Romans 2:1 - God's Judgment 2#
Romans 2:1 God's Judgment (2)
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- Judgment on Legalists
(JP Text Group - Wang Na Compilation)
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise you for your grace! In such a time, once again lead us to your Word, grant us strength and guidance in your Word, so that we may have hope in all things in life, not lose faith, and completely entrust our time into your gracious hands. May the Holy Spirit guide us in the following time, to lead each person's heart, so that we may understand your will in your Word and build ourselves up more deeply. Renew our minds. We pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen!
Romans chapter 2, verses 17 to 29,
17 You call yourself a Jew, rely on the law, and brag about your relationship to God; 18 you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19 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 little children, 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 detest idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who brag about the law, do you dishonor 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 So then, 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 lawbreaker. 28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person's praise is not from other people, but from God.
Continuing to share the Bible study series on Romans. The second part of chapter two is about the judgment on legalists.
Last time we talked about the judgment of Gentiles, this time we mention the Jews and the law, which is actually about legalists. Let's see what attitude God has towards legalists.
What kind of person is called a legalist?
There are people who believe that what they are doing now has earned them God's acceptance, strictly adhering to certain rituals and rules, thinking that this is serving God. True believers do not follow rituals and rules, but the living Jesus Christ! Thank the Lord.
Jews are bound by the rituals and rules of the law, lacking the life of Christ within, but Jesus wants to give people life. Thank God! And we are not religious people, but Christians, so we believe in Jesus Christ. Thank the Lord!
Legalists claim to also believe in God, whether it is Judaism or others, they think it is unimportant because what matters is that they believe they are believers in God, as they feel that believing in a religion is good because all religions teach people to be good.
They believe in a religion, thinking it can bring them security, or a kind of spiritual support, so Jews and many other religions are very similar. They have ten errors mentioned in this text, and since it is long, I won't share them one by one. There are some that can be easily discerned. What kind of situation are the Jews in, and why do we say they ultimately became legalists?
Verse 17 says, you call yourself a Jew, rely on the law, and brag about your relationship to God;
They rely on the law, which we often refer to as the Pentateuch. They inscribe the scriptures on their sleeves, engrave them on the city gates, and post them in their homes. In short, wherever their eyes can see, there are God's words, and they would bring these words to church. The only difference is that they rely on the law, rather than truly relying on God. Those legalists include the Pharisees, and when the true God came before them, they rejected Him, preferring Moses' law. In other words, they relied on the law and forgot that the law was given by God, who is greater than the law. Thank the Lord!
If the Bible is worshiped as God while Jesus is cast aside, that is already a problem. Brothers and sisters, the Bible is given to us by God, and the Pharisees acknowledged that they were disciples of Moses.
Moses recorded these words, relying on the law more than on God, adding many things to the law, because the law is dead, and God is alive. Brothers and sisters, God is alive, the law is unchanging; you can interpret it however you want, but those who interpret the law would rather rely on the law than on God.
They claim to also believe in God, bragging about God, and when they crucified Jesus, they said it was because Jesus blasphemed the law, violated the statutes and commandments recorded in the law, and claimed to be God, etc. They bragged about the law, but in their hearts, they did not fear God. This is the legalist.
Today there are many similar examples, such as some theologians who are well-versed in the Bible, yet do not believe in God, but can recite many things from the Bible, yet they do not want this God, saying that having the Bible is enough, while bragging about God, saying how good He is! But in their hearts, they do not believe in Him. From here we see that legalists boast in the law, but their hearts do not fear God, nor do they believe in God.
Verse 18 says, since you have been instructed by the law, you know God's will.
They speak of how great God is! They brag about God, but in reality, it is self-praise. Just like the Pharisees, why do they despise Gentiles? They feel that they are people of God, a chosen nation, and that their ancestor is Abraham, boasting in the name of God.
Legalists are proud of their belief in God. In the nation of Israel at that time, believing in Jehovah was an extremely glorious thing, so they could boast about it and publicly acknowledge their faith in God! They felt that when they made such an acknowledgment, it brought them superiority and security.
