God Sees Behind the Mask

Romans 2:17-29

Rev. Min J. Chung

(Sunday Lords Day Service, March 4, 2007)

 

17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to 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 infants, 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 brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 As it is written: Gods name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you. 25 Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. 26 If those who are not circumcised keep the laws requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? 27 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 law-breaker. 28 A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a mans praise is not from men, but from God.

 

Introduction

                 Paul explained the gospel to the Romans before heading to Rome. However, before he gets to talking about his pastoral and missionary heart, he talks about sin over and over. (Hey, thats like CFC!) In chapter 1, he emphasizes the sins of the Gentiles—how they were dishonoring God by rejecting the revelation they received through nature. Although they didnt receive the Law like the Jews (special revelation), they would be judged based on general revelation. In chapter 2, he addresses the Jews and helps them see their sin. Pauls point is: you need to see your sin in order to understand the necessity of the gospel and to be grateful for salvation. If you dont know the depth of your sin, you wont know the magnitude of Gods grace. In this passage, Paul continues to get into the hearts of the Jews to help them see their sin.

                 This world has a therapeutic worldview of humanity. It teaches that we are victims. A biblical worldview is that we are all hell-deserving sinners. The only reason we are still on this earth is that, in His kindness, God is withholding His wrath. He is giving us the chance to see the reality of our own sin and repent. Thats not only me saying that; the Bible says that. We need to have a biblical worldview. God isnt some old grandfather-like, evil, tyrant figure. God is great, awesome, and merciful. He sent His Son to die for undeserving sinners.

                 Actually, in talking about Gods grace, I am being more gracious than Paul. He didnt get to that part until chapter 4. If I wanted to do justice to todays text, I wouldnt say anything about Jesus. Paul was more hardcore than CFC.

                 Today, well first look at the problem of religious pride; second, the solution of spiritual humility; third, the problem of religious activity; fourth, the solution of spiritual change.

                 If you are sinless, you dont need to listen to this message. If you know you are sinful, you have to listen. If you dont think you have sin, you still need to listen. Everybody needs to listen, except Jesus.

 

I.       The Problem of Religious PrideThe Jews had religious pride. The Jews were very proud about their title. Verses 17-20 talk about it. In these verses there are two lists of four kinds of pride. First, Paul lists the advantages they had, to highlight how proud they were. Second, he lists the privileges they had, again to bring out their pride. Then, he gives the correct perspective we should have.

A.     AdvantagesThey were called Jews, which comes from the word Judah, which means praise to Jehovah. So proud were they of this name that many Jews living in Gentile cities used Jew as a surname. For example, Min Chung Jew. They were proud of four advantages they had.

1.       God has given us His law17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law

a)       They said, We are the only people on the face of this earth to whom Moses gave the Law through Moses.

2.       He has entered into a special relationship with us17 brag about your relationship to God

a)       They said, God wouldnt say, I love you, unless He really loved us. He has spoken to us of His love. We are special. We have a special relationship with the Lord.

3.       Because we have been given his law, we know his will18 if you know his will

a)       They said, We are wise. We have the ability to discern. We know more than others. We are the chosen generation.

4.       We approve only the most excellent of human moral standards18 and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law.

The Jews said, God has given us the law. Because we have been given this law, we are wiser and more moral people. We have a special relationship with Him. We have excellent standards. Thats very similar to long-time church-goers. We can have a wrong

view of ourselves and be proud. We can get proud about almost anything. If youre a Cubs fan, you can be proud about that. (A White Sox fan might wonder why in the world someone would be proud about that.) Same thing if youre Illini fan. Or if you say, I go to CFC. I am Chinese. I am Korean. I am American. We get proud about special relationships, rules, identities. Theres something different about me that makes me above others. My values are better than yours. We compare ourselves to others.

B.      PrivilegesThe Jews knew their privileges as Jews.

1.       To be a guide for the blind19 if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind

a)       We are wiser and can guide the blind.

