Romans Lesson 5

Introduction

Good day to you, and welcome to Let the Bible Speak. I hope that you have a Bible near you and that you’ll be opening to the Book of Romans, where today we’ll be studying from Romans chapter 2. Beginning in verse 17, we’re going to be going to the end of this chapter. Romans chapter 2, verses 17 through 29. If you’ve been studying along with us, you may remember that we announced in the very first lesson that the theme of the book of Romans is stated in Romans chapter 1 and verse 16, where the inspired writer says, I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ. For it is the power of God unto salvation. Indeed, in contrast with the law of Moses under which Jews had been serving for over fifteen hundred years.

Now the gospel is God’s power unto salvation. But this gospel is for all men. The book of Romans also points out that God is no respecter of persons. And so that verse in Romans 1, verse 16 says, I’m not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it’s the power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth, to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. Now that was news, really, to a Jew who had thought of himself as being God’s chosen family. And really, for some seven to nine years after the day of Pentecost, the gospel was preached only to the Jews. It was in Acts chapter 10 that you read about the first Gentile being converted to Jesus Christ. But really, from the very earliest of times, God had intended that through Jesus Christ, salvation would be for all men.

In fact, you may remember, even in Jesus before he ascended into heaven, he told his disciples, Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved. He that believeth not shall be damned. That’s in Mark chapter 16, verses 15 and 16. And so really, when you read the book of Romans, you see the corroboration of that great commission that Jesus gave to his apostles. But a gospel is God’s power to everyone that believeth. In fact, in Romans 1 and verse 17, it says, For therein is the righteousness of God revealed, from faith to faith. As it is written, the just shall live by faith. The faith that is contained in the gospel, the system of salvation by faith, is revealed herein.

And as the book of Romans so teaches, faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God. As man reads the word of God, the system of faith revealed therein, so it produces faith in his heart. And so in this great book, is really a treatise on salvation by grace through faith. It’s one of the greatest studies on that particular subject that is to be found in the New Testament. But as the apostle starts off with this theme, that the gospel is God’s power to save. Who wants to believe it or obey it? Why does anybody need to believe it and obey it? You see, really, if a man does not know of his need, he is not interested in listening to it, and certainly not in obeying it.

Perhaps one of the problems of our own generation of time is that so many people are concerned only about this world and the affairs of this life, and they do not deem themselves to be sinners or in need of a Savior. And therefore they’re really not interested in hearing the gospel. And so the apostle really, in addressing this letter, from Romans chapter 1 and beginning in about verse 18, he begins to point out why all men need the gospel. It starts off in Romans 1 and verse 18 to the end of that chapter, describing how that man who once knew God did not retain God in his knowledge. And particularly speaking, it seems about the Gentile world. God gave them up, therefore, unto uncleanness and to vile passions and to a reprobate mind.

They were sinners. They were in need of salvation. Now, really, as you begin chapter 2, in which we studied in our last lesson, we see the Jew who was standing off, perhaps saying Amen to what Paul had said. Why, these Gentiles, they are they are sinners and they are really in need of God’s grace. But the apostle in chapter 2, beginning the first verse, points his finger to the Jew and said, Who are you that’s condemning the Gentile or others? Why, the very things you see in them that is wrong, you’re doing it yourself. And why judge another? In fact, he says, if you’re judging them and doing the same things, you’re condemning yourself. Really, the Bible doesn’t teach that it’s wrong to point out errors that others may be committing, but what it does teach in this particular chapter is that we need to be practicing what we preach.

And in fact, if we’re just pointing out what others are doing that’s wrong, and then we in turn do the same thing, then we stand guilty by the same standard, by the word of God. God is no respecter of persons. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a Jew or a Gentile, and we might say even now, whether you are a Christian or not, if you’re doing the things of the world that are wrong, then you stand condemned also. Our lesson today, really beginning in verse 17, continues this thought, particularly looking at the Jew and the hypocritical attitude of the Jew. You might say these few verses talk about the self-righteous hypocrite. You know what a hypocrite is like? Oh, there people are often heard to say they’re hypocrites in the church today.

And perhaps there are. God certainly knows who they are. But what are the characteristics of a hypocrite? What’s a hypocrite like? Well, by looking at Romans chapter 2, we see what the apostle described, the Jew that was a hypocrite to be like. In fact, if you have your Bibles open now, let’s read, beginning in chapter 2 of Romans, verses 17 through 20, where he said, Behold, thou art called a Jew, and resteth in the law, and makest thy boast of God, and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law, and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.

1. You Make Your Boast of God

You notice first of all, he says, particularly now, it addresses Jews, behold thou art called a Jew. And in those seventeen, you rest in the law, and you make your boast of God. Actually, it it was not wrong to be a Jew. In fact, the Jew had an advantage. When you look back to the old testament, the scripture, in fact, in Deuteronomy chapter ten and in verse fifteen, there the Lord spoke particularly to the nation of Israel, and described how that they were the delight of God. Why he says, The Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people. As a nation, God especially blessed the family of Abraham through Isaac, and particularly through Jacob and his twelve sons, the twelve tribes of Israel, were a blessed people.

And there was no sin or wrong in being a Jew. In fact, they had many advantages. Later in Romans chapter 9, in fact, in verses 3 through 5, he says, the apostle says, For I could wish that myself were a curse from Christ, for my brethren, my kinsmen, according to the flesh, who are Israelites, to whom pertaineth the adoption and the glory, and the covenants, and the giving of the law, and the service of God and the promises, whose are the fathers, and of whom, as concerning the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, God bless forever, Amen. Why those statements describe indeed what a privilege it was to be a Jew. But what in Romans chapter two he’s saying of these Jews is that you’ve made your boast of your relationship to God.

It wasn’t an attitude of humility that God has blessed us and God has made great provisions for us, but rather it was look at who we are. We are we are God’s chosen people, kind of an attitude. I’m reminded really of the parable that Jesus taught in Luke chapter 18, where he described the difference between the Pharisee and the publican. And the Pharisee really was a Jew and a very religious kind of a Jew, whereas the publican represented the tax collector, and in that day it really represented the person who was recognized by all to be a sinner. Jesus in in Luke chapter 18 described these two men who went into the temple to pray. And on the one side there was the Pharisee who stood and prayed thus for himself, God, I thank thee that I am not as other men are, extortioners, unjust, adulterers, or even as this publican.

Then he begins to give his credentials. I fast twice in the week, I give tithes of all that I possess. And then the publican, standing far off, would not lift up so much as his eyes unto heaven, but smote upon his breast, saying, God be merciful to me, a sinner. Jesus concluded that parable by saying, I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other, for every one that exalteth himself shall be abased, and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted. You see, Jesus wants us to be humble in approaching him. If we’re saved, it is only by the grace of God. And even the Jew, while he may have had some special privileges by fleshly birth, and the law of Moses being given to him, yet it was not a position by which he could brag as though he deserved to be in this role, and it made him better than other men, he should have been humble.

2. A Hypocrite Likes to Boast of His Knowledge

And so in this chapter, he’s saying, This Jew who’s who’s pointing his finger at the Gentile as really being in need of God’s grace, he could say, So do you. The Jew likewise needs it. In fact, verses 18 and 19, he said of this of this self-righteous hypocrite, a hypocrite likes to boast of his knowledge. And he says in these two verses, you know his will, and you approve the things that are more excellent. You’re confident that you are a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness. You see, they they like to tell what they knew about God and about his law. Indeed, a hypocrite has a way of raising himself up, and he has the knowledge. He knows what’s right and what’s wrong, and he’s often heard to tell others what to do and what not to do.

Well, again, it isn’t wrong to be able to say, thus saith the Word of God, and here’s what the Bible teaches, and here’s what we ought to do, so long as we are doing it ourselves, practicing what we’re preaching. You know, in the book of James, in James chapter one, and about verses twenty two through twenty five, there the inspired writer says, Be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. In other words, don’t just know the word, practice the word, fulfill the word, obey the word of God. That’s what the Jew was not doing in this context. He was the one who lifted himself up and made his boast of God and bragged about his knowledge, but he wasn’t doing what the word taught.

3. Guide of the Blind: They Love to Teach Others

A third description of him is in verses 19 and 20, where he said, You’re confident that you’re guide of the blind, the light of them which are in darkness, an instructor of the foolishness, a teacher of babes. Well, they they love to teach others. They love to tell others really what to do. Matthew chapter 15 and verse 14, Jesus described some who were blind, believing the blind. And he said, Both of them shall fall into the ditch. In fact, in Matthew chapter 23, Jesus in a very stinging rebuke about the Pharisees and the hypocrites, he often referred to them in that chapter. He said in verse 15, while you compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when you do, you make him twofold more the child of hell than yourself.

4. The Name of God Is Blasphemed Because of You

In other words, what they were teaching really was not what God said. And therefore, by adding their traditions, they were violating the word of God. And he said that what you’re doing is not really what God would have you do. You may lift yourself up that way. That’s what the self-righteous hypocrite would do. But you’re really causing more problems than doing good. In fact, let’s go back to Romans chapter 2, where in verses 21 through 27, you see really the effect of what these hypocrites are doing. He said, Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself. Thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? Thou that abhorest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?

Thou that makes thy boast of the law, through breaking the law, then thou honorest thou God. For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles, through you, as it is written, or circumcision barely profited if thou keep the law. But if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. Therefore, if the uncircumcision keepeth righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for for circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision, which is by nature, if it fulfilled the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law. Series of questions here. Really rather rhetorical in nature. It’s as though to say they don’t really need a written answer because it’s obvious. The very things that you condemning in the Gentiles, you’re practicing yourself.

Theft, adultery, sacrilege. Why Jesus had described while he was on earth how they had made the temple a den of thieves. And he also in Matthew chapter five talked about how that they would put away their wife. He said, You just think all you have to do is go get a writing of divorcement, a bill of divorcement. But he said in Matthew 5 32, that whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery. They were guilty of violating God’s holy laws. And sacrilege, which which really means to abuse things that are sacred and are holy, by their substituting commandments of men. They were committing sacrilege. In Matthew chapter 15, verses seven through nine, Jesus talked about the hypocrite, a man who pretends what he really isn’t.

He’s not what he pretends to be. In fact, he said, Well that Isaiah prophesy of you hypocrites, as it is written. This people honoreth me with their mouth and dwell nigh with their lips, but their heart is far from me. In vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. That’s a way of committing sacrilege actually. And when people will come and say, oh, we’re very religious, but but they really close their Bible or they fail to give scripture for what they’re doing and they begin to take an attitude where we can guide ourselves and what we like, surely God will like, or he may he may lift himself up as a teacher. He may lift himself up as one who knows God’s word, but in effect he’s causing more harm than good.

In fact, you know one of the greatest criticisms you might say condemnation that is found in this text is said the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you. You see a hypocrite and he does more harm than good. In fact people of the world often point the finger at the hypocrite and they say oh you know if he can go to heaven so can I and I I’m living just as good as he is. How sad it is to find even men who call themselves preachers who sometimes commit adultery and openly so it is known or who commit fraud with with money and and who do things that that really the world just looks at and snickers and and and often are turned away from the way of Lord because they’ve seen people who call themselves Christians who really aren’t living like they should.

They are causing others to blaspheme God. In fact, that scripture is really taken from Isaiah chapter 52 and in and in verse six that spoke about some who blasphemed or cause others to blaspheme the name of God. What he really closes with in these verses 26 and 7 is that the man who was circumcised, a Jew, if he doesn’t keep the law, then in fact his circumcision becomes as though he is uncircumcised, or though as though he’s not a Jew. And looking at the other side, the Gentile who’s uncircumcised by nature, that is, no law taught him this covenant relationship with God assigned or given the sign of that relationship with circumcision, that that Gentile who’s uncircumcised, if he keeps the law, if he does what is righteous, then it’s counted as though he were a Jew, as though he were in relationship to God.

A hypocrite? What’s the difference between a hypocrite and a sincere child of God? It has to do with attitude, doesn’t it? We’re going to pause for just a moment, and when we come back, we’re going to look at the last two verses of Romans chapter 2, which really describe the difference between the hypocrite and the one who really is a faithful child of God. And while the application has to do with the fleshly Jew of the day in which Paul was writing this, yet its application fits also today. There’s some who call themselves Christians, who really do not fit the criteria that are set forth in the Word of God. You stay with us, we’ll be back in just one moment. As we continue our study in Romans chapter 2, we’ve been talking about the self-righteous hypocrite as described in chapter 2, verses 17 through about 26 or 27.

5. A Jew Which Is One Inwardly

But now let’s look at Romans chapter 2 verses 20 28 and 29 that really give a contrast of what a faithful or a sincere child of God is really like. He says, For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God. What this points out is that the real difference in God’s sight is not only what is outward, but really what is from the heart, what is inward. What makes the difference between a hypocrite and a faithful child of God? Even in the world today, there are many who point their fingers at Christians and say, Oh, they’re just hypocrites in the church.

No doubt there probably are some hypocrites, people who pretend to be something that they really are not. They’re not really serving from the heart. And God knows all the hypocrites. I’ve often said to people, I I would rather spend a few few years in in the church on earth with some hypocrites that maybe I don’t know who they are, and God does, than to spend eternity in hell with them, because all the hypocrites God knows. And if you’re staying out of the Lord’s work just because you think the hypocrites in the church, then you’ll spend eternity with them in hell. That’s where all hypocrites will be. But how do you know the difference between a hypocrite and a sincere child of God? The basis is the heart.

You see, the child of God is not perfect. He commits faults. There are times where he sins, but he has sincere repentance from the heart. He wants to serve God, and he doesn’t just try to cover his sin and act as though it did not occur, or though as though he is better than others, but in humility, he is willing to turn from what is wrong and to confess his faults and to pray God for his forgiveness. But you notice in this text where he speaks about how that the one who is a Jew, now he’s talking about the real Jew, not just a fleshly born Jew, but he says the one not just outwardly, or the circumcision, just in the flesh, but one who is inwardly, and really the circumcision of the heart.

What that’s really saying is a sincere child of God obeys from the heart. One of the favorite verses of mine is found in Psalm 51, verses 16 and 17, at a time when David, after he’d committed the grievous sin with Bathsheba, you may remember that story found in the Old Testament. David was a man that was great in God’s sight, though he committed grievous error, even not only the adultery, but even finally the murder of Bathsheba’s husband, Uriah, so he could take Bathsheba to be his own wife. And yet, when David really came to himself and confessed his sins, in Psalm 51, believed to have been written about the time that really he acknowledged his faults before God, he said in verses 16 and 17, for thou desirest not sacrifice, else would I give it.

Thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit, a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise. Now, unless you misunderstand that text, David was not saying the law of Moses is unimportant, and we don’t have to keep the commandments of the law. He wasn’t saying really that God didn’t want sacrifice or burnt offerings, for the law had commanded animal sacrifices. It was essential that a faithful Jew obey those commandments. What David really was saying was that these sacrifices are worthless unless they come from a sincere heart that wants to obey God. Obedience must be from the heart. God wants a broken spirit and a contrite heart. You know, when we talk about saving faith throughout the book of Romans, in fact, we’re going to continually point out how that we’re saved by faith.

6. Saving Faith Is an Obedient Faith

But the point is, faith without obedience, is a dead faith. And the book of Romans, while it teaches that we’re saved by faith, certainly does not teach it salvation by faith only, that is just the mental agreement. The hypocrite can believe, but if he doesn’t obey, it’s of no value. God doesn’t want just outward obedience. God wants from the heart obedience. In James chapter 2, in fact, in verses 14 through 17, what did it profit my brethren? If a man say he hath faith and have not works, obedience, can faith save him. If a brother or sister be naked and destitute of daily food, and one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be you warm and filled, notwithstanding you give them not those things which are needled to the body, what did it profit?

Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone. Saving faith is an obedient faith. One of the outstanding examples of that is found in the life of Christ in John chapter 12 and verses 42 and 43, the scripture speaks about some Jews, rulers of the synagogue, who believed on Jesus, but they wouldn’t obey him. Nevertheless, I’m reading John 12 42. Nevertheless, among the chief rulers also many believed on him, but because the Pharisees they did not confess him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue. Well, they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. They wouldn’t confess, they would not obey the Lord. And like this passage in Romans 2 and verse 29, they sought praise of men rather than praise of God.

But a sincere child of God, he is concerned about God’s praise. Doesn’t matter what others may say, or others may think. You see, external acts alone, without sincere faith, prove nothing. Indeed, the hypocrite can do some external things. That’s what he’s saying about the Jew. From an outward point of view, you look like you’re you’re faithful to God, but really it doesn’t come from the heart, and you’ve substituted some things that God hasn’t commanded. In Isaiah chapter 1, verses 11 through 20, they are a very stinging rebuke to he says, to what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices. When you come to appear before me and do it, required this at your hand to tread my course. Don’t bring any more vain oblations. Incense is an abomination.

I’m just skipping through some of those points, and you may read that section, Isaiah 11 through 20, because it talks about when they he said, You spread forth your hands, I’ll hide mine eyes from you. Yea, when you make many prayers, I will not hear, because your hands are full of blood, that is full of sin. In other words, these were coming into making sacrifices. Outwardly they looked like they were serving God, but really they were hypocrites. They were violating his word. Now, in contrast, while external acts alone don’t prove faith, yet faith is made perfect, or it is matured and made shown to be God an attitude of obedience to God. Faith needs to be coupled with works. In fact, there needs to be the work of faith.

The sincere child of God obeys by faith. Romans chapter 6 says it so well in verses 17 and 18. But God betank that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart. That form of doctrine which was delivered you, being then made free from sin, you became the servants of righteousness. When men from the heart obey, by faith, that is, doing what God says and the way God says, do it. It isn’t a meritorious deed. He doesn’t throw out his chest and say, Look at me, who I am, but rather he can say, By the grace of God, I’ve been saved. Or by grace through faith are we saved. But it is a faith that obeys, a faith that does the will of God in God’s way.

In Colossians chapter 2, in fact, verses 11 and 12, there the apostle describes how that there is the circumcision of the heart, and he says, In whom you circumcised with circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, buried with him in baptism, wherein also you have risen with him through the faith of the operation of God who had raised him from the dead. By faith, man obeys even in baptism. Until our next study, we bid the grace and peace of our Lord be with you.