In the New Testament, there are several accounts that say if a person repeatedly does not listen to the church's advice, they should be expelled from the church. This seems to be of little consequence in China; if expelled from one church, they can go to another church, and not attending church is also fine. But in Jewish regions, it is different; being expelled from the church is like being labeled, and once you are blacklisted, your credibility and reputation are ruined wherever you go. So they were very afraid of being expelled from the church. People at that time had concerns about believing in Jesus.
John 12:42-43
Yet at the same time, many even among the leaders believed in him, but because of the Pharisees, they would not openly acknowledge their faith for fear they would be put out of the synagogue; for they loved human praise more than praise from God.
For them, being able to join Judaism and become a Pharisee was an extremely glorious thing. They claimed to believe in God and understood God's will, being very familiar with the law and God's commandments, knowing what God wanted people to do. Through God's law, they could discern right from wrong, carefully reading the first five books of the Bible, which introduced many things about what can be done, what cannot be done, what can be eaten, and what cannot be eaten. In life, when you have disputes with others, it clearly states how to resolve them. They knew God's will and could discern what is good and what is not.
It is interesting that legalists know God's will and instruct others to follow it, but do not do so themselves. For example, on the Sabbath, they cannot work, and they even have a rule saying that one cannot walk more than two miles. How do the Pharisees, as legalists, violate God's rules? For an ordinary person, they can walk a maximum of two miles, and if they walk further, they have broken the Sabbath. But these Pharisees could ride in a carriage and go beyond two miles. When someone asked them, "Rabbi, you have violated the Sabbath rule," they would say, "My feet did not walk two miles!"
They know what is good and what is beautiful. They instruct others to obey, but do not obey themselves; this is how legalists do not fear God, using the law to demand from others.
And can discern right from wrong (or "also love what is good"); and are convinced that they are guides for the blind, a light for those in darkness. (Romans 2:18-19)
They have been instructed by the law, receiving God's words, and they think they understand God's words very well, believing they have a very correct relationship with God, and are convinced that they understand so much that they can lead others and provide guidance.
Today, there are many preachers (we do not intend to condemn them) who do not understand the Bible but continue to teach it. There was a preacher who preached about John the Baptist, saying that after John was killed by Herod, he resurrected three days later and became the disciple John of Jesus. He spoke with great enthusiasm, and the people below did not discern that it was wrong. How could this happen? John the Baptist was dead; how could he become Jesus' disciple John? This is completely two different matters, and they are both wrong! Yet they think what they are saying is quite good.
They believe they understand everything and know everything. There are many such legalists who look down on young preachers.
One person has been preaching for 50 years. When talking about the Israelites crossing the Red Sea, he began to associate it with the fact that the Israelites had been making bricks under the whip in Egypt for 400 years, and the bricks were made of straw and mud. Their feet would often be stepping in the straw and mud, stepping back and forth... When Moses led them out of Egypt and parted the Red Sea, in fact, it was not easy to walk on the bottom of the Red Sea, as there was a lot of mud! So when the Israelites were stepping on the bottom of the Red Sea, they thought of their lives in Egypt, and they were also stepping back and forth in the mud, and then they thought, finally, they were going to be free from such a life of slavery.
At that time, I told him, you are wrong; the Bible clearly states that they walked on dry ground through the Red Sea, not in the mud. The pastor shouted, "Are you saying I am wrong? I have been preaching for 50 years; how can you say I am wrong? You have only believed for a few days; tell me where I am wrong!" I said, "Alright, I am wrong; I should not speak to you like this; I should not debate with you."
Brothers and sisters, if you carefully check the Bible, you will find that the Bible indeed mentions in the Psalms that God led them through the Red Sea on dry ground, stating very clearly that they walked on dry ground, not stepping through muddy paths. They believe they understand everything and think they are quite knowledgeable about the Bible, so they cannot take in others' differing opinions.
Legalists are convinced they are guides for the blind. The original meaning of "convinced" here is that they are very certain they are different from those people, believing they are guiding those people, thinking everyone else is blind and needs the truth, while they are the only ones conveying the correct truth, believing they are role models for others, able to open people's eyes. In fact, this is the blind leading the blind, and in the end, they will all fall into the pit.
