Daily Scripture Reading Romans 2:12 - 3:6
Most people, even those who don’t attend church, would say that Christianity is in favor of love, marriage, generosity, and honesty, while being against divorce, adultery, lying, stealing, violence, and pornography. Churches and Pastors are known for teaching those precepts.
However, Christians in the 21st century are not doing very well at living out those teachings. Sex outside marriage, divorce, pornography, adultery, and dishonesty are quite common within Christian circles. It is public knowledge that many pastors have committed adultery, abused people, or stolen from their church.
In today’s passage we will read what Paul wrote about teaching one thing and doing something else. He called it blasphemy.
In the beginning of chapter two, Paul condemned those who judge others, but then do the very things they condemn. Then he warned of the day of judgement, revealing that some will go to eternal life, while others will experience wrath and anger. This is true for both Jew and Greek.
Rom. 2:12 ¶ For all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law, and all who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law.
Rom. 2:13 For it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.
Rom. 2:14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law naturally do the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves,
Rom. 2:15 in that they demonstrate the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,
Rom. 2:16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.
Take note of the word “conscience” in verse 15. According to the Cambridge Dictionary, a conscience is “the part of you that judges how moral your own actions are and makes you feel guilty about bad things that you have done or things you feel responsible for”.
Throughout history, humans have debated the nature of humans. Is a human simply a physical body, or is it a body and soul? Some people claim humans are not any different than animals.
This passage in Romans makes it clear that humans have a conscience. A conscience is one of several things that differentiate us from animals. Since humans have a conscience, then humans are not merely physical bodies, there is a non-physical aspect of humans.
Rom. 2:17 ¶ But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely upon the Law and boast in God,
Rom. 2:18 and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law,
Rom. 2:19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,
Rom. 2:20 a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth,
Verses 19 thru 20 are a good summary of what the people of Yahweh should be. We should be a guide, a light, a corrector, and a teacher. To the extent the Jewish people and the church are doing those things, then we are good representatives of Yahweh. If we are not those things, then we dishonor Yahweh.
Rom. 2:21 you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal?
Rom. 2:22 You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
Rom. 2:23 You who boast in the Law, through your transgression of the Law, do you dishonor God?
The Bible teaches that marriage is sacred, honesty is vital, and obedience to God is our top priority. Most Christians claim they and the church uphold those values. However, divorce and deceit is rampant throughout 21st century evangelicalism, and most Christians treat outward appearances of piety as more important than obedience. If Christians want the world to be honest and give marriage the value it deserves, then those inside the church need to practice what we claim we believe before we go preach it.
Rom. 2:24 For “THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU,” just as it is written.
This statement appears multiple times throughout the Old Testament: Isaiah 52:5, Ezekiel 36:20-23, and Malachi 1:11-12. The Old Testament Israelites were supposed to bring glory to Yahweh, but instead they sinned and brought Him shame. Jews in the 1st century AD were also bringing shame to Yahweh because they did not do what the Law commanded them to do.
Rom. 2:25 ¶ For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law, but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
Rom. 2:26 So if the uncircumcised man observes the righteous requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision?
Rom. 2:27 And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the Law, will he not judge you who, through the letter of the Law and circumcision, are a transgressor of the Law?
Rom. 2:28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh.
Rom. 2:29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.
Think about the contrast between being a Jew outwardly versus inwardly. Look at the phrase “of the heart, by the Spirit”. God is not pleased with mere outward appearances of piety. He desires people to do what He commands us to do.
Jesus taught something similar to the Samaritan woman at the well when He said true worship is done in Spirit and in truth. Physical acts of worship are meaningless if the heart is not obedient to Jesus.
The modern church has fallen into the trap of thinking that regular Sunday services which are full of music and emotion are pleasing to God. However, many of those who delight in those services spend the rest of their week pursuing worldly values and living lives that are no different than the lives of those who never attend church.
Rom. 3:1 ¶ Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision?
Rom. 3:2 Great in every respect. First of all, that they were entrusted with the oracles of God.
Rom. 3:3 What then? If some did not believe, does their unbelief abolish the faithfulness of God?
Rom. 3:4 May it never be! Rather, let God be true and every man a liar, as it is written,
“THAT YOU MAY BE JUSTIFIED IN YOUR WORDS,
AND OVERCOME WHEN YOU ARE JUDGED.”
This is a quote from Psalm 51:4. David wrote Psalm 51 after he committed adultery with Bathsheba. David said to God,
“Against You, You only, I have sinned
And done what is evil in Your sight,
So that You are justified when You speak
And pure when You judge.”
Yahweh is the Creator and has the right to establish the rules of life. When David committed adultery, he was breaking Yahweh’s rules; thus, he was sinning against Yahweh. Since David had sinned against Yahweh, then Yahweh was justified in confronting David. Yahweh is always right.
Likewise, God entrusted the Jews with His oracles, but the disobedience of the Jews does not mean God made a mistake. God is always right.
Rom. 3:5 But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is the God who inflicts wrath unrighteous? (I am speaking in human terms.)
Rom. 3:6 May it never be! For otherwise, how will God judge the world?
Modern Christianity teaches honesty, generosity, and sexual purity. However, we are not doing what we preach. Dishonesty and sexual sin are quite common within the modern church. Paul identified that as blasphemy.
What do non-Christians see when they look at the daily lives of those who profess to be Christians?
What are some things people in your church do that contradict what we as Christians teach?
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“Scripture quotations taken from the (LSB®) Legacy Standard Bible®, Copyright © 2021 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Managed in partnership with Three Sixteen Publishing Inc. LSBible.org and 316publishing.com.”