTRESS FOR EVERY HUMAN BEING WHO DOES EVIL: FIRST FOR THE JEW, THEN FOR THE GENTILE; 10 BUT GLORY, HONOR AND PEACE FOR EVERYONE WHO DOES GOOD: FIRST FOR THE JEW, THEN FOR THE GENTILE. 11 FOR GOD DOES NOT SHOW FAVORITISM
THE WORDS OF PAUL MUST HAVE BURNED DEEPELY WHEN HE STATED THAT GOD DOES NOT ONLY JUDGE ACCORDING TO TRUTH BUT ALSO TO MAN’S DEEDS. HE ACTUALLY ALLOWS FOR GENTILES TO HAVE A GREATER STATUS THAN JEWS WHO RELY ON THEIR POSSESSION OF THE LAW .
ROMANS 2:13-15:
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 THEY SHOW THAT THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE LAW ARE WRITTEN ON THEIR HEARTS, THEIR CONSCIENCES ALSO BEARING WITNESS, AND THEIR THOUGHTS SOMETIMES ACCUSING THEM AND AT OTHER TIMES EVEN DEFENDING THEM.)
PAUL IS SAYING THAT AN OBEDIENT GENTILE WITH NO CIRCUMCISION WOULD BE MORE ACCEPTABLE, AND SEEN IN A MORE POSITIVE LIGHT, THAN A DISOBEDIENT JEW WITH CIRCUMCISION.
PAUL, THEN TURNS TO DEAL WITH THE JEWISH POSITION DIRECTLY IN VERSES 18-29. THE STRANGE THING THAT OCCURS WHEN WE READ THESE VERSES, IS THAT WHILE PAUL IS ADDRESSING THE CHURCH IN ROME, WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SEE THAT HE ADDRESSES THE CHURCH OF TODAY AS WELL.
ONE OF THE BIGGEST BARRIERS TO EVANGELISM TODAY IS THE ENORMOUS NUMBER OF PEOPLE WHO CLAIM TO BE CHRISTIAN AND LIVE LIKE PAGANS. “WHO IS A JEW” BECOMES “WHO IS A CHRISTIAN?”
FRANCIS SCHAEFFER SAW A CONNECTION BETWEEN PAUL’S WORDS TO THE JEWS AND THE CONTEMPORARY CHURCH:
“AGAIN WE MUST ADMIT, THIS IS SURLEY HOW GOD LOOKS AT MUCH OF CHRISTENDOM TODAY. CLAIMING TO BE UNDER THE UMBRELLA OF CHRISTENDOM, CLAIMING TO HAVE SOME SORT OF SPECIAL BLESSING BECAUSE THE BELLS RING IN THE CATHEDRALS, BECAUSE GREAT NUMBERS OF PEOPLE GO TO CHURCH, AND YET WE COMMIT BLASPHEMY AGAINST GOD AS WE TURN FROM THE CLEAR TEACHING OF HIS WORD. IT IS A SOBER TRUTH AND WE MUST FACE IT: IF WE HAVE THE BIBLE, IF WE ENJOY ALL THE BLESSINGS IT BRINGS, AND YET OUR LIVES BRING SHAME UPON GOD’S NAME, WE ARE GUILTY OF THE GREATEST IRREVERANCE…WHEN THE MAN WITH THE BIBLE TREATS IT AS AN EXTERNAL THING ONLY, IT CAUSES THE MAN WITHOUT THE BIBLE, TO DISHONOR THE GOD OF THE BIBLE. SURELY THEN, THE MAN WITH THE BIBLE IS JUSTIFIABLY UNDER GOD’S WRATH.”
PAUL WANTS THE JEWS OF THAT DAY AND THE CHURCH OF TODAY TO REALIZE IT IS NOT ENOUGH TO RELY ON YOUR PAST HERITAGE FOR SALVATION. THE COVENANT RELATIONSHIP HAS CHANGED FROM ONE OF MERELY OBEYING THE LAW, AND OUTWARD IMPRESSION, BUT IS NOW A COVENANT OF INWARD IMPRESSION AND LEADS TO OUTWARD EXPRESSION. REMEMBER, RELATIONSHIP LEADS TO EXPERIENCE.
PAUL IN VERSES 17-20, SPEAKS OF THE JEW AS RELYING ON THE LAW AND THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD AS HIS “CHOSEN PEOPLE”, TO PLACE THEM IN A POSITION OF SUPERIORITY TO EVERYONE.
THEY HAVE THE LAW, THEY WERE INSTRUCTED IN THE LAW AND HOW TO INTERPRET IT. THEREFORE THEY ARE THE ONLY ONES WHO ARE ABLE TO TEACH THE SPIRITUAL INFANTS OR “BABES” MEANING THE GENTILES ABOUT THE TRUTH.
