Excerpts from "Heaven" by Randy Alcorn

From chapters 9 & 10, these few paragraphs caught my attention.  I hope they make you think about where we will live for eternity and that you will want to know more about our lives in a place where the curse has been lifted off of us and we will no longer have sin in us.

"Upon creating the heavens and the earth, God called them 'very good'.  Never once has he renounced his claim on what he made.  He isn't going to abandon his creation.  He's going to restore it.  We won't go to Heaven and leave Earth behind.  Rather, God will bring Heaven and Earth together into the same dimension, with no wall of separation, no armed angels to guard Heaven's perfection from sinful mankind (Genesis 3:24).  God's perfect plan is 'to bring all things in heaven and on earth together under one head, even Christ' (Ephesians 1:10)"

"Will the earth we know come to an end?  Yes, TO a final end?  No.
Rev. 21:1 says the old Earth will pass away.  But when people pass away, they do not cease to exist.  As we will be raised to be new people, so the earth will be raised to be a New Earth."

"Our interst in the end times usually extends to the period preceding and following the return of Christ.  But God's plan culminates after the final judgment, when King Jesus says, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world' (Matthew 25:34).  Where is the kingdom?  Exactly where has it been from the beginning-----on Earth."

"God hasn't changed his mind; he hasn't fallen back to Plan B or abandoned what he originally intended for us at the creation of the world.  When Christ says 'take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world' it's as if he's saying, 'This is what I wanted for you all along.  This is what I went to the cross and defeated death to give you.  Take it, rule it, exercise dominion, enjoy it; and in doing so, share my happiness.'"

"God doesn't throw away his handiwork and start from scratch--instead, he uses the same canvas to repair the make more beautiful the painting marred by the vandal.  The vandal doesn't get the satisfaction of destorying his rival's masterpiece.  On the contrary, God makes an even greater masterpiece out of what his enemy sought to destroy."

"Satan  wants us to give up on God, on our purpose and calling, and on our planet.  God remind us, 'The one who is in  you is great than the one who is in the world' (1 John 4:4).  Satan seeks to destroy the earth.  God seeks to restore and renew the earth, rule it, and hand it back over to his children.  God will win the battle for us and for the earth."

The following is a quote by Warren Wiersbe that Rich mentioned last week and then again today after someone asked about it.  It is so true and can help us see that our future is already decided. 

We are not fighting for victory, we are fighting from victory.

  

Excerpts from "Heaven" by Randy Alcorn

This evening I finished Chapter 8 and ready to start Chapter 9.  On page 80-81 of this book Mr. Alcorn writes "The old gospel songs:  "'This world is not my home.  I'm just a-passing through', is a half truth.  We may pass from the earth through death, but eventually we'll be back to live on the restored Earth.

We are pilgrims in this life, not because our home will never be on Earth, but because our eternal home is not currently on Earth.  It was and it will be, but it's not now.

Will the Eden we long for return?  Will it be occupied by familiar, tangible, physical features and fully embodied people?  The Bible clearly answers yes.

The biblical doctrine of the New Earth implies something startling that if we want to know what the ultimate Heaven, our eternal home, will be like, the best place to start is by looking around us.  We shouldn't close our eyes and try to imagine the unimaginable.  We should open our eyes, because the present Earth is as much a valid reference point for envisioning the New Earth as our present bodies are a valid reference point for envisioning our new bodies.  After all, we're living on the remnants of a perfect world, as the remnants of a perfect humanity.  We shouldn't read into the New Earth anything that's wrong with this one, but can we not imagine what it would be like to be unhindered by disease and death?  Can we not envision natural beauty untainted by destruction?"

As I read the sentence in the 4th paragraph above it stopped me in my tracks.  The light bulb went off in my head and heart as I realized we are living on the remnants of the world that God created perfectly.  As I look all around me, the earth used to be perfect.  Totally perfect.  We are living on what used to be perfect ground.  We are living on a planet that God created in perfection.  BUT, (Rich's favorite word in the Bible) man disobeyed God and brought sin to mankind.  Just imagining that God created the world we live on perfectly makes me feel so small and insignificant.  Who am I that God would choose me to be born?  To experience the anticipated feeling of what Heaven will be like.  What the New Earth will be like.  I've seen some beautiful countryside in the USA and some in Canada.  That is as far as I've ever traveled, but some of the natural creation that I've seen has taken my breath away.  What will it be like one day when we no longer live on the remnants of what used to be perfect, but we will live where it is perfect and we no longer have a sin nature.  Can you even imagine what that will be like?

