ALL PEOPLE NEED SALVATION, Part II:
Jews Should Not Rely On Their History Or Their Law
Romans 2:17-3:20
As taught by Dave Lindstrom
I. The Jews need to watch out for boastful pride which will keep them from Christ (2:17-29).
A. In this verse, Paul definitely directly addresses the Jews (vs 17).
B. They were confident of their standing before God and viewed themselves as guides, lights, instructors, and teachers to the Gentile believers (vs 19,20).
1.The stumbling block to God's Law is humanity getting a hold of it and creating easier man-made laws that make it doable. Therefore, humans create their own system to be declared righteous in God's eyes (vs 21-23; Matt. 5:27,28).
2. Because of this type of thinking, God is blasphemed among the Gentiles (vs 24; Isa. 52:5; Ezek. 36:22).
3. Circumcision (peritoma- cut around) was meant by God to be an outward representation of an inward act of believing in God's promise and covenant (Gen. 17). Rather than being a symbol of God's work in the heart, it had become for many, man's work for the flesh to boast about (vs 25-29; Phil. 3:1-3).
Thought: Can it be harder for someone brought up in a works oriented religious environment to accept the Gospel?
II. The advantages the Jews have (Rom. 3:1-20).
A. They have been given the words of God (vs 2). This includes the entire 39 Books of the Old Testament (Hebrew Bible). Paul believed in the inspiration of the Hebrew Bible (Rom. 9:3-6).
1. Some who know the Law still do not believe what it says but God will still be true to His word (vs 3,4; Ps. 51:4; Ps. 89:30-37).
2. Those that have reasoned that they can keep God's Law have a hard time not seeing God as unjust (vs 5-8).
B. Everybody is under sin whether Jew or Greek (vs 9-20).
1. Paul supports his claim by many texts in the Hebrew Scriptures (vs 10-18; Ps. 14:1-3, 53:1-3; Ecces. 7:20; Ps. 5:9; Ps. 140:3; Ps. 10:7; Isa. 59:7,8; Ps. 36:1).
2. The Law speaks to those under the Law (the Jews)(vs 19).
3. The purpose of the Law is to bring the knowledge of sin (vs 20; Gal. 3:19-25).
Thought: In what areas of life will a person struggle if they view God as unjust?