2.       To be a light for those who are in the dark19 a light for those who are in the dark

a)       We have to show others the path.

3.       To be an instructor for the foolish20 an instructor of the foolish

4.       To be a teacher of infants20 a teacher of infants

They were incredibly proud of all these privileges. As a result, they were blind to their own sin. That sounds like some people in the church.

C.     Perspectives

1.       Notice the differences between those two groups. The first group described the Jews own experience with the Law, not how it affected the way they related to others. The focus of the second group, however, is on how the Jews related to other people. They were to guide, shine, correct, and teach. The first group says, We have the light. The second says, We need to shine that light. Thats true, but they took that truth and had a prideful attitude about it. In other words, We have this light, and were the only ones.

2.       The first four (advantages) were in relation with God. The second four (privileges) were in relation with others. Thats a summary of the Law, just as Jesus summarized the Ten Commandments into two: Love the Lord your God and love others as yourself. The first four are about loving God and the second six are about loving others. The Ten Commandments were a summary of all the laws in the Old Testament.

3.       God was saying to the Jews, I am a God of love. I am kind. Wrath is coming, but I will wait. As you observe my Laws and live them out in this world, love Me and love people in the world. Show My love through the means of the Law. Be different than other nations, and help them to see the light.

4.       In light of that, Paul was accusing the Jews, You arent loving God or others. Thats why He gave you the Law, not so you can be proud about it. Look at your attitude and pride. You are blind. You are hypocrites. You are wearing a mask. But God sees behind the mask. Its not like he was making up how bad they were. He was simply putting a mirror in front of them. Sometimes we dont know how bad we are until we see ourselves in a mirror.

5.       Be careful as you get older. Older people can easily fall into pride. A proof of pride is that you cant see your own sin. If you cant repent, you are proud. Are you always repenting, or are you always correcting others? Be careful when you judge others, because then youre not looking at your own sin. Paul said, I am the worst sinner. He had a low self-esteem. He should have gone to a psychologist. Thats what we need—low self-esteem, which is correct self-esteem.

6.       Its a great blessing to be able to see our own sin. David had spiritual eyes. Of course, that wasnt always the case for David. Before Nathan confronted him, he didnt acknowledge his sin. But afterwards, when the Holy Spirit spoke to him, he said, My sins always before me. I was sinful before birth. The ability to see our own sin is a prerequisite to receiving Gods power. In order to be joyful, we need to go to the cross and be miserable first. If youre never miserable, youll never experience incredible joy.

7.       Beware of any feelings of superiority. Thats the problem of the religious proud. Some people are proud of their religious background, knowledge of Scripture, or external appearance. Im a PK (pastors kid), an EK (elders kid), an MK (missionarys kid), a K (kid). Every kind of kid can have pride about their spiritual heritage. People can be proud about what theyve accomplished, their degrees, or their titles.

8.       Do I sound a little harsh this morning? If Im not harsh today, Im not doing justice to the text. From preaching for many years, Ive come to learn that my job is not only to transfer to you the content of the Bible but also the feelings and emotions of the author. But sometimes I dont do that, because I am a wimp. If I do that, you wont like me. Many of you read Jonathan EdwardsSinners in the Hands of an Angry God in your high school English class. Perhaps your teacher criticized it, because it sounds so harsh. However, I believe Edwards was trying to convey the emotion and intent of the author. Paul was trying to get us to realize how sinful we are so we can run in desperation to God for grace and mercy.

II.     The Solution of Spiritual Humility (21-24)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 brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 As it is written: Gods name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.

A.     Pauls argument

1.       Paul could have pointed out individual sins of the Jews. He could have said, You judge others for committing adultery, but you lust. But he wanted them to understand the point, so he used the same logic that the Jews were using. The Jews logic was this: I am a circumcised Jew. We the Jews have the Law and obey it, so every one of us will be saved. They thought of salvation as corporate. So Paul says, OK, then Ill use a corporate argument. Using your logic, if even one Jew sins, no Jew will be saved.

