Romans 2B (2017) Paul is at work knocking down the major religious lies that deceive mankind. So far, Paul has dispensed with two of these lies

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1 Rmans 2B (2017) Paul is at wrk kncking dwn the majr religius lies that deceive mankind S far, Paul has dispensed with tw f these lies First, Paul sht dwn paganism In fact, Paul demnstrated hw paganism, the first false religin, is the curse fr humanity s depraved cnditin We are fcused n the creature rather than the Creatin Out f paganism came the secnd great religius lie: mralism Mralism is a belief that peple are gd enugh t get int heaven It assume Gd grades n a curve r gives credit fr trying, and therefre all but the very wrst f humanity get int heaven Tday, yu can find s-called Christian pastrs teaching that hell desn t exist, which is an example f the lie f mralism Thse tw lies cver a lt f grund, and many f the wrld s religins and even the nnreligius fit int these tw categries But there are still tw mre brad religius lies that must be discunted befre Paul is ready t explain the ne true way we may becme righteus Tnight we study the third f these fur lies: nmianism Yu see in yur chart f the structure f Rmans that this tpic begins in chapter 2:12 Fllwing nmianism cmes Judaism in chapter 3 In this cntext, Judaism describes the attitude that a Jew is saved autmatically because they are descended frm Abraham, Isaac, and Jacb But f curse, living as a Jew als included fllwing the Law f Mses 2017 Verse By Verse Ministry Internatinal ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.

2 Rmans 2B 2! f! 19 And this aspect f Judaism may lead yu t think that these tw sectins, nmianism and Judaism, are actually ne and the same tpic But as we mve thrugh them tnight, we'll see the differences between them even Let s begin with Paul s argument against nmianism Rm. 2:12 Fr all wh have sinned withut the Law will als perish withut the Law, and all wh have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law; Rm. 2:13 fr it is nt the hearers f the Law wh are just befre Gd, but the ders f the Law will be justified. Paul s treatment f the the third religius lie begins as a transitin ut f v.11 where he stated that there is n partiality with Gd He means that Gd des nt change His standards frm ne persn t anther N human being is graded differently than any ther, s n ne shuld expect special treatment Gd will judge each persn against a set f expectatins r laws that And He will assign an eternal utcme t each that is just And Gd is s impartiality that He will hld us accuntable regardless f where we knw His expectatins r nt Paul says in v.12 begins talking abut law He says all wh have sinned withut the Law will als perish withut the Law He s raising the third religius system f nmianism Nmianism is the pursuit f righteusness by means f bserving laws (r rules) The largest wrld religins fllw this system including Cathlicism and Islam These systems prescribes an intricate system f rules and rituals and teaches that these methds bring a persn int heaven 2017 Verse By Verse Ministry Internatinal ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.

3 Rmans 2B 3! f! 19 They usually include a belief in the exclusivity f their rules Cathlics believe that nly Cathlics g t heaven, muslims believe nly muslims g t heaven, etc. S if ne des nt have the right set f laws r rules, they perish Paul address this idea in v.12 In the first half f the verse, he agrees that thse withut Gd s Law will perish in their ignrance They perish, f curse, because in their ignrance they did nt keep the Law and therefre they sinned N man r wman facing Gd n their judgment mment may claim they deserve Heaven despite their sin merely because they didn t knw Gd s law Their ignrance f the law will nt be a defense They will experience the secnd death f spending eternity in the Lake f Fire If that sunds unfair, remember that we have the same principle in ur system f law If yu drive t fast thrugh a schl zne nt realizing that schl was in sessin, yu re still ging t get a ticket If yu dn t pay enugh taxes because yu didn t realize an additinal tax was required, yu re still ging t pay a penalty Yur ignrance f the law r the situatin is n defense Nmianism agrees with this philsphy, at least in thery Nmianism maintains that gd peple are thse wh keep the rules and bad peple are thse wh break the rules When gd peple keep the rules, they will be rewarded When bad peple break the rules, they will be punished Many peple find this thinking appealing, especially thse f us raised in a Greek-thinking, western culture We re taught t respect law and rder, and that playing by the rules is the right way t achieve what we want 2017 Verse By Verse Ministry Internatinal ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.

