Castlebar Christian Fellowship

Maybe the cream always rises to the top but so does the dead goldfish!

Reading:
Romans 2:17-29

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 dishonour God by breaking the law?
24 As it is written: God's 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 law's 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 man's praise is not from men, but from God.

Introduction:
I heard a saying once that amused me. It went like this, "The cream always rises to the top" (meaning the best always makes it to the top eventually) Well in this passage we see people who thought they had made it. They were not only the cream they were the 'crème de la crème'.
"The cream always rises to the top" is a cute saying but not always true. It could equally be said that the dead goldfish always rises to the top.
It's easy for a sense of smugness to arise in any one of us. We can become self-satisfied and feel that we're O.K. It's really just the rest of the world that needs to get its act together. It can happen to a Christian just the same as anybody else. We can gain a certain familiarity with things. We feel we know the ropes. We can even become a sort of connoisseur of all things Christian.
Paul is addressing the Jews here who think they are in the know. They feel that they've somehow got a handle on reality, that they have the edge on anything to do with God. Not only do they feel superior but they are inclined to look down on those who are outside their particular fold. Paul is strongly making the point that they too like the Gentiles have totally missed the mark. You can have all the outward trappings but still totally miss out on a real relationship with God.
Paul was not criticising what Jews held dear (VV17-20) because he also valued his Jewish heritage. (cf. Romans 3:1-2) So he is not necessarily being sarcastic in these verses, though some would see a touch of irony in the way he states it. He is pointing out the wide gap between what people profess and how they really live. Paul is building his case and we're reminded once again whether we're Jew or Gentile we have all sinned, we have all dishonoured God and we cannot save ourselves.
---00O000---
I have divided today's sermon into three headings each with the initials GB, (As you know somebody saw a GB sticker on a car and they thought it referred to the driver and it meant Getting Better!)
Well today's GB's are roughly speaking, God Boasters? Genuine or Bogus? and Godly Beauty!)
God Boasters? (vv 17-20)

V17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew;

First of all look at who Paul is addressing in this passage. He has focussed in on the Jews. Now you, if you call yourself a Jew. We're told that the term Jew originally applied to the inhabitants from the region occupied by the descendents of Judah. But it was applied generally to the Israelites after the Exile. (Douglas Moo)
These verses and other parts of the New Testament have raised questions for some along the lines, is the New Testament anti-Semitic? (Is it hostile to or prejudiced against Jews?)
The simple answer is no. Most of the New Testament is written by Jews. Jesus and his family were Jews. All the disciples were Jews. The New Testament sees itself, not only as fulfilling the Old Testament but also as being in continuity with it and not as something contradictory to it!
There is however a strong tension recognised in the New Testament between Judaism and the emerging Church. There was serious opposition from first century Jews against Christianity. Paul however is passionate that the Good News (the gospel) is primarily for the Jews and then for the Gentiles. He declares in, Romans 10:1 Dear brothers and sisters, the longing of my heart and my prayer to God is for the people of Israel to be saved. (NLT) And Paul spends three chapters in Romans (9-11) explaining Gods purposes for his people Israel.
Yet in these verses we see some of that tension being outworked.
V17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God;

They were proud to be called Jews. We're reminded here of their strong emphasis on the law of God (The Torah: [Hebrew ='instruction'] It was the record of God's character and will.) Because they had the scriptures they some felt that they were protected from judgment. They bragged about their relationship to God. They say that the word boast is better. In the bible, boasting is not always a bad thing. Remember the Psalmist. My soul will boast in the LORD;
let the afflicted hear and rejoice. Psalm 34:2.
Jeremiah reminds us, This is what the LORD says:
"Let not the wise man boast of his wisdom
or the strong man boast of his strength
or the rich man boast of his riches,
but let him who boasts boast about this:
that he understands and knows me,
that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness,
justice and righteousness on earth,
for in these I delight,"
declares the LORD. Jeremiah 9:23-24
Paul was not criticising their grounds for boasting. They were just not living up to their claims and had a misplaced confidence.
"Spiritual pride is the most dangerous of all kinds of pride."
(Henry & Scott)
They felt superior to the surrounding nations and yet they failed in their calling and mission to be a light to the Gentiles. Isaiah 42:6-7 I will keep you and will make you
to be a covenant for the people
and a light for the Gentiles, to open eyes that are blind,
to free captives from prison
and to release from the dungeon those who sit in darkness.

