Gospel Light Christian Church Thru-The-Bible Series (7.4)

The Epistle to the Romans

Romans 2:17-29, 3:1-8 - Read this Bible passage once through before referring to the notes below.

The Jew is Condemned by the Law

v.17 The Jews felt secure (ie, rested) in their knowledge of God’s law, and boasted that they were God’s people.

v.18 They knew God’s will (as it was revealed in His Word) and were therefore able to approve the things that pleased God because they were instructed out of the law.

v.19 The Jews were confident that they were able to guide the Gentiles who were spiritually blind and who walked in spiritual darkness.

v.20 They were confident that they could instruct the Gentiles because they had received the whole of God’s law (ie, the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law).

v.21 They taught others what was right but were themselves unable to do right.

v.22 The Jews taught the Gentiles that it was wrong to represent God by an image because it dishonoured God to do so (ie, abhorrest idols). However, they themselves dishonoured God by committing sacrilege (ie, stole from the temple) when they did not give their offerings.

v.23 The were proud of the law and called themselves “the people of the law” but by breaking the law they dishonoured the law and God. We shame God when we call ourselves Christians and then live like pagans.

v.24 If we live like pagans, then we should not claim to be Christians, otherwise pagans will curse (ie, blaspheme) the name of our God.

v.25 The Jews were proud of their circumcision (which identified them as God’s people). The purpose of circumcision was to remind them that they were God’s people. If circumcision reminded them that they were God’s people, and therefore reminded them to behave accordingly, then circumcision would be useful to them (ie, it was profitable). However, if it did not remind them to behave accordingly, then they might as well not be circumcised (ie, be made uncircumcision).

v.26 The uncircumcised Gentile who is careful not to sin is better than a circumcised Jew, who is sinning. Therefore, the uncircumcised Gentile should be counted as a “circumcised Jew.”

v.27 Instead of the circumcised Jews looking down on the uncircumcised Gentiles, the reverse could be the case!

v.28 A real child of God (a spiritual “Jew”) is not one who is circumcised in his foreskin (ie, outward in the flesh).

v.29 A real child of God (a spiritual “Jew”) is one who is circumcised in his heart by the Holy Spirit. In other words, the Holy Spirit has reshaped his heart  - to please God rather than to please self (2CO 5:17). This type of “circumcision” is not done according to a commandment (ie, in the letter) but is an inward spiritual work done by the Holy Spirit (ie, in the spirit).

Romans 3:1-8 - Read this Bible passage once through before referring to the notes below.

All the World Guilty

v.1 In verses 1 to 8, Paul imagines the arguments that a typical Jew would bring up against what he had just said in the previous chapter.

The Jews rested in their knowledge of the Law and their external rite of circumcision. But in the previous chapter, Paul told them as the knowledge of the Law without obedience to it was useless, so circumcision without obedience was also useless. Therefore, it is natural for the Jews to ask the question: “What advantage then hath the Jew?”

v.2 Paul answers that the Jews had many spiritual advantages – the chief of which was that they were to ones who first received God’s Word (ie, the oracles of God).

v.3 The Jews might question God’s faithfulness. They might reason that if they were God’s people and yet many Jews did not believe in God – would that annul God’s faithfulness? The phrase “make the faith of God without effect” means “God’s faithfulness is nullified – He is not faithful.”

v.4 The very thought of questioning God’s faithfulness is unthinkable to Paul (ie, “God forbid that we can even imagine this to be so!!”). If there is ever a dispute or doubt about whether God is right or man, let God be true, but every man a liar (even if it is the opinion of millions of men) because it is impossible for God to be unfaithful.

This quotation is taken from Psalm 51:4 – which teaches us that whoever attempts to question God will be found to be wrong and God will be found to be right.

v.5 The Jews then tried to use another argument against Paul. They argue that if their sinfulness makes God’s faithfulness more prominent, then God should not punish them. In other words, they argue that though they are unfaithful to God, yet God benefits from this because His faithfulness will be more clearly seen, therefore, He should not punish them!

This line of argument is so wicked that Paul adds: (I speak as a “wicked” man would speak).

v.6 If this reasoning is accepted, then the greatest sinner should be rewarded most - then how shall God judge the world?

v.7 This restates the line of argument stated in verse 5.

v.8 Some men had slanderously reported that Paul taught that “it is right to do wrong to do right.” “The ends justify the means” is a doctrine that is taught by many. We are taught here that it is never right to do wrong to do right.  Even though God can and often does over-rule man’s failings to work out His purposes to His glory in the end, it never provides an excuse for man to justify his wrong-doing.