Sunday School Notes - Romans 4:1-25

“Justification by Faith Evidenced in the Old Testament”

By Pastor Rich Paradis

Romans 4:1-25

As we move forward in the book of Romans, we continue the thoughts of Romans 3:27-31 by citing an Old Testament example. The fact that the example is Abraham is even more significant, in that the Jews would have considered Abraham the most influential voice in Judaism. If Paul could utilize the testimony and the life of Abraham to prove that justification was not and is not based on work, but on faith, he will have made a powerful step towards convincing the entire Roman church audience and especially the Jewish hearer.

I.                   Abraham was saved by faith, not works    Romans 4:1-8

a.       The chapter opens in Verse 1 with a question that will be repeated 6 times in the book of Romans. That question is, “what then shall we say…?” The other occurrences of this question are: Romans 6:1, 7:7, 8:31, 9:14, and 9:30. The question itself offers a clue that there is something that has just been discussed that must be considered in more detail.

b.      Again, the fact that Abraham is being utilized as the answer to the question and the proof of the point is very powerful to the audience being addressed in that he was and is the Patriarch and the influential voice of Judaism. But this section is not just an offering of proof to the Jewish believer. It is the same to all of us that believe in Christ’s death and resurrection as the source of our right standing before God.

c.       Abraham’s physical ancestry is being noted in this verse 1 distinguish it from his spiritual ancestry, which will be considered later in the chapter in verses 11-12 and 16.

d.      What lesson could Paul’s readers learn from the biblical record of Abraham’s experience? The answer to that would provide great evidence to the case that Paul is making for justification by faith alone in Christ alone.

e.       Verse 2 begins by making the case that if Abraham was justified by works, he would have something to boast about. The Jewish rabbis taught that Abraham had a surplus of merit from his works that was available to his descendants. This “surplus” was clearly something that could have been boasted of. But it could not have been boasted of before God. It would only work on the horizontal plane. Why? Because Verse 3 tells us that the Scripture says something else. Genesis 15:6 is quoted here and it clearly says that belief in God was the source of right standing before God. There is nothing at all mentioned of works in that quote.

f.       Verse 4 tells us that the wages that we receive for our work is no favor; it is what we deserve. But Verse 5 goes on to tell us that God’s grace is exhibited as we believe in God as opposed to depending on our work for our favor and right standing  before Him.

g.      Verses 6-8 offer an interested additional example that is similar in theme to the example of Abraham. It is the example of David. Both of these men are in the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11, but the fact that Psalm 32 is quoted here is evidence that David needed the provision of God just as Abraham did. God graciously dealt with both of these men and needed to in that both were sinners and needed His provision of grace in their lives.

II.                Abraham was not saved based on his circumcision    Romans 4:9-12

a.       Verse 9 begins with a question. Is this blessing of right standing before God, justification, available to only the Jews (circumcised) or would it also include the Gentiles (uncircumcised)? We are back to the idea of the Jew and some special position or standing before God.

b.      But again, Paul went to the example of Abraham to make the point that circumcision is not the avenue to right standing before God, faith is. Genesis 15:6 is shared again. Verse 10 goes on to say that Abraham was in fact circumcised after he was credited with right standing before God. In fact, if we were to look at the time of Abraham’s circumcision (Genesis 17, especially verse 24) at 99 years old and compare it to the time of the crediting of righteousness to Abraham’s account (Genesis 15:6) at less than 86 years old (according to Genesis 16:16). So, it was at least 13+ years after his “crediting of righteousness that he was circumcised. Literally, the language of the Old Testament says “in circumcision” and “in uncircumcision” in Verse 10.

c.       Verse 11 tells us that Abraham’s circumcision was a “sign” or a “seal” of his being declared righteous because of his faith while he was still uncircumcised. Circumcision was an outward sign of what had already occurred in his life. An interesting note is the question of why God would choose to mark this portion of a man’s anatomy. While it is not noted in Scripture as  to why this is so, it is noteworthy to see that this portion of his body is the means by which children are conceived and also the means by which some of his most grievous sins are committed.

d.      So now, we have Verses 11-12 telling us that Abraham could be and is the father of faith to both the Gentile (the uncircumcised) and the Jew (the circumcised). He is not only the head of the physical ancestry of the Jewish nation, but he is also the head of the spiritual ancestry of all that believe and faithfully put their trust in God.