We indeed need to follow the truth and need someone to lead us on the path of truth, but we do not bring people to ourselves; we bring people to Jesus Christ. The light we reflect is not from ourselves; it is the light of Jesus Christ. We do not bring light to others; we bring everyone to Jesus Christ.
When they are sick, we cannot heal them, but we can bring them to Jesus Christ, using the faith of Jesus Christ to heal them. When others have problems, we tell them the method, helping them learn to look up to Jesus Christ for the redemptive work accomplished on the cross. When a person establishes a relationship with Jesus, when they encounter problems again, they will pray to God.
Legalists, however, hope everyone supports them and pays attention to them. We hope everyone focuses on Jesus Christ; we hope everyone places their attention on the resurrected Jesus Christ, so that wherever people go, they have support because God is always with them. Thank the Lord! Because we all have weaknesses, once we are weak, or if we have misunderstandings about the Bible, we can lead others to a very bad place. But if we only bring people to Jesus, the Holy Spirit will personally tell them what is right and wrong, and they will immediately have discernment.
They believe they are the light in darkness. The original meaning is others are groping in darkness, while they are the light. Others cannot find the light, and legalists think they have found the light, then say, "Follow me! I have found the light."
Now there are many religions, including this and that religion, where their leaders claim to have found the way to eternal life, the way to paradise, saying, "Just follow me!" In the end, it is just as the Bible says, the blind lead the blind, and they all end up in the pit!
Jesus Christ is the light of the world. Everything must return to Jesus Christ, not to a religion or a specific church; that is a very dangerous thing. If we overly proclaim, "Our church is this and that... our pastor's life is the most vibrant, other churches have no life..." that is also incorrect. We only need to proclaim the virtues of Christ; the pastor is just a conduit. It is our God who causes people's lives to grow.
They are convinced they are the teachers of foolish people, the instructors of little children. These people are very certain that they are the teachers of the foolish. Jesus said, "Do not call anyone on earth 'Rabbi,' for you have one Teacher, and you are all brothers." The Pharisees loved to hear others call them teachers; when they walked on the street and someone said, "Rabbi so-and-so," they felt very pleased when others respected them. This is a characteristic of legalists.
Legalists particularly enjoy being called Rabbi, being called a teacher, being called an expert in their field. In our country, there are many so-called experts in various fields; when they are called experts, they feel very pleased. They are convinced they are the teachers of foolish people. "Foolish" in the original meaning refers to those who lack thought, feeling, and purpose, needing others to guide them.
Legalists believe they can answer all their questions and help these foolish people understand the purpose and meaning of life. Brothers and sisters, we should not teach doctrines; we should not become legalists.
Legalists will come up with a set of rules and then write down what someone said, telling others to follow it! Brothers and sisters, we often hear such words in school, "So-and-so said something." We might say it makes sense, that it is really good! It is as if we know nothing and must follow what those famous people say.
Truth comes from Jesus Christ, so when teaching others, do not teach our own ideas; do not say, "I think this or that." This is a major taboo for preachers; you should not speak of what you think; you should speak of what the Bible says.
Legalists often mention, "I think this way, I feel that way." When we evangelize, we should not speak like this; we should speak the words of truth. Jesus said... the Bible says... This can bring life to others; such truth can truly help others because the words spoken by Jesus are powerful, and every word that comes from God carries power. When you preach the words of Jesus Christ, that word's power will be conveyed with your mouth.
We teach others using God's words, using the truth of Jesus Christ, using the grace of Jesus Christ to teach others. The Holy Spirit will work through such words to guide them; they will understand very clearly and will also have the help of the Holy Spirit.
Only the Bible is our standard; the words of Jesus Christ are our standard, not what a certain pastor says as the standard, nor what some famous person said in the past.
People often ask me,
Have you read so-and-so's book? Do you know so-and-so?
I say, I do not know.