4 Rmans 2B 4! f! 19 We re raised t appreciate hard wrk and t expect that ur effrts deserve reward S it makes sense t us when smene tells us that Gd will reward us by this same criteria If we keep Gd s rules and bserve His rituals, we get t g t heaven But f curse, the ppsite must als be true Thse wh break Gd s rules must expect t pay the price fr their lawbreaking The punishment is just desserts If yu d the crime, yu shuld expect t d the time While nmianism largely hlds true in human sciety, it cnceals a fatal flaw when attempting t explain Gd s standard fr heaven Nmianism claims that keeping rules is required but then makes exceptins fr thse wh dn t keep the rules All teach that living accrding t rules and traditins is the way t righteusness and heaven And that failure t keep the rules leads t damnatin But everyne breaks rules sner r later S nmianism hlds that pursuing laws (i.e., rules, rituals) is sufficient t gain Gd s apprval Nmianism des nt require that fllwers actually keep thse laws t receive heaven Fr example, have yu ever heard smene describe themselves as a gd Cathlic r a gd Muslim? They aren t saying they are perfect (usually) rule keepers They re saying they are ne wh is sincerely trying In fact, nmianistic religins assume their fllwers will fail But these vilatins d nt autmatically disqualify smene frm heaven 2017 Verse By Verse Ministry Internatinal ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.

5 Rmans 2B 5! f! 19 Cnveniently, these religius systems have rules t cver the inevitable vilatins and restre the sinner t gd standing Fr example, Cathlics teach that thse wh vilate Cathlic dgma may receive abslutin thrugh cnfessin and ding penance Mrmns prescribe a prcess called repentance and restitutin Muslims are taught they may be frgiven by praying day and night calling upn Allah using specific names they memrize Rule-breaking JW s must submit t a re-educatin prcess while demnstrating a prper repentant attitude S, every nmianistic system includes mre rules fr hw the guilty may amend fr breaking the rules And this is the flaw in nmianism These system prfess that keeping rules is the way t heaven But just as quickly they acknwledge n ne keeps the rules Yet smehw they still expect t receive a gd judgment frm Gd in the end A cynical fllwer might cnclude that they can ignre the rules altgether while pursuing a life f sin But when death appraches, they can perfrm the steps fr abslutin and still get int heaven That kind f hypcrisy is the lgical utwrking f nmianism It s just anther lie we tell urselves, similar t the ne mralists prfess Bth nmianism and mralism pervert the standard Gd will use t judge Mralism verestimates man s gdness by assuming he will measure up t Gd s standards fr heaven While nmianism underestimates Gd s standards fr heaven, by assuming man s mistakes aren t disqualifying These are tw sides f the same cunterfeit cin In the secnd half f v.12, Paul expses the hypcrisy f nmianism 2017 Verse By Verse Ministry Internatinal ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.

6 Rmans 2B 6! f! 19 He reminds them that thse wh sin under the Law will be judged by the Law T be under the Law mean t have been ntified f Gd s rules and t be bligated t keep them Shuld such a persn cntinue tis vilate thse rules despite their knwledge, they t will receive a just penalty Because the law will cndemn them There is n advantage t having the knwledge if it isn t put t use, And since Gd shws n partiality, we can expect Him t take nte f every rule we break Nmianism s assumptin that effrt and sincerity will be enugh will be prven wrng in the end Paul targets this flaw in v.13 when he declares that Gd des nt give credit fr effrt Thse wh wish t be judged by a law must be prepared t keep it Only thse wh keep Gd s law perfectly shuld expect t be justified (i.e., declared inncent) Paul s statement defeats bth mralism and nmianism Gd s standard fr entering heaven isn t as lw as yu had hped, and yu re nt as gd as yu assumed Obviusly, Paul s referring t the Jewish peple Gentiles did nt receive the Law f Gd, s they were withut the Law But Jews were given the Law at the muntain as part f the Old Cvenant, and they agreed t keep it Perhaps there is n ne wh practice nmianism mre fervently and mre scrupulusly than a Jew fllwing the Msaic Law T be clear, Judaism is NOT nmianism Fr example, King David and the prphet Daniel like all Jewish saints practiced Judaism 2017 Verse By Verse Ministry Internatinal ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.