This leads to my next heading,

Genuine or Bogus? (vv 21-24)

Paul lists all their claims from v17-20 with the repeated word 'if'. (READ). There's a break in the sentence at the end of V20. (In the NIV it's shown as a dash.) From vv21-24 he makes it 'you' statements and questions. (READ)

Paul is highlighting the contrast between claim and reality.

Paul is not saying they are all guilty of every one of these sins. Yet as we know from the teaching of Jesus that you can break God's commandments in your heart even if you don't break them in your actions.
What does Paul mean when he say in V22 You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
In the Old Testament the Jews were warned to take certain precautions when they entered the Promised Land. Amongst them they were told, "You must burn their idols in fire, and you must not covet the silver or gold that covers them. You must not take it or it will become a trap to you, for it is detestable to the LORD your God. 26 Do not bring any detestable objects into your home, for then you will be destroyed, just like them. You must utterly detest such things, for they are set apart for destruction. Deuteronomy 7:25-26
When the town clerk in Ephesus had quietened the mob, who were making an outcry against the Christians, he reminded them You have brought these men here, but they have stolen nothing from the temple and have not spoken against our goddess. Acts 19:37.
Obviously this was a fairly common practice by the Jews in the ancient world. One commentator tells us, "We have some evidence that Jews at this time were relaxing the Old Testament strictures against using precious metals melted down from idols. So Paul may be citing this practice as evidence that their horror of idolatry is insincere." (Douglas Moo)
V23 You who brag about the law, do you dishonour God by breaking the law? V24 As it is written: God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you. This verse is understood to be an adaptation of Isaiah 52:5
The Gentiles may have reasoned that because the Jews behaved wickedly then their God must also be wicked because people resemble their God. (W. Hendriksen)
They were called to make God's name famous instead they made it infamous. His reputation was blackened amongst the Gentiles.
As John Piper puts it,
"And do not the nations then blaspheme God, if you take their values, but call yourselves the people of God?"
You may be the only bible your neighbour will ever read. (Now that's a scary and challenging thought!)

You can have lots of religion and still be a bad ad for God.
You can act the part but still defame the name of God.
They knew how to talk the talk but they didn't walk the walk. There was a large credibility gap between the beliefs they professed and the behaviour they practiced.
There is always the possibility that we do not practice what we preach and the bible warns us about that. Remember the words of Jesus in Matthew 23:1-3 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 "The teachers of religious law and the Pharisees are the official interpreters of the law of Moses.3 So practice and obey whatever they tell you, but don't follow their example. For they don't practice what they teach. (NLT)

The English word hypocrisy comes from a Greek word that means 'acting of a part, pretence' As Christians we can all be guilty of hypocrisy in some measure from time to time. Praise God there's forgiveness for all our sins when we ask for it. But heaven forbid that we should ever become hypocrites.
I've often enjoyed the TV series 'Keeping up Appearances'. Mrs. Bouquet is funny in many ways yet God sees right through all our attempts at keeping up appearances. It's not what impresses our fellow human beings that counts but what impresses God. Which leads to the next heading,


Godly Beauty! (vv 25-29)
V25 Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised.
Circumcision was not original to the Jews. Seemingly God took a practice that was common in many cultures of the day and gave it a special meaning for Abraham and his descendents. Throughout history a Jewish boy, on the eight after he was born, was circumcised. (Leviticus 12:3)

V25 We're told that, "Circumcision was the sign and seal of the covenant dispensed to Abraham which was a covenant of promise and of grace. Hence it had relevance only in the context of grace and not at all in the context of law and works in opposition to grace." (John Murray)
Here in these verses we see again the great value the Jews placed on the law and circumcision. The early Christians were often accused of being against the Law of Moses and against the rite of circumcision and the Jews reacted strongly, often violently against these new teachings. (You can read about it in Acts 21:20-21)
In Acts 15:1. While Paul and Barnabas were at Antioch of Syria, some men from Judea arrived and began to teach the believers: "Unless you are circumcised as required by the law of Moses, you cannot be saved." That's how strongly they felt about it!