III.             Abraham was not saved by the keeping of the Law    Romans 4:13-17

a.       The Jews also considered the Mosaic Law, which was delivered to them and administered by them, to be a special word to them from God that demonstrated the special standing they had before Him.

b.      Verse 13 tells us that that the promise given to Abraham and his descendants in Genesis 12:1-3 far preceded the giving of the Law. In fact, it preceded it by over 400 years (Galatians 3:17).  Again, it was the faith of Abraham that would secure right standing and the promises to him and his descendants, not adherence to something that wouldn’t come for another 400+ years.

c.       Verses 14-15 remind us of a truth that we learned in Romans 3:20. Those who claim to have their right standing before God based on their obedience to the Law will have their dreams smashed by the fact that the Law is the mirror, not the cleansing water that cleans up the dirty person. But a reminder is offered that the place of the Law is legitimate and necessary. It is that which gives us the knowledge of sin and expresses our need for something (Someone) beyond ourselves.

d.      Verses 16-17 offer a conclusive thought to what we have been considering. “For this reason” or “therefore” tip us off to these comments. What Paul says is that there is a very close correlation between faith and grace. While the Law has the ability to demonstrate need before God, it has no power to provide the help necessary. Only the grace of God demonstrated to those who by faith believe that God’s provision in Christ is the only provision that can address the need of the sinner will do it. This provision is available to the believing Jew (those of the Law) and the Gentile (those who are of the faith of Abraham). And this conclusion is supported by Scripture by quoting Genesis 17:5 and connecting the two events of the birth of Isaac and the resurrection of Christ as we move forward in the passage.

IV.             Abraham was saved  by faith in God’s Promise    Romans 4:18-25

a.       In Verses 18-22 we see Abraham’s faith in action. Abraham believed in God and His promises of a son and descendants, even when “hope was against hope”. Both Abraham and Sarah were well beyond the ages of child-bearing and raising a family, but Abraham believed what God had said to him in Genesis 15:5.

b.      What a confidence Abraham had in the promises of God! He “in hope believed” (Vs.18); he was not weak in faith despite the odds (Vs.19); he was not divided in his thinking by unbelief (Vs.20a); he was empowered by faith (Vs.20b); and he was fully persuaded that God has the ability to do what He said He would do (Vs.21).

c.       And the result? Abraham’s faith was credited to him as righteousness because it was true faith and complete confidence that God would do as He has promised.

d.      Verses 23-24 tell us that Abraham’s experience was not just an illustration to himself and a few around him. It was an illustration to all that believe the promises of God. Justification by faith was true for him; and it is true for us! The resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead is the proof and the promise for us to depend on.

e.       And Verse 25 reminds us of the fact that both the death of Jesus Christ and His resurrection from the dead are essentials to this work of justification. These two events are what we depend on and believe in for our right standing before God. It will not be works, circumcision, or the Law, that will save us!!!

V.                An Application For All Of Us

a.       Justification is by faith:

                                                              i.      It cannot be earned by works (Vs.1-8)

                                                            ii.      Since Abraham was justified before he was circumcised, circumcision has no relationship to justification (Vs.9-12)

                                                          iii.      Since Abraham was justified centuries before the Law was given, justification is not based on the Law (Vs. 13-17)

                                                          iv.      Abraham was justified because of his faith in God and His promises, not because of his works (Vs.18-25)

Sunday School Notes - Romans 3:21-31

“Justification by Faith”

By Pastor Rich Paradis

Romans 3:21-31

As bad as the “bad news” has been in the previous section (1:18-3:20), we now move to the “good news”. We have seen that all of us, whether Jew or Gentile, are under the condemnation of God and rightly so. There are no escapees from this rightful judgment. But just as quickly as we have seen the court recorder accurately capture the guilt of us all, now we will see the Judge rise from His bench and do something that is as wonderful as it is unbelievable. This passage begins the next section of the book of Romans. (3:21-5:21) With the very first word in this passage, we move to what one commentator has called the “most important paragraph ever written”.  With the words of Leon Morris in our ears, let’s consider the passage before us and its ramifications not only on the book of Romans but on the entire message of Christianity.

