Romans 2:17-24

Bible Text: Romans 2:17-24 | Preacher: Pastor Mike Hale | Series: Romans

Last week we looked at verses 12-16 of Chapter two of Romans; the priority of
that lesson was no one will be justified by being a Jew or knowing the Law of God, but by being Christ-centered in both thoughts and actions, and doing that which pleases God; for God has placed His Law in the hearts of all people, Jew and Gentile alike.
The Jews took great pride in being the chosen people of God. In the ancient past they were called Hebrews because of the language they spoke. We know the Jews collectively as Israel, the nation that came through Jacob (whose name was changed by God to Israel = wrestled with God), Jacob was the son of Isaac, who was born to Abraham (to whom God gave the Covenant and Promise), and from Jacob came the twelve tribes of Israel.
Judah was the son of Jacob through whom the Messiah would come, and Jew is a shortened form of Judah, which means praised.
The nation of Israel, or the Jews, had been set apart by God and through them (Genesis 12:3), “all the families of the earth would be blessed.”
The problem being, the Jews didn’t want to share their God, and in fact, they boasted more about their own self-imposed greatness then they did the God who wanted to make them a great nation that would honor Him.
As heirs of God’s promise through Abraham, the Jews actually believed they would not stand in judgement, based solely upon their ancestry, they believed they would automatically go to heaven.
In John 8:31-32 Jesus said to some Jews, “If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” In verse 33 they answered him, “We are Abraham’s descendants and have never been slaves of anyone. How can you say that we shall be set free?”
They didn’t get it! In John 8:56-59 Jesus said, “ ‘Your father Abraham rejoiced at the thought of seeing my day; he saw it and was glad.’ ‘You are not yet fifty years old,’ the Jews said to him, ‘and you have seen Abraham!’ ‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus answered, ‘before Abraham was born, I am!’ At this, they picked up stones to stone him, but Jesus hid himself, slipping away from the temple grounds.”
The statement-name “I am” (in verse 58) has the root meaning of Jehovah, or Yahweh (see Exodus 3:14). Jesus was clearly saying two things here: 1) He existed before Abraham (some 2000 years before the current time He was speaking), and 2) that He, Jesus, was God’s Son.
Read Romans 2:17-20… Paul says, you call yourself a Jew, saying that you trust and obey God’s Word; but more than that, you are boasting that you have been specially set apart and blessed by God.
You say you have God’s wisdom and therefore you are a leader, a teacher, a guide; in fact, you instruct those who are foolish, and you teach infants, for you say you have all the wisdom and truth of God in the Law, and therefore you do not need anything else, or anyone else!
Read Romans 2:21-22… Paul says to them, you seem to not pay any attention to your own instruction. You proclaim God’s truth to others, but it seems not to apply to you. You tell others it is wrong to steal, but you yourselves are stealing from God.
Malachi 3:8-9, “Will a man rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, ‘How do we rob you?’ ‘In tithes and offerings. You are under a curse–the whole nation of you– because you are robbing Me.’ ”
Matthew 21:12-13, Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. ‘It is written,’ he said to them, ‘My house will be called a house of prayer,’ but you are making it a ‘den of robbers.’ ”
Notice also, in Romans 2:22a Paul says, you teach against adultery, but you also commit adultery.
Matthew 5:27-28, “You have heard that it was said, ‘Do not commit adultery.’ But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” 31, “It has been said, ‘Anyone who divorces his wife must give her a certificate of divorce.’ “
Matthew 19:9, “I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for marital unfaithfulness, and marries another woman commits adultery.”
Notice in Romans 2:22b, Paul basically is saying that although they hate idols, they rob temples of idols for their own gain, taking that which they abhor. Deuteronomy 7:25, “The images of their gods you are to burn in the fire. Do not covet the silver and gold on them, and do not take it for yourselves, or you will be ensnared by it, for it is detestable to the LORD your God.”
It would seem that there were some Jews who, under the guise of destroying pagan idols, were actually gaining wealth for themselves by acquiring and selling these idols, many of which were made of gold, silver, and ivory, perhaps inlaid with valuable stones.
Read Romans 2:23… Although they claimed to be God’s people, even servants of God, they continued to sin, even to the point of becoming desensitized to it.
Over and over again, throughout their long history of war, bondage, exile, and occupation, Israel would turn from, and then cry out to God for help, only to again turn away from God and defile themselves, bringing dishonor and disrespect upon God.
Read Romans 2:24… Paul quotes Isaiah 52:5, as a rebuke on the hypocrisy of the Jews, for they should be bringing praise and honor to God as they worship Him; but instead they bring ridicule and disdain upon God’s name, for they bear His name yet live like it makes no difference; this makes a horrible witness to those who don’t know God, causing them to think even less of this God whose people live in such sin and rebellion.
This is even more true for us as Christians, for we bear the name of Christ and we are to live in such a manner that God is honored, obeyed, praised and worshipped.
We are to live in a manner that aligns with what we say we believe, which is also what we are to be teaching.
The hypocrisy of saying one thing and doing another is damning to the witness of those who profess to have repented of their sins, confessed Christ as Lord, and are seeking to know and to do that which pleases and honors God (cf. Romans 12:1-2; 2Timothy 3:16-17).
When those who call themselves by God’s name are openly godless and sinful: lying , stealing, dishonoring God and showing disdain for His Word — it would be better if they never mentioned any connection with God’s Word, God’s Son, or God’s Church.
Truth be told, the “church” today is full of false converts, unbelievers, and disobedient Christians. If the majority of those who claim to be Christians were genuine believers and followers of Christ, we could set the laws of the land and the moral direction of this once great nation (77% of Americans claim to be Christians).
I believe the best polls show Christians to be more like 25% +/- 5% of our population, atheists, agnostics, and the unbelieving majority, are aggressively trying to marginalize, minimize, and eventually silence, us.
If 77% of US citizens were born-again believers:
Would abortion be allowed to be legal?
Would homosexuality and lesbianism be allowed to be considered as viable
sexual orientations?
Would the sexual union of two men or two women be allowed to even be
considered as a marriage?
NO! NO! and NO!
Christians are exhorted (Galatians 5:25) to “live by the Spirit,” (Ephesians
5:15-18) to, “Be very careful, then, how you live–not as unwise but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil… do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is… be filled with the Spirit,” (Philippians 2:11) says, your “attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus,” and you are (Colossians 3:16) to, “let the word of Christ dwell in you richly.”
These are different ways of stating the very same truth: Christians are to live under the control of the Spirit of God; in direct harmony with the Word of God; following the example set by the Son of God; for we are dearly loved children of God the Father, and we exist to honor, obey, and proclaim His Gift of forgiveness and eternal life.
The Bible commands us to be in fellowship together (Hebrews 10:24-25), “And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds. Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching,”
Coming together on a regular basis with other Christians forces accountability, which can apply pressure on us to live a godly lives.
The Bible tells us (Proverbs 27:17), “as iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another.” You see, as we rub hearts and minds with other Christians, we may find it to be soothing, stimulating, even stretching, as we are prepared to be tools fit for the Master’s use.
We need to make biblical principles our own. The truths we understand best are usually the ones we have studied because of personal need or to teach to others..
We are much less likely to violate a biblical principle that we have told others they should obey.
The more we speak about what we believe, the more accountable we become to fulfill God’s plan and purpose:
Ephesians 4:12-16, “so that the body of Christ may be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into Him who is the Head, that is, Christ. From Him the whole body, joined and held together by every supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its work,” (verses 28-32), “He who has been stealing must steal no longer, but must work, doing something useful with his own hands, that he may have something to share with those in need. Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.”
Pastor Mike