THERE IS A PROBLEM HOWEVER. THEY DO KNOW THE LAW AND WHILE THEY CAN CLAIM TO TEACH THE LAW, THEY DO NOT FOLLOW THE LAW. PAUL ASKS THREE QUESTIONS ABOUT ASPECTS OF THE LAW, THAT COME DIRECTLY FROM THE TEN COMMANDMENTS IN VERSES 21 AND 22
ROMANS 2:21-22:
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?
THESE ARE ALL COMMANDMENTS THAT PAUL IS SAYING THAT JEWS HAVE BROKEN.
DO THEY STEAL? YES. THEY STEAL THE BLESSING OF THE RELATIONSHIP THAT THE GENTILES CAN HAVE WITH GOD. THEY CLAIM IT FOR THEMSELVES AS BEING THE ONLY “CHOSEN PEOPLE”. THEY STEAL BLESSING FROM GOD TO THEIR OWN PEOPLE BY KEEPING SUCH A RIGID WATCH ON PEOPLE TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY ARE FOLLOWING THE LETTER OF THE LAW, THAT THEY HAVE LOST SIGHT OF THE RELATIONSHIP PEOPLE CAN HAVE WITH GOD.
I WONDER IF WE ARE GUILTY OF STEALING TODAY? DO WE CONSIDER OURSELVES BETTER THAN EVERYONE ELSE BECAUSE WE ARE “CHRISTIAN”?
I REMEMBER READING OF A MAN WHO HAD BEEN BAPTIZED BUT DID NOT GO TO CHURCH. HE WAS A HARD MAN AND DID NOT TREAT HIS WIFE AND FAMILY WELL. EVERYONE IN THE COMMUNITY COULD SEE HIS EXAMPLE. WHEN ASKED BY AN INDIVIDUAL IF HE WANTED TO GO TO CHURCH, HE SIMPLY REPLIED THAT HE WAS BAPTIZED AND THEREFORE IT WAS NOT NECESSARY FOR HIM TO GO TO CHURCH. EVERYTHING WAS TAKEN CARE OF”
JESUS TAUGHT IN THE SERMON ON THE MOUNT THAT IT IS CERTAINLY POSSIBLE TO COMMIT ADULTERY IN OUR HEARTS. ADULTERY AND IDOLATRY GO HAND IN HAND. IT IS BASICALLY PUTTING ANOTHER RELATIONSHIP IN A MORE IMPORTANT POSITION THAN THE COVENANT RELATIONSHIP YOU HAVE ENTERED INTO.
IDOLS COME IN MANY FORMS. AN IDOL IS ANYTHING THAT YOU PUT IN A POSITION OF GREATER IMPORTANCE THAN YOUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. A CHURCH CAN BE AN IDOL. YOUR FAMILY CAN BE AN IDOL.
THE JEWS OF PAUL’S TIME HAD PUT THEIR POSITION AS “GOD’S CHOSEN PEOPLE” OF GREATER IMPORTANCE THAN THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. AS SUCH IT BECAME AN IDOL.
THE CHURCH TODAY MAY HAVE SEVERAL IDOLS HINDERING IT AS WE SPEND MORE TIME DEALING WITH FORM AND METHOD THAN WE DO BUILDING THE BELIEVERS RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD.
WHAT IS THE RESULT OF HEARING THE WORD, AND NOT DOING THE WORD? WE SEE IT IN VERSES 23-24.
IT ID GOD’S REPUTATION THAT IS DISHONORED AND DESTROYED, AMONG THE PEOPLE THAT WE ARE TRYING TO REACH. DO WE WONDER WHY PEOPLE ARE NOT ATTENDING CHURCH TODAY? WHAT KIND OF A CHURCH ARE WE ASKING THEM TO ATTEND? EVERY INDISGRESSION THAT COMES TO LIGHT, DOES NOT JUST REFLECT ON THE CHURCH BUT ON THE GOD OF THE CHURCH.
PEOPLE LOOK ON THE ACTIONS OF PEOPLE IN THE CHURCH AS A PERMISSION TO ACT IN THE SAME WAY. IF THEY CAN BE A CHRISTIAN AND NOT GO TO CHURCH, WHY DO WE HAVE TO? IF THEY DON’T LIVE BY THE WORD, WHY SHOULD WE HAVE TO?
THE JEWS PUT GREAT VALUE ON BEING THE PEOPLE GOD GAVE THE LAW TO. THE LAW WAS GIVEN THOUGH AS A MEANS TO ENHANCE THEIR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. THEIR SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS ALLOWED IT TO BECOME A LIST OF DO’S AND DON’T THAT COULD BE JUDGED, AND NO ONE COULD LIVE UP TO.
LET ME GIVE A MODERN DAY EXAMPLE. IF YOU ARE DRIVING ON THE HIGHWAY AND YOU ARE PULLED OVER FOR SPEEDING, (I USE THAT EXAMPLE BECAUSE I KNOW IT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN TO ANY OF YOU WITHIN THE SOUND OF MY VOICE), WE ARE NOT GUILTY OF SPEEDING, WE ARE GULITY OF BREAKING THE LAW. IT IS ONLY AN ASPECT OF THE LAW, BUT NONETHELESS, WE ARE GUILTY OF BREAKING THE LAW, AS IF IT WERE ALL ASPECTS OF IT.