I.                   The Righteousness of God declared in the Old Testament    Romans 3:21

a.       Romans 3:20 told us that there will be no one that will be justified by the works of the Law. In other words, there will be no one that will be declared righteous by their own efforts. The Law would only serve as a means of letting man know that he was in need of a Savior.

b.      As this section opens, we continue the thoughts of verse 20 by seeing that there is “good news” to all of the “bad news” that convicted each of us rightly and completely. A contrast is being presented here that while gaining right standing before God is impossible by the observance of the Law, there is a right standing that can be experienced apart from this Law that condemns and judges.

c.       This right standing before God apart from the Law was in fact the testimony of the “Law and the Prophets”, a reference to the Old Testament. Remember Romans 1:2? When Paul shared in Vs. 1 that he was “set apart for the gospel of God”, he shared “What Gospel?” in the next verse with a statement that is helpful here. Paul said in Vs. 2, “which He promised beforehand through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures”. The news of a coming Savior, who would die for the sins of man, was being shared by the Old Testament scriptures and the Old Testament prophets.

d.      The death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ at Calvary’s Cross would be the avenue by which man might realize a right standing before God. That is what has been manifested, or made known to man through both the Old Testament scriptures and the testimony of faithful men.

II.                How is this righteousness before God realized? By faith!!    Romans 3:22-24

a.       In Vs. 22, we see the answer to “how” in this search for right standing before God. The answer is: Faith in Jesus Christ.

b.      Who is eligible for this gift? Again, Vs. 22 offers the answer. It is: All who believe.

c.       To whom is this possible? Everyone, because there is no distinction between Jew and Gentile. Both of these groups are on the same footing when it comes to “need” for salvation. We are all equal in 3 ways: our equality in need, our equality in what we receive, and our equality in how we receive it.

d.      Verse 23 reminds us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God”. This “glory” is what God intended man to be before the Fall. In Christ, we will be returned to that right standing that existed between God and man before the Fall. Our position as sinners and unsaved is one of always chasing after the glory of God, but we keep losing and falling further behind.

e.       So how much does it cost us? Verse 24 tells us that this justification is FREE! It does not come our way because we are so wonderful. It is by GRACE. If mercy is not getting what I do deserve, than grace is getting what I truly do not deserve. This idea of redemption comes from the ancient slave market. The idea is that “release” is obtained by payment of some ransom. Paul uses the word to refer to the release from guilt and judgment and the deliverance from slavery to sin because Christ paid the ransom for us.

f.       Before buttoning up this section of the passage, let’s get some definitions squared away.

                                                              i.      Justification means to “declare or pronounce righteous”. It does not mean to make righteous. It should be obvious that all justified believers have not been completely morally transformed. Moral transformation is part of the work that we refer to as “sanctification” and it will be discussed further as we proceed in Romans.

                                                            ii.      Justification does not mean forgiveness. Forgiveness is akin to pardon, which is merely the taking away of a debt or penalty. Justification is a positive action that credits someone with a new status. Marcus Loane says forgiveness says, “you may go, you have been let off the penalty that your sin deserves”. He continues by saying that justification says, “you may come, you are welcome to all of my love and my presence”.

                                                          iii.      Justification does not find its ground in man, but in God. It is clear from 1:18 – 3:20 that the unrighteousness of man could never allow anyone to be declared righteous on the basis of their own merit. It is the merit of Christ that becomes the ground for anyone’s justification.

g.      Does this transaction that was made on your behalf prompt a sense of gratitude in you? It should!!

III.             Christ as our sacrifice and propitiation    Romans 3:25-26

a.       Another question must be considered as we move forward. That question is, “How can God Himself be called righteous, or just, if He simply declares the wicked to be righteous?” The same God who holds everyone else accountable seems to not be doing the same towards Himself. Paul’s purpose in this portion of the passage is to demonstrate that God is indeed the One who justifies and He is just in doing so.

b.      The Greek word hilasterion is used in the New Testament only here and in Hebrews 9:5. In that verse, it is in reference to the Mercy Seat that covered over the Ark of the Covenant. Whether the usage here says in effect that Christ is the “mercy seat”, or atoning cover for our sin OR he could be simply using the term to represent the atoning sacrifice (propitiation) for our sins since in the Tabernacle the sprinkling of sacrificial blood “turned away” (propitiated) the wrath of God. Either way, it is clear that Christ became the sinless sacrifice prefigured in the Old Testament sacrifices.

c.       And what was the effect of this on God’s standards of righteousness? His standards were totally satisfied, allowing Him to free those (redeem) who were slaves of sin. So Vs. 25 continues with the thought, “this was to demonstrate His righteousness”. The Old Testament sacrifices allowed God to demonstrate His patience (forbearance) for sin committed during the past year.

d.      But now God is proven to be both the Just and the Justifier of that person who by faith believes on the atoning work of Christ at the Cross.

