12. Spiritual Gifts: What’s Love Got To Do With It - A Fresh Look at 1 Corinthians 13
Related MediaRelated Topics: Spiritual Gifts
13. Spiritual Gifts: The Best Use of the Tongue
Related MediaRelated Topics: Spiritual Gifts
14. Spiritual Gifts: Spiritual Gifts in the Meeting of the Church
Related MediaRelated Topics: Spiritual Gifts
15. Spiritual Gifts: What Every Christian Needs to Know and Do about Spiritual Gifts
Related Media16. Spiritual Gifts: What Does the Future Hold?
Related MediaGod's Final Word on the Last Times A Study on the Book of Revelation
Related MediaThese are the edited manuscripts of the first four messages in God's Final Word on the Last Times series prepared by Robert L. Deffinbaugh in 1983, and revised 2003. Lessons in this older series will be made available as time permits.
1. Introduction to Romans
Dr. S. Lewis Johnson, a highly respected scholar and teacher of God’s Word, used to say to his students at Dallas Seminary, “Men, you need to be able to reason your way through the Bible, chapter by chapter.” I’m still working on that assignment, and I doubt that I will ever complete it to my satisfaction. I have found it especially valuable to be able to reason my way through various books of the Bible, chapter by chapter. It takes a good deal of effort to be able to do so, but it is certainly worthwhile.
One of the first books of the Bible that we should seek to be able to reason our way through is Paul’s epistle to the Romans. Romans is a book which has significantly impacted the lives of many people down through the ages (as we shall soon see in our study). Paul’s other epistles tend to be written to specific individuals, or to address certain issues or problems. They are either people-centered or problem-centered. They contribute greatly to our knowledge of God, and to our Christian walk. The Book of Romans is distinct in that it was written to a church that Paul had not personally founded. Indeed, Paul wrote to a church he had not yet even visited—the church in Rome. Paul would eventually reach Rome, as the Book of Acts describes, but in a very different way than we would have expected. When he writes this Epistle to the Romans, he does so in a very deliberate fashion, logically tracing out the Gospel from its necessity (man's condemnation as sinners, separated from God—chapters 1-3) to its day-to-day outworking in life (chapters 12-16).
If you can reason your way through Romans, you will have the Gospel under your belt. In another study of Romans, I have expounded the epistle in much greater detail (see “Romans: The Righteousness of God”). In this study, we shall cover the book much more briefly, in a mere 17 lessons (almost a record, for me). The benefit of this series is that it takes us through the Book of Romans at the rate of approximately one chapter per lesson. This facilitates our ability to think through the entire epistle a chapter at a time, thereby following Paul's argument from beginning to end.
As you begin this study, I would challenge you to review the Book of Romans often in your mind, seeking to trace its argument from the very first chapter to wherever your study has brought you. It is my hope that you will then seek to apply what you have learned in your own life, and to share the message of the Gospel it contains with those who are lost and without hope, apart from the faith this Epistle describes and defines. May God bless you in your study of this portion of His Word.
Related Topics: Introductions, Arguments, Outlines
2. A Look at the Book (Romans 1:1-17)
Introduction
“There is no telling what may happen when people begin to study the Epistle to the Romans,”1 says the noted scholar F. F. Bruce in the introduction to his commentary on the Book of Romans. We must surely agree with the sense of expectation expressed by Bruce when we take a moment to reflect on the impact this book has had on men of the past.
Augustine sat weeping in the garden of his friend Alypius, desperately wanting to start a new life, yet reluctant to break with the old. This professor of rhetoric at Milan for two years, prompted by the words sung by a neighborhood child, took up the scroll at his friend’s side and began to read these words:
Not in rioting and drunkenness, not in chambering and wantonness, not in strife and envying. But put ye on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make not provision for the flesh, to fulfil the lusts thereof (Romans 13:13b-14).
“No further would I read,” he tells us, “nor had I any need; instantly, at the end of this sentence, a clear light flooded my heart and all the darkness of doubt vanished away.”2
Augustinian monk and Professor of Sacred Theology in the University of Wittenberg, Martin Luther, began to expound this great epistle to his students.
“I greatly longed to understand Paul’s Epistle to the Romans,” he wrote, “and nothing stood in the way but that one expression, ‘the righteousness of God’ … Night and day I pondered until … I grasped the truth that the righteousness of God is that righteousness whereby, through grace and sheer mercy, he justifies us by faith. Thereupon I felt myself to be reborn and to have gone through open doors into paradise. The whole of Scripture took on a new meaning, and whereas before ‘the righteousness of God’ had filled me with hate, now it became to me inexpressibly sweet in greater love. This passage of Paul became to me a gateway to heaven.”3
In a somewhat indirect way, the Book of Romans was the turning point for John Wesley.
In the evening of 24 May 1738, John Wesley ‘went very unwillingly to a society in Aldersgate Street, where one was reading Luther’s Preface to the Epistle to the Romans. About a quarter before nine,’ he wrote in his journal, ‘while he was describing the change which God works in the heart through faith in Christ, I felt my heart strangely warmed. I felt I did trust in Christ, Christ alone, for my salvation; and an assurance was given me that he had taken my sins away, even mine; and saved me from the law of sin and death.’4
Lest all of these ‘conversions’ seem to come from the long ago and the far away, let me share with you the story of a young man who visited Believers Chapel in the midst of a series in the Book of Romans. At the end of the lesson, the person sitting next to this young man began a casual conversation. “Tell me,” the person asked, “how long have you been a Christian?” To which the young man responded, “About five minutes.”
If I began the series on ‘suffering’ with apprehension and ‘fear and trembling,’ I commence this study in Romans with anticipation and eagerness, wondering what great things God will do in each of our lives as this book becomes a part of our understanding and experience.
Our Approach to the Study of Romans
It is hardly possible to stress too vigorously the importance of the Book of Romans.
Coleridge referred to Romans as, “The profoundest piece of writing in existence.” Luther said it was, “The chief book of the New Testament. … It deserves to be known by heart, word for word, by every Christian.” According to C. A. Fox, “Chrysostom used to have it read over to him twice every week by his own express order. … Unquestionably the fullest, deepest compendium of all sacred foundation truths.”5
If Romans is the most significant book of the New Testament, how can we justify a mere 17 lessons in its study? It is my conviction that every Christian should know the argument of this epistle like the back of his hand. If you are to understand any book of the Bible you must be able to think your way through the book chapter by chapter. Although an intense and prolonged study of Romans would expose you to many of the rich details of the book, it would tend to be counter-productive in grasping the argument of the apostle. Our plan, then, is to dwell upon the development of Paul’s argument through the epistle, with the hope that having a framework for future study, you will go on to search the depths of this great presentation of the gospel of Jesus Christ.
