notes by Rhyne Putman

The Frailty of Religion
Romans 2:1-17-3:9

Religion Can’t Save You

Two distinguishing marks of the Jew:[1]     

1)     They had possession of the law[2]

2)    the covenant sign of circumcision.[3] 

Jews & The Law

“But if you bear the name ‘Jew’ and rely upon the Law and boast in God, and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law, and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth, you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall 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? You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God? For ‘THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU,’ just as it is written.”

Romans 2:17-24 (NASB Update)

Jewish Privilege (see Romans 9:1-5)

1)     “you bear the name ‘Jew’” (v. 17)

2)     “rely on the law” (v. 17)

3)     “boast in God” (v. 17)—The NIV poorly translates this word to ‘brag’, which has a negative connotation.  The best word here is ‘boast’, because a boast is not always a proud celebration of self.  Instead, Scripture teaches us to ‘boast’ in the Lord, to celebrate the works of His hands.  Psalm 34:2—“I shall boast in the Lord”.  “’…But let him who boasts boast about this: that he understands and knows me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight,’ declares the LORD.”[4]

4)     “you know His will” (v. 18)—The Jews knew God’s law, they knew His desires.  It is our privilege to know God’s will. 

5)     “approve the things that are essential” (v. 18)—the Jews had purified customs. 

6)     “a guide to the blind/a light to those in darkness” (v. 19)—Isaiah 42:6—The Jews were honored to be the light to the Gentiles.

7)     “a corrector of the foolish"—the embodiment of knowledge and of truth” (v.20) Romans 9:3--God gave the Jews His law, and therefore they knew how to correct the world.

·        The Jews had broken the law in which they were entrusted.

·        They are equally condemned with the Gentiles.

Jews & The Covenant Sign of Circumcision

“Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. If those who are not circumcised keep the law's requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised?”

Romans 2:25-26 (NIV)

  There was a Sunday morning several years ago when a girl walked up to me at church after the Pastor had been speaking from a passage similar to this.  This beautiful girl, a freshman in college, stood in front of me and asked, “Rhyne, can you tell me what ‘circumcision’ means?”  To say the least, I was caught off guard.  I am pasty white, but at that moment I became radiant red.  For those of you who don’t know what it is (mainly females)—go ask your mothers. 

GENESIS 17:1-14-- Abraham & The Covenant of Circumcision

  “Now when Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him,  ‘I am God Almighty; Walk before Me, and be blameless. I will establish My covenant between Me and you, And I will multiply you exceedingly.’

“Abram fell on his face, and God talked with him, saying, ‘As for Me, behold, My covenant is with you, And you will be the father of a multitude of nations. ‘No longer shall your name be called Abram, But your name shall be Abraham; For I have made you the father of a multitude of nations.

“‘I will make you exceedingly fruitful, and I will make nations of you, and kings will come forth from you. I will establish My covenant between Me and you and your descendants after you throughout their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be God to you and to your descendants after you. I will give to you and to your descendants after you, the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God.’

“God said further to Abraham, ‘Now as for you, you shall keep My covenant, you and your descendants after you throughout their generations.’ This is My covenant, which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: every male among you shall be circumcised. And you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskin, and it shall be the sign of the covenant between you and Me.

“’And every male among you who is eight days old shall be circumcised throughout your generations, a servant who is born in the house or who is bought with money from any foreigner, who is not of your descendants. ‘A servant who is born in your house or who is bought with your money shall surely be circumcised; thus shall My covenant be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. But an uncircumcised male who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant.’”

Genesis 17:1-14 (NASB Update)

• ·        Circumcision was an outward sign of the covenant relationship with God and the Jewish people.[5]

• ·        There is a parallel to Baptism as an act of obedience, an outward sign of the work of Christ in you.

• ·        Without obedience, it was rendered useless. 

“The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.”

Romans 2:27 (NIV)

• ·        An uncircumcised Gentile who obeyed his conscience was better off than a circumcised Jew who suppressed the law.

“A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God.”

Romans 2:28-29 (NIV)

            Being born a member of the Jewish race, (like being born white or black), didn’t mean true Jewish-ness in the heart. 

• ·        The Holy Spirit, by an act of God, not man, does the true circumcision of the heart.

God is So Faithful

“Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the benefit of circumcision? Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God.”

Romans 3:1-2 (NASB Update)

  Paul has challenged their culture and their faith.  Now he is faced with the question, “What good is it to be a Jew?”  His answer: Great in every way! 

• ·        The Jew is privileged to be given His Law.

“What then? If some did not believe, their unbelief will not nullify the faithfulness of God, will it? May it never be!”

Romans 3:3-4a (NASB Update)

• ·        Paul is pointing out that only a few of the Jews were faithful.

• ·        God’s faithfulness is not dependant on man.

• ·        It was the Jew who was unfaithful, not God.

“Rather, let God be found true, though every man be found a liar, as it is written, ‘THAT YOU MAY BE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR WORDS,

AND PREVAIL WHEN YOU ARE JUDGED.’”

Romans 3:4b (NASB Update)

• ·        God does not lie—He will judge in righteousness.

A Ridiculous Question

“But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? The God who inflicts wrath is not unrighteous, is He? (I am speaking in human terms.) May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world?  But if through my lie the truth of God abounded to His glory, why am I also still being judged as a sinner? And why not say (as we are slanderously reported and as some claim that we say), ‘Let us do evil that good may come?’ Their condemnation is just.”

Romans 3:5-8 (NASB Update)

• ·        The Cross is no credit card for sin.

·

“What shall we conclude then? Are we any better? Not at all! We have already made the charge that Jews and Gentiles alike are all under sin.”

Romans 3:9 (NIV)

• ·        The entire world is guilty.  Jews and Gentiles alike are in sin.