Transcript justification by faith - Join us in our walk

Genuine “Jews”
from the Heart.
Roman 2:17-29
Real Children of God Are
Devoted to Doing God’s Will
from the Heart as they trust in
the Savior.
Privileges given to us by God do not,
in themselves, make us children of
God.
Too often, the privileges given to us by
God are taken for granted and we do
not take them “to heart.”
God desires His children to be genuine,
not superficial nor hypocritical, in
their service to Him.
Privileges alone will not lead to our
salvation.
This is the challenge we face when
we are given special privileges:
To continue to recognize our need
for the Savior to be right with God
every step of the way.
The Self-Image of the
Self-Righteous “Jew”
(Rom. 2:17-20).
Romans 2:17-21a (NASB)
17 But if you bear the name "Jew," and rely
upon the Law, and boast in God, 18 and
know His will, and approve the things that
are essential, being instructed out of the
Law, 19 and are confident that you yourself
are a guide to the blind, a light to those who
are in darkness, 20 a corrector of the
foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in
the Law the embodiment of knowledge and
of the truth, 21 you, therefore, who teach
another, do you not teach yourself?...
Matthew 23:6-7 (NASB)
6 "And they love the place of honor
at banquets, and the chief seats in
the synagogues, 7 and respectful
greetings in the market places, and
being called by men, Rabbi.
Similarly, some brethren today
arrogantly boast in the name
Christian, their possession of the
law of Christ, and their position as
teacher of the truth of this world!
A SAD STATISTIC: The Number of
“Name-Only” Christians.
2 Corinthians 13:5 (NASB)
Test yourselves to see if you are in
the faith; examine yourselves! Or
do you not recognize this about
yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in
you — unless indeed you fail the
test?
Some have become proud possessors
of truth and have forgotten that
truth is a gift of God!
Romans 11:33 (NASB)
Oh, the depth of the riches both of
the wisdom and knowledge of God!
How unsearchable are His
judgments and unfathomable His
ways!
Some lift themselves in arrogance
over others, failing to love them.
1 Corinthians 8:1 (NASB) Now
concerning things sacrificed to
idols, we know that we all have
knowledge. Knowledge makes
arrogant, but love edifies.
Do We Practice What We Preach?
(Rom. 2:21-24).
Romans 2:21-22 (NASB)
21 you, therefore, who teach
another, do you not teach yourself?
You who preach that one should
not steal, do you steal? 22 You who
say that one should not commit
adultery, do you commit adultery?
You who abhor idols, do you rob
temples?
Some brethren will study to help
others, but fail to help themselves.
Luke 6:41 (NASB)
“And why do you look at the speck
that is in your brother's eye, but do
not notice the log that is in your
own eye?”
Romans 2:23 (NASB)
You who boast in the Law, through
your breaking the Law, do you
dishonor God?
The problem lies when we believe
that the mere possession of truth
makes us right with God!
Being “the pillar and ground of the
truth” (1 Tim. 3:15) involves more
than just defending it, it requires
living it! (James 1:22-25).
Failing to teach ourselves and
boasting in our knowledge of truth
will lead to sin (e.g., Rom. 2:21-22).
To claim to be people of “The Book”
and yet not follow it dishonors the
name of the Lord (Rom. 2:23).
Romans 2:24 (NASB)
For "the name of God is
blasphemed among the Gentiles
because of you," just as it is
written.
Isaiah 52:5 (NASB)
“Now therefore, what do I have
here,” declares the LORD, "seeing
that My people have been taken
away without cause?" Again the
LORD declares, "Those who rule
over them howl, and My name is
continually blasphemed all day
long.
Some brethren are giving “heathen”
an excuse to blaspheme the Lord!
2 Peter 2:1-2 (NKJV) But there were also
false prophets among the people, even as
there will be false teachers among you, who
will secretly bring in destructive heresies,
even denying the Lord who bought them,
and bring on themselves swift destruction.
2 And many will follow their destructive
ways, because of whom the way of truth will
be blasphemed.
– cf. 1 Tim. 5:14; 6:1; Titus 2:5
Circumcision Has Value Only If One Keeps
the Law Perfectly (Rom. 2:25-27).