                                                              i.      Faith is simply saying “Yes” to God’s gift of redemption and justification through Christ.

                                                            ii.      Faith is agreeing with God that His plan of salvation is the one that saves.

e.       Have you been saved? What are you banking your eternity on? The merits of your own efforts or the atoning work of Christ on the Cross? Your answer to this question is a matter of “life and death”!

IV.             A final word for this section    Romans 3:27-31

a.       If all of the information above is correct, than Vs. 27 is the obvious follow-up question for one that is struggling with the fact that justification is “God work” and that we can offer nothing to our own salvation. There is absolutely no room to boast when someone gives you a gift.

b.      It does not make a bit of sense for someone to say that they have faith, and then in the same breath boast that obedience or observation of the law was the instrument of their salvation. If there any boasting to be done, it should be by the one who gave the gift, huh?

c.       Martin Luther gave his opponents in the church further cause to persecute him when he translated verse 28 with the word “alone”, which is not in the Greek text but surely does not violate what Paul had in mind here. “Sola Fide”, or Faith Alone, became one of the 3 rallying cries of the Reformation along with Sola Gratia (Grace Alone) and Sola Scriptura (Scripture Alone).

d.      Boasting is not going to be present in the person who truly understands Vs. 29-30. The same faith that is the instrument for justification in the Jew is the faith that is the instrument for justification of the Gentile. How inappropriate to boast of something that is given as a gift to the entire human race.

e.       When considering Vs. 31, you come in contact with the truth that this justification by faith does not nullify the Law. The law serves the gospel by removing all boasting about how one might be saved. How does it do it? By demonstrating that no one can justify themselves before God by obeying the Law, so this gift of God is the only way of attaining salvation and right standing before God.

V.                An application for all of us

a.       Justification by faith alone in Christ alone is the answer to the dilemma of “How do I obtain right standing before God if obedience to the Law won’t work?”

b.      Because all people obtain an unrighteous standing before God in the same way, they must obtain a right standing before God in the same way: through faith in Christ.

c.       Right standing before God is obtained freely by God’s grace nor not at all.

d.      Without the shed blood of Christ, there is no atonement for sin.

e.       Because we receive, rather than achieve, right standing before God, boasting is excluded from the life of a believer.

f.       The Law is a servant to the gospel by pointing out the human inability to achieve right standing before God by one’s self.

Sunday School Notes - Romans 3:9-20

“All People Condemned By Sin”

By Pastor Rich Paradis

Romans 3:9-20

We are nearing the end of the Apostle Paul’s devastating indictment of all people before God. We have been introduced to the antidote to the problem, the gospel, and then given a courtroom case for the need for this antidote, sin. In the midst of the case, Paul gave us insight into how God judges, a helpful primer to ultimately understanding that this judgment of sin is based on truth, based on what we’ve done and based on the insight given us. Let’s wrap up this section of “Bad News” before moving to the “Good News”.

I.                   Paul says that “all are guilty before God”    Romans 3:9

a.       As we continue Paul’s argument, we see a statement that might seem to be contradictory to his statements in Vs. 1-2. In Vs. 1-2, we were given some insight into the “advantage” of being a Jew and they were real and measureable. But here, we have Paul again hearing the fictitious questioning Jew asking if the Jew is “better” than the gentile. The answer given is “not at all”. So what gives? Which is true? Both of these estimations are true. The Jew does have an advantage in that he had access to God’s special revelation and the blessing of obedient response to it. But is he “better off” when it comes to the judgment of God? No, not at all! Both the Jew and the Gentile will be judged by the same righteous standard of God.

b.      What are the ramifications of all being judged under the same set of standards? How does this truth conflict with our sense of judgment when it comes to us personally? Others?

