Title: Romans 2:12-29
Contents
Hymns: 415 469
Text: Romans 2:12-29.
*** Conscience is attested (verses 12-16)
No one who has sinned, Gentile or Jew, can escape judgment
Those who sin without knowing God's law are judged according to the law of their hearts. This is because they live partly realizing that they are sinners because of their conscience's accusations or excuses. Those who sin even with the written law are judged because they do not keep the law properly. Judgment on those who are in this condition will always be made on the day Jesus comes again. The law God has given is not given to be used to hear, know, be moved, and be moved, but the purpose is to act according to the Word. In this way, a right relationship with God is formed. If you are not interested in such things and are just used to hearing and receiving grace, you are no different from the legalists of the Old Testament. Rather, God's supreme level becomes a law to him and only condemns himself.
Do we not treat the Word for the enjoyment of our own intellectual gratification?
*** God's name blasphemed (vv. 17-24)
Paul declares that the reason God's name was blasphemed among the Gentiles was because of the Jews who were proud to be God's people. The Jews boasted that they received special love from God and that they received the law, and because they knew the will of God, they knew well what is good and called themselves a guide, a light, and a teacher for the blind.
However, even though they had mastered and taught the Mosaic Law accurately, they were not able to keep the Law themselves. Therefore, the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles. This was because he did not place any supreme value on God's law and lived according to what was good in his own eyes. Even if we have lived in the church for a long time, participated in great Bible study groups, participated in various seminars, or attended various meetings and received excellent theological lectures, if we do not show it sufficiently in his life and personality, we will blaspheme the name of Christ and the church. only.
*** Circumcision must be done in the heart (verses 25-29)
Circumcision is a special sign of God's covenant with His people. As expressed in the covenant with Abraham, circumcision becomes meaningful only when circumcised Jews follow the covenant and keep the law. Therefore, in a genuine sense, even uncircumcised Gentiles are the same as circumcised if they keep the law. Therefore, the sign of a true Jew is not to be circumcised in the flesh, but to be circumcised in the heart and be renewed in spirit and heart. Therefore, a formal or outward change, or the accompanying ecclesiastical sign, is of no benefit unless there is a fundamental change. Even if you are baptized and recognized as a Christian, there is no need if you do not have a change of heart that God sees. Therefore, God's people must follow a spirit and life that is worthy of it. We need to examine whether our inner condition is suitable in the sight of God so that the baptism we received is meaningful and effective.-Grace Ministry Information- 97.11 ☞Sermon/Park Seong-gyu-mok