Romans 2:17-3:8
Getting on the same Page as God about True Religion
Introduction
1. We live in a society with tonz of different religions
2. Some are very strict some are easy some a pratical some are way out there
3. We have been flooded with so many different options that many people are out their thinking that all roads will lead to salvation
4. Many people have gotten confused, they just don’t know what to believe.
5. What does the Bible say about true religion?
6. What is true religion?
7. Today we are going to look at Getting on the same page as God about True Religion
8. Specifically
a. Guilt of the Jews
b. Obedience of the Gentiles
c. Doing what is right
I. Guilt of the Jews (2:17-24)
A. Explanation
1. It is one thing when you can say that you do not know what is going on
2. But In Jewish culture and tradition the tought the law
3. they taught the law and taught it well
4. I am ashmed sometimes at how we are teaching the Scripture compared to how the Jews tought the Law
5. If you were a Jew you knew the Law. Period.
6. With that in mind Paul launchs into what you could consider an attack of the Jews
7. He begins to question everything that they do
8. Begins to ask them how with all of their knowledge
9. With everything that they have been giving
10. With everything that God has revealed to them
11. Live the way they are
12. They are not just stupid and don’t know better they have no excuse for their actions
B. Application
1. How does this apply to our lives?
2. I know most of your background, I know what you have been tought
3. I know what has been tought at this Church.
4. I can honestly say to the best of my knowledge you have taught the truth
5. Here is the question. Can the world tell that?
6. Are you living a life thatis defferent from the rest of the world
7. Or do people end up pointing their fingers and saying and you call yourself a Christian
8. Granted some people will pull that line just to get what they want
9. But would Paul be questioning your sincerity?
10. What happens then is the world sees your hypocricy sees your double standard and is turned off
C. Illustration
1. I used to promise people everything. I promise to do that I promise to do this. Here is the thing many of the Promises that I would make would not hold true. I would not do what I said I would, because of that promises meant less and less
2. So I have try to stop that. I want to be a person of intergerty I want people not to be able to say well he said that but does not mean that
3. I do not want to live a life like the guilt of the gentiles
4. I want people to see my life for what I am. A sinner who was saved by grace and is pursuing God with all my Heart
5. People will want what you have when you live like that and you have the perfect opportunity to reach them
6. Integrity prevents guilt
7. Integrity shows love
8. Integrity demonstrates true religion
II. Obedience of the Gentiles (2:25-29)
A. Explanation
1. Here Paul starts talking about circumcision
2. All male Jews were required to be circumcised
3. Cirumsion was meant to show in fact that they were following the convent, the law if you will
4. However, like many symbolic gestures, the Jews figured if they were circumsized then all was good
5. They were in, they could do whatever they wanted then because after all they were circumisied
6. Paul deflate that by asking them a series of question
7. If the gentiles who are not circumcised follow God’s law are they not better then a jew who is and does not follow the law
8. I can imagine the readers of this letter wanting to argue that point but ultimitly could not respond
9. The Paul tells us that true cirumsion is not done with a knife
10. True cirumsion is cirumision of the heart, it is an attidude not a physical act
B. Application
1. Ok your probley sitting there thinking “so Jews were distorting the whole circumsion thing what does that have to do with me?”
2. Well today we do not instantly symbolize cirucumsion with a realationship with God but here is what we do
3. We assume that every one who claims to be a Christian has a realationship with God
4. And as much as I wish that was true that is not the case
5. I have meant a number of people who if you asked them if they were Christians they would say yes
6. In fact in Gibsonia 80% of the people claim to be Christian
7. Yet only 36% are strongly involved in a church, 31% are somewhat involved and 33% are not involved at all
8. So where does that leave the rest?
9. It is one thing to claim to be a Christian
10. But true religion is a relationship with God
11. Not just saying you are Christian, but living it out
C. Illustration
1. I get jealous sometimes of baseball players, I want their job
2. Now I could go and buy myself an authentic uniform maybe even get my own name and number on the Jersey, I could by a bat or two and the right shoes and I could show up at the clubhouse
3. What do you think would happen?
4. I would get thrown out of their real quick, because I am not one of them
5. If we claim to be a Christian and we are not
6. What do you think God will do to you.
7. Are you part of the team or are you just wearing the uniform
III. Doing What is right (3:1-8)
A. Explanation
1. Paul is using one his favorite techniques hear, ask questions that he knows people will ask him and then answear them, aticiapte them
2. So after reading the last section you would ask is there any value of cirumsion
3. Yes, it is an outward sign that they know God
4. Does that mean because some have not followed God’s command that it will nullify God’s faithfulness
5. No. God is faithful even when we are not
6. The next argument that Paul gives is really interesting
7. If when we sin God’s righteousness is displayed, shouldn’t we sin
8. I can see Paul sitting there syaying how could you say something so stupid
9. Paul had been accused of saying such things because of how openly he talked about sin
10. Make no mistake about it, we will face judgement for what we have done and the just and righteous God will judge us
B. Application
1. How can we apply this to our lives?
2. Since we know that some people who claim to be Christians are not does that mean that we should not be a Christian?
3. No! Just because humans fail, just because humans screw things up, has not effect the perfect God
4. The only thing that it proves is that God is faithful and man is sinner
5. As far as this whole if I do wrong people will be able to see gods righteousness thing
6. This is the type of people who say they are “working on their testimony to beef it up”
7. That is riduclous
8. How can you think such a thing is true? God does not smile when we do wrong
9. God never tells us to live a life worthy of the judgement we will receive
10. WE need to be following God, seeking God, and following what He commands
C. Illustration
1. A Sunday school teacher was teaching on sin and God’s forgiveness, when she was done with the lesson she had a couple minutes for review. So she asked the class what must we do before God will forgive us of our sins
2. There was a kid in the back who stood up and said “Sin”
3. funny as that might be, it is not true, we have already done that
4. Doing what is right, have we given that a try? That is the question
Conclusion
1. What is true religion?
2. Is true religions having some one point out how guilty we are
3. Is true religion being obiedient like the some of the gentiles were?
4. Is true religion just doing the right things?
5. Look at the first letter of our Three points
6. G_O_D God is true religion
7. True religion is having a realationshiop with God
8. If you do not have a realationshiop with God, you might be able to full everyone in this Church, but you will never fool God.
9. If you do not have a realationshiop with God, I ask that you come talk to me now and I will share with you how to have a realationshiop with God
10. If you have a realationship with God that needs work, now is the time to work on it
11. The Good news or bad news depending on how you look at it, is it is not God fault if you have a bad realationhip, it is your fault
12. You know what you have to do to fix it.
13. Fix it now, if you need someone one, grab them, we need to be supportive of each other
14. True religion is about a relationship with God, once you experience that realationship, once you experience God’s love, faithfulness, forgivness, you will know what true religion is and you will want to be on the same page as God about true Religion.
