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- Preaching
the Living WORD through the Written WORD - 2 Tim 4:2 - |
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NO EXCUSE FOR GOD’S COVENANTAL
PEOPLE (Rom 2:1-5) 1/28/07 Pastor I.
GOD’S COVENANTAL PEOPLE ARE
UNDER SIN (1) A. Context 1.
In Rom 1:20, Paul declares that
the Gentiles are without excuse (anapológêtos
- without an argument) because the external witness of God’s creation is
clear evidence of the existence of God. 2.
However, in Rom 2:1, Paul
declares that the Jews, God’s covenantal people are also without excuse (anapológêtos - without an
argument or defense; Eng. apologetics) because even though they are God’s
chosen people, they are under sin (Rom 3:19-23) and have rejected the
Messiah. 3.
Paul will conclude in Rom
3:10ff, 23 that all have sinned and fall short of God’s righteous standard. B. Argument toward the Jews 1.
Even though Paul’s epistle is
primarily written to a Gentile audience, Paul also argues the “Gospel of God”
to the Jews as well, if only in third person (i.e. “O man”). 2.
References in Romans toward the
Jews a) Jewish Audience
- Alford says; “The address passes
gradually to the Jews. They were the people who judged—who pronounced all
Gentiles to be born in sin and under condemnation:—doubtless there were also
proud and censorious men among the Gentiles, to whom the rebuke might apply,
but these are hardly in the apostle’s mind.” b)
The Gospel came to the Jews
first in a Jewish Messiah (Rom 1:16). c)
The word “Jew” (Hb - Yehudi; Gk - Ioudaíos - those who were not Gentile) is used five times
in chapter 2 of Romans (Rom 2:9, 10, 17, 28, 29). d)
Paul continues his argument to
the Jews in Chapter 3 (Rom 3:1-4). e)
Paul uses Abraham, “our
forefather according to the flesh,” to argue justification by faith in Rom
4:1. f)
Paul is not anti-Semitic but is
a Jew himself and burden for the salvation of his Jewish kinsman (Rom 9:1-3). g)
Paul speaks of God’s future
plan for the Jewish people (Rom 9 - 11). C. The Judgmental Position of First Century Judaism 1.
Judaism in the first century
had a very judgmental and disdainful attitude towards all non-Jews. All
non-Jews were without the Law, the covenants, the promises, and the one true
God. This produced a self-pride and self-righteousness (Lk 18:10-12) among
those who were Abraham’s descendants (Mt 3:7-10). 2.
Paul says that everyone (Jew)
who passes judgment (krínō)
condemns (katakrínō -
bring down judgment) himself before God (Mt 7:1-5). Why? Because all sinners
sin and these individuals are continuously practicing (pres act a)
Breaking the commandments of
God (Mt 15:3). b)
Hypocrisy (Mt 15:7-8) c)
Anger (Mt 5:21-22) d)
Immorality (Mt 5:27-28) II. GOD’S JUDGMENT FALLS ON SINNERS (2) A. These judgmental Jews certainly believe in God’s judgment.
Otherwise, they themselves would not be judging. B. They would be the first ones to acknowledge that God is
righteous in his attributes and standards. C. They would be the first ones to point out that God’s judgment
against sin is according to his truth (alếtheia
- what is real, real state of affairs) of his righteous perfections as well
as his Law. D. Paul’s logical argument is about to set them up in vs. 3 to
declare that all are under God’s judgment because all have sinned, including
the Jew, God’s covenantal people. III. GOD’S COVENANTAL PEOPLE WILL NOT ESCAPE GOD’S JUDGMENT (3-5) A. They Sin and Receive the Same Judgment (3) 1.
The question Paul uses, “Do you
suppose,” is a question of logic. The word, “suppose” comes from the Greek
word logízomai, which means to
consider or think logically. 2.
Paul’s logical argument toward
God’s covenantal people is a simple one; i.e. knowing that God’s judgment
falls on sinners, and God’s covenantal people are sinners, therefore, God’s
covenantal people will not escape the judgment of God. 3.
The word, “escape” (ekpheúgō - flee out of or
from) carries the connotation of fleeing from judgment from God (Lk 21:36;
1Th 5:3; Heb 2:3; 12:25). B. They Spurn God’s Kindness (4) 1. Furthermore, Paul
states that God’s covenantal people took God’s kindness for granted (kataphronéō - think or look
down upon or think little of). Either they thought that they were not sinners
and did not need God’s forgiveness, or they thought they were exempt from
judgment because they were his chosen people. 2. The words,
kindness, tolerance, and patience refer to God’s sovereign choice to withhold
immediate judgment against sinners. It could also be called “common grace,”
which is the kindness (chrêstótês
- God’s kind favor, Tit 3:4; Eph 2:7) God bestows on all men (Mt 5:45; Acts
14:15-17). 3. This is not a
universal saving grace because such kindness leads to repentance which
recognizes undeserved mercy. Repentance (metánoia
change of mind) is the change of mind towards one’s own sin and the Savior
who died for them. 4. God’s covenantal
people received kindness and mercy from God by becoming his chosen people.
However, that fact never exempted them from sin or salvation in Christ. C. They Store Up Wrath (5) 1. Paul reveals the
condition of the heart of God’s covenantal people. It is stubborn and
unrepentant. Stubborn comes from the Greek word sklêrótês, which means hardness. From this Greek word is
derived our English word, sclerosis, as in the hardening of the arteries.
But, here it refers to the hardening of the heart to God’s truth (Deu 9:6,
13, 27; Eze 11:19; cp. Rom 11:25). Therefore, there is no reason to repent. 2. Because of such
an attitude, they are storing (thesaurízō
- gathering or collecting) up the wrath of God’s judgment. Rom 1:18 spoke of
the wrath being revealed now against unrighteousness. The “day of wrath” is
the final judgment against the unrighteousness of man at the Great White
Throne Judgment (Rev 20:11-15 cp. Zep 1:15). 3. This is a
righteous judgment based on God’s own standard of righteousness. IV. PRACTICAL
CONSIDERATIONS A. Therefore, by understanding that even God’s chosen people are
sinners and will not escape the God’s judgment, we realize that we are
sinners and must come to Christ in order to escape God’s judgment. We cannot
rely upon any merit other than Christ’s merit alone for salvation. 1. It is not being religious that gets us into heaven but having a
relationship with God through faith in his Son, Jesus Christ (Jn 14:6; Jn
17:3; Acts 4:12). 2. Believers must be
careful not to take their relationship with Christ for granted and think that
God will wink at their sin (Heb 12:5-8). 3. Believers must
not be judgmental; rather, by taking the log out of their own eye, they will
see clearly how to lead others to Christ and victory over sin (Mt 7:1-5). |
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