THE SIN OF SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS
(Romans Bible Study Series Tape Three)
Recommended reading - Romans 2 and 3:1-8.
Imagine sitting in the congregation at Rome in the mid
first century AD, when this letter from Paul was first read. Paul wrote
this letter to the Romans, long before he visited their city. The Service
continues, as the individual from the congregation slowly reads this
letter. An important amount of information has been covered at this point,
in the letter. The individual has read the truth about the wrath of God
against all ungodliness and unrighteousness. The reader has covered Paul's
description of the terrible things, that men are doing. They have turned
their backs on God, and have rejected the idea of God. As you are sitting
in this congregation at Rome, you notice a group of brethren, who are
Jewish Christians sitting on one side. You notice that they are nodding
their heads and agreeing whole heartedly with this letter, that Paul has
written. The group begins whispering to each other. The whispering is loud
enough, that you can hear them. They arrogantly begin to say, that
"these Gentiles have always been rebellious and sinful." Then
suddenly, the whispering stops as the reader starts to cover what we now
find in Romans 2. The Jewish Christians, and others in their frame
of mind, now start to listen more closely.
I. The goodness of God that leads to repentance.
· When we read
about repentance in the Bible, we always see God's goodness, His
long-suffering and His love. We, as Christians, have failed to
understand true repentance. We need to understand, that fear of death or
losing something does not lead to Godly repentance. It might lead to
changing your outward appearance or conduct, but it doesn't lead to
Godly repentance.
· God wants a
change of heart, as true repentance occurs on the inside. God's goodness
leads us to want to do what is right, because you love, and appreciate
His kindness, love, and mercy.
II. The sacrifice of Jesus Christ led to the changing of the
disciples.
· The disciples
were very carnal and selfish human beings right up to the point of
Christ's crucifixion. The disciples fought among themselves, even during
the last supper with Jesus Christ.
· When the
disciples saw the sacrifice that Jesus made for them, and for all
mankind, they finally began to change. Real repentance came about as a
result of what they had seen Christ do for them.
· Hebrews
12:17. We must not reject God's loving kindness, goodness, mercy,
and the ultimate sacrifice of Jesus Christ. If this is rejected, there
is nothing else that can lead us to repentance. If we go to Christ out
of the wrong kind of fear, that will not lead to real repentance. The
proper understanding of the goodness of God will lead to real
repentance.
III. Paul in this letter starts to turn his focus from the Gentiles
to the Jews.
· Paul makes this
distinction because the Jews were in a very special position. The Jews
had the revelation and the oracles of God given directly to them. God
revealed Himself to them in a special and explicit way. The tragedy
being that the Jews were relying wholly on this special relationship.
They felt because they had the Law in this explicit form, that they were
better off than the Gentiles.
· The church is
in a similar position, as were the Jews. God has given some wonderful
truths to the church. He has restored the Law, and the purpose of the
Law. We have the genuine Sabbath of God. We are gaining a clearer
understanding of the death of Christ. We can be in the same danger as
the Jews, if we rely on these things. We have committed the same
mistakes, because we have looked down on others as inferior. We must
understand what Paul is saying to the Jews in Rome; because he is also
saying the same thing to us.
· We must learn
from the important lessons, which Paul taught to those in Rome.
1.) The possession of truth and knowledge of the Law
does not, in and of itself, make you righteous and acceptable before
God.
2.) The Jews were mistaken, when they felt it was
sufficient to earn salvation by keeping the Law to the best of their
ability, or even by keeping a majority of the law. Eternal life is a
gift; we do not earn eternal life. If we do not keep the Law we are
cursed. We will be cut off from God eternally. That is what the curse
is. Jesus Christ bore that curse for us, when He was crucified.
3.) The Jews were experts, only, in the letter of
the Law. They failed to see that the Law demands obedience in the
heart and in the spirit. Sin is more than just an act, it is a motive
and a thought.
· The only way to
produce the character of God is to ultimately become God. That is why we
cannot yet produce the character of God. God is in us through His
spirit, reflecting His character through man. That is proof, that we
will ultimately become part of the very family of God.
IV. If one tries to keep the Law outwardly, that does not make him
righteous before God.
· Our acts
must be to praise and glorify God, not to praise and glorify ourselves.
We must look honestly at ourselves and determine our motive. We must not
desire to be praised by men, but to be praised by God.
· The Gospel of
Jesus Christ is the power of God. HE is the one who died! HE is the one
who has been resurrected! HE is the one who has ascended into the
heavens! HE is the one who is at the right hand of the throne of God
acting as our High Priest and as our intercessor. It is HE who imparts
to us the wonderful Spirit of God! That is what changes us. HE
comes into us, through the Holy Spirit. Romans 7:6,
· Legalism and
self-righteousness is an outward religion. Paul demolishes the platform
on which those stand, who keep the Law to earn salvation.
V. We must keep the law.
· We keep the law
because we obey our savior Jesus Christ; but, we do not keep the law
to earn salvation.
· Many things
that true Christians do are good and pleasing to God. We must have a
right relationship with Christ, for this to be the case.
· God is not a
respector of persons. There were Gentiles in that very congregation who
had a closer relationship with God than did some of the Jews.
· Paul is
destroying, in these verses, every confidence that man has in himself -
whether he be Jew or Gentile. Paul is doing this because man cannot
receive the Gospel unless, the confidence in himself is destroyed.
VI. God gave the Jews the truth, as it is in Christ.
· He gave them
the truth, to lead them to Christ.
· The Jews took
the truth and perverted it. Instead of allowing the Law to show them
their total depravity, and their need to go to Christ for salvation; the
Jews made the Law their salvation.
· We have the
truth. Has it led us to a closer walk with Jesus Christ? Have we been
led closer to Him and His life style? We must have the sacrificial love
of Jesus Christ. We must sacrifice who we are, and what we want to be.
VII. Paul has a purpose for dealing with the sin
problem.
· The purpose is
to destroy, in every human being, confidence in ourselves and our own
ability. We can accept nothing else, other than Jesus Christ, as our hope
and as our righteousness!
· We must be
convinced that we are 100 % sinners.
· We must have no
confidence in the flesh; our confidence must be in Jesus Christ!
Paul is preparing us for the Good News that is ahead. We
must all agree with Paul that we are sinners, that our hope is in Christ,
and in His righteousness. We must realize that apart from the Grace of
God, we are incapable of doing any righteousness in the spirit. We must do
it in the spirit, as we cannot do it in the letter. May God help us to
take what Paul is saying and apply it to our lives. We must thank God for
opening our eyes to this truth. THIS TRUTH WILL TRULY MAKE US FREE.
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The Sin of Self-