In the beginning it was viewed as a sign of being part of God's covenant people. Then the sign became an end in itself and they forgot what it pointed too. Later on it became distorted into a sort of an insurance policy against hell. We're told "the rabbis attached great value to it and made many statements like this following one of R. Levi: And I quote- 'In the Hereafter Abraham will sit at the entrance to Gehenna, and permit no circumcised Israelite to descend therein.'" (Leon Morris)

We can easily fall into relying on externals to see us through. For some that's sacraments for others it's using their bible as a sort of lucky charm.
As somebody has pointed out, "Arguments based on external rites have a very persuasive power, even today. Countless thousands have rested all their hopes of heaven upon the external rite of baptism, while others put their trust in such visible acts as reading the Bible, attending church, or taking the Lord's Supper. God looks only at the inward, not at the outward and visible, upon which so many are resting false hopes." -end quote. (Stuart Olyott)

And that's the point Paul is getting to here.
V28 A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly. Were told that this word "translates an expression that points to what is in the public domain, what is open and visible and thus known widely." (Leon Morris)
However the important thing in contrast is not that which is visible to our fellow human beings but that which is known to God.

V29 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 man's praise is not from men, but from God.
No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly
From a word meaning concealed, that is, private: - hid (-den), inward [-ly], secret.
The Same word is used in 1 Peter 3:4, where he refers to the hidden man of the heart. Peter is contrasting the need for inner beauty as opposed to just outward beauty. It's the inner character that's most important to God. Godly beauty brings delight to our heavenly Father.
The same word is used in Matthew 6:1-18. Its used six times referring to a believer's secret giving, praying and fasting with the repeated refrain, "And you Father who sees in secret will reward you."
The "inward reality makes the true Jew". (TTNT)
V29 We're told that this inward reality can only be brought about, by the Spirit. (I believe Paul is referring to the Holy Spirit.)
Inner transformation can only come about by the Holy Spirit.2 Corinthians 3:17-18 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord-who is the Spirit-makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.
An external rite or attempting to adhere to mere external law will not change us. We need a spiritual heart operation from God. Radical inward surgery! As Paul reminds the Galatians,
It doesn't matter whether we have been circumcised or not. What counts is whether we have been transformed into a new creation. Galatians 6:15 (NLT)

V29 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 man's praise is not from men, but from God.
Remember today's reading starts off as addressed to the Jews.V17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew.
There appears to be a play on the meaning of the name 'Jew', which derives from 'Judah' = 'praise'. (cf. Leah Genesis 29:35; 49:8.)

The best kind of praise has its origin in God and not in man. That which God esteems and values is important by far over what people view as important.
Remember God's words to Samuel as he looked amongst Jesse's sons for the new king. But the LORD said to Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."1 Samuel 16:7.

In Conclusion:
These things, the law and circumcision, were high priority for the Jews, yet neither the law nor circumcision could save them.
The Jews were not living up to their claims and had a misplaced confidence.
They failed to practice what they preached.
They majored on externals and neglected the heart of the matter.
The gentiles and the Jews are in the same boat and it's a very leaky one. As Paul builds up his case, we begin to see the total necessity for our salvation, and also that, the only one who can save us is Jesus.
These words are searching words for each one of us. They probe right into the depths of our hearts. God has no time for mere outward religion of whatever variety or description. He wants to captivate our hearts and transform us at the very core of our being. Are you letting Him change you where it really matters?
(Pray)

Foot Notes:

Opposition to Christianity:
(Acts 6:11,13-14; 8:1; 9:1; 12:1, 21:20-21. Galatians 1:13,23)
In Acts 21:20-21,we read that when Paul and his companions returned to Jerusalem after their third missionary journey they greeted the leadership of the Jerusalem church and informed them of what happened to them throughout their journeys amongst the Gentiles. After hearing this, they praised God. And then they said, "You know, dear brother, how many thousands of Jews have also believed, and they all follow the law of Moses very seriously. 21 But the Jewish believers here in Jerusalem have been told that you are teaching all the Jews who live among the Gentiles to turn their backs on the laws of Moses. They've heard that you teach them not to circumcise their children or follow other Jewish customs. (NLT)

V23 This verse is understood to be an adaptation of Isaiah 52:5 as found in the Septuagint (LXX). Leon Morris sees similarities to this reference in Ezekiel 36:20-23.

"Circumcision has value if you observe the law"(V25) is not a reference to legalistic righteousness. True knowledge of the law was meant to lead to brokenness and calling on God for mercy, in faith that leads to obedience.

Circumcision of the heart: Deuteronomy 10:16, 30:6. Jeremiah 4:4; 9:25-26; Ezekiel 44:7; Acts 7:51.
Philippians 3:3 For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ Jesus has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort, (NLT)