7 Rmans 2B 7! f! 19 But scripture testifies that neither f them sught t be righteus befre Gd merely by beying the Msaic law Nevertheless, many Jews thrughut histry have made that mistake, seeking t be righteus by zealusly keeping the Law They twist what the Lrd gave Mses int the lie f nmianism But rule-keeping Jews distance themselves frm ther religins by telling themselves they have the inside track with with Gd While Muslims and Cathlics and Mrmns and ther Gentile religins als fllw rules hping t please Gd Jews knw these Gentiles are fllwing the wrng rules, s they wn t be rewarded in the end Jews, n the ther hand have Gd s Law given directly t them by the finger f Gd S while everyne says they have the right rules, nly Jews actually d And they suppse that this will make the difference fr them This is Jewish nmianism, and it has always been prevalent within the Jewish natin The Pharisees f Jesus day practiced nmianism in this way They claimed t keep the Msaic Law perfectly, and they fund cnfidence in having the right law and in their wn piety But Jesus succeeded in expsing their hypcrisy ver and ver again He called them white-washed tmbs, clean nly n the utside The sad truth is that even the mst accmplished practitiner f nmianism will be disappinted upn their death t learn their effrts were insufficient The law f Gd was simply t demanding and their ability t keep that law was wefully inadequate Everyday, many gd Cathlics and Muslims and Mrmns enter int an eternity f punishment because they lacked the right rules and the ability t keep them 2017 Verse By Verse Ministry Internatinal ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.

8 Rmans 2B 8! f! 19 But likewise, many gd Jews enter punishment as well thugh they heard the crrect Law Because it matters nly if they actually keep the Law, Paul says T prve his pint, Paul raises the example f a Gentile wh knws nthing f the Law f Mses yet instinctively cnfrms his life t the Law s requirements Rm. 2:14 Fr when Gentiles wh d nt have the Law d instinctively the things f the Law, these, nt having the Law, are a law t themselves, Rm. 2:15 in that they shw the wrk f the Law written in their hearts, their cnscience bearing witness and their thughts alternately accusing r else defending them, Rm. 2:16 n the day when, accrding t my gspel, Gd will judge the secrets f men thrugh Christ Jesus. The wrd instinctively culd als be translated by nature, It refers t a desire within us that is nt taught S a Gentile wh shws mercy r charity r respects anther man s prperty r tells the truth r hnrs his marriage vws is ding the Law Paul says he is shwing the wrk f the law written n his heart, which we call fllwing ur cnscience The wrk f the Law is t prduce righteus behavir, s we see the Law f Gd at wrk in his heart thugh he s never heard it Gd is at wrk in mankind in this way all the time It s hw therwise sinful peple may accmplish gd things frm time t time Paul says a persn s cnscience will be his witness when he stands befre Gd His cnscience will defend him in times when he fllwed it But it will accuse him in the times when he ignred it Paul s pint is that Jews shuld take n satisfactin merely in the fact that they pssessed the right law The nly questin that will matter in the end, fr bth Gentile and Jew, is whether we kept that law 2017 Verse By Verse Ministry Internatinal ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.

