Romans, Chapter Two...as Applied To The Twenty-First Century

As we study the “Life of Christ” we can make some

observations that are just as true in this day-and-age as they

were during the time of Christ.

1. We see the religious leaders looking

at everyone else and judging them for a

violation of some law that the leaders had

dreamed up.

a. They thought themselves so good and

so much above everyone else.

1.) In truth, Christ called them

“Whit-washed sepulchers”

Matt. 23:27-29 - 27“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees,

hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which

indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of

dead men’s bones and all uncleanness. 28“Even so you also

outwardly appear righteous to men, but inside you are full

of hypocrisy and lawlessness. 29“Woe to you, scribes and

Pharisees, hypocrites! Because you build the tombs of the

prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous.

B. As I did my daily Bible study one day, I began

to make some connections from the book of

Romans, chapter two....with modern observations

1. I Couldn’t help but see a connection between

the examples in the life of Christ and this

chapter.

a. I could see, again, the connection

between the ones who thought they were

spiritually (religiously?) right and what

Paul was addressing to the Roman

Church.

b. But, beyond that...I could also see a

connection with Romans, chapter two...

and us today.

1.) Not to say that this has already

happened, but this whole scenario

could play itself out in today’s

Church...among today’s

“righteous”.

Please bear with me, for I have taken the liberty to

substitute some words in Romans, chapter two.

A. I don’t intend for us to keep these substitutions

in any accurate translation of the Bible.

1. Furthermore, I do not represent them as

words of the Bible.

a. It is only my intention to bring the

mirror of God’s word a little closer

to us than 2,000 years.

I do this so that the sanctimonious and self-righteous

people of today’s Church may see themselves as God sees

them.

A. I do this so that we all may look deeply within

ourselves and purge out any tendencies that would

lead us into this condemning pride.

My second apology is for part of the reference materials

used in demonstrating this link.

A. I am going to be reading out of The Living Bible

which we all know to be a paraphrase.

1. This is not a translation and therefor does not

do justice to the original text.

a. I only use it because of the flow of the

language.

1.) It speaks to us in a conversational

tone and some of the meaning

might be made more clear in this

work.

a.) If you have any problems with

this work, please...follow

along in whatever translation

you have.

2. I will also be expanding on The Living Bible

with the New King James translation.

Let us begin and I think that you will readily see the

connection which I am trying to make.

I. “Well,” You may be saying, “what terrible people you

have been talking about!” But wait a minute! You are just

as bad. When you say they are wicked and should be

punished, you are talking about yourselves, for you do

these very same things. And we know that God, in justice,

will punish anyone who does such things as these. Do you

think that God will judge and condemn others for doing

them and overlook you when you do them, too? Don’t you

realize how patient he is being with you? Or don’t you

care? Can’t you see that he has been waiting all this time

without punishing you, to give you time to turn from your

sin? His kindness is meant to lead you to repentance.

A. Let us analyze this a bit:

1. Who are the terrible people that Paul has been

talking about?

a. You see them in chapter one.

1.) Homosexuals

2.) Greedy

3.) Hateful

4.) Envious

5.) Murderers

6.) Quarrelsome

7.) Liars

8.) Bitter

9.) Gossips

10.) Backbiters

l 1.) God haters

12.) Insolent (sassy)

13.) Proud

14.) Braggarts

15.) Always thinking up wickedness.

16.) Disobedient to parents

17.) Promise breakers

18.) Confused fools

19.) Heartless

20.) Without pity

** These Roman Christians must have been looking down

on people like these...especially upon the Gentiles.

1. Paul says that they have no cause to look down

on anyone in pride.

a. He says that they are really looking in the

mirror.

1.) The wicked things that they detest in

others they do also.

B. Perhaps they didn’t do everything on the list, but

even one of these things was worthy of spiritual

death.

1. We might not do everything on the list.

a. In fact...we pride ourselves that we

aren’t terrible sinners...like murderers.