The Jews gloried in circumcision as
being their special mark that they were
God’s people of the covenant
(Gen. 17:1-14).
The Jews failed to see that
circumcision brought privileges only if
they met their obligation to keep the
whole Law perfectly.
Romans 2:5 (NASB)
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. – cf. Gal. 5:3
Similarly, some Christians today fail
to see that baptism brings eternal
blessings only if they continue in
obedient faith to the Lord.
Hebrews 10:26-27 (NASB)
26 For if we go on sinning willfully
after receiving the knowledge of
the truth, there no longer remains
a sacrifice for sins, 27 but a certain
terrifying expectation of judgment,
and the fury of a fire which will
consume the adversaries.
– cf. Rom. 6:1-4
If the circumcised transgress the
Law and the uncircumcised keep
the Law, it would be the Gentiles,
not the Jews, who would be
counted as God’s people
(IF salvation could be obtained
through the Law) (Rom. 2:26-27)
Romans 2:26-27 (NASB)
26 If therefore the uncircumcised man
keeps the requirements of the Law, will
not his uncircumcision be regarded as
circumcision? 27 And will not he who is
physically uncircumcised, if he keeps
the Law, will he not judge you who
though having the letter of the Law
and circumcision are a transgressor of
the Law? – cf. Mat. 12:41
Similarly, if Christians
(the baptized into Christ)
do not continue to obey the law of
Christ, the world will tend to view
“religious” non-Christians
(unbaptized) as God’s people
instead!
Baptism, by itself, does not
demonstrate genuine Christianity!
If that were true, then we would be
saved by keeping just one law!
(Acts 2:38).
What sets us apart from the world
is that even after baptism we
maintain an obedient faith in
Christ our Savior to the very end
(Rev. 2:10; Titus 2:11-14;
James 2:12-26).
What it Means to Be a Real “Jew”
(or Christian) (Rom. 2:28-29).
Romans 2:28-29 (NASB)
28 For he is not a Jew who is one
outwardly; neither is circumcision
that which is outward in the flesh.
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.
A true “Jew” is not determined by
one’s outward physical lineage or
by circumcision (Rom. 9:6-8), but
by faith that comes from the heart
(Gal. 3:7; Rom. 10:9).
Galatians 3:7 (NASB)
Therefore, be sure that it is those
who are of faith who are sons of
Abraham. – cf. Rom. 10:9
Similarly, a true Christian is not
determined only by the fact that he
was at one time baptized
(though essential to becoming one;
Gal. 3:27).
Baptism is just the beginning!
Acts 2:38 (NASB) And Peter said to them,
"Repent, and let each of you be baptized in
the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness
of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of
the Holy Spirit.
Acts 2:41-42 (NASB) 41 So then, those who
had received his word were baptized; and
there were added that day about three
thousand souls. And they were continually
devoting themselves to the apostles'
teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking
of bread and to prayer.
A Genuine “Jew” (or Christian):
Devoted to God from the heart
(from within), his/her heart is
changed and thus he seeks to put
away sin and obey God’s will.
Romans 2:28-29 (NASB)
28 For he is not a Jew who is one
outwardly; neither is circumcision that
which is outward in the flesh. 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.
– cf. Rom. 2:16; 1 Cor. 4:5; Gal. 5:6
A genuine child of God has a
“circumcised heart.”
Jer 4:4 (NASB) "Circumcise
yourselves to the LORD And remove
the foreskins of your heart, Men of
Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,
Lest My wrath go forth like fire And
burn with none to quench it, Because
of the evil of your deeds.“
– cf. Deut. 10:16; 30:6; Col. 2:11-13
Being a genuine Christian is not
JUST based on the external
requirements we meet to “the letter
of the law” (Rom. 2:29; cf. Mat.
7:21-23; Rom. 6:17):
GOD WANTS OUR HEARTS!
Genuine Christians seek to do all
that the Lord has commanded to
the best of their ability including
“the spirit of the law” such as
justice, mercy, and faithfulness
(Mat. 23:23).
And in harmony with the baptism
in which we receive, we put off the
body of sin daily (Col. 3:5-8)
(circumcision of the heart).
Genuine Christians Devote
Themselves Wholly to Being
Holy in Heart and in Life So That
They May Receive the Praise That
Is from God!