Your Day in Romans - 2:1-3:20

Al Moak · October 31, 2004, 09:46:23 AM

The Fifth Sermon
Romans 2:1 - 3:20
Hypocrisy? Or Truth!

Have you ever had teenage children? If so, though you may not like to admit it, you've faced a temptation. (No, I don't mean the temptation to wring their necks!) I'm talking about the temptation to judge them, to lecture them on what they should or shouldn't have done – perhaps even on the basis of good, Biblical standards. The problem was that the standards are ones you yourself weren't able to meet - and possibly aren't able to meet even now. in other words - let's face it – You and I have, at times, been hypocrites.

And the thing is, there's another temptation that goes right along with that one. We're sometimes tempted to feel, that, because we're in the superior position of those who know what's good and bad, right and wrong, advisable and inadvisable - that therefore we're automatically more righteous than our children in relation to the same standards.

We need to listen to what God says about that through His apostle in Rom. 2:1-3:20. It's kind of a long passage, but I think you'll recognize that it's a vital one for each of us.

As we read these paragraphs, we see that he's saying that if we're going to set ourselves up as judges, then we need to be aware that we ourselves must eventually come before the bar of God's justice. The third verse of the second chapter says it so well: "And do you think this, O man, you who judge those practicing such things, and doing the same, that you will escape the judgement of God?"

Of course Paul wasn't dealing with parents of teenage kids. He was dealing with Jews who made the error of thinking that their knowledge of the law made them superior to Gentiles who weren't acquainted with it. They tended to feel that their knowledge, and their ability to judge the (inferior) Gentiles made them innocent of the transgressions they were judging.

The problem with that was that God didn't see it the way they did. In fact, their practice of judging others didn't make them innocent of anything at all! In fact, going a step further, it was only God's "wealth of ... kindness and forbearance and patience" that kept them at any time from God's instant and final justice! Actually, that patience of God should have had the effect, He says, of leading they themselves to repentance.

That's true for us as well. We too need to be aware that the only thing that keeps any of us from just and instant destruction at the hands of a holy God is that same "wealth of His kindness and forbearance and patience." Our knowledge of God's Word, our participation in church, our baptism or observance of the Lord's Supper - don't excuse us or make us superior to others. God extends His kindness to us day by day ONLY to give us space to own up to our own sin.

Oh we agree with God that judgement is merited when it comes to gross violations of His holy law, so we, being the kindly sort that we are, feel sorry for those who commit those violations. What we're really doing, though, is judging them. And we might even go so far as to attempt to teach the poor benighted souls!

But we just don't adequately understand. We just don't take in the full meaning of what Paul already said in the first chapter, verses 18-32. We just haven't understood how bad things really are, how really heinous, how really horrible are even the sins we pass off as "minor offenses." We easily forget that EVERY sin is rebellion against God, and its "badness" must be measured by the goodness of that God.

The point of all this is that judgement isn't based upon how good or bad we are relative to other people, but it's based upon the holiness of the ONE Whose law we've transgressed. Nothing will be gained, therefore, by judging other people. There's only one thing that will help, and that's admission of guilt and then surrender to the God we've offended.

So - instead of arrogance, we - all of us together - need to realize that God has been extremely patient with us in His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering.

Of course if we want to, we, along with the majority, can ignore God's patient mercy and continue on in hardness of heart. But, through Paul, God Himself clearly informs us of the results. He says, "But in accordance with your hardness and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgement of God, Who will render to each one according to his deeds: eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory ... but to those who are self seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness - indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish on every soul of man who does evil."

Paul isn't referring in these verses to good deeds that earn "honor and immortality." He's just referring to a kind of faith that results in such deeds, a kind of faith that seeks the mercy provided by God in Jesus Christ, and, in gratitude for that mercy, produces a life that is more pleasing to God.

So - what will it be for you? Hypocrisy is deadly. Arrogance is deadly. Judging others won't help. And Paul adds one more: circumcision won't help either, unless it's what he calls "circumcision of the heart." Now of course most of us here are Gentiles, so circumcision is not our concern. Or is it? I hope you'll see with me that something very much like it IS our concern.

Circumcision was given as a sign of the covenant God made with Abraham and the Jews after him. It was to remind them that they belonged to God and, specifically, to God's special people Israel. Of course, like any outward sign, it did not, by itself, mean anything inward and eternal unless there was also an inward work of the Spirit, a work that moved the heart to trust in the coming Messiah of God.

But, even apart from that inward work, it was a sign that sealed its wearer as a member of the covenant people of God. As such it resulted in some very good things. Paul mentions them here. He says, "What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision? Much in every way! Chiefly because to them were committed the oracles of God." He says that the advantage of circumcision was that it included it's wearers among the only people on earth who had His Word, "the oracles of God." The advantage for the circumcised person was that, as a member of covenant Israel, he was under the teaching of the Word, the teaching of the sacrifices that looked forward to Christ.

But what about us Gentiles today? Paul, in his letter to the Colossians, said, "In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of Gold, Who raised Him from the dead." Baptism has replaced circumcision as the covenant sign. The baptized individual has been marked out as a member of God's people, the Church, and such persons are therefore placed in a position to hear the teaching of the Word of God, the teaching that reveals God in Christ as Savior and Lord. It's a tremendous advantage.

We all must remember, though, that unless there's an inward working of the Spirit and a living relationship to Christ, then baptism may be helpful but it's not saving. It's helpful because it places us in a position to hear the Gospel. But if, in fact, you or I have been baptized, and if all it has done is make us feel superior, then we are hypocrites, and it has done us no good at all!! It's helpfulness can be great if it leads to living faith, but there is no advantage at all for those who never come to such a living relationship to Christ. Rituals do not save, and the all-important question is, have you ever experienced repentance and faith?

So what then should we do? Let's pray that God may grant that our churchianity may become Christianity by the work of His gracious Spirit! God grant that our baptism may signify not only membership in His church, but true relationship to Christ! Let us often do what Paul suggests in his letter to Corinth. He says, "Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you? - unless indeed you are disqualified?" Dear people - that self examination has eternal consequences!

Chris & Margit Saunders · October 31, 2004, 02:02:05 PM

Go on bro! God speed.
May this message be irresistable, may it break down and melt cold, sinful hearts.

Al Moak · October 31, 2004, 06:50:32 PM

By itself, it won't, but may our God use it so. Amen!

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Your Day in Romans - 2:1-3:20

Al Moak

Chris & Margit Saunders

Al Moak