2.       In verses 22-23, he points out three sins: stealing (which is the eighth commandment), adultery (the seventh commandment), and idols/robbing temples (the first commandment). Of course, not every Jew stole or committed adultery, but even if one Jew in all of Jewish history stole or committed adultery, their argument broke down.

3.       So, every Jew knew David committed adultery. There was tons of idolatry in Exodus. As for robbing temples, in AD 19, Josephus relates how four Jews stole from a noble lady. Instead of giving it to the temple, they kept the spoils for themselves. As a result, Emperor Tiberius expelled all the Jews from Rome. So it was a well-known fact that some Jews robbed a temple.

B.      Pauls illustrations (22-23)

1.       Adultery, stealing, and idolatry. Later Paul talks about circumcision of the heart, so we know his point is that they were committing spiritual adultery, stealing (of Gods glory), and idolatry (idolizing their heritage and the Law).

C.     Pauls accusations (21)21 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal?Paul was asking, So you want to be a teacher? You need to be taught first. Here are some applications.

1.       Pierce your heart with the word

a)       Before we speak, preach, or teach the Word, we need to be preached to by it. Whether were a teacher, a parent, a Sunday school teacher, or an older brother/sister, our hearts must be first pierced with the Word. We need a broken and contrite heart. Then we can teach others.

b)      I spend a lot of time preparing for Sunday messages, and the main reason is that it has to be in my heart. It has to pierce my heart.

2.       Strive to live it

3.       Then teach others with love, grace, and insights

a)       We need His mercy and strength to live it. This leads to humility, repentance, and daily appreciation of the gospel. When we try to live it, it leads to insight and spiritual growth.

b)      There are teachers who give information, and then there are teachers who give insights. That leads a person from one place to another, step by step. Anybody can say, Go over there. Its another thing to say, This is how you go over there.

c)       Consider soup. Just because water is touching some vegetables or meat, it doesnt necessarily mean its going to be good soup. It has to simmer for a long time. Thats how to get the flavor to come out. Just because youve touched some information doesnt mean its good. The information has to be in you, then the juice will come out.

d)      Youre not just to be a map, you need to be a GPS unit. A GPS gives you directions moment by moment. When you try to live it out, you have GPS insight.

D.     Pauls reminder (24)

1.       When youre proud, its all about you. Pauls reminder is that its not about you; its about God. Verse 24 says, As it is written: Gods name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you. Its like a family—when you do something bad, it affects the family name. Its about the glory of God. Its not about race, heritage, degrees or titles; its not about you. Actually, Paul isnt talking about sin; hes talking about the name and glory of God. Sin keeps God from receiving the glory He deserves. When we sin, we become so self-focused. Sometimes even when we repent, we become self-focused. Thats why we can sin even when we repent. Humility is not Im bad; Im bad. Humility is: Its about God.

2.       Verse 12 says, All who sin apart from the law will also perish apart from the law, and all who sin under the law will be judged by the law. The first part is about Gentiles and the second is about Jews. Both will be judged for their sins.

3.       Romans 1:21 says, For although they knew God, they neither glorified him as God nor gave thanks to him, but their thinking became futile and their foolish hearts were darkened. The Gentiles didnt exalt Gods name, even though knew Him through nature.

4.       Romans 2:23 says, You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?

5.       Romans 3:23 says, for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God. Its not about you; its about Gods glory. Christians are those who live for Gods glory, name, and honor. The core of our identity is associated with His name, who He is.

6.       When a small group at our church does something bad, people say, CFC is bad. When a member of CFC gossips, people say, CFC gossips, or even worse, All Christians gossip. Why dont people ever say, U of I students gossip. Cubs fans gossip. Filipinos gossip? It shows how closely we are associated with the name of Christ. Our strongest identity to non-Christians is Christian. What you do in the classroom, when you play sports, what you do matters. Of course, our response should not be to hide. Rather, we should be honest about our sin and honor Christ. Christ can be glorified even in our mistakes. Just make sure you show people that youre moving in the direction of change. A hypocrite isnt someone who shows his or her failures; its someone who hides them. Be honest about your mistakes and show that youre trying. Were imperfect, but we are changing. God is watching over you. We are associated with the name of God. Its a double-edged sword. Its both a privilege and an honor, as well as a responsibility.