They say, how can you still be called a Christian if you do not even know him? Do you know what kind of book he wrote?
I say, I do not know.
They say, your life is too poor; you should go back and read his book carefully.
I say, is this person very impressive?
They say, of course, he is impressive; he has said many famous words.
I say, do you know what the Bible says, the words of Jesus?
They say, I have read the Bible many times, ten times; it is not interesting. I am mainly studying the books of those predecessors.
Brothers and sisters, we can only feel sorry for such people. The best book in the world—the Bible—is right in front of us, yet they say they have read it ten times and cast it aside for the books of more spiritually advanced predecessors. We do not deny their books or their testimonies. Their experiences are for reference only, but the Bible is the life of our faith; it is our standard. Thank the Lord!
The Bible requires us to receive it throughout our lives; it is a blessing, just like we need to eat every day. It is not enough to say, "I have read these words; I have memorized them." This does not contribute to your life; you will truly become a teacher. Do not let these words merely exist in your heart as a form of teaching; let them become your life, become your food. This is what Jesus tells us; God's words are our food. Thank the Lord!
Verse 20 says, ... a model of knowledge and truth in the law.
They possess God's law, have all knowledge about the law, and also have the truth, which they can apply at any time. They have many opportunities to know the truth; they are well-versed in God's words and even know how to teach others, yet they still consider themselves righteous, which is a characteristic of legalists.
They do not not know the truth, but they use these words only to compare with others. When preaching, never use the Bible as a magnifying glass. What does it mean to use a magnifying glass? It means you hold the Bible and constantly examine others, seeing many problems in others, seeing many shortcomings in others, because you are using the Bible to examine others. Who does not have problems? There are problems everywhere. The Bible is our food; it is for us to enjoy and receive. We should receive God's words in this way. Do not treat it like a law, only examining others' problems, shortcomings, and weaknesses.
Jesus said to the hypocritical Pharisees and scribes: "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill, and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy, and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former." (Matthew 23:23)
What does Jesus mean?
The most important part of the law is justice, mercy, and faithfulness; this is what we should receive and then practice. Thank the Lord! So you see, legalists are very certain of themselves, very self-affirming, and they cannot take in others' advice. So Jesus spoke to them a lot, asking, "Have I violated your law?" The Pharisees could not answer, and in the end, when they condemned Jesus, they had no way out! They found a few witnesses who were also problematic, yet they still could not condemn Jesus. This means they wanted to find a handle on Jesus in the law, but they could never find it. Why not think from another perspective, is He really the God He claims to be?
Legalists are looking for handles in the gospel; we preach as if walking on thin ice. Many people are looking for problems in our preaching; some say we are wrong, yet they cannot explain why we are wrong. We should return to the Bible. The problems and errors the Pharisees committed were precisely because they thought they were completely correct, believing they had no problems at all. Jesus actually pointed it out, saying, "You people honor me with your lips, but your hearts are far from me." His meaning is that a true understanding of the law, an interpreter of the law, stands before you, yet you do not accept it; instead, you insist on acting according to your own understanding.
Sickness does not come from God; disaster does not come from God; death does not come from God. Yet many people say, "No, these come from God; they are sent down by God because we do not listen, so God must use these things to discipline us. If God does not use these to discipline us, would we not be even more reckless?"
But what does the Bible say? The Bible says death is the enemy of God. God does not want us to die; He wants us all to live and hopes we live forever. The Bible tells us, "My children, I wish above all things that you may prosper and be in health, even as your soul prospers." This is God's will. Yet many people read the Bible as if they have not seen it, and still say that sickness is sent down by God to discipline them for their benefit.
We never believe that sickness can benefit us. Thank the Lord.
When Adam was in the Garden of Eden, God did not give him sickness, nor did He bring death to him; there was no curse in the Garden of Eden. After God created everything, He said, "It is very good." This is God's will. What God gives us is good, but it does not include sickness, accidents, or death. These came into the world after they sinned, after the devil took control. So we need to have a correct understanding and not return to the concepts held by some legalists; we should return to the Bible.
