09 Guilty as Charged

In the final section of chapter two, Paul addressed yet another group of self-righteous individuals, those Jews who were attempting to live solely under the Old Covenant Law.

The problem is that they were failing to understand that they were sinners in need of the Savior.

1 The Jewish Mindset

Romans 2:17-20

Paul spoke to those Israelites who he stated did “rest on the Law”.

While some might immediately believe that to be admirable and worthwhile, it isn’t. While believers are to “stand” on the Word of God, our “rest” is to be found in Christ alone.

When one begins to “rest” in the Law, or for believer’s today on the Bible, there’s the tendency to develop a legalistic mindset.

Paul addressed that in his letter to the Corinthian church:

2 Corinthians 3:6

The Israelites Paul was speaking of in our text in Romans, were not only resting in the Law, but they had become proud and boastful, that of all the nations, God had given them His Law.

In verse 20, the apostle stated that they only had a “form of knowledge and truth”. In other words, they had partial or underdeveloped knowledge.

It was partial, because they were only resting in the fact that they had the Law, but they had not understood that the Law was only intended to point to their sinfulness and need for Jesus, the only Savior.

2 Guilty as Charged

Paul then spoke of how these individuals were boasting of having the law, they had failed to keep it themselves:

Romans 2:21-24

It had been God’s desire for the nation of Israel to be a light to those nations around them, by making Him known. However, not only had they failed to present God to their neighbors, by failing to keep the Law themselves, they were poor representatives of the Lord.

Even so, the Israelites continued to focus solely on the Law itself, rather than understanding that the Law was only an instrument which God had purposed to represent Him.

The Lord designed the Lord to show that all men are sinners in need of a Savior. But the Law was also established to bring men to Christ:

Galatians 3:24

And:

Romans 10:4

Many of the rabbis of the day taught that Jews were justified by the Law. The teaching was so prevalent, that Jesus used the occasion of the Sermon on the Mount, to show speak of their erroneous teaching: Matthew 5:19-48.

In verse 22, Paul illustrated his point, by first speaking of how they would have universally taught against committing adultery, yet many were committing it themselves. He suggested the same thing, with those who “abhorred idols” but yet they were “robbing temples” meaning they were engaging in sinful practices regarding things of the Lord.

Paul then stated that their actions were causing God to be blasphemed by the Gentiles, who were the very people God had tasked them to reach.

While Paul was addressing fellow Israelites, the premise may be personalized, and applied to the modern church, as we should ask ourselves whether we are faithfully representing the Lord to the world around us.

3 Circumcision of No Avail

In the concluding verses of the chapter, Paul spoke of how circumcision could never guarantee their justification or acceptance by the Lord:

1 Samuel 26:25-29

Paul had been an ultra-observant Old Covenant Jew, before his encounter with Christ. Therefore, he knew all about the Jewish mindset, and the importance they placed upon circumcision.

Among the false teachings from the rabbis of that day, some taught that circumcision guaranteed salvation, thus indicating that all Jewish males would be saved.

They failed to understand, that circumcision was simply an illustration of being cut away from the world and separated to the Lord. It was only a “type” and the act itself in no way could produce salvation.

In verse 25, Paul spoke of how those Jews who failed to keep the which they so ardently promoted, were effectively devaluing the circumcision which they believed had brought them salvation. Therefore, Paul suggested it had become “uncircumcision” for them.

In verse 26, he posed a rhetorical question, suggesting that if an uncircumcised man (a Gentile) kept the requirements of the Law, then shouldn’t his uncircumcision be accounted as circumcision? Paul was essentially saying that if salvation came from keeping the Law (which they erroneously taught and believed), then even if a Gentile (who they believed could not be saved) kept the Law, then he should be considered as being circumcised and saved.

The purpose of Paul’s rhetorical statement, was to show that the act of circumcision (or anything done in the flesh) could never promote salvation.

In the final verses of the chapter, Paul undermined the foundation of salvation through circumcision:

Romans 2:27-29

Verse 27, harkens back to the idea of God’s unwritten law in the hearts of those who’ve never heard either the Old Covenant Law or the Gospel in the church age.

It is still incumbent upon those individuals to respond to that “unwritten law” in the same way those who’ve heard the Gospel must respond to it.

Paul states that even those individuals, have become judges, thus indicting those Jews who have the written Law, but who fail to live according to it.

In verse 28, he then suggested that it isn’t circumcision which truly makes one Jewish, since that’s something performed outwardly. However, that which truly counts, is the circumcision of the heart, that which is performed inwardly by the Holy Spirit.