7.       I believe Christian identity is a byproduct, not what we should focus on. We focus on God and His glory; the natural result is that we will be associated with Him. Whats important is not who we are but whose we are. The best identity I see in Scripture (in Ephesians) is we, the church of Jesus Christ. Our biblical identity is not, I am a Christian. Its, I am a part of the church of Jesus Christ.

III.  The Problem of Religious Activity (25-27)For the Jews, circumcision was a religious rite, a part of their identity. Paul wanted to address the subject of the Jews identity, so he uses circumcision as his illustration. The Jews were proud about circumcision. The Jews supposed they were secure not to go to hell because they were part of Gods chosen people through circumcision. They believed circumcision somehow secured salvation. Rabbi Menachem in his commentary on the books of Moses says, Our Rabbis have said that no circumcised man will see hell. Another said, Circumcision saves from hell. In the Medrasch Tillim it is said, God swore to Abraham that no one who was circumcised should be sent to hell. As we know the rite of circumcision was a beautiful thing. It signified that all of a persons life was Gods and was meant to signify this among his descendents. It was something like a wedding ring between God and his people. Yet, Paul says that circumcision will not justify a man. Circumcision was of great value if one understood and lived its intended significance. However, if its meaning was disregarded, it was as meaningless as a wedding ring on an adulterers finger. Circumcision signified at least three things to a Jew:

A.     My sins are cut off

1.       The dirty part of my heart has been cut off by faith. In the Old Testament, animal sacrifices were cut in half. With Abraham, God Himself walked in between the two halves. That symbolized that sin has been cut off.

B.      My commitment is to live a set-apart life

1.       Im going to try my best to live according to Gods Law. Circumcision set the Israelites apart from other nations, who engaged in a sinful lifestyle. The Israelites were to be different than the dark world around them.

C.     My descendents are yours

1.       I will live a cut-off life and my descendents will be yours. However, circumcision didnt mean anything to the Israelites, because their hearts had turned away from God. What is a ring to an adulterer? A wedding ring means, Im taken.

D.     Thats the problem with mere religious activity. The heart is the most important thing. If youre sitting here, but not worshiping God in your heart, its useless. Of course, even if your heart isnt in it, its still better to be here, because at least theres a chance for your heart to be changed. But right now, do you want  to worship God? Even if you have that desire for one second, thats still worship. Because of that one second, our hearts will never be the same again. When we worship in spirit and in truth, we can never return to what we were a second ago; God is that powerful.

IV.   The Solution of Spiritual Change (28-29)Romans 2:28-29 28 A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a mans praise is not from men, but from God.

A.     The meaning

1.       Paul is talking about circumcision of the heart. Weve been learning about total depravity. Our sinful nature must be cut off; that happens when the Spirit gives us a rival nature. As we put our faith in Jesus Christ, through our union with Christ (which well study in Romans 6-8), a battle rages in our hearts. Slowly but surely our sinful nature is being cut off. Thats circumcision of the heart.

2.       Deuteronomy 30:6 says, The Lord your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live. Gods Word is surgical. When He speaks to you, there is hope, because as you listen, His Word can pierce your heart. I pray Gods Word will pierce your heart today.

B.      The teaching – on SacramentsWe teach regularly about the sacraments at our church. But there are always new people

at our church, so its good to discuss it. Even for those familiar with it, its good to remember what the sacraments are all about.What is a sacrament? I looked up sacrament in Websters Dictionary. I was impressed. It says, A Christian rite (as baptism or the Eucharist) that is believed to have been ordained by Christ and that is held to be a means of divine grace or to be a sign or symbol of a spiritual reality. Thats right on!

