Author: missionspaul

When I was a child in our house was a promise box. A small wooden box of small scrolls with bible promises in them. Often when I was in need of a dream that my life would be great I would go to the box get the tweezers and pull out a promise. If I didn’t like it or didn’t understand it I would put it back and do the best of three routine, hoping to pull put a good one!

I cannot remember a day in my life when I have not opened my Bible at some point. I would rather read it than any other book. If that comes across as boasting then I am happy to boast. One of the primary tasks of any Pastor is for them to lead their church into the reading of the Bible on a daily basis as part of their discipleship. Christians have the revelation of God! This makes us greatly privileged!

Let’s come to a few verses today:

So Paul has been saying that both Jews and Gentiles stand in the same place before God.

He knows the questions that this raises: Why be a Jew? Why be circumcised?

Are we not chosen anymore?

What advantage, then, is there in being a Jew, or what value is there in circumcision? Much in every way! First of all, the Jews have been entrusted with the very words of God. (Romans 3 v 1-2)

His response is YES! The Jews have the Scriptures.

First of all … there doesn’t seem to be a second or third point. There is but it doesn’t come till much later in his letter. In chapter 9 Paul will speak of the other benefits of being a Jew: their adoption, the covenants and the law. It seems he gets side-tracked and wonderfully so.

First of all the Jews were given the task of writing down and preserving the revelation from God throughout the ages! They have what is our Old Testament. (The problem is they came to also believe their oral traditions are equal to the written revelation of God and that good works now outweigh the sacrificial system which is now not operational since the destruction of their Temple in AD70)

And so do we!

Of course there are promises that are appropriate only for the Jews but we have a Bible full of promises that apply to us! We also have promises in the New Testament, in letters like this one, Romans!

In this letter I wonder which amazing Bible declarations you know?!

(1: 16) For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.

(3:23) for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God

(5:1) Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ

(5:8) But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us.

(6: 23) For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Or do you remember these?

(8: 28)  And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.

(10: 9) If you declare with your mouth, “Jesus is Lord,” and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.

(10:13) Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.

(11:29) for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable.

(12:2)  Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

Why not choose one today (like my promise box) and meditate on it throughout the day?!

Thank you for reading this would you please help me raise money for an old Bible College friend, I was her Pastor for several years, Ukrainian Svetlana Souzko, currently in Romania with her son having left her family behind in Kyiv.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/helpforsvetlana

Your best attempts to prove you belong to God are futile.

If those who don’t belong obeyed God’s laws (and no one can be that obedient) they would belong more than those who say they belong to God and try prove it by their efforts.

Here is what Paul says about it:

“Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker. A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.” (Romans 2 v 25-29)

There is nothing you can do to cause you to be saved, not one thing, it is total grace. Not one performance, not one sin-free day, not one commandment or act of purity or sacrificial giving, nothing. Get rid of the whole notion.

Circumcision is so important to the Jew. In fact it is the rite of passage. It is easy to imagine Jewish teachers imposing this requirement on new followers of Jesus.

Baptism is not the outward sign of belonging to God nor is the Lord’s Supper or witnessing or church attendance etc. These are never enough. There is always more things that are needed. Don’t be friends with Pharisees because you will lose the one thing that is of all importance, grace.

Moses called for people to circumcise their hearts. Jeremiah called for people to circumcise their hearts before the Lord and Paul agrees that circumcision is one done by the Spirit.

I have found the cut of my heart continually happen throughout my life and so have you. Sometimes the pain of circumstances are used to make the cut and sometimes it is the pain of conviction.

It will mark a new day, a new journey, a new direction, this is a moment of change, you will never be the same again and all that sounds wonderfully exciting, but it begins with a cut. It hurts.

I don’t have to do one thing to prove to anyone what Christ has done for me or who I am in Him. He has my heart and He continues to circumcise it.

Thank you for reading this would you please help me raise money for an old Bible College friend, I was her Pastor for several years, Ukrainian Svetlana Souzko, currently in Romania with her son having left her family behind in Kyiv.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/helpforsvetlana

The more you know the more will be expected of you. That’s what Paul seems to be saying to the Jews in Rome.

Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; ¹⁸ if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; ¹⁹ if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, ²⁰ an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— ²¹ you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? ²² You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? ²³ You who boast in the law, do you dishonour God by breaking the law? ²⁴ As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” (Romans 2 v 17-24)

If you know God’s will because He has spoken to you.

If you know what is the best and right way to live (a superior way).

If you know how to help other people navigate life leading them through their darkness into the light.

If this is you. If you have the Law of Moses, the special revelation of God ….

If you teach those who do not know what you know (the foolish) and who are like little children with regard the revelation of God. If this is you …

Dash (v20) (wait for effect)

If this is you but you commit things that you know you shouldn’t …

(Paul makes a short list, not necessarily because this is what he has seen physically, in fact he has never been to Rome or met these people so perhaps he is thinking about the issues of the heart. Stealing and adultery being greed and lust is often used in the gospels especially)

… then are you any better than anyone else?

Even though you have a name, have revelation (Torah), have a relationship with God (chosen), know His will, know what is best, know how to help people do life and you teach them, what actual good will this do for you? What benefit do you receive? Nothing.

If you break the law yourself then all you know and all you do is worth nothing.

Being a Jew won’t save you.

Being any kind of religious person won’t save you.

We cannot save ourselves.

The only claim you have is that you have a Saviour called Jesus.

Thank you for reading this would you please help me raise money for an old Bible College friend, I was her Pastor for several years, Ukrainian Svetlana Souzko, currently in Romania with her son having left her family behind in Kyiv.

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/helpforsvetlana

Every day I write a short devotional on here and I hope it blesses and encourages. I only use my WordPress account for that reason but please excuse me as I need your help urgently. You are following the Ukraine tragedy. I have a friend who was in Bible College with me and who was then several years a member of my church worship team when I was a Pastor in Dewsbury. She needs help and so does her family and church in Kyiv. Can you please consider giving a donation? I would so appreciate your help. Together we can do something even though we feel helpless.  Please click on the link. 

https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/helpforsvetlana?utm_term=MXMGqX78p

That kind of sums up what Paul is trying to say in this letter to the Roman Gentiles and Jews.

Having dwelt on the Gentiles he turns his attention to the Jews and says:

If this is you …

The more you have and the more you know the more is expected of you.

Paul has stated how even those who only have a natural revelation of God (eg they know murder is wrong) will be judged according to what they know. He now turns his attention to the Jew.

Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; ¹⁸ if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; ¹⁹ if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, ²⁰ an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— ²¹ you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? ²² You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? ²³ You who boast in the law, do you dishonour God by breaking the law? ²⁴ As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” (Romans 2 v 17-24)

If this is you …

You have a name, you are a “Jew” you belong to God who chose you.

If this is you …

You have God’s revelation, “the Law of Moses” which accomplishes God’s purposes and the source of revelation for your prophets.

If this is you …

You have a relationship and so you boast about it telling others of who God is to you.

As a Jew if this is you …

V20 … dash … (waiting – for full impact)

If this is you … but you break the law yourself, therefore dishonour God yourself and therefore blaspheme His name yourself. Where does this leave you?

That is Paul’s point. Everyone needs the Saviour, even the Jew.

This is often asked of those dying around the world without ever knowing the gospel. Do they too get judged? Is that fair? If no one ever tells them about Jesus how can they accept or reject salvation?

Paul speaks into this now:

“If you sin without knowing what you’re doing, God takes that into account. But if you sin knowing full well what you’re doing, that’s a different story entirely. Merely hearing God’s law is a waste of your time if you don’t do what he commands. Doing, not hearing, is what makes the difference with God. When outsiders who have never heard of God’s law follow it more or less by instinct, they confirm its truth by their obedience. They show that God’s law is not something alien, imposed on us from without, but woven into the very fabric of our creation. There is something deep within them that echoes God’s yes and no, right and wrong. Their response to God’s yes and no will become public knowledge on the day God makes his final decision about every man and woman. The Message from God that I proclaim through Jesus Christ takes into account all these differences.” (Romans 2 v 12-16 Msg)

Paul has already said that there is no difference between Gentile and Jew. The Jews sin and are judged according to the revelation they received, the Law from Moses. (The NIV says they are ‘under the law’) The Gentiles sin and are judged according to the revelation they also received (the NIV uses the words ‘apart from the law’). What is that revelation they have received if it isn’t the Law of Moses?

There are aspects of the Law that are in every culture of the world eg. Murder is wrong, don’t steal, love etc. No one has to tell them that, they know. Where did that revelation come from? It is woven into the fabric of being a human. With that revelation comes the ability to spot what is wrong in other people, they have a standard. They will be judged according to that standard, that revelation they have received as a human is what they will face God about.

And like the Jew, the revelation itself doesn’t protect, whether it is the full Law of Moses or some aspects inherently built into their understanding, knowing isn’t important and no one will be able to defend themselves before God on the basis of how much they can quote it or some of it. But it is what you do that counts. In fact the more you know the more you realise how difficult it is to do what you know! For the revelation simply reveals how we need God to intervene to help us, we need saving from this revelation for it judges us itself.

He will not get away with it.

Everyone is accountable and the evil aggressor will have to answer to what he has done.

God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” (Romans 2 v 6)

Paul probably has one of these verses in mind or all of them:

Proverbs 24:12 “Will he not repay each person according to what he has done?”

Psalm 62:12 “Surely you will reward each person according to what he has done”

Hosea 12:2 “The Lord … repay him according to his ways.”

That repayment is either in our lifetime but definitely when we stand before Him.

What we do during our lives matters.

How we live today, the choices we make, the responses we give, the deeds we commit, we are accountable for our actions.

Sobering but true.

Ever heard that?

The assumption is if you’re bad you’ll go to hell.

What will happen when Putin stands before God?

Or what about the incredible sacrifice of the Ukrainian solder who yesterday in blowing up the bridge to stop Russian tanks rolling over had to lay down his life for his nation? What happened when he stood before God?

Works are certainly part of our thinking at times when it comes to the judgment of God.

In this next section Paul is speaking about every human being, Jew or Gentile:

“God “will repay each person according to what they have done.” To those who by persistence in doing good seek glory, honour and immortality, he will give eternal life. But for those who are self-seeking and who reject the truth and follow evil, there will be wrath and anger. There will be trouble and distress for every human being who does evil: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile; but glory, honour and peace for everyone who does good: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show favouritism.” (Romans 2 v 6-11)

According to what you have done, no favouritism, whoever you are, you will be judged according to how you have lived your life. That’s what Paul seems to be saying.

Here is the standard by which God judges everybody: what you do on earth, good or evil.

Judged by works.

So how do I know I have done enough good works? There comes the Muslim problem!

Is Paul really saying it is about works? If you do evil you will be condemned and if you do good you will have eternal life?

If the letter stopped here then yes I think it does look like that. But Paul is building his case. Soon we will be reading in 3 v 20 that no amount of good works will save you.

No one is good enough to get to heaven.

But this is the gospel that Paul is writing about. We are justified by faith. He makes us good! See you in heaven!

Whether you are a Russian leader thinking you can do anything you want or any other person like him in history; whether you are a Jew who because of being the chosen people can sin like the Gentiles; whether you passionately live out your religion appeasing many gods as you daily worship them; or even perhaps you are a ‘saved’ Christian who knows it is God’s job to forgive you as you live your blasé sinful life; no one is untouchable.

Why doesn’t God take out Putin?

Maybe He will, He can of course. But if that was the way of God then where would He stop? How sure are we that He wouldn’t stop with us?! I don’t think I would be writing this if God dealt with me in justice and with the way my sin deserved.

“So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? Or do you show contempt for the riches of his kindness, forbearance and patience, not realizing that God’s kindness is intended to lead you to repentance? But because of your stubbornness and your unrepentant heart, you are storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God’s wrath, when his righteous judgment will be revealed.” (Romans 2 v 3-5)

Kindness, Forbearance and Patience! That’s His approach. Not dragging us by the ear to repentance but leading us. The Message says, “God is kind, but he’s not soft. In kindness he takes us firmly by the hand and leads us into a radical life-change.” Isn’t that amazing? And our response?

Stubbornness and Unrepentant: refusing to take His hand, being self-righteous, self-justifying stance about how I live my life. “I do this because of this”.

Paul says to the Jew that they cannot do this anymore. They are storing up wrath against themselves. Even as a chosen people they will be judged.

So this points to the wonderful gospel of a Saviour Jesus who came and touched the world with grace and mercy and who every day reaches out His hand to you and me to walk away from the ways of the world and into the ways of God.

After speaking of ‘they’ and ‘them’ Paul is definitely turning his attention to ‘you’. The ‘you’ is definitely the Jew, in verse 17 we will read, “Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God …”

Some of what Paul says can be applied to the religious superiority of certain ‘Christians’ who look out of their church windows at a sinful lost world and carry on singing their hymns of worship thankful that they’re not like them. Paul says you are.

But not everything Paul says can be applied to know-it-all ‘Christians’ and we have to remember the fact that he was speaking to the ‘Jews’.

You, therefore, have no excuse, you who pass judgment on someone else, for at whatever point you judge another, you are condemning yourself, because you who pass judgment do the same things. ² Now we know that God’s judgment against those who do such things is based on truth. ³ So when you, a mere human being, pass judgment on them and yet do the same things, do you think you will escape God’s judgment? (Romans 2 v 1-3)

To those who have the law of God, the Torah, the moralists, the covenant people of God, Paul has you in mind. Paul will give 3 chapters specifically to the Jew later in this letter (9-11).

He says you people do the same things as the horrible list that he has ended with in chapter 1. But it must be hidden because Paul is convinced they are doing the same thing. I wonder, what are the same sins that God’s people have committed behind their doors as the world has done in the open? Whilst that is not unsurprising, the fact that those same people pass judgment on the world is. Hypocrisy is the sin. The religious superior are experts at accusing what they are weak in because they can easily spot the sin. It takes one to know one. Everyone thinks they are right and have the truth. But only one has it and He is truth. He is the true truth.

Judgment is coming to those who judge from a place of hypocrisy.