HAVING LOOKED AT THE FIRST ELEMENT THAT THE JEWS CLAIMED FOR SPECIAL PRIVILEGE, PAUL THEN DEALS WITH THE SECOND CRUCIAL ELEMENT THAT MADE THE JEWS SPECIAL, THAT OF CIRCUMCISION.
CIRCUMCISION WAS THE OUTWARD SIGN THAT A PERSON WAS OF THE “CHOSEN RACE.” THEY WERE GOD’S PEOPLE. WHAT WAS HAPPENING IS THAT JEWS OF THAT DAY WERE CLAIMING THEIR CIRCUMCISION AS A SIGN OF THEIR SALVATION.
TODAY WE CAN RELATE IT TO BAPTISM IF YOU WISH. THERE ARE THOSE WHO BELIEVE THAT IF YOU ARE BAPTIZED THAT ALL SPIRITUAL ISSUES ARE SETTLED AND YOUR SALVATION IS SECURE.
I’M REMINDED OF WHAT A FORMER PASTOR SIAD CONCERNING THIS. HE SAID THE ONLY CHANGE THAT OCCURS IF A PERSON IS BAPTIZED WITHOUT ACCEPTING CHRIST AS SAVIOR IS THAT THEY GO INTO THE WATER A DRY SINNER AND THEY COME OUT A WET ONE. BAPTISM ONLY INDICATES A CHANGE THAT HAS HAPPENED WITH US. IT IS NOT THE ACTION ITSELF.
PAUL TEACHING IS THE SAME WITH REGARDS TO CIRCUMCISION. HE STATES THAT IF A PERSON IS CIRCUMCISED AND DOES NOT KEEP THE LAW, THAT THEIR CIRCUMCISION HAS NO VALUE. HE FURTHER STATES IN VERSE 27 THAT ONE WHO IS NOT CIRCUMCISED BUT OBEYS THE LAW, WILL STAND IN JUDGEMENT OVER PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE WRITTEN CODE, ARE CIRCUMCISED AND STILL A LAW-BREAKER.
PAUL IS SAYING THAT THERE IS GREATER RESPONSIBILITY FOR THOSE WHO CLAIM TO FOLLOW CHRIST, TO LIVE FOR CHRIST. I FIND IT SAD TO REALIZE THAT THERE ARE SOME PEOPLE, WHO DO NOT DARKEN THE DOOR OF A CHURCH, BUT WHO HAVE SUCH A STRONG INNER SENSE OF RIGHT AND WRONG, AND HOW TO TREAT PEOPLE PROPERLY, THAT THEY CAN PUT SOCALLED “PRACTICING CHRISTIANS” TO SHAME.
FINALLY PAUL TEACHES IN VERSES 28-29 THAT THERE IS A NEW COVENANT ARRANGEMENT FOR OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH GOD. HE SAYS THAT CIRCUMCISION IS NOT MERELY OUTWARD AND PHYSICAL. HE SAYS THAT OUR RELATIONSHIP IS NOT BASED ON THE LAW.
ROMANS 2:29: 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
PAUL IS TEACHING THAT THE CHANGE HAS TO BE AN INWARD CHANGE, AND WILL EXPRESS ITSELF IN AN OUTWARD EXPERIENCE. TODAY IS A COMMUNION SUNDAY, BUT THE EXPERIENCE OF COMMUNION IS NOT TIED UP IN THE SYMBOLS OF COMMUNION. THE DEEPENING EXPERIENCE OF COMMUNION IS BASED ON OUR DEEPENING RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST. IF THE RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST IS NOT PRESENT, THEN THE EXPERIENCE OF COMMUNION IS OF NO VALUE.
PAUL IS EFFECTIVELY TEACHING THAT IT IS NOT THE OUTWARD EXPRESSION, OR THE HISTORICAL CONNECTION THAT A PERSON HAS THAT WILL DETERMINE OUR SALVATION. I AM NOT A CHRISTIAN BECAUSE OF DECISION MY FAMILY MADE, NOR AM I A CHRISTIAN BECAUSE I WAS BAPTIZED, OR WALKED AN AISLE.
I AM A CHRISTIAN ONLY BECAUSE OF THE GRACE OF GOD. IT IS NOT BECAUSE OF ANYTHING I COULD DO, BUT ONLY GOD’S GRACE. JOHN STOTT WROTE THE TRUTH IN THESE WORDS:
“HUMAN BEINGS ARE COMFORTABLE WITH WHAT IS OUTWARD, VISIBLE, MATERIAL, AND SUPERFICIAL. WHAT MATTERS TO GOD IS A DEEP, INWARD, SECRET WORK OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IN OUR HEARTS.”