1.       It is instituted by Christ himself

a)       Old Testament sacraments were instituted by God the Father. New Testament sacraments were instituted by God the Son. The two Old Testament sacraments were circumcision and the Passover. Circumcision symbolized entrance into the family of God and the Passover symbolized the sustenance of life. The two sacraments in the New Testament are baptism (entrance into the kingdom) and the Lords Supper (sustenance of life). Jesus Himself was baptized. John baptized both Gentiles and Jews (Jews were not supposed to be baptized). Jesus, himself a Jew, was baptized. Baptism has replaced circumcision, and it signifies entrance into the New Testament church. Communion has replaced the Passover, and it signifies sustenance of life. Jesus instituted communion Himself before He died on Friday as the Passover Lamb. Do this in remembrance of me.

2.       It uses elements as visible signs of Gods blessing

a)       In baptism, the element is water. In communion, the elements are the bread and the drink. The bread represents Christs flesh, while the drink represents Christs blood, which has cleansed us. In circumcision, the element was the cutting away of flesh. Arent you glad you didnt live in the Old Testament period?

b)      This is an important matter, for it sets sacraments off from non-sacraments. Prayer is a means of Gods grace. But its different than the sacraments, since it doesnt use any elements.

c)       The elements are simply signs. A sign on the highway that says, Thirty miles to Champaign-Urbana is not Champaign-Urbana itself. It only points to it. Its a sign. The sacraments are signs that point to Jesus.

3.       It is a means of Gods grace

a)       How does God give grace? Prayer is a means of Gods grace. The Bible is another. Somehow, as we read it by faith, we are nourished spiritually. No other book can nourish like the Bible.

b)      When we take communion, the elements touch our lips, and as we receive it in faith, we receive grace, mercy, and strength. The sacraments are not Gods

grace, but they are a means of it. How many here have been blessed through communion?

4.       It is a seal, certification, or confirmation of the grace it signifies

a)       Consider a restaurant with a sign on it that says, Joes Restaurant. The sign signifies that the restaurant belongs to Joe. The sacraments are a sign that we belong to Christ. Its a sign, a seal, certification, confirmation. Its just like how a signature authenticates a document. The sacraments authenticate the fact that we are of Christ. Through the sacraments, we touch our wedding ring. We remember our wedding vows. The communion table is not an adulterers table. When we have faith, it becomes a lovers table.

 

Conclusion

                          Lets examine our hearts. God sees behind the mask. He knows. You dont have to pretend. Lets pray, Lord, clothe me. Cover me with Your blood. Cleanse me. Forgive me. Wash me. Feed me. Lets go back to the cross as His children. Thats our birthplace—for every one of us. Lets go back home. Lets be that child who receives Gods mercy and grace. No more old hearts. No stiff-necked proud people. Lets receive His fresh grace everyday. Lets pray, Lord, give me this day my daily grace. Lets touch our wedding ring. Lord, Ive been away from You in my heart. I want to come back. I want a devoted heart. You forgive me!? I devote the rest of my life to you. Youre my love forever. Thats what were doing when we come to the Table. Prepare your hearts, children of God, who bear His name. Pray, lovers of Gods glory, blessed people.

                          I pray that this will be the moment you love Christ the most up to this point in your life. I pray that you commit yourself. As you do, youll receive Gods mercy and grace. Every spiritual blessing in Christ is available to you now. Remember Pauls logic: the Father has given us His Son; what else will He not give to us, if its good for us? What problems do you have? What are you worried about? What sins have you committed that He cannot forgive or cleanse? Please, ask Him, blessed children of God! Dont set limits on His grace. Hell pour out His grace and mercy on you. He is good. He loves you. He doesnt love you any less because youve sinned. And He doesnt love you any more when you do a little more for Him. He loves you with cannot-be-improved, maximum, infinite love, now and forever and ever more. He doesnt need anything from you. He doesnt want your money or your service. He just wants you. He wants you to be included. Lets use the privilege that we have—every spiritual blessing in Christ—through the means of prayer.

 

Suggested Closing Songs

Unashamed/A Broken Spirit

Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone