Sermon Notes - Romans 2:17-29 - Salvation by Faith - Littleby Baptist Church - August 25, 2024

 1.        In the first half of chapter two we see a couple of main points from Paul.

a.        God sees all and knows all.

b.       Which means His judgement is based on absolute truth.

c.        We talked about how ancestry does not make it easier or harder for someone.

d.       For some God was revealed through the OT and some He was seen in creation.

e.        Regardless of how we were exposed to God, we have all fallen short of God’s standard.

f.          We have rejected His truth as found in Scripture and in creation around us.

g.         But thankfully Jesus died for us.

h.        He saved all who repent of their sins and turn to Him.

i.          Our job as Christ Followers is to point people to Jesus.

j.          We are to guide, with compassion.

k.        Love them as we help them see the truth.

l.          Point them to Jesus with kindness.

m.     It does not mean we cover up sin.

n.        But it also doesn’t mean we beat them up with it either.

o.        We love them, we walk along side of them, sharing the truth with them.

p.       Praying that they will listen to the words we speak and that the Holy Spirit will change their hearts.

2.        We will see that Paul continues to build on some of the same themes this morning.

3.        He is still addressing the Jewish people in the Roman church.

4.        But there things for all of us to learn from it.

5.        Romans 2:17

a.        This verse is the beginning of a long sentence, but we are going to break it up into several parts.

b.       This confirms that this portion of the letter is directed toward those of Jewish descent.

c.        They relied on the law.

d.       On the surface that sounds good.

e.        It guided them on how to live.

f.          The thing is, they relied on it to the point that they thought it kept them from being judged.

g.        Like it was a special shield that protected them from the wrath of God.

h.        A get of hell free card.

i.          We know now that the law only condemned, it did not help them escape judgement.

j.          The last part of the verse was about the Jews boasting in God.

k.        This could be a good thing or a bad thing.

l.          If we boast in that we are saved by grace through the gift of Jesus… in hopes that others will receive the gift, that is a great thing.

m.     If we boast that we are special as a child of God and are better than others, that is a bad thing.

n.        They were boasting in a bad way.

6.        Romans 2:18

a.        As Jewish people the Word of God was revealed to you.

b.       His knowledge was available to you.

c.        You were to know the things of God.

d.       To understand His will as it was foretold.

e.        They had some of the answers.

f.          Whether they were paying attention or not was another story.

g.        We have the answers, we need to be paying attention.

7.        Now Paul transitions from what would have been blessings the Jewish people received to the benefits of those blessings. 

8.        Romans 2:19

a.        Isaiah 49:6

b.       It was not enough for them to be focused on just their nation and just their people.

c.        They were to be a light for the nations.

d.       I hope that sounds familiar.

e.        As Christ followers we are to be His light for all of the world.  

f.          If they were boasting in God, it was to be in sharing what God has done for the Jewish people so that others would want to know their God.

g.        Sadly, Scripture and history has shown us that most of the boasting done was more about how they were special.

h.        About how they were set apart as in better, than everyone else.

i.          Not about how Awesome God is.

j.          We need to remember it is about Jesus and what He has done.

9.        Romans 2:20

a.        They had the benefit of the law and were to teach others about it.

b.       They were to be a light to the world.

c.        Help the ignorant and immature learn about the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

d.       The Jewish people had this knowledge.

e.        They were to share it.

f.          We are meant to share the knowledge we have been given.

g.        Not because we are better than others.

h.        But because our God is absolutely Awesome.

i.          Everyone should know about how Awesome he is.

10.   Romans 2:21-22

a.        Do you practice what you preach?

b.       Do you teach one thing and live another?

c.        Some of the Jews must have been calling out sin in others but still doing it themselves.

d.       They were being hypocrites.

e.        We all have sin.

f.          Which is why we do not stand in condemnation of others.

g.        We walk along side of them and help them come to Christ or return to Him if at all possible.

11.   Romans 2:23-24

a.        Can you call yourself a Jew when you are breaking God’s law?

b.       Can you say you are a mountain climber when you are afraid of heights?

c.        According to what we read a couple of weeks ago, can you be righteous if you knowingly suppress the truth of God?

12.   Falsely teaching God’s Word and living disobedient lives, which causes others to live disobedient lives is blasphemy.

13.   Paul is being clear.

a.        The Jews in the Roman church needed to change their ways.

b.       They need to be honoring God.

c.        They were leading others down the wrong path.

14.   As we continue, Paul continues to challenge the Jews.

15.   Romans 2:25

a.        The cutting away of the foreskin was part of the Abrahamic covenant as a sign of God’s promise to Abraham.

b.       It is continued today.

c.        It is one part of the Law.

d.       A Jewish man needs to be circumcised and keep the rest of the law if they are to be seen as one who observes the law.

e.        If they are not circumcised, keeping the rest of the law means absolutely nothing.

f.          In this verse Paul is saying if you are breaking the law, if you are not following the OT Law being circumcised means absolutely nothing.

g.        You might as well be a gentile.

h.        Them be fighting words.

i.          That would be a flat-out insult.

j.          The Jews felt that had a step up, some level of salvation simply because they were a Jew.

k.        Paul is saying no.

16.   Romans 2:26

a.        Paul is flipping the logic here.

b.       If circumcision is not that important.

c.        If someone follows the law, then will that override whether he is circumcised or not?

17.   Romans 2:27

a.        This would have been a slap in the face to a Jewish person.

b.       How could a Gentile follow the Law of God and then how could they ever judge a Jew?

c.        It was unheard of.

d.       It was wrong!

e.        Not according to the Holy Spirit through Paul.

f.          There is some debate on what is meant by ‘judge’ here.

g.        Matthew 12:38-42

h.        In these verses, Jesus is saying that the men of Nineveh and the queen of the south will stand up at the judgement and condemn those who did not believe.

i.          Because they believed with so much less.

j.          Following that line of thought, the uncircumcised man will stand in judgment and condemn the Jew not because they have the authority to punish them.

k.        But, because the Gentile believed in Jesus without all the background knowledge, the revelation of God, that the Jew had.

l.          The Gentile had so much less information and believed.

m.     That alone passes judgement on the Jew.

18.   Romans 2:28-29

a.        Physical circumcision.

b.       Being Jewish by birth and practice.

c.        Does not guarantee salvation.

d.       Salvation is by faith.

e.        Circumcision of the heart!

f.          By the Holy Spirit… NOT the LETTER of the law!

g.        We are saved by faith.

h.        By belief in Jesus.

i.          How we live our lives is important, but that is now what saves us.

j.          If impacts others and we need to honor God in word and deed as best we can.

k.        But our salvation is based on our faith.

19.   The Jewish people are God’s chosen people… that does not change.

a.        Jesus is a Jewish carpenter.

b.       Those that repent of their sins and follow Jesus are adopted into the family of God.

c.        They are filled with the Holy Spirit.

d.       That is how one is saved.

e.        Not by one’s heritage.

f.          Not by completing a to do list.

g.        Not by giving or sacrificing.

h.        By following Jesus.

i.          By repenting of your sin.

j.          It is that simple.

20.   If you do not know Jesus this morning, please do not delay.

a.        We do not know how much time we have left.

b.       We don’t know when we are going to leave this earth.

c.        And we don’t know when our Lord is going to return.

d.       If you feel the Holy Spirit calling to you.

e.        If you are ready to repent of your sins, I would love to talk to you and pray with you.