Paul’s Introduction to This Epistle
(1:1-17)
So far as we know, Paul had never set foot in Rome until after this epistle had been written. If this is the case a word of introduction was certainly necessary for this letter to be received as it was and is, the Word of God. In the first seven verses, Paul described his relationship to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, while in verses 8-15 he pursued his relationship with the Romans to whom he wrote. In verses 16-17, Paul introduced the theme of the epistle, the Gospel of Jesus Christ: the revelation of the righteousness of God.
Paul’s Relationship to the Gospel (vv. 1-7)
As even a casual reading of the account of the conversion of Saul will reveal, Paul was not an apostle of Jesus Christ by his own initiative. Rather, he was an apostle by divine appointment. He was ‘called’ (v. 1) and ‘set apart’ (v. 1). As he wrote in Galatians 1, he was set apart while yet unborn (1:15).
The Gospel which Paul preached was not one of his own making. It was the message which was in fulfillment of all that the Old Testament prophets had promised (v. 2). It was, then, consistent with all that true Judaism believed and anticipated. It was not a revelation of something entirely new and unexpected, but a realization of that which had been promised.
The object of the Gospel was the person, Jesus Christ, Who came as the Son of God, the Messiah of Israel, and the sin-bearer of the sins of the world (vv. 3-4). The incontestable proof of His authenticity was His resurrection from the dead. The resurrection was not, as some have maintained, an incidental and unnecessary addition to the Gospel; it was the foundation stone. Our Lord Jesus staked His entire ministry and reputation on this event, as His enemies knew all too well (cf. Matthew 27:62-66).
The scope of the Gospel which Paul preached was universal (vv. 5-7). The Jews wanted to keep the Gospel in their own little corner of the world. They wished to make it exclusively Jewish. If they could not succeed in doing so, at least they would insist that in order to be saved men must in effect become Jewish proselytes to Judaism (cf. Galatians, Acts 15:1ff.). Paul’s primary calling was to preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles (v. 5). Paul’s concern for the salvation of the Gentiles explains, in part, his interest in writing to the Roman saints.
Paul’s Relationship to the Romans (vv. 8-15)
Since Paul had not yet visited Rome, it was necessary for him to pave the way for this epistle by expanding on his relationship to his readers. Although he had not yet set foot in Rome, he had a deep and abiding concern and interest in the spiritual well-being of these Romans.
Paul’s concern for the Romans was indicated by his prayer life (vv. 8-10). Paul greatly rejoiced in the fact that the faith of the Romans was being broadcast throughout the world. Although he did not know many of them personally, he did know of them, even by name, and unceasingly prayed for their growth, and for the privilege of visiting them.
Paul’s concern for the Romans was evident in his desire to be with them (vv. 11-12). As Paul wrote elsewhere, he may have been absent in body, but not in spirit (1 Thes. 2:17). As a minister of the Gospel, Paul greatly desired to go to Rome and be instrumental in the salvation of some. In addition, he would have been enabled to encourage and build up the saints. This was not to say that Paul’s visit would be one-sided and that he would not be blessed in turn, for they would also greatly encourage him.
Why, then, had Paul not yet visited this city? Not because he had no desire to do so, and not because he had not attempted to visit these saints. The only reason was that thus far God had prevented him from carrying out his intentions (vv. 13-15). As we know from later events in the life of Paul, God did intend for Paul to visit Rome, but in a way which we would never have expected. He went to Rome with all expenses paid as a guest of the Roman empire.
The Theme of Paul’s Epistle (vv. 16-17)
If in verses 1-15 Paul introduced himself to the Romans, in verses 16-17 he introduced the theme of his epistle. We might summarize this theme in this fashion—the Gospel of Jesus Christ: the Righteousness of God Revealed.
In verse 15 Paul expressed an eagerness to preach the Gospel—an eagerness all too frequently lacking in Christians today. What was it that made the apostle tick? What was the driving force behind Paul’s desire to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ? Paul has already stated that one reason is that he has been called by God to this task (v. 1). But in addition to this, there are two good reasons given in verses 16 and 17 which should motivate any Christian to share the Gospel with others.
(1) The Gospel Is the Revelation to Men of God’s Provision for Salvation (v. 16). In verse 16 Paul wrote: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to every one who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” We are compelled to preach the gospel to men simply because it is the means by which men come to a knowledge of salvation. Later in this epistle, Paul wrote: “How then shall they call upon Him in whom they have not believed? And how shall they believe in Him whom they have not heard. And how shall they hear without a preacher?” (Romans 10:14). The only way men can come to salvation is by hearing the Gospel proclaimed. In addition, the Gospel itself is powerful to save. It is not our persuasiveness that saves men; it is the Gospel itself that is powerful. Proclaiming the Gospel is like letting a lion out of its cage. Once the lion is out, he needs no help from us. We as Christians are not called upon to defend the Gospel so much as we are to declare it. When it is turned loose, it will take care of itself.
(2) The Gospel Is the Revelation to Men of God’s Righteousness (v. 17). Every committed evangelical should be quick to admit that the proclamation of the Gospel is essential for the salvation of men, but all too few seem to comprehend that the proclamation of the Gospel is also the presentation of the righteousness of God. The Gospel declares men to be sinners under the wrath and condemnation of a righteous and holy God. God’s ultimate purpose is not so much to save men as it is to demonstrate and declare His righteousness, not only to men, but to the angelic hosts (cf. Eph. 3:8-10). If the proclamation of the Gospel declares the righteousness of God to men, God’s ultimate purpose in the world is realized. We can therefore proclaim the Gospel with confidence, knowing first of all that it is the Gospel itself which has the power to save men, and not we ourselves, and second, that God is glorified in our proclamation even when men reject our message.
There are two very significant applications to what Paul has written in verses 16 and 17. The first is that whenever we distort the Gospel of Jesus Christ we also diminish the righteousness of God as revealed in the Gospel. The tone of the Gospel today is nothing like what is revealed in Scripture. The modern ‘gospel’ portrays God as being more lonely and in need of our companionship than righteously angered by our sin. Man is not represented as a rebel under the wrath of God and destined for eternal torment, but rather as one who could use a little assistance in making his life more fulfilling and satisfying. In this kind of gospel, we defame the righteousness of God, rather than declare it.
The second implication I would draw from what Paul has said is that failing to share the Gospel of Jesus Christ with men not only withholds from them the only way of salvation, it also withholds from God the glory due to His name through the proclamation of His Gospel. When we keep silent with the Gospel we are robbing men of the opportunity to hear God’s provision of salvation, and we are robbing God of the glory due to His name through the preaching of the Gospel.