If you are teaching others, do you not teach yourself? You say that people should not steal, yet you steal? The meaning is that if you are to teach others to obey the law, you must first be someone who can fully obey the law, and then teach others to do the same. If you believe that sickness is a blessing sent down by God, then in your life, you should be sick every day, and then you can teach others that sickness is a blessing from God.
For example, if someone teaches others, they must first receive what they are teaching. Many people say that if they do not discern when taking communion, they will get sick and die afterward, then they have turned communion into a curse.
But the Bible never says this is a curse; for three and a half years, Jesus gave us nothing but grace and blessings. Why would He leave believers with a curse at the end? That is impossible; you cannot argue that from any angle. Therefore, communion must not be a curse; it is a great blessing from God. Thank the Lord!
What you receive in teaching reflects what your life is like, and it will be manifested in your life. These legalists say not to commit adultery, yet they themselves are doing such things. They brag about the law, yet they are breaking the law and dishonoring God.
When people see them, they say, "Your behavior is so bad, yet you teach others; just stop!" Do you see, brothers and sisters? If we want to teach others through our good behavior and efforts, the final result will be a fall, which will cause many to stumble. Do not boast in the law, because we ourselves cannot obey it; why should we demand others to obey this law?
Verse 25 says, if you obey the law, circumcision is certainly beneficial to you.
Legalists have fallen into rituals, lacking worship in spirit and truth. What is circumcision? It is the removal of the foreskin from a baby boy on the eighth day after birth, which was a covenant God made with Abraham. This is a physical covenant. This covenant means that when you are circumcised, you are physically a descendant of Abraham, but it does not mean that if you are circumcised, you do not have to obey the law; that is also incorrect. In the time of Moses and during Jesus' time, the scribes and Pharisees also believed that even if you were circumcised, you must still obey the law. It is not that today, if you are circumcised, you are much better than others, and you are completely holy; that is not the case; you still need to obey the entire law.
Later it says, if you keep the law, circumcision will benefit you, and God's blessings will come upon you. But if you break the law, your circumcision is as if you were not circumcised. The meaning is that when you break the law, your circumcision cannot save you; this means your circumcision does not count as circumcision. It does not mean you have not been circumcised; it just means that when you break the law, even if you have this physical circumcision, it cannot save your life.
Verse 26 says, so if the uncircumcised obey the law's requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised?
What is important today is not what physical mark a person has, but the change in their heart.
Verse 27 says, and 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 lawbreaker.
Here it tells us something: one is a Jew who is circumcised outwardly, and one is a Gentile who obeys God's statutes inwardly. Even if this Gentile is not circumcised, if he obeys the law, he will judge you who have circumcision and the law but do not obey.
Verse 29 says, only the one who is inwardly is a true Jew, and true circumcision is of the heart.
What does true circumcision refer to? It is in the spirit, not in the letter. The letter can be understood as a form, an external form. Legalists mainly tell us how we should act and regulate our behavior; you must follow a complete set of rules.
For example, when you arrive at church, the first thing is not to speak loudly. The second thing is that when praying, you must not keep your eyes open; you should pray quietly with your eyes closed. The third is that when the pastor enters, everyone must stand. Then what is the first procedure, what is the second procedure, what is the last procedure, and wait for everything to finish, then say the service is over. This becomes a form, which we today call formalism, and it is also a kind of religion.
The law gives people regulations for behavior. But what is Jesus saying here?
True circumcision is in the heart; God looks at people differently than people look at people; God looks at the heart of a person, but people look at the outward appearance. So do not easily condemn others, because we are human, not God. Brothers and sisters, you do not know what is truly in a person's heart, so do not easily conclude that this person is not saved and that person is saved. Such words should not come from our mouths; you only need to know whether you are saved.
True circumcision is in the heart, in the spirit. It refers to when you believe in Jesus Christ, your entire life, like the Israelites receiving circumcision, has a mark. Originally, our hearts did not have this mark, but today when you accept the Lord Jesus, your heart has the seal of the Holy Spirit; this is called true circumcision. It is not in the letter; it means that perhaps this person's outward appearance has not changed, but their inner life has changed; they have already received eternal life in their hearts, even if we do not see it. God knows the hearts of people.