9 Rmans 2B 9! f! 19 In v.16 Paul says a day is cming when we will be judged and even the secret things we ve said r dne will be expsed But that judgment will cme thrugh Christ Jesus Meaning Christ will judges us against Himself We aren t judged against urselves r thers but against the sinless Savir S if yu want heaven, yu must keep the Law as Jesus did But many Jews in Paul s day believed that were keeping the Law perfectly Just the rthdx r ultra rthdx Jews tday feel they ve met the mark They hld the same pint f view f that yung ruler After Jesus named ff varius cmmandments, the ruler replied, I ve kept them frm my yuth. S Paul next expses the self-deceptin that drives nmianism amng Jewish peple thinking they are actually keeping the Law when in fact they are nt Rm. 2:17 But if yu bear the name Jew and rely upn the Law and bast in Gd, Rm. 2:18 and knw His will and apprve the things that are essential, being instructed ut f the Law, Rm. 2:19 and are cnfident that yu yurself are a guide t the blind, a light t thse wh are in darkness, Rm. 2:20 a crrectr f the flish, a teacher f the immature, having in the Law the embdiment f knwledge and f the truth, Rm. 2:21 yu, therefre, wh teach anther, d yu nt teach yurself? Yu wh preach that ne shall nt steal, d yu steal? Rm. 2:22 Yu wh say that ne shuld nt cmmit adultery, d yu cmmit adultery? Yu wh abhr idls, d yu rb temples? Rm. 2:23 Yu wh bast in the Law, thrugh yur breaking the Law, d yu dishnr Gd? Rm. 2:24 Fr The name f Gd is blasphemed amng the Gentiles because f yu, just as it is written. Ntice first that Paul is talking t the ne wh is a Jew and relies n the law and basts in Gd That s Paul s descriptin f Jewish nmianism 2017 Verse By Verse Ministry Internatinal ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.

10 Rmans 2B 10! f! 19 First, they call themselves Jew meaning they see themselves as part f the privileged grup wh have the right rules They rely n thse rules (i.e., the Law) as their means t righteusness r heaven And they bast in Gd, meaning they believe Gd is pleased Remember, Paul is fcusing n Jewish nmianism as his example, but this descriptin wuld apply equally t every law-keeping religin Other systems f nmianism simply change the nuns in that sentence Fr example, we culd say, Yu wh bear the name Cathlic and rely upn the magisterium and bast in Mary, etc. Or we culd say, Yu wh bear the name Muslim and rely upn the kran and bast in Allah. Or Yu call yurself Mrmn and rely n the bk f Mrmn and bast in Mrni In all cases, it s cnceit and self-righteusness Nevertheless, the Jewish peple were privileged t have the right law Paul says in v.18 that they knew the will f Gd as revealed in His wrd And they apprved the things that were essential Paul means they accepted and practiced the rituals that the Lrd used t make Israel distinct in the wrld Things like the feasts and sacrificial system and dietary laws S Israel had the right law, but the questin remains were they successful in keeping it as sme claimed? Paul answers that questin by asking a series f rhetrical questins intended t expse their hypcrisy He begins by drawing int questin their success He asks are yu cnfident that yu are guide t the blind and a light in the darkness? A crrectr f the flish and a teacher f the immature? 2017 Verse By Verse Ministry Internatinal ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.

11 Rmans 2B 11! f 19! Paul s sweeping descriptins alert us t his skepticism as t their claims Ntice hw he ends v.20 Paul asks if they believe that merely pssessing the Law has smehw prduced these utcmes in them? That the Law has becme the embdiment f knwledge and truth fr them? The wrd embdiment means utward frm S Paul is asking has the presence f the Law amng the Jewish peple prduced righteusness in their lives? It s like asking if I gave yur sn a rulebk fr the game f baseball, wuld that rulebk (by itself) cause yur sn t becme a Hall f Fame pitcher? Knwing that smene in his audience might have been tempted t answer yes, Paul narrws his pint thrugh a series f examples In v.21 Paul asks yu Jew wh claims t teach the Law t thers, are yu sure yu re keeping it yurself? Yu wh preach that the Law frbids stealing, have yu stlen? He asks the same fr adultery and idlatry Jewish peple were renwn fr finding ways arund their wn laws when it suited their purpses They wuld find creative ways t charge interest when the Law prhibited the practice, thus stealing frm smene They fund creative ways t disslve marriages and permit remarriage (which is adultery) even thugh the Law said n They wuld rb pagan temples t btain gld fr themselves, thus revealing their true gd, which was mney Paul s pint is bvius the Jewish peple (and all peple) fall shrt f the rules smewhere, as I discussed earlier Thugh they claim perfectin in keeping their law, they bey it selectively and incnsistently 2017 Verse By Verse Ministry Internatinal ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.

