Romans 2

Last time in the Romans 1 we learned because of all of God’s creation humanity is without excuse.  We should not doubt God, the truth, or who He is.  We learned because of men’s wickedness God gave them over to their desires and depraved minds.  They suppress the truth and don’t give Him thanks.  They know what is right, but choose to exchange truth for lies.  This time we will see that God will cut through our excuses and the truth about our stubborn unbelief will come out. 

Romans 2:1-16 – Impartial Judgment

Therefore you have no excuse.  You pass judgment on others and the things you pass judgment on is the exactly the same things you do yourself.  You are condemning yourself.  You know that God’s judgment is based on truth.  When you pass judgment, how can you yourself escape God’s judgment?  You show contempt of the riches of His kindness, His tolerance and patience and don’t realize God’s kindness leads toward repentance. (Rom. 2:1-4)

Are you self-righteous?

Are you prone to judge others?

Principle:  God’s judgment will be according to truth.

Paul is again saying that mankind has no excuse.  His repetition is dramatizing the truth that we as humans can’t seem to admit when we do wrong and are always making excuses.  God will cut through those excuses and the truth about our stubborn unbelief will come out. 

Do you make excuses?

Do you blame other instead of admitting you are in the wrong?

To pass judgment is condemning others for sin when it’s God’s job not ours.  Being self-righteous is a sin we find it hard to see in ourselves.  It tells others that we are good enough in ourselves to qualify for heaven and don’t’ really need a Savior.  A self-righteous person is quick to accuse others and doesn’t want to think about his own sin.  When you condemn other sinners for the same sin you do, on judgment day God’s says you will be without excuse.  It isn’t wrong to judge those in the church who profess to be believers, but are living in sin. (1 Cor. 5:9-13).  Paul is talking about self-righteously judging.  “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.  For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.” – Matt. 7:1-2         

I think we are all a little self-righteous.  Maybe we don’t act immorally or practice impurity, but what about how we fill our minds with TV and movies filled with profanity, violence, and sexual immorality?  Sometimes we pick parts of the Bible we like that condemns others and ignore other parts that condemn us.  This makes us hypocrites.

How are you a hypocrite?

Do you pass judgment on your spouse, but fail to look at your own failures?

God is tolerant and patience.  He doesn’t strike us dead instantly when we sin.  If that were the case, we would have been dead long ago.  God is slow to anger and gives us every opportunity to repent so we won’t face His judgment.  Just because He is tolerant, kind, and patient don’t think you will escape His final judgment.  He is all that so you will repent.  He is just giving you more time.

Because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath.  God will give to each one what he has done.  Those persistent in doing good and obeying seek glory, honor and immortality, He will give eternal life.  Those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, will experience God’s wrath and anger.  There will be trouble and distress for everyone who does evil – Jews and Gentile.  All those who do good will have glory, honor and peace.  God does not show favoritism. (Rom. 2:5-11)

Our biggest problem is unrepentant hearts.  Yes, we are all stubborn to a point.  To repent means to have a change of heart and mind and turn away from sin and turn to God.  It’s being sorry for our sins enough to stop sinning and turn to God.  If you have not come to Jesus and confessed your sins and turned from them, He is waiting for you.  He will forgive you no matter what you’ve done.  Spend time in His Word for guidance as to how to live the way He wants you to live.

What do your actions reveal about your heart attitude toward God?

Paul says that Jews are God’s chosen people, but they don’t get special favors when it comes to judgment.  If fact, they will be first in line.  He will judge everyone according to his deeds.  He will judge everyone impartially.  All will stand before God is judgment.

If you are not a believer, you will see God’s wrath.  There will be trouble and distress for you.  There will be eternal punishment for you.  You will go to hell and that’s not a place where you want to be.  God will judge each person individually and will be impartial. 

If you believe in Jesus, He gives you eternal life.  To have eternal life means after your earthly death, your life will go on forever.  You will be in the very presence of God forever and ever.  Eternal life really begins the moment you come to know God through faith in Jesus.  Paul says eternal life is glory, honor, immorality and peace.

Good works do not earn salvation, but are evidence of salvation.  Genuine saving faith results in a life of good deeds.  “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – not by works, so that no one can boast.  For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” – Eph. 2:8-10.