The Argument of the Book of Romans
We are told that a good teacher begins by telling you what he is going to say, then he tells you, and finally he reviews by repeating what he has said. Before we begin to analyze the various parts of Romans, I want to preview the book with a survey of the argument of the entire work. It is possible, believe it or not, to summarize the message of Romans with five words: Condemnation (chapters 1-3a), Justification (chapters 3b-5), Sanctification (chapters 6-8), Dispensation (chapters 9-11), Application (chapters 12-16).
Condemnation (1:18–3:20)
Someone has said that it is harder to get a person lost than it is to get him saved. There is a certain amount of truth in this statement, and it helps us to grasp why the apostle begins the book on a rather negative note. Man is brought to the realization that he is utterly and completely lost and destined to eternal condemnation due to his sin. The ‘righteousness’ which man offers to God as the work of his own hands is unacceptable to God. Whether it be the pagan in the jungles of Africa or the sophisticated Jewish priest, striving to keep the Law of the Old Testament, every man is in rebellion against God, and demonstrates his rebellion by rejecting the revelation which God has given to man of Himself.
The pagan. has rejected the revelation of the power and divine nature of God in creation. Instead of worshipping the Creator, he has chosen to worship the creation. Not only has this man twisted the revelation of God in creation, he has also corrupted and perverted the use of God’s creation. All of this is ample evidence which justifies the condemnation of God (Romans 1:18-32).
More enlightened sinners also fall under the wrath of God. They are quick to condemn others, yet they do not live up to the standards which they hold for the conduct of those they condemn. Worst of all is the self-righteous Jew who prides himself because of his possession of the Law, yet who fails to live according to its requirements (Romans 2).
Paul’s conclusion is summarized in chapter 3: “As it is written, There is none righteous, not even one. … Because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin” (Romans 3:10, 20).
Justification (3:21–5:21)
If man’s righteousness served only to condemn him before God, God’s righteousness in the person of Jesus Christ saves men from the wrath of God. What men could never do to please God, God provided in Jesus Christ. He satisfied all the requirements of the Law. He bore the penalty and punishment for man’s sins. He provided a righteousness acceptable to God. “But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe …” (Romans 3:21, 22a).
The principle of ‘justification by faith’ expounded by Paul in the third chapter is not in any way inconsistent with the teaching of the Old Testament. To demonstrate this, Paul, in the fourth chapter, used the example of Abraham to prove that even in the old dispensation men were saved, not on the basis of works, but on the basis of faith. Justification by faith is not only consistent with the past, it is persistent in the future. In chapter 5, Paul argues that God’s love in seeking us out for salvation while we were still His enemies assures us of the perseverance of our salvation now that we are His children.
Sanctification (6:1–8:39)
The doctrine of justification states that we are saved from the penalty of our sins. The doctrine of sanctification goes further in assuring us that we are also saved from the power of our sin nature. This means that God has not only provided a remedy for past sins, but has also made it possible to live a life which is pleasing to Him, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
In chapter 6 Paul urged the Christian to live a godly life on the basis of his position in Christ. Since we have died to sin in Jesus Christ, we should no longer live in sin. Since we have been raised to newness of life in Christ, we should live righteously before men and before God.
Chapter 7 presents the real ‘fly in the ointment.’ Although we know that we should live righteously, we simply cannot do it. What we know we should do, we don’t. What we desperately want to avoid, those things we somehow seem to do. The problem is that the flesh is weak and incapable of producing righteousness. The flesh is subject to the stronger power of sin which still dwells in the Christian. In order to live a life pleasing to God, there must be a new source of power.
That power is not inherent in man. Just as a man or woman can do nothing to earn their salvation, so they can not produce righteousness in their lives, even as Christians. The solution to the dilemma is the provision of God in the person of the Holy Spirit. God has provided the Holy Spirit to produce in the life of the Christian practical righteousness:
There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, in order that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit (Romans 8:1-4).
Dispensation (9:1–11:36)
This Gospel of Jesus Christ is truly wonderful, but how does it relate to the Old Testament, to the Jews, to all of the prophecies concerning Israel yet unfilled? Has God given up on Israel? The answer to these questions is found in chapters 9-11.
In chapter 9 Paul began to answer the question from the divine perspective. God has always operated by the principle of election. The reason why so many Jews have not turned to faith in Jesus Christ as Messiah is because God has not chosen them. They trusted in the fact that they were the physical descendants of Abraham, but the history of the nation reveals that this has never been the basis for God’s choosing. God has chosen a small remnant, and to this remnant He will fulfill His promises.
While God had not chosen all Israelites for salvation, neither had these unbelieving Jews chosen to trust in Christ as their Messiah. They sought to establish their own righteousness before God rather than to accept the righteousness which God had provided in Jesus Christ (Romans 10:3, 4). While chapter 9 asserted that only those who were chosen could believe, chapter 10 assures us that all who call upon the name of the Lord for salvation shall be saved (v. 13).
While chapter 9 views the problem of Israel’s rejection from the standpoint of election and chapter 10 from the viewpoint of human rejection, chapter 11 draws the whole thing together by stressing the purpose of God in Israel’s rejection. God intended that the Jews would reject Messiah in order to save multitudes of Gentiles. But the salvation of the Gentiles will in turn provoke the Jews to jealousy which will incline them back to their Messiah. God is not through with Israel, but will in days to come restore them to their former place and will fulfill all the promises He made to them through the prophets. The rejection of the Jews has brought about the acceptance of the Gentiles; and the acceptance of the Gentiles will, in the providence of God, turn the Jews back to their Messiah. God is working all things together for our good and His glory!
Application (12:1–16:27)
The theological foundation has been laid. Now the apostle moves to the practical outworking of righteousness in the life of the Christian. The initial response of the Christian to the grace of God should be the dedication of himself to God as a living sacrifice. The only reasonable act of worship is that which begins with the sacrifice of self in devoted service to God. Since every Christian has a different capacity for service due to differing spiritual gifts, the Christian must first of all exercise his renewed mind in the contemplation of the capacities for service which God has given and then devote himself to those ministries.
Beyond our commitment of self-sacrifice and service in the area of our gifts, we also have responsibilities to the body of our Lord in general. We are exhorted to love one another, to rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep (Romans 12:15). Not only are we responsible to ‘one another’ we have an obligation to those who are our enemies. To these we are obliged to avoid retaliation and to do good to those who oppose us (Romans 12:17-21).
Our obligation is one that I view in concentric circles of responsibility. The center of our obligation is to God, in self-sacrifice and service. The ripple effect extends to the exercise of our gifts, the service of the brethren, even kindness to the lowly and our enemies. Beyond this there is the sphere of responsibility which we have to society and human institutions. We are obliged to express our submission to God by being obedient to the government which God has ordained. In addition to legal obligations, such as obeying the laws of the land and paying our taxes, we have moral obligations as well. Even when the state may legalize immorality, it is the obligation of the Christian to abstain from the evils of drunkenness, sensuality and lust (Romans 13:8-14).
The righteousness of God is to be exhibited in the lives of the saints in all of these areas previously mentioned, in personal service to God, in the exercise of our spiritual gifts, in ministry to one another, in kindness to all men, in obedience to the state and in keeping the moral law. In addition to these ‘clear cut’ responsibilities, the Christian is to demonstrate righteousness in what might be called the ‘gray’ areas of life—that is in the areas of dispute between Christians. How, for example, should a Christian respond to another brother who feels strongly that it is wrong to eat meat, or to one who feels it is wrong to drink wine? How should we relate to a believer who has strong convictions which we think have no biblical basis? Paul’s answer in chapter 14 and the first six verses of chapter 15 is that we should accept the ‘Weaker brother’ and conduct ourselves in such a way as to build him up and encourage him rather than to criticize, condemn and change him. The law of love dictates that we should avoid the exercise of any right which will cause another brother to stumble in his faith.
The final chapters of the book have been referred to as an epilogue. In the remaining verses of chapter 15, Paul speaks first with respect to the biblical basis for his ministry to the Gentiles (vv. 7-21) and then in regard to his plans for future ministry (vv. 22-33).
Chapter 16 is dominated by a wealth of personal greetings, revealing the intimate knowledge of the apostle with the needs of individuals in the body at Rome. Paul’s ministry was not primarily one directed to the masses, but to men and women individually. This conclusion reminds us of the great importance of people-to-people ministry.
Conclusion
We are conditioned to think of the Gospel in terms of ‘the gospels’ of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, but in my estimation, there is no statement of the Gospel more clearly and logically presented by the apostle Paul than in the Book of Romans. I hope you desire to study this book as much as I do to teach it. I pray that you will never be the same for having done so.
1 F. F. Bruce, The Epistle of Paul to the Romans (Grand Rapids: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1963), p. 60.
2 Augustine, Confessions, viii. 29, as quoted by Bruce, p. 58.
3 Luther’s Works, Weimar Edition, Vol. 54, pp. 179ff., quoted by Bruce, p. 59.
5 Quoted by J. Sidlow Baxter, Explore the Book (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1960), Vol. 6, p. 66.
Related Topics: Introductions, Arguments, Outlines
3. No Excuse for the Heathen (Romans 1:18-32 )
Introduction
This past week the lot fell to me to be on jury duty. After a long morning of waiting in a smoke-filled room I jumped at the chance of getting out into the warmth of the sun during lunch hour. I sat down on a park bench outside the courthouse and continued to study for this message on Romans 1.
Just as I was beginning to get into my reading a couple of ‘knights of the road’ came with their wine bottle and sat down beside me. After I had declined ‘a little drink’ a time or two, they became curious as to what I was trying so hard to study. I told them I was preparing to preach a sermon on Romans 1. After some discussion, I read them these words from that chapter: “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness …” (Romans 1:18).
It wasn’t too long before one of the men decided it was time to get up and go buy another bottle of wine, as they had already consumed the first. Now the man who got up and left said that he had a degree in engineering and had been making $144,000 a year. He said when he got to the top of the ladder of success and saw what it was like he decided he preferred life at the bottom of the ladder and has continued there ever since. He knew a great deal about Christianity and said his former wife was still prominent in Christian circles.
Now this text in Romans 1 is very relevant to these two winos for it depicts their situation to a ‘T.’ But it is important to us as well for it plainly answers one of the questions most frequently asked by the unsaved, “How can a God of love condemn to eternal torment those who have never heard the name of Jesus Christ?”
Romans 1 is also important to us because ever since the inception of the theory of evolution, some theologians have applied this erroneous theory to religion, positing an upward rise of religion from very primitive and pagan origins to that which is more refined and dignified. Religion, they would have us believe, began in the slime of polytheism and slowly emerged into monotheism.
Paul says this is not so, for in this first chapter of Romans he gives us a historical sketch of religion. He maintains that religion was at the beginning monotheistic, and that man, when he turned from God’s view of Himself in creation, twisted and perverted pure religion into various forms of error and confusion.
God’s Revelation in Nature
There is available to every man a certain knowledge of God. This knowledge is attainable by observing the handiwork of God in creation. Just as we can learn much of a writer by studying his work, or of a painter by his paintings, so, also, we can learn of God from His handiwork, His creation. We may learn, Paul says in verse 20, of God’s eternal power and of His divine nature. Who can look at the raging power of the Niagara Falls and not be struck with the power of the One Who created them? Who can study the power of the atom and not be impressed with the infinite power of the Creator? And who can ponder creation without concluding that someone far greater than mortal man was the originator of it all?
As the Psalmist put it long ago: “The heavens are telling of the glory of God; And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands. Day to day pours forth speech, And night to night reveals knowledge” (Psalm 19:1, 2). The witness of creation to its Creator has been acknowledged by many great minds.
Dr. Horstmann testified, “My scientific conscience forbids me not to believe in God.”6
Pasteur concurred, “Just because I reflected I remained a believer.”7
Dr. A. Nueberg agrees when he says, “God is the cause of all things, and whoever thinks in terms of cause and effect thinks in the direction of God.”8
Even an unbeliever like Voltaire confessed, “I do not know what I should think about the world. I cannot believe this clock exists without a clockmaker.”9
Granted, there are some who are students of creation, but who do not seem to be able to look beyond to the Creator. They look at creation in the way a glass-maker analyzes the glass in a display window. They note its thickness and freedom from distortion. They observe the size and quality of the glass and the way it is framed. But they fail to look through the glass to the display behind, the true purpose of the glass being overlooked.10
Man’s Response to God’s Natural Revelation
Man's proper response to the revelation of God should have been worship and grateful acknowledgment: “For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God, or give thanks …” (Romans 1:21a).
Man’s response to natural revelation is three-fold. First of all is the initial act of rejection: Men simply refuse to accept God as He has revealed Himself. Paul tells us in verse 18 that men “… suppress the truth in unrighteousness.” They refuse God as He is. How often we consider the problem of the heathen to be lack of revelation. We somehow view God as withholding revelation essential to the salvation of the pagan. But Paul describes the heathen as having confined God's revelation to a box of their own making, and piling on the lid of the box their own sins. The pagan’s problem is not the sparsity of revelation, but the suppression of it.
Whenever we reject one explanation of the facts we must necessarily counter with an alternative. This is precisely the situation with the heathen. They have rejected God’s revelation of Himself and they have replaced it with another. The key word here is ‘exchanged’ (vv. 23, 25, 26). Instead of worshipping the God Who made man in His own image, they made gods in their image. They worshipped the creature rather than the Creator. Bad enough to conceive of God in terms of humanity, but they went far beyond this to represent God in terms of the beasts of the earth. The Greeks had their Apollo, the Romans the eagle, the Egyptians the bull, and the Assyrians the serpent. Paul may have been alluding to these ‘gods.’
Not only did the heathen exchange the truth of God for a lie, but they also exchanged the blessings of God in His provision for sexual fulfillment for that which is unnatural and disgusting. “… for their women exchanged the natural function for that which is unnatural, and in the same way also the men abandoned the natural function of the woman and burned in their desire towards one another …” (Romans 1:26b-27a). There is here, I believe, a deadly sequence of events. Rejection of God’s revelation leads to idolatry, and idolatry leads to immorality and man at last plummets into the grossest perversions imaginable.
If you have thought of the heathen as an idolater because he didn’t know any better, Paul insists that he is an idolater because he has refused to know better, suppressing God’s self-revelation.
God’s Response to Man’s Rebellion
We know that these verses in Romans chapter 1 are part of the section on condemnation. Paul is seeking to establish the fact that all men justly deserve the consequences of the eternal wrath of God. The thrust of these verses, however, is not primarily that God will judge the heathen because of his rejection of the truth, but rather that God is judging the heathen for his rebellion and rejection.
The wrath of God, then, is not merely future; it is also present. Men face the consequences for their sins in eternity but also in the present. Paul’s point in this section is not so much that God will punish men because of their idolatry and immorality, but that idolatry and immorality is itself punishment for rejecting divine revelation.
Paul wrote, “For the wrath of God is being revealed from heaven against all the godlessness and wickedness of men who suppress the truth by their wickedness” (Romans 1:18 NIV).
If the key word for the rejection and sin of the heathen is “exchanged,” the key expression for the manifestation of the wrath of God in the present is “gave them over” (vv. 24, 26, 28). Because men rejected what was clearly evident about God, God gave men over to idolatry, immorality and perversion. As men practice these things they are getting what they deserve: “Therefore God gave them over in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, that their bodies might be dishonored among them” (Romans 1:24). “… receiving in their own persons the due penalty of their error” (Romans 1:27b).
To a great extent, the judgment of God is getting exactly what we want. Men reject God’s revelation of Himself and God gives men over to idolatry. Men reject God and His purposes for men and God gives man over to practice the unnatural. Not only is this so in the present; it will be so in the future.
In the time of the great tribulation, God will allow men to do as they please. He will remove all restraints. But men will learn that there is no joy or pleasure possible when each seeks his own pleasure at the expense of others. Men want God to leave them alone; they want none of His controls. So God removes His controlling and restraining hand (Colossians 1:16, 17) and the universe begins to fall apart at the seams (Matthew 24:29). Men wish God to leave them alone, and God gives them an eternity of separation from Himself (2 Thessalonians 1:9).
What an awesome thought. Hell is getting exactly what we want. And on the reverse side of the coin, how grateful we Christians should be to our heavenly Father Who has and will withhold much of what we ask for, for our own good.
Paul’s point is simply this: God is righteous in His expression of wrath on the heathen, for they have rejected God’s revelation of Himself in creation. The evidence of God’s wrath is seen in idolatry, immorality and perversion.
Principles From this Passage
From this passage we may extract a number of important principles which apply not only to the heathen in Africa, but to us as well.
(1) God is just in condemning the heathen. Paul has proven that God is righteous and just in condemning the heathen, for they have rejected God’s revelation in creation. The revelation which the heathen rejected was not sufficient for salvation, but it was adequate for condemnation. If I were to ask you for a nickel and you refused, what good would it be to ask for a quarter, a dollar, or $1,000? Our response to God’s revelation in nature is evidence of our response to any amount of revelation. Our Lord said to the rich man in Sheol, concerning his lost relatives, “… If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, neither will they be persuaded if someone rises from the dead” (Luke 16:31).
Our response to divine revelation reveals the condition of our hearts toward God, and the condition of our hearts determines our response to any revelation we receive. The scribes and Pharisees refused to believe the claims of our Lord in spite of insurmountable evidence.
But what of someone who does respond positively to the revelation of God in nature? We would be correct to assume that those whose hearts God opens will be given the necessary revelation of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Such was the case with a man like Cornelius. He was told by an angel, “Your prayers and alms have ascended as a memorial before God” (Acts 10:4b). Because he responded to the revelation of God that was available, God gave full revelation which led to the salvation of Cornelius and his household.
One further thing concerning the heathen which should be helpful. Since the Bible teaches that there are degrees of punishment for the wicked, proportionate to the amount of revelation they have received (Luke 12:47, 48), then it is an act of grace that God has not revealed more than He has to the heathen.
I must also say that although we should be concerned for the heathen across the sea, I am, as a good friend of mine would say, “More concerned about the pagan across the table, than the one across the sea.” For you, my friend, have far more knowledge for which you must give account to God.
(2) God punishes sin with sin. We have often been accustomed to thinking of sin in terms of drunkenness, immorality and perversion. Now, of course, this is sin, but the root sin is the sin of unbelief. Often the sins of immorality and perversion are in reality God’s judgment in the present for men’s rebellion against Himself. If the sin of unbelief results in the sin of immorality, we should also recognize that the morality of any person, any people, any nation will not be improved significantly apart from revival and conversion.
(3) Man is not religiously (or any other way) evolving upward, but downward. Paul’s historical sketch of heathen religion is evidence that man’s religion has degenerated in proportion to his rejection of God’s revelation.
(4) Idolatry and unbelief are evil bed-fellows. Paul indicates a direct relationship between unbelief and idolatry (vv. 21-23). We would not be correct in thinking, however, that idolatry is only practiced with images of stone or clay, for idolatry, at its heart, is fashioning God in our own image. Idolatry is sinful because it fails to do justice to God’s perfection. Idolatry misrepresents God, often distorting His character as a cartoonist characterizes the features of a prominent personality. But we distort God with wrong concepts and wrong theology just as much as we do with physical likenesses which have no resemblance. Theology is simply a word-picture of God. If we are wrong here, we are idolaters.
I say this because I often hear people say things like this: “I like to think of God as a God of love. I can’t conceive of this kind of God sending anyone to hell.” We have thus made God in our image according to our preferences. And at the same time we have turned away from the revelation of God in creation and in the Bible. Beware of theological idolatry.
(5) Homosexuality is an evidence of the wrath of God on sin. We all know of recent attempts to liberalize our thinking concerning homosexuality. Worse yet this is being done under the banner of Christianity.11 In no uncertain terms Paul has identified homosexuality as sin, and has also implied that the predominance of homosexuality in any society is a sign of God’s present and future judgment. It is historically the ear-mark of a decadent society.
When I think of this matter of homosexuality I cannot help but recall a letter to the editor in a recent issue of The Wittenburg Door:
You have often supported the cause of the Christian feminists with a compassion for them and their struggle with the Apostle Paul. It is my hope that you have the same compassion for the Christian gays which we represent. Homosexuality can be sinful, but it can be Christian as well. Any form of sexuality (homo or hetero) can be abused, but it can also be used for the glory of God and the blessing of God’s people. I would be interested in sharing more if you are interested. I only hope that you have some compassion for the gays who struggle with Paul and who love the Lord Jesus Christ.12
What is the basic issue involved here? The same as with the feminist movement. It is the issue of our response to the inspired, inerrant, infallible, authoritative Word of God. Their struggle is not with Paul alone; it is with the Word of God. Rejection of His Word opens the door to every kind of evil. Some have gone too far in teaching that since homosexuality is a manifestation of the judgment of God, the homosexual is beyond hope. This does not square with what Paul wrote elsewhere:
Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you but you were washed, but you were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God (1 Corinthians 6:9-11, emphasis mine).
The most cruel and inhumane thing we can do to the homosexual is to deny that his problem is one of sin. Medical science and psychiatry have almost no hope for the homosexual. But Jesus Christ died that we might be freed from sin. If homosexuality is sin, then, my friend, there is a sure solution.13
(6) An inference concerning infants who die. There is in these first chapters of Romans an inference concerning infants who die before they are confronted with the claims of Christ. In every instance, the apostle Paul defends the righteousness of God in condemning the sinner because he (or she) has had some revelation which has been rejected. I would understand, by inference, that an infant who has not had any revelation concerning God or the ability to reasonably respond to it would not fall under the condemnation of God. On the basis of Romans 5, I would understand children and imbeciles to be covered by the blood of Christ. We serve a God Who is gracious and compassionate, a God of mercy.
There is no question about it in the mind of Paul; even the ignorant heathen is found guilty of rejecting God and His revelation in creation. If there is no excuse for him, there will be no excuse for us, and this Paul will make plain in the next section.
6 Quoted by Eric Sauer, The King of the Earth (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1962), p. 154.
10 “A glass window stands before us. We raise our eyes and see the glass; we note its quality, and observe its defects; we speculate on its composition. Or we look straight through it on the great prospect of land and sea and sky beyond. So there are two ways of looking at the world. We may see the world and absorb ourselves in the wonders of nature. That is the scientific way. Or we may look right through the world and see God behind it. That is the religious way.
“The scientific way of looking at the world is not wrong any more them the glass-manufacturer’s way of looking at the window. This way of looking at things has its very important uses. Nevertheless the window was placed there not to be looked at but to be looked through; and the world has failed of its purpose unless it too is looked through and the eye rests not on it but on its God. Yes, its God; for it is of the essence of the religious view of things that God is seen in all that is and in all that occurs. The universe is his, and in all its movements speaks of him, because it does only his will.” Benjamin B. Warfield, “Some Thoughts on Predestination,” Selected Shorter Writings of Benjamin B. Warfield (Nutley, N.J.: Presbyterian and Reformed Pub. Co., 1970), Vol. I, p. 108.
11 This is illustrated by a book which will be released this year by Harper entitled Is the Homosexual My Neighbor? Note the comments of this review in The Christian Newsletter: “The authors claim homosexuality is morally permissible, even if not commendable, when confined to a covenant relationship where partners are faithful to each other. They stress that evangelicals have yet to deal adequately with the issue.
“In reinterpreting Bible passages on homosexuality, the authors take on the church’s historic understanding of the issue. They proclaim: l) the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah was not homosexuality but “forced sexual activity” and inhospitality; 2) the Levitical injunction against homosexuality is as meaningless as injunctions against eating rare meat or wearing mixed fabrics; and 3) Paul’s admonishment against homosexuality was against a particular kind of homosexual act.
“Scanzoni and Mollenkott suggest that while homosexual relations may not be God’s ideal, some accommodation needs to be made in a fallen world. They write, ‘Stable homosexual relationships could be said to lie within the permissive will of God to persons incapable of heterosexual rezationships.’ While their conclusions are couched in ‘maybes’ and ‘could bes,’ their purpose is to loosen evangelicals from their traditional approach to a more ‘accepting’ position.” “Gleanings,” Evangelical Newsletter, Jan. 27, 1978, pp. 2-3.
12 “Letters,” The Wittenburg Door, April-May 1977, p. 6.
13 “In verse 26 Paul speaks of homosexuality as a “degrading passion,” in verse 27, as an “indecent act” and “an error,” in verse 28, the improper activity of a “depraved mind,” and in verse 32, declares it is “worthy of death.” One is not a homosexual constitutionally any more than one is an adulterer constitutionally. Homosexuality is not considered to be a condition, but an act. It is viewed as a sinful practice which can become a way of life. The homosexual act, like the act of adultery, is the reason for calling one a homosexual (of course one may commit homosexual sins of the heart, just as one may commit adultery in his heart. He may lust after a man in his heart as another may lust after a woman). But precisely because homosexuality, like adultery, is learned behavior into which men with sinful natures are prone to wander, homosexuality can be forgiven in Christ, and the pattern can be abandoned and in its place proper patterns can be reestablished by the Holy Spirit. Some homosexuals have lost hope because of the reluctance of Christian counselors to represent homosexuality as sin.” Quote by Jay E. Adams, Competent to Counsel (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1970), p. 139.
Related Topics: Hamartiology (Sin), Soteriology (Salvation), Homosexuality, Lesbianism
4. No Excuse for the Jews (Romans 2)
Introduction
When I was a youngster in elementary school I had the unique experience of attending school where my father was a teacher. I suppose in the eyes of some of my classmates that could be viewed as a somewhat privileged position. Fellow students would be reluctant to beat me up, even if I deserved it, for fear of facing the wrath of my dad.
There were times when, at least in my mind, the fact that my father was a teacher gave me some kind of an edge with other teachers. Some of them were personal friends of my father and so I knew them on a first-name basis, at least until I was instructed otherwise.
Then again I was aware that teachers were human and even had a weakness or two. I remember having a sheltered young woman as a teacher during her first year of teaching. She had ‘novice’ written all over her. Unfortunately, I did not have the wisdom or the humanity to come to her aid, and, in fact, was the ringleader in giving her a rough time. Some years later I had the unusual opportunity to go back to my home town and teach with some of my former teachers. They told me that every lunch hour they would emotionally prepare her to face me the coming period. I suspect this poor woman left the teaching profession, partly due to my influence.
But one lesson I learned very quickly about being a teacher’s kid; it didn’t impress my father. A friend and I had been selected as projectionists for our school, which enabled us to move freely about the school. One thing we were not supposed to do was to be in a certain wing of the school. One day we decided to do it anyway and were racing each other down the hallway. I skillfully manipulated a corner without overturning projector and cart only to end up running into my father. It was then I learned that my father was not impressed with the fact that I was his son. I can assure you my punishment was considerably more severe than any other student would have received. In fact my father thought that my being his son entitled him to expect more of me than the other students.
The Jews were as wrong in presuming upon their unique status as a nation as I was. They thought that their privileged position exempted them from the judgment of God. They thought their eternal salvation was secure, solely on the basis of their nationality, because they were the offspring of Abraham.
The reading of Romans 1 would not disturb the Jew; it would delight him. They relished the thought of the heathen, getting his due and spending eternity apart from God. It never occurred to the Jew until it was too late that in chapter 1 Paul was setting the trap for his smugly complacent Jewish readers.
Yes, the heathen did deserve the wrath of God, for they were guilty of rejecting and suppressing the revelation of God evident in creation (Romans 1:18-20). This revelation was not sufficient to save, but it was sufficient to condemn. By rejecting the revelation of God’s eternal power and divine nature, the heathen have revealed the condition of their hearts toward God. And the condition of our hearts determines our response to any degree of revelation.
Man’s present condition as described in verses 29-31 is not simply a result of his personal rejection of God, but is a manifestation of the wrath of God on all mankind because from the time of the fall of man, man has rejected God’s self-revelation and exchanged it for his own estimation of God. Because of men’s rejection, God has given man over to his own sinful passions. Thus man is the product of the rejection of his predecessors as well as his own response to God’s self-revelation (Romans 1:21-28).
In the first sixteen verses of chapter 2, Paul does not name his opponent, but establishes the principles of divine judgment by which the Jew is clearly condemned. In verses 17-29 the Jew comes under the spotlight of God’s judgment and is found guilty.
Principles of Divine Judgment
(2:1-16)
As we can easily discern, Paul does not immediately point his finger at the Jew as the object of his attention. But it becomes evident at verse 17 that this has been his purpose from the outset of the chapter. Some have understood the first 16 verses of the second chapter as directed toward the Gentile moralist, the up-and-outer. Such is not the case for Paul simply continues to lay the foundation for his pointed accusations at the end of this section on condemnation. Verses 1-16 provide a basis for evaluating the righteousness of the Jews. We shall focus upon five principles of divine judgment for by these five standards the righteousness of the Jew will be measured.
(1) God’s judgment of men is according to our own standards (Romans 2:1). The Jews have eagerly consented to the condemnation of the Gentiles. They even delighted in it. The Jew had gladly assumed the seat of the judge. He pronounced the Gentiles guilty of God’s eternal wrath. He sentenced them to eternal torment. In this the Jew has already condemned himself, for he has placed himself under his own standards. Our Lord taught, “Do not judge lest you be judged yourselves. For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it shall be measured to you” (Matthew 7:1, 2).
By this our Lord meant that when we set ourselves over others as their judge, we have imposed upon ourselves the same standard of measurement. In our days of situational ethics and relativity, some tell us that they do not feel it is wrong to commit adultery or to steal. We can well afford to be broad-minded concerning our own conduct, but if we are consistent then we must agree that it is acceptable for others to steal from us or to violate the sanctity of our marriage.
God is not so interested in the standards we set for ourselves as those we set for others. It is by these standards that we ourselves will be judged by God. Very few of us would wish to be judged by these standards, but the Scriptures tell us this is the case.
Since the Jews have enthusiastically condemned the Gentiles, they have assumed for themselves the same standards. Shortly, Paul will bear down on these standards.
(2) God’s judgment of men is according to our works (Romans 2:5-11). All of us would prefer to be judged in accordance with what we profess rather than according to what we practice. There is a world of difference between what we say and what we do. If there is any doubt in your mind, simply ask your children. The Jew would have delighted to be judged by their doctrinal statements; in fact, that is what they relied upon.
Furthermore, the Jew expected to be judged according to his standing as a descendant of Abraham. They supposed that being the seed of Abraham was all that was required for entrance into the Kingdom of Heaven.
Paul blasted the false expectations of his Jewish readers when he wrote,
But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds: to those who by perseverance in doing good seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life; but to those who are selfishly ambitious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, wrath and indignation. There will be tribulation and distress for every soul of man who does evil, of the Jew first and also of the Greek, but glory and honor and peace to every man who does good, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For there is no partiality with God (Romans 2:5-11).
But with all the emphasis in the Bible on faith, why is a man judged according to his deeds? Although a man is saved on the basis of faith, he is condemned on the basis of his works: “And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds” (Revelation 20:12).
You see, when a man or woman rejects the righteousness which God has provided as a free gift in Jesus Christ, he, in effect, chooses to establish his own righteousness, and this can be judged only on a performance basis. So Paul establishes that one principle upon which condemnation is administered is that a man’s righteousness is measured by his works.
We should say in agreement with James that the measure of one’s faith is his works. As James wrote, “… Faith without works is useless” (James 2:20b). The genuineness of our faith is revealed by the quality of our works. So a man is judged according to his works. The second principle, then, for the judgment of man is that he is judged according to his works.
(3) God’s judgment of man is according to the revelation we possess (Romans 2:12). If the judgment of God is to be fair, it must account for the amount of revelation that a man has. The revelation available to the heathen is that evident in creation, attesting to the eternal power and divine nature of God (1:20). The Jew, on the other hand, has the written revelation of the Old Testament. Not only is the nature of God described, but also His moral requirements are prescribed, and the way of salvation declared. God judges every man according to what he knows of divine revelation: “For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law; and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law” (Romans 2:12).
(4) God’s judgment of man is impartial (Romans 2:3, 11). Somehow the Jew had it in his mind that God was playing favorites. The Jew thought he had a corner on the market when it came to salvation. Paul declares that the judgment of God is impartial and that the Jew should not expect special treatment:
And do you suppose this, O man, when you pass judgment upon those who practice such things and do the same yourself, that you will escape the judgment of God? (Romans 2:3).
For there is no partiality with God (Romans 2:11).
God does not play favorites; the fact that a man is a Jew will in no way influence the verdict of God. No one will go to heaven because Abraham was his father, nor will any one be kept out because he was not. God’s judgment of men is impartial.