12 Rmans 2B 12! f! 19 S they are breaking the Law even as they claim t fllw it, which is n righteusness at all In shrt, n ne wh pursues righteusness by keeping rules will be fund inncent in the end Even if we were t reduce ur system f laws dwn t just ne law, sner r later we wuld break it If yu dubt me, remember that Adam had nly ne rule t keep in the Garden and we knw hw that turned ut S the cnclusin is inescapable In v.23 Paul says thse wh bast in the Law are dishnring the Lrd as they break that law Ntice he changed their bast frm basting in Gd t basting in the Law Because that s what nmianism des: it makes rules int a gd Nmianism desn t seek t serve Gd It seeks t serve the rules we set fr urselves Remember what the Pharisees said t the blind man Jesus healed: Jhn 9:28 They reviled him and said, Yu are His disciple, but we are disciples f Mses. Jhn 9:29 We knw that Gd has spken t Mses, but as fr this man, we d nt knw where He is frm. They admit t being disciples f Mses (nt f Gd) They say they fllw Mses because they knw Gd spke t Mses What they re truly saying is they are disciples f the Law because they knw thse rules came frm Gd T prve his assessment is accurate, Paul qutes scripture where Gd fretld Israel s hypcrisy Paul qutes in v.24 frm Isaiah 52:5 where the prphet described this very behavir in his day 2017 Verse By Verse Ministry Internatinal ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.

13 Rmans 2B 13! f! 19 Israel was blaspheming Gd befre the Gentile natins (wh lacked the Law) by their failure t keep the Law S if Gd declares that thse wh fail t keep His law are blasphemers, then what prspect did thse Jews have f reaching Heaven? Wasn t their eternal future in jepardy thugh they attempted t keep the Law? What des that say abut ur prspects fr the same? Rm. 2:25 Fr indeed circumcisin is f value if yu practice the Law; but if yu are a transgressr f the Law, yur circumcisin has becme uncircumcisin. Rm. 2:26 S if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements f the Law, will nt his uncircumcisin be regarded as circumcisin? Rm. 2:27 And he wh is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he nt judge yu wh thugh having the letter f the Law and circumcisin are a transgressr f the Law? Rm. 2:28 Fr he is nt a Jew wh is ne utwardly, nr is circumcisin that which is utward in the flesh. Rm. 2:29 But he is a Jew wh is ne inwardly; and circumcisin is that which is f the heart, by the Spirit, nt by the letter; and his praise is nt frm men, but frm Gd. Simply put, having the Law wn t be an advantage t the ne wh can t keep it Paul says their circumcisin is nly f value if they are living accrding t the Law they uphld Circumcisin is a euphemistic way f describing thse wh are part f the family f Israel by birth If a circumcised Jew is a transgressr f the Law, then he might as well be uncircumcised like a Gentile Paul s saying that being a Jew is n better than being Cathlic r Muslim if yu dn t live up t the standards revealed in Gd s law S ur identity ffers n advantage unless it s an accurate descriptin f ur heart It all cmes dwn t perfrmance A Gentile will get credit fr keeping the Law thugh he never became part f Israel 2017 Verse By Verse Ministry Internatinal ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.