Not in the letter means do not judge people based on their behavior, because you do not know what is in their hearts. Jesus tells us that God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth. What does it mean to worship in spirit and truth? You can understand it as a genuine recognition of Jesus from the heart, gratitude for what He has done for you on the cross, and a willingness to understand Him more deeply; this is called worshiping in spirit and truth.
If you do not even know what Jesus has done for you, when others sing "Hallelujah," you sing along; when others laugh, you laugh along. You do not understand what others' recognition of Jesus is in their hearts, so when we worship Him, it is to know Him, to know His grace more deeply, and to understand what He has done for you.
Legalists overlook this true meaning; they emphasize people's outward behavior, hoping that outward changes will lead to inner changes. But Jesus is not like this; Jesus said, "What comes out of a person's mouth reflects what is in their heart." Thank the Lord.
So true faith is in the heart; true circumcision is in the spirit; a true Jew is someone who truly believes in God, Hallelujah! A true believer in the one true God is not someone who is circumcised today and thus is a Jew; the true descendants of Abraham are those who truly accept Jesus. Therefore, we are the true descendants of Abraham. If you are a descendant of Abraham, you should believe that Abraham's blessings will also come upon you; otherwise, why must you become a descendant of Abraham? This contains God's great blessings and grace, which will all be given to us through Jesus Christ.
Verse 29 says, true circumcision is also of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter. This person's praise is not from other people, but from God.
Whether you are accepted by God is actually a matter of the heart. When you are willing to believe in God, God accepts you. When you acknowledge that Lord Jesus Christ is your Savior, God has already accepted you and is pleased with you; this all happens in the heart. This praise is not from people, but from God. Thank the Lord!
A truly godly person is one who has received circumcision in the heart, which is the seal of the Holy Spirit. Such a person is a true Jew, a true chosen one, a true person who has removed sin. Why did God require them to be circumcised? It symbolizes the removal of sin, establishing a covenant with God. When Joshua led the Israelites across the Jordan River, God commanded them to circumcise that generation before they could cross over, symbolizing the removal of sin, turning their hearts back to God, and re-entering into God's covenant.
Brothers and sisters, today when you accept Jesus as your Savior, sin has already been removed; you have turned to God, and your heart has returned to God. Jesus Christ has already fulfilled all the law for you.
If the uncircumcised can fully obey the law, even though we have not been circumcised in the flesh, Jesus Christ has already fulfilled the law. He has completed it for us. We must know that all of this is not earned by our efforts, but is given to us from Jesus Christ. God knows we cannot fully obey the law, so He sent His Son to obey the law, and after He obeyed, He directly gave us the blessings as a gift.
God knows that by our actions, we cannot achieve holiness, so God gives us His holiness through His Son Jesus Christ. God knows that no matter how we obey the law, we cannot achieve righteousness, so God also gives us the righteousness of His Son. All of this is given freely. So when you know all of this is received, no matter how many gifts you have, no matter how much you understand the Bible, you should not belittle others, should not slander others, and should not condemn others, because you know that all of this is received from Jesus Christ; they just have not received to your level yet.
Those of you with little faith should accept him, but do not argue about doubtful things.
Legalists look down on those who do not know, love to debate with others, and think they understand everything. A person who truly understands God's grace becomes more humble as they understand more and will accept those with little faith; this is a manifestation of love.
May we brothers and sisters bear abundant fruit, because all of this is also received from Jesus Christ. The more you receive, the more humble you will become before Christ, and when you are humble like this, God will exalt you, and your fruit will flow continuously. Thank the Lord!
Let us pray together:
Heavenly Father, we especially thank and praise you for your grace! We do not wish to establish our own righteousness and nullify God's righteousness, because all that we have is given to us by God. We are willing to bring people to Jesus Christ, for you are the answer to all our problems, the true light.
May we love one another in Christ and serve one another. In the new week, please lead us to be a help and strength to others. We pray in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Amen!