II.                The Scripture says that “all are guilty before God”    Romans 3:10-18

a.       Paul continues his case by sharing that this “judgment” is not some personal irritation with the Jew (note the word “we” in Vs. 9). He now notes that the judgment is based on the Old Testament Scriptures. This argument will really be devastating in that 3:1-2 offered the fact that the great advantage to the Jew was the fact that they were the ones that received and were entrusted with the teachings of God in these Scriptures. These Scriptures were to be the words that the Jews were to use to bring light to the Gentiles, and now they would be used to kill them spiritually. It would be like God taking the sword out of the Jews hand and using it to kill him.

b.      Verses 10-12 are approximately quoting Psalm 14:1-3 and Psalm 53:1-3. Note the inventory of these verses. The answer is given to this fictitious questioning Jew as to who is righteous before God. The answer is “NO ONE”! There is no “3^rd category” of moralizing Jews that were onlookers to the sinning Gentile and the sinning Jew. All were caught up in the problem. Think of the devastation that this statement must have had to the proud Jew who had been taught his whole life that he was of the “chosen” people of God.  

c.       Verses 13-18 offer a continuing indictment of all people before God. Psalm 5:9, Psalm 140:3, Psalm 10:7, Isaiah 59:7 and Psalm 36:1 again offers evidence from the Old Testament in making the case for everyone’s guilt. It is noteworthy to see that many parts of our physical body are affected by sin. The throat, tongue, lips, mouth, feet and eyes are all part of this evidence to guilt and going our own way.

d.      This chain of evidence is summarized in Vs. 18 by a root cause for this problem. What is the main problem? There is no fear of God in them. This was the same observation that we unearthed in Chapter 1. Getting out of step with God is the cause of conflict and chaos for all mankind.

e.       What part does the Scripture play in demonstrating guilt before God? How do we misrepresent God when we pass judgment in our own ways and apart from the Scriptures?

III.             The Law says that “all are guilty before God”    Romans 3:19-20

a.       But just in case this fictitious questioning Jew might have any fight life in him, we move along to the last of the indictments in this passage. We have the words of Paul, the ancient Scriptures themselves, and now we have the law as the final nail in the “3^rd category” crowd’s coffin.

b.      Verse 19 is really a rough one to swallow, but it accurately summarizes the entire section that we have considered since Romans 1:18. Because the group that is being addressed most recently is the Jew, the order of the argument is now reversed. In the whole argument, the Gentile was first in the order, but now we see the Jew being addressed and the Gentile being included in the ultimate message of guilt.

c.       The Jews received the written Law through Moses, according to 3:2. The Gentiles have the works of the law written on their hearts, according to 2:15. So as the argument closes, we have both the Jew and the Gentile guilty and accountable before God. There is no “3^rd category” of people! All are guilty and need the same provision; the gospel of Jesus Christ!!

d.      The Law was never the thing that could save a man. It could only serve to condemn him. No one could keep the Law in its entirety, so it was ultimately the thing that condemned them, not save them.

e.       Verse 20 says that the purpose of the Law was to bring knowledge of the need for a Savior. It’s like going out in the yard and working up a big sweat and getting all dirty. Upon coming in the house, a mirror will tell you that you are filthy and need to clean up. While you may have thought that you were dirty, the mirror confirmed it for you. But you don’t take the mirror off the wall and wipe it all over you to clean up! The mirror brings the knowledge of filthiness, but a good bath is the answer to your dirtiness. In a similar way, the gospel is the “bath” that all need for the filthiness in our hearts.

IV.             An Application For All Of Us

a.       In a court of law, the case has been made by Paul and is devastating. Where we would like to slip away from judgment and categorize ourselves in this “3^rd category”, it is impossible due to the evidence offered.

b.      As much as we’d like to consider our heritage, church membership, or a hundred other “evidences” for our deserving preferential treatment before God, none of it will work in the end.

c.       Because of the way that God judges, we will have no defense for our sin apart from the gospel of Jesus Christ!

d.      We will be introduced to the antidote to this situation as we move forward: Justification By Faith Alone In Christ Alone! That’s the GOOD NEWS we’ve been waiting for!!

Sunday School Notes Romans 2:17-3:8

What about “God’s People”?

By Pastor Rich Paradis

Romans 2:17-3:8

Thus far in the Roman letter, we have discussed a number of relevant items. We opened with Paul introducing himself to these Roman churches by introducing the gospel message that he was “set apart” to. The conversation continued with a discussion of the sinning Gentile, the non-Jew, and his situation before God. In our last lesson, we were introduced to the ways that God judges. Those ways differ from those of the judging sinner in that His judgment is based on a foundation of righteousness. Let’s continue the discussion now as it relates to the sinning Jew and his situation before God.

I.                   An Analysis of the Jewish Position Before God – Part 1   Romans 2:17-24

a.       Paul undoubtedly had the Jews and moral Gentile in mind when he addressed those that were “judging” in 2:1. But in the passage that followed we had only a few clues that the target group included both of these groups. We had the conclusion of chapter 1 and its continuation to include the “gentile”, but we had to depend on other clues to include the Jews. We had the national pride of the Jews, that would have most likely prompted this type of judgment on others; and we had Vs. 6, which came from the Old Testament and would have been familiar to the Jewish reader.

b.      But we don’t have to wonder at all about who this portion of the chapter is written to. It is revealed in Vs. 17. The focal group here is without question the Jews, God’s chosen people. Again, there would have been tremendous pressure culturally to believe that the Jews, as God’s chosen people, would have tremendous advantage in both knowledge and position before God.

c.       The text before us makes no effort to deny that God’s people are a “chosen” and “special” people. In fact, Paul takes right off in the passage before us noting some of the advantages that the Jew would have felt that he had because of this special relationship to God. Verses 17-21 share some of the “advantages” to the Jewish mindset of the time:

                                                              i.      They were Jews! – They were in fact God’s chosen people and the “apple of His eye” (Zechariah 2:8)  (17)

                                                            ii.      They were the receivers of the Law – God had not chosen any other people to receive and possess the Mosaic Law given at Mt. Sinai. (17)

                                                          iii.      They were boasting in their relationship with God – Different from so many of the cultures of the time, the God of Israel was not an idol or an image. (17)

                                                          iv.      They knew the will of God – They were the ones that had special revelation from God of His plan for them. (Ex. 4:22)  (18)

                                                            v.      They approved what they thought to be superior – Dietary laws, lifestyle restrictions, and worship instructions were at least part of that discussion. The Jews had a narrower view of life than those of their neighbor; a view that they deemed superior.  (18)

                                                          vi.      They were instructed by the Law – Psalm 119 extols the merits of God’s decrees as those that direct the steps of man. The Jews relished God’s instructions, so much so that they would eventually make up hundreds of decrees of their own to go along with His, even preferring theirs over His.  (18)

                                                        vii.      They were convinced that they were the guides for the blind, the light for those that were in the dark, an instructor for the foolish, and a teacher to the children or immature. 19-20)

                                                      viii.      They felt that in the Law they had the embodiment of knowledge and truth – Psalm 19:7-9 give a snapshot of the Jewish mentality towards the Law. (19-20)

d.      It is understandable, but not excusable, that Israel could be tempted to think of themselves as better than the rest of humanity. In terms of privilege and possession, they had a chosen place. But in terms of practice, they failed just as frequently as the Gentiles. In verses 21-22, we see another listing of things that were on the Jewish “ledger” if a true accounting were to take place:

                                                              i.      They taught others, but did not teach themselves. (21)

                                                            ii.      They preached against stealing, yet they stole things themselves. (21)

                                                          iii.      They preached against adultery, yet they committed adultery. (22)

                                                          iv.      They hated idols, yet they stole robbed pagan temples. (22)

e.       This behavior would have the worst of results. Look at Vs. 23-24. The result of this behavior would be that, because of this esteemed position before God and everyone’s knowledge of it, the sins of the Jews would actually dishonor the name of God! Verse 24 is actually a combining of Isaiah 52:5 and Ezekiel 36:20, though not exactly quoted.

f.       It is worth taking a moment to consider not only the Jews and their privilege before God, but to consider our own nation’s privilege and blessing at the hand of God before continuing.

                                                              i.      Do you feel that we as Americans have enjoyed the blessing of God throughout our history?

                                                            ii.      What is the responsibility of that blessing?

                                                          iii.      How have we dishonored the name of God as a nation?

                                                          iv.      How have you dishonored the name of God as one that lives in this nation?

II.                An Analysis of the Jewish Position Before God – Part 2    Romans 2:25-27

a.       As Verses 17 – 24 described the position of the Jew before God as it related to the Law, the verses before us will continue that discussion with circumcision as focus. The circumcision of a Jewish male was an incredibly important and symbolic gesture. The Jews saw the circumcision as a sign of the covenant that God had made with His people (Leviticus 12:3). It was God’s appointed “sign of the covenant”, which signified Abraham’s covenanted commitment to the Lord – that the Lord alone would be his God. Genesis 17:14 tells us that to break this covenant would be the same as being uncircumcised and being “cut off” from his people

b.      Verse 25 tells us that this outward sign, circumcision, is only of value if you keep the Law. But if you are a lawbreaker, your circumcision has become of no value. It gets even worse for the Jew in the following verses. Verse 26 says that the opposite of this truth is also true. While the Jew with the outward sign of circumcision, if he sins, is counted as one that is not circumcised; the gentile that keeps the Law, though uncircumcised, will be counted as one that was circumcised and in relationship with God. And it gets even worse than that in Verse 27. It says that he who is physically uncircumcised will actually “judge” the circumcised Jew in that his actions and deeds will in fact condemn the Jew who had the better set of standards in the Law.

c.       In other words, there is only one way to garner spiritual profit in God’s eyes: obedience to Him. Again, we are not talking about salvation; we are talking about how someone is judged before God. And the sinning Jew is guilty, just like the sinning gentile.

III.             The “Circumcised Heart”    Romans 2:28-29

a.       Again, the Jew is faced with the fact that his heritage will not give him a “pass” when it comes to the judgment of God. While he has some incredible advantages to his position, he is not outside of the eye of God.

b.      The verses before us show this fact with great clarity. The Jew is not in an advantageous position because of his outward gestures of obedience. In fact, genuine circumcision is not even the physical rite itself. Rather, a genuine Jew is one inwardly; and the circumcision that occurs is one that happens in the heart, by the Spirit.

c.       Some of the Jews followed the Law’s regulation outwardly, but their hearts were not right with God. The truly circumcised heart is one that is “separated” from the world and dedicated to God.

d.      This person’s praise is not the praise that comes from man. It is a praise that comes from God Himself as He says, “Well done, good and faithful servant”.

IV.             The Bottom Line for the Jews    Romans 3:1-8

a.       With all of this discussion in the rear view mirror, Paul addresses the question that would be on the mind of every Jewish reader of this letter. That question is, “Then what advantage does the Jew have?” In connecting the previous passage to that before us, Paul answers the question from the perspective of the Law and then from the perspective of circumcision.

b.      Is there any value to being a Jew? Absolutely! The list begins here in Vs. 2, but it will not be continued until chapter 9:4-5. The list does begin here with the fact that the Jews had been entrusted with the “oracles of God”. Can you imagine the advantage of being entrusted with the “list”? But here sadness takes over in that this idea of “entrusted” has to do not only with being the ones that received the teachings of the Law from God, but it also has to do with obedience to them. On that point, the Jews failed. But this did not take away from the tremendous advantage and privilege that they had as God’s people.

c.       In Vs. 3-4, we have an argument to this “advantage”. If some to whom God’s promises were entrusted did not respond to them in trust, will their lack of trust destroy God’s trustworthiness? (Stott) In other words, if God’s people are unfaithful, does that necessarily mean that He is? Paul’s answer is “May it never be!” The outrage of this possibility is confirmed in Psalm 51:4 (quoted here) where David says that he would be judged a sinner so that God could proved right in His judgment.

d.      With the following “logic” in mind, Paul makes his final two arguments in Vs.5-8:

                                                              i.      Major Premise: When God forgives sinners, His grace is made known.

                                                            ii.      Minor Premise: I am a sinner.

                                                          iii.      Conclusion: The more I sin, the more opportunity for Him to manifest grace.

e.       Vs. 5-6 asks the question, “If God warranted sin to display His righteousness, how could He judge sin?” That argument, says Paul, could only come from a depraved mind (human). God, as the rightful judge of the world, could not do that.

f.       Vs. 7-8 continues this line of thinking by asking the question again of, “If sin somehow demonstrates the glory of God, why is He still judging those that lie?” And if the conclusion is to keep sinning that His grace might be more fully known, Paul says “NO, their condemnation is just!”

V.                An Application For All Of Us

a.       The Jew, while having incredible advantage in privilege and position, will not escape the judgment of God.

b.      America and Americans have had incredible blessing showered on them and have a responsibility before God to understand that blessing and live with gratitude.

The true Jew is one whose heart has been circumcis