14 Rmans 2B 14! f! 19 And such a ne will stand as a witness against thse Jews wh ignred the Law despite having the privilege t be amng Gd s peple Paul s cnclusin is that ur utward cnditin is nt the measure f ur righteusness We cannt be judged by hw we perfrm r even which system we jin Wh we are befre Gd is nt what we shw t thers Or even what we tell urselves It s what s true abut us n the inside Paul says a Jew is nt determined utwardly The mark f a true fllwer f Gd is nt smething made in the flesh It s a mark n the heart made by Gd by His spirit Imagine a bttle with a label n the utside The label s descriptin desn t determine the cntents f the bttle If we scratch ut the descriptin and write a different descriptin, the cntents f the bttle dn t change t match ur new descriptin Instead, the cntents f the bttle will determine the descriptin n the label That s Paul s pint t the Jew seek t fllw Law His r her apprval wn t be determined by the letter Paul says in v.29 Ntice earlier in v.27 Paul referred t the letter f the Law S Paul s referring t law in general Our apprval befre Gd will nt be determined by ur accmplishments under a law, nt even the Msaic Law And it certainly wn t depend n the praise f men Only Gd sets the standards fr heaven, and nly He can apprve ur entrance int His eternal kingdm 2017 Verse By Verse Ministry Internatinal ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.

15 Rmans 2B 15! f! 19 S t summarize the lie f nmianism, it is a religius lie that claims we btain righteusness by bserving laws and rules and rituals It s the philsphy f majr religins including many Jews It s chief mistake is in verlking the impact f breaking the rules Everyne breaks the rules in these systems but they assume Gd desn t mind Even within Judaism, which des have the right set f rules, they still ignre the cnsequences f breaking the Law But the wrd f Gd says that thse wh break Gd s law will be judged fr it S hw d we reach ut t thse trapped in these systems f religius rule-keeping? Frankly, it can be very difficult t pull peple ut f these systems Jews, Cathlics, Mrmns and Muslims are sme f the hardest peple t evangelize fr at least tw reasn First, nmianism systems tend t be rted deeply in culture Generatin after generatin f families participate in these systems S a persn s very identity is cnnected t these systems Furthermre, if yu indict their system, yu re implying that their deceased family and friends are nt in heaven Often these implicatins are s threatening that the persn shuts dwn the cnversatin There s n easy way t address these cncerns except t redirect their attentin back t themselves and the questin f their future If they find the truth f the Gspel cmpelling there will be time t recncile with the implicatin fr thers N ne has a perfect family histry, s everyne has relatives wh have gne t the grave withut knwing the truth 2017 Verse By Verse Ministry Internatinal ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.

16 Rmans 2B 16! f! 19 S perhaps reassure the persn they are nt alne But secndly, peple wh are caught in nmianistic systems have difficulty accepting that entry int Heaven wn t be based n persnal perfrmance When yu tell them that Gd is even prepared t grant a murderer entry int heaven, they reject that idea as illgical and unfair They see that all achievements in life are based n perfrmance, reward and punishment S hw can they believe the Creatr nt wrk in the same way? Jesus addressed this bjectin specifically when talking t cmmitted law-keeper, the Pharisees Matt. 5:17 D nt think that I came t ablish the Law r the Prphets; I did nt cme t ablish but t fulfill. Matt. 5:18 Fr truly I say t yu, until heaven and earth pass away, nt the smallest letter r strke shall pass frm the Law until all is accmplished. Matt. 5:19 Whever then annuls ne f the least f these cmmandments, and teaches thers t d the same, shall be called least in the kingdm f heaven; but whever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdm f heaven. Matt. 5:20 Fr I say t yu that unless yur righteusness surpasses that f the scribes and Pharisees, yu will nt enter the kingdm f heaven. Matt. 5:21 Yu have heard that the ancients were tld, Yu shall nt cmmit murder and Whever cmmits murder shall be liable t the curt. Matt. 5:22 But I say t yu that everyne wh is angry with his brther shall be guilty befre the curt; and whever says t his brther, Yu gd-fr-nthing, shall be guilty befre the supreme curt; and whever says, Yu fl, shall be guilty enugh t g int the fiery hell. Jesus strategy begins by acknwledging that perfrmance is required t enter Heaven In fact, thse wh suggested that Jesus was attempting t ablish the Law gt it wrng That s the essential bjectin f thse cming ut f a rulesbased religin They reject the ntin that Gd desn t care abut rule keeping And Jesus agrees with them! 2017 Verse By Verse Ministry Internatinal ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.