(5) God’s judgment must not be confused with His longsuffering and mercy (Romans 2:4-5). While the wrath of God is presently evident upon the Gentile heathen (Romans 1:17, 27), the Jew may be tempted to misinterpret the momentary absence of judgment on the Jew. The absence of present judgment for sin is not to be understood as God overlooking the sins of His chosen people. God does not look down on the sins of the Jews, shake His head, and say in effect, “Boys will be boys.”
The manifestation of the wrath of God has been delayed because of God’s mercy and longsuffering. The delay is to give men the opportunity to repent, not to encourage them to keep sinning. To fail to repent is to spurn God’s mercy and to store up future judgment on ourselves.
Or do you think lightly of the riches of His kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and unrepentant heart you are storing up wrath for yourself in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God (Romans 2:4-5).
These, then, are the principles which govern God’s judgment on men, and these are the standards by which the Jew, as well as the Gentile, is to be measured. In verses 17-29, Paul applies these standards and finds the Jew equally guilty with the Gentiles before God.
The Jews Found Guilty
(2:17-29)
Paul sets out in these last verses of chapter 2 to point out all that the Jew relied upon for righteousness before God. He shows that these prove to be no means of providing righteousness, but rather are a millstone about their necks, making them more guilty than the pagans they so enthusiastically condemned.
(1) The Jew and the Law (Romans 2:17-24). If there was one thing the Jew prided himself on, it was his possession of the Law. It was delivered to Jews, through Jews. It had been preserved and passed down by Jews. The Jews felt that mere possession of the Law constituted righteousness.
Verses 17-20 grant that the Jew not only possesses the Law, but understands it so fully that they are able to communicate it to others. However, man’s righteousness does not result from possessing the Law; it comes from practicing the Law. So Paul turns the tables on his audience when he writes, “You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one should not steal, do you steal? You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?” (Romans 2:21-22).
The Law sets the standards of righteousness for men. Mere possession of that Law does not constitute men as righteous in the eyes of God. To be a custodian of God’s Law was indeed a great privilege, but Paul reminds the Jew that with this privilege comes that added responsibility of greater knowledge.
The Jews’ pride in the Law was ill-founded, for they did not keep the requirements of the Law. They not only failed to live by the Law, they failed to live righteously before the Gentiles. They who were so quick to condemn the Gentiles were slow to confess that because of their sinfulness and rebellion the name of God was blasphemed among the Gentiles (Romans 2:24).
This quotation from Isaiah 52:5 was a reference to the fact that during the Babylonian exile of the Jews the humiliation of the nation, Israel, was such that the Gentiles mocked their God, Whom they thought was unable to deliver His people. The application to Israel’s present condition was similar. The rebellion of Israel against God again brought the disciplinary hand of God to the extent that the Jews and their God were lightly esteemed, even a mockery among the nations. Israel was to bring glory to God, but her rebellion and chastening made them a mockery. God’s name, which the Jews esteemed so highly that they would not even pronounce it, was a byword among the heathen because of Israel’s sin.
(2) The Jew and Circumcision (Romans 2:25-27). There are many through the history of mankind who have regarded religion as primarily a matter of ceremony and ritual. The rite upon which the Jew rested his standing before God was circumcision. This rite will be fully discussed by Paul in chapter 4, but here Paul makes the point that circumcision is an outward act which symbolizes some inward reality. The rite has no value without the reality.
Circumcision was the sign of the Old Testament covenant between God and His people. The covenant obligations of the Jew were prescribed by the Law. But in failing to keep the Law the Jews indicated their rejection of the covenant, and thus the rite of circumcision was a meaningless act. It is like one who puts on a wedding band as he makes a marriage covenant with his bride. The ring itself is nothing but a symbol. It has great value if the vows are kept, but it is an empty sham if the vows are violated and set aside.
As one may be married without the presence of a ring, so one may be in relationship with God without circumcision. Any Gentile who could keep the requirements of the Law would be reckoned as one who had received the rite of circumcision for the reality was present without the symbol. But the symbol apart from the reality is worthless.
(3) Spirituality versus Superficiality (Romans 2:28-29). The entire issue with the Jews can be summarized in terms of spirituality and superficiality. The Jew was relying on superficialities for his righteous standing before God. He relied on his physical relationship to Abraham, on a possession of the Law and in the practice of rites and rituals such as circumcision. But God does not judge on the basis of externals. Righteousness is a matter of the heart. As our Lord had said to the self-righteous Jews of His day, “And He was saying, ‘That which proceeds out of the man, that is what defiles the man. For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed the evil thoughts, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, deeds of coveting and wickedness, as well as deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride and foolishness’” (Mark 7:20-22).
Application
My friend, what is it that you are relying on for right standing before God? When you stand before Him, on what basis will you expect to spend eternity in His heaven?
By the keeping of some set of ethics? You will fail. The kind of righteousness which is necessary to please God is perfect righteousness. If you are trying to keep the Law of God you must keep it in every detail or you fail completely (James 2:10). Do you have some other standard of righteousness? You will not abide by it either, for none of us can live by the standards which we set for others.
Are you trusting in some rite or ritual for right standing before God? They are all meaningless without inner righteousness, demonstrated by our works. Have you been baptized? As a friend of mine says, “You can be baptized until the tadpoles know your Social Security number.” That will never get you to heaven. Have you been christened, confirmed, circumcised, canonized? None of these rites will get you one inch closer to heaven. Church membership, partaking of the Lord’s Table, all of these are of profit if they symbolize your relationship by faith to Jesus Christ.
My friend, if the Jew with all his misdirected zeal cannot be declared righteous before God, neither can you or I. The message of the gospel, the good news, is that what you and I can never earn, God has provided as a gift. If you have come to the point where you acknowledge that you have nothing to commend you to God, nothing which merits your eternity in the presence of God, then accept the righteousness of Jesus Christ by faith. Trust in His sacrifice in your place, and in His righteousness in place of yours, and you will have eternal life.
There is a particularly relevant warning in this passage for those of us who have been exposed to the teaching of the Scriptures. God is not nearly as concerned with what we know about doctrine as He is with what we are doing with what we know. Let us not get puffed up about the knowledge we possess and look down our spiritual noses at the spiritually underprivileged lest we, like the Jews, be found guilty by God.
“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine, and acts upon them, may be compared to a wise man, who built his house upon the rock. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded upon the rock. And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not act upon them, will be like a foolish man, who built his house upon the sand. And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and burst against that house; and it fell, and great was its fall” (Matthew 7:24-27).
Related Topics: Dispensational / Covenantal Theology, Hamartiology (Sin), Soteriology (Salvation)