Boasting in Vain

Dec. 8, 2002                                                                                          Northwest Bible Church

 

Rom. 2:17-29

Boasting in Vain

 

INTRO

Human nature loves to boast.  Though all boasting in oneself is sin, the worst kind of boasting is religious boasting in which we are confident of going to heaven based on something we have done.

Only Christianity excludes all boasting.  Salvation is by grace, not by works.

Paul’s task in the opening chapters of Romans is to prove to all men that they have nothing to boast about before God.  All are guilty of sin and deserve condemnation.

The Jews boasted in two things which they believed guaranteed their salvation, the Law and circumcision.  In this section, Paul is going to show how they boast in vain.

 

 

I.  THE LAW WILL NOT SAVE THE JEWS (2:17-24).

 

A.  The Jews boasted in the Law (2:17-20).

 

1) Their bearing the name “Jew.”

 

2) Their relying on the Law.

 

3) Believing they have the true God as their God.

 

4) Knowing His will and discerning what is good.

 

5) Their ability to teach and guide other men (vv. 19-20).

 

“guide to the blind”-

 

“ a light to those in darkness”-

 

“a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law                                              the embodiment of kn. and of the truth”-

 

 

 

B.  The Jews broke the Law (2:21-24).

 

1) stealing –

 

2) adultery –

 

3)  robbing temples –

 

4) “blaspheme the name of God” –

 

 

 

II.  CIRCUMCISION WILL NOT SAVE THE JEWS (2:25-29).

 

The Jews thought that their circumcision was their salvation.  The Rabbis taught that “no circumcised man will see hell.”

 

A.  The value of circumcision is only for those who practice the Law (v. 25).

 

 

 

B.  On the contrary, if a man who was physically uncircumcised keeps the requirements of the Law, his uncircumcision becomes circumcision (v. 26).

 

 

 

C.  This Gentile who keeps the Law will judge the Jew who does not keep the Law (v. 27).

 

 

 

D.  This explains the above:  true Jews are not defined by what is outward in the flesh but what is inward in the heart (vv. 28-29).

 

Paul redefines what a true Jew is and it has nothing to do with physical circumcision.  In the New Covenant the child of Abraham, the true Jew, the true people of God are those who are circumcised of heart by the Holy Spirit.  This includes Gentiles (see v. 26).   Also, see Eph. 2:12-13; Gal. 3:7; 4:28-29; 6:16; 1 Pet. 2:9; Phil. 3:3; Col. 2:11; Rom. 15:27; ch. 11.

 

 

CONCLUSION