17 Rmans 2B 17! f! 19 He says that setting aside even the least Law will be have negative cnsequences While thse wh keep and teach them will be hnred In fact, Jesus says He came int the wrld t fulfill the Law T fulfill is a Greek wrd that means t accmplish in full, t fully carry ut S Jesus is saying He came t keep the rules f the Law fr us s we wuldn t be judged by them when we fail That s yur first answer t smene caught in these systems Our Gspel message desn t claim that Gd desn t care abut keeping rules r Law On the cntrary, the Gspel tells us hw we can keep the rules All Gd s rules have already been kept fr us by Jesus He lived a sinless life, withut breaking any rule, s He has already dne all that s required t satisfy entry int Heaven On the ther hand, shuld a persn remain determined t keep thse rules urselves, we had better be prepared t meet the standard Gd will use at the judgment Remember, nmianism underestimates the cnsequences f breaking the rules Peple caught in these systems are taught that breaking the rules is n big deal They need nly say a few wrds, perfrm a certain ritual, and Gd frgives and frgets But Jesus says that ur righteusness must surpass that f the Pharisees, which is unimaginable standard Pharisees lived a lifestyle we can hardly imagine and few f us wuld tlerate very lng Their every minute was directed by scrupulus rule keeping They fasted several times weekly, said prayers at all hurs, and tithed n even the herbs that grew in their garden 2017 Verse By Verse Ministry Internatinal ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.

18 Rmans 2B 18! f! 19 Rule keeping drve their every thught and actin Yu can see examples f this type f extreme nmianism still alive in Israel amng the ultra-rthdx Jews Even these scrupulus law keepers are falling shrt f Gd s standard, Jesus declares And if yu want t knw exacting Gd s standard is fr entry int Heaven, cnsider Jesus example He says yu ve n dubt heard f the rule that murder is sin and if yu murder yu will be judged by Gd Certainly, any ne caught up in nmianism wuld agree that murderers shuldn t be in heaven But then Jesus says Gd s standard is much stricter than that Have yu ever been angry with a brther? Have yu ever said an unkind wrd against smene? Have yu ever judged smene t be a fl? Each f these ffenses is sufficient t place yu in Hell S if yu have taken cmfrt in the fact that yu haven t cmmitted murder, yu shuld take a secnd lk at yur life Are yu sure yu have the right rules? Are yu sure yu re even keeping the nes yu d have? Are yu sure Gd verlks yur mistakes? If Gd is willing t verlk yur failures at the rules, why is keeping the rules even necessary? Hw des anyne knw when they ve dne enugh t satisfy Gd? Or maybe yu re the persn wh has cmmitted murder? Or yu ve dne smething yu feel is equally disqualifying? And s yu struggle t find hpe in any system that teaches heaven is reserved fr gd peple Jesus says everyne is in the same bat with yu 2017 Verse By Verse Ministry Internatinal ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.

19 Rmans 2B 19! f! 19 S n Hell s death rw we find murderers seated next t thse wh hate and thse wh use prfanity and thse wh call anther a fl If calling smene a fl is a disqualifying ffense fr heaven, then wh can qualify? Clearly, systems based n persnal perfrmance aren t ging t make us righteus enugh If anything, they simply expse ur sin and leave us mre vulnerable t judgment And s we must lk fr anther slutin Nw as we end chapter 2 and prepare t mve int chapter 3 next time, ntice Paul s transitin He was discussing the nature f a true Jew verses that f ne wh misuses Jewish Law That is but ne majr way Judaism is distrted There is anther way, which then frms the furth majr religius life I ll call it Judaism, but here again I m nt talking abut authentic Judaism It s a system f assuming righteusness by identity It s unique t Judaism And it was a majr frce in the church in Paul s day 2017 Verse By Verse Ministry Internatinal ( May be cpied and distributed prvided the dcument is reprduced in its entirety, including this cpyright statement, and n fee is cllected fr its distributin.