If you knew you would stand before God tomorrow, how would you live your life differently today?

All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law.  Those who obey the law will be declared righteous.  The Gentiles don’t have the law, but do things required by the law.  The requirements of the law are written in their hearts and their consciences, which is defending them.  God will judge men’s secrets through Jesus Christ as the gospel declares. (Rom. 2:12-16)

The Jews relied on the law and bragged about their relationship to God.  They sinned under the law and the Gentiles sinned without the law.  The Gentiles have an inner sense of right and wrong.  They have a conscience.  He is saying that everyone should know it is wrong to mistreat others, to murder, to steal, etc.  No matter who you are there will be judgment of all according to your outward deeds as well as your secrets.

God knows our hidden motives.  He knows all our secrets.  He knows when we outwardly serve Him, but He also knows the lust in our hearts.  He sees everything.  Nothing will escape Him on judgment day.

What are your secrets?

How can you make your conscience more reliable?

The Jews thought they were special, but God is impartial.  Some Christians think they are special and hold themselves with high honor.  God does not show favoritism.  All will be held accountable.  God will judge by the standard of Jesus.  That’s good news.  Jesus knows what it’s like to be a man and He will not punish those who trust and believe in Him.  He has rescued them from sin by His death on the cross.

Principle:  God will impartially judge each person according to his deeds.

Romans 2:17-24 – Hypocrisy

The Jews knew the law and relied on it.  If they know His will and are convinced to be a guide to the Gentiles, then they should teach and as they teach they will also be teaching themselves.  Paul questions them about their attitudes.  Were they teaching it is wrong to steal, commit adultery, rob temples, and dishonor god by breaking the law?  (Rom. 2:17-24).

Knowledge alone is not enough.  God will judge according to what people actually do.

The Jews were privileged people.  They had knowledge about God.  They were God’s chosen people.  They had a special relationship with Him.  They were chosen to serve in His temple.  God gave them the Law to live by.  He protected and provided them for 40 days in the wilderness and throughout history.  He promised them many descendants.  Instead of being grateful they were arrogant, boastful, prideful, self-serving, and even hypocrites.

Are you a teacher in your church?  Do you practice what you preach?  Are you a hypocrite?  Are you setting good examples for your students?  Do you have wrong attitudes?  Do you boast in God, but do not honor Him?  Do you honor yourself instead?  How are you humbled before God?  How are you leading others to worship Him more fervently?  Do you apply His Word to your own life?

Principle:  Hypocrisy dishonors God and damages unbelievers.

Romans 2:25-29 – Ritual VS Reality

Circumcision has value if you observe the law.  If those who are not circumcised keep the law, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised?  The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the law and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.  A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly.  A man is a Jew if he is one inwardly and circumcision is of the heart, by the Spirit not the law.  This man’s praise is from men not from God. (Rom. 2:25-29).

The Jews trusted in their religious rituals.  Circumcision was a sign God gave to Abraham to show a covenant between God and Israel.  It symbolized moral purity and separation from the world.  The Jews said the Gentiles needed to receive circumcision.  But with God it is not a matter of outward appearance.  It is a matter of the heart.  Circumcision doesn’t free anyone from sin or make a good relationship with God.  Many people are circumcised, but refuse to obey God.  True circumcision is not a matter of the flesh, but of the heart.

We can substitute baptism or church member for the word circumcision in verses 25-27.  People today use these are outward signs for their relationship with God.  Just because you are baptized or belong to a church doesn’t necessarily mean you are saved.  God looks at the heart, not the outward appearances.

Churches today have rituals like pastors dressed in special robes, infant baptism, lighting a candle for the dead, making a cross sign over their chest, confession to a priest, etc.  There are really only 2 rituals we should observe.  They are baptism and communion.  It’s not about rituals, but about what is in your heart.

What rituals do you practice?

Principle:  True circumcision is a matter of the heart.

Next time we will study Romans 3.  Have a blessed day and thanks for visiting my site.  Hope to see you here again.  --  I encourage you to trust in Jesus.

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Romana 1 - Part 2

Romans 1:18-23 – Wicked Dishonoring God

To understand why we need God and His gospel we need to understand His wrath against our sins.  God is angry because some people have chosen to be wicked.  God cannot tolerate sin.  In these verses Paul explains in detail the sinfulness of man.  He is saying that people have sinfully rejected God.  We see His creation, but still reject Him.  We see His wrath through His creation.  We see floods, earthquakes, famine and disease.  There is immorality everywhere which brings on STD’s and Aids.  We see drug addictions, wars and terrorism.  We saw His wrath when He destroyed the world by flood and when He destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah.  We even saw it when Jesus had to die on the cross for our sins, which shows that God cannot ignore our sin.

Why do people reject God and His truth?  We want to be in control of our own lives so we dislike God’s sovereignty.  We want to be free to do what we want so we reject God’s holiness.  We want to hide from God because He is intrusive and knows everything we do so we dislike His omniscience.  God is immutable and is unchanging so we dislike Him because He does not bow to our demand.

What sin are you hoping God will ignore?

God has revealed Himself through His creation.  We see His power and divine nature through His invisible qualities.  We see Him throughout our world – the sky, moon, stars, sun, oceans, and all through nature.  Because of all this, Paul says men are without excuse.  Sinners can’t plead ignorance at judgment as an excuse.

Paul says that they knew God, but didn’t glorify Him as God or gave Him thanks.  They think they are wise, but their foolish hearts were darkened.  They worshiped man made images instead of God.

Principle: God reveals Himself through His creation and through His wrath against sin.

Romans 1:24-32 – Wicked Man Abandoned

“Therefore God gave them over in the sinful desires of their hearts to sexual impurity for the degrading of their bodies with one another.  They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather that the Creator – who is forever praised. Amen.” – Rom. 1:24-25.

When people reject God and do not worship Him, He gives them over to their sin and its consequences.  “Because of this, God gave them over to shameful lusts.  Even their women exchanged natural relations for unnatural ones.  In the same way men also abandoned natural relations with women and were inflamed with lust for one another.  Men committed indecent acts with other men, and received in themselves the due penalty for their perversion.” – Rom. 1:26-27. 

I didn’t say this, God did!  He’s talking about homosexuality here.  Are you listening?  Homosexuality goes against God’s intention in creation.

Some say homosexual are born that way, but there is no evidence to support that claim.  Even if that were so, it is still sin to practice it just as it is for heterosexual lust or drug addiction.  We are responsible before God if we yield to any sin. 

God has a plan for marriage and sex.  Here are some verses on this subject:

Gen. 2:21, 24

Malachi 2:14-15

Matt. 5:28; 19:4-6

Mark 10:6-9

Rom. 7:2

1 Cor. 6:9, 15, 18; 7:39

Eph. 5:3, 31, 33

Gal. 5:19

Heb. 13:4

1 Thess. 4:1-8 

The root of sin is the rejection of the truth of God and the worship of self instead of God.  He gave them over to a depraved mind which is expressed in all sorts of destructive sins.  They dishonored God and never gave Him thanks so their foolish hearts were darkened.

“The truth of God” refers to the truth He has revealed about Himself which is centered in Jesus Christ His Son.  He reveals Himself through His creation and His wrath against sin.  Sinners exchange this truth of God for the lie, which is idolatry.  They worship things other than God.  They think they don’t need God.  They think they are self-sufficient. 

God created everything by speaking it into existence.  He has sovereignty over all people and all things.  Therefore, we need to depend on Him and should be subject to Him.  He is the One True God.

We don’t have to worship and pray to actual statues.  There are many forms of idols.  We can rely on family, investments, and even church in place of God.  Anything we put our hope in other than God is idolatry.  Many things dominate our lives and can become idols.

What idols do you worship?

How will you make God the only One you worship?

“Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, he gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not to be done.” – Rom. 1:28.

Paul says 3 times, “God gave them over”.  He gave them over to impurity, degrading passions (homosexuality), and depraved minds.  This doesn’t mean God causes people to sin.  They abandoned God so God abandoned them.  He took His hands off their lives and let sin takes its course.  We as a society are no longer shocked at this sin.  We have become desensitized.  Adam and Eve rebelled against God and sin entered the world.   Their actions screamed “leave me alone and let me live my own life”.  So God does.

Paul lists several kinds of wickedness – evil, greed, depravity, envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice, gossip, slander, God-hater, insolent, arrogant, boastful, disobey parents, senseless, faithless, heartless, and ruthless.  Paul is not talking only about sexual sin, but all sin.  “Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them.” – Rom. 1:32.  Did you see that?  Even those who approve of those who practice them deserve death.  People have actually come to approve of evil.  Good is evil and evil is good.

When have you gossiped?

Have you ever been envious of someone?

Are you jealous of someone?

Do you hold a grudge?

When have you pursued your own desires with disregard of how it affects others?

I think we can all identify with some of these sins, because we are human and certainly not perfect.  The good news is Jesus came to deliver us from those sins.  “And that is what some of you were.  But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” – 1 Cor. 6:11.

THANK YOU JESUS!

These verses are almost too horrible to think about, but they make us aware of sin’s horror and then we can really appreciate the gospel.  These verses should cause us to examine our hearts to see if we are truly living for God.  The only solution is the gospel.  It can change our hearts.  We all deserve God’s judgment.  These verses also lead us to the good news that God has provided what we need – Jesus Christ.  His gift is not given if we try really hard, but to those who trust in Him.  We will hear more about this good news in chapter 2.

Have you trusted in Jesus to save you?

Are you applying God’s Word to you daily life so you can overcome sin?

Next time we will study Romans 2.  Have a blessed day and thanks for visiting my site.  Hope to see you here again.  -- I encourage you to trust in Jesus.

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Romans 1:1-17

The book of Romans contains some of the deepest theological truths in all the Bible.  I have studied Romans several times, but each time God has something different to teach me.  I am excited to dive into this book again.  Since there is so much in this 1^st chapter, I am breaking it up into 2 parts.  Part 1 is Rom. 1:1-17.  Part 2 is Rom. 1:18-32.

Romans is a letter written by Paul to the church in Rome.  The theme is the righteous revelation of God in the gospel.  He talks about the gospel, sin, grace, faith, salvation, sanctification, sovereignty of God and service to God.  Paul sums up his theme in Rom. 1:16-17.  “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.  For in the gospel righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’”

Romans 1:1-5 – Concerning Paul

We learn who Paul is right from the start of his letter.  He testifies about himself.  He is a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle.  He is set apart for the gospel of God.  We learn that the gospel comes to us from God and it’s all about Him.  The gospel was promised beforehand through the prophets in the Holy Scriptures.  (Rom. 1:1-2).

Paul describes himself as “a servant of Christ Jesus”, “called to be an apostle”, and “set apart for the gospel of God.”  An apostle is someone who has the authority to preach the gospel.  Paul told the church that he had that authority from Jesus to spread the Word and that all Christian should spread God’s good news.

How are you spreading His Word?

God saves us and gives us gifts so we can take the gospel to others, too.  All of us are not cut out to be a missionary like Paul, but you can be one right in your own community.  You can pray for people around the world right in your own home.  You can support missions financially.  You can be a volunteer in your church and in your community.  There are many ways you can spread the gospel.  God has a job especially for you.  Ask Him to reveal to you just what that is.

Paul was a highly educated Jew.  He had never visited the church in Rome, but wanted to very much.  The Christians there were a mix of Jews and Gentiles.  A Gentile is anyone who is not Jewish.  Because of their different backgrounds the Jews looked at things differently.  God had given Israel rules to obey, because they were His special people and He wanted them to act special.  God had not given these laws to the Gentiles, but some Jews thought the Gentiles should obey those rules.  Paul wanted them to know that those rules cannot save people.

Paul’s previous job was to persecute and kill Christians.  God knew Paul would be the perfect apostle for the gospel so He got Paul’s attention one day when he was on the way to Damascus to persecute more Christians.  He met Jesus there on the road and came to believe and was saved.  God set him apart.  Set apart means He was consecrated and dedicated for a job given by God.  God called him to take the gospel to the Gentiles.  He became an apostle and was devoted to the Lord. 

Who is Jesus to you?

Is Jesus your Savior and Lord?

What job has He given you?

Paul tells us that God’s son, Jesus is the center of the gospel.  He tells us that Jesus was a descendant of David and that God fulfilled His promises told through His prophets.  He tells us that through God and His name’s sake, we received grace and apostleship to save the Gentiles.  Jesus has the power by the resurrection from the dead according to the Spirit of holiness. (Rom. 1:3-5).

Paul uses the word grace many times in his writings.  He received grace.  What is grace?  Grace is unmerited favor.  It’s a gift that no one deserves.  If you deserve it, it’s not grace.  It’s not about the good works you do.  God owes you nothing.  We deserve His wrath, because we are sinners.  If we ask Him for forgiveness, He forgives us giving us grace because Jesus paid the penalty for what we deserved when He died on the cross.

Have you received God’s grace?

How are you extending grace to others?

Principle:  God commands us to repent and turn to Him and away from sin.

Romans 1:6-15 – Concerning the Romans

Paul called the Christians in Rome saints.  (All believers are saints.)  Paul tells the church in Rome that their witness of faith has been heard all over the world.  He encourages them by telling them that he is constantly praying for them and that he longs to visit them.  He wants to come and preach to them and share the things of God.  He wants to use his gifts to serve them and for their gifts to serve him.   (Rom. 1:7-15)

How are you serving God?

Are you constantly praying for others?

Has God called you as a saint and set you apart for Him?

What work has He called you to do?

Principle:  God’s people are to take the good news of Jesus to everyone.

Do you ever get frustrated because it seems God is not answering your prayers?  Are you patient in your waiting like Paul?  God may have His reasons that He is not answering them the way you want.  God did answer Paul’s prayer to visit Rome, but it probably wasn’t the way he expected.  God was waiting on His perfect timing.  Maybe unanswered prayer may be God’s way of teaching you something.  He may have other work for you to do.  There may be spiritual warfare that you are unaware.  Use Paul as your example and keep praying and be patient.

Romans 1:16-17 – Concerning the Gospel

Romans 1:16-17 is the theme of this book.  “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.  For in the gospel righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’”

What is the gospel?  The gospel is the story of Jesus.  It means “good news”.  It’s God's plan for salvation.  We have all done wrong things called sin.  We can’t save ourselves from punishment by our own efforts so we are hopeless, but God didn’t leave us hopeless.  He sent Jesus into the world to take the punishment we deserve.  Jesus was sent by God, born of a virgin, was crucified, died on the cross and was buried.  Then 3 days later He was raised to life.  He did all this so man could have a renewed relationship with God.  All we have to do to be saved from the punishment we deserve is to believe in Jesus and His story. 

Is your gospel about you or Jesus?  

Are you trying to earn you salvation? 

Are you allowing your faith to shape you personally?

Salvation means to be rescued from God’s wrath and the judgment that we deserve because of our sin.   It means to be delivered from the penalty of sin.  This happens the moment we first believe.  We can’t attain salvation by our own efforts or good works.  If this was the case, then Jesus would not have had to die on the cross.  Salvation is received by faith alone.  Belief in Jesus is a choice.  It’s a choice that each person must make on their own.  You must personally believe in Christ.

What choice have you made?

The gospel message isn’t believed by everyone.  Some say it is foolish thinking.  Paul knew that many would be ashamed to follow Jesus.  Jesus knew that, too.  Jesus knew it would be hard to be His follower.  He knew people would laugh at them and tell lies about them just as they did Jesus.  He warned that we should not be ashamed of Him.  “If anyone is ashamed of me and my words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will be ashamed of him when he comes to his Father’s glory with the holy angels.” – Mark 8:38.

The world is opposed to God’s gospel and ridicules it.  They did it in Paul’s day and they do it today and they will do it in the future.  We are all tempted to be ashamed of the gospel at one time or another.  Maybe you don’t want to admit that.  It is the power of God for salvation for anyone who will believe.  We need never be ashamed of it.

Do you believe the gospel?

How are you tempted to be ashamed of the gospel?

Do you still believe when you fail and Satan accuses you?

Is your salvation evident in your relationships?

Principle: 

The gospel is the good news that God has revealed to us so we can be rescued from the wrath to come.

The gospel reconciles us to God.  We like to compare ourselves with others, but others are not the standard we should look to.  Our Creator is the standard.

Next time we will study the rest of Romans 1.  Have a blessed day and thanks for visiting my site.  Hope to see you here again.

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