ROMANS  6

     We will begin this lesson in chapter 2 verse 17 "Romans 2:17
Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy
boast of God,"

     The Jews knew they were God`s chosen. They were proud, but they
looked down on those who were not Jews thinking themselves better than
others. Paul is telling them here that it is wrong to depend on the
fact of their Jewish heritage to save them.

     Romans 2:18 "And knowest [his] will, and approvest the things
that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;"

     Paul tells these self-righteous people that they are without
excuse. They had the law, but yet they did not understand. They were
trying to instruct others and didn`t even comprehend themselves.
1 Corinthians 1:31" That, according as it is written, He that
glorieth, let him glory in the Lord."

     Romans 2:19 "And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of
the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,"  Romans 2:20 An
instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of
knowledge and of the truth in the law."

     Their form of religion was just that, a form. This was a
technical keeping of the law without any understanding of what the law
really stood for. This is like memorizing a bunch of words without any
idea of what they meant. There is no purpose in memorizing,  unless
you know what the meaning of the Scripture is. God is not pleased with
us technically keeping His laws. He wants our love and obedience. The
Light of God is something you can not turn on and off.  If you have
the Light, it shines in your life not just one day a week.  If you
feel you have got to go to church, you probably don`t have the Light.
It should be a joy for a Christian to go to church. Church should not
be an obligation that you fulfill. To go to church should be the
desire of your heart.

     Romans  2:21 "Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest
thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost
thou steal?"

     Matthew 7:13 "Enter ye in at the strait gate: for wide [is] the
gate, and broad [is] the way, that leadeth to destruction, and many
there be which go in thereat:" Matthew 7:4 "Or how wilt thou say to
thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a
beam [is] in thine own eye?" Matthew 7:5 "Thou hypocrite, first cast
out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to
cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye."

     Both of these Scriptures are saying [practise what you preach].
Most preachers will tell you, when they are preaching, the message is
for them as well as the congregation.

     Romans 2:22 "Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery,
dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit
sacrilege?"

     Many ministers in our day need to review this verse 22 above.
Ministers are not exempt from God's laws. We must not be just hearers
but doers of God's law. James 1:23 "For if any be a hearer of the
word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face
in a glass:" James 1:24 "For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way,
and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was." James 1:25 "But
whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth
[therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work,
this man shall be blessed in his deed." The best sermon any man or
woman can preach is the one we live every day of our life.

     Romans 2:23 "Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through
breaking the law dishonourest thou God?"

     The law was given by God to help mankind. These Jewish leaders
had twisted God's law to fit what they wanted. Many of the customs
they required the people to do, they did not do themselves. They had
no feelings about putting burdens on others, but were not willing to
do them themselves. The high priest`s office was founded to be a go
between for God and his people. It was originated as an honorable holy
office. By the time this was written, it had really decayed into
something terrible. They were even buying the priesthood. These had
become power lovers, rather than men of God.

     Romans 2:24 "For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles
through you, as it is written."

     These Jews had missed the whole point of being the chosen of God
to have the law. Just their arrogant behavior made the non-Jews think
that it was not good to be a believer.  Instead of them living a
better life for having known God, they oppressed others and ran them
away from God.

     Romans 2:25 "For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the
law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made
uncircumcision."

     You should read Ephesians chapter 2 v.11 through 22. It is great
to be the chosen of God, as long as you continue to walk in sonship.
If you do not the things of God, then you are not His Son. Only those
who obey God and walk in His ways are His sons.

Romans 2:26 "Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of
the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?"

     Colossians 3:11 "Where there is neither Greek nor Jew,
circumcision nor uncircumcision, Barbarian, Scythian, bond [nor] free:
but Christ [is] all, and in all."  The circumcision that counts is of
the heart and not of the flesh. God is not interested in our flesh. He
is Spirit and He is interested in our spirit which is made in His
image.  Matthew 6:28 "And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider
the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they
spin:"  Matthew 6:29 "And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all
his glory was not arrayed like one of these." Matthew 6:30 "Wherefore,
if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to
morrow is cast into the oven, [shall he] not much more [clothe] you, O
ye of little faith?" Matthew 6:31 "Therefore take no thought, saying,
What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we
be clothed?" Matthew 6:32 "(For after all these things do the Gentiles
seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these
things." Matthew 6:33 "But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you." Matthew
6:34 "Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall
take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day [is]
the evil thereof." Jesus also came to heal our bodies.  III John 1:2
"Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in
health, even as thy soul prospereth."

     Romans 2:27 "And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if
it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost
transgress the law?"

     To whom much is given, much is required. These Gentiles were
living better lives with less knowledge than the Jews. These Jews are
not setting the good example for God that that they need to. Galatians
6:15 "For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor
uncircumcision, but a new creature."

     Romans 2:28 "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither
[is that] circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:"   Romans 2:29
"But he [is] a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision [is that]
of the heart, in the spirit, [and] not in the letter; whose praise
[is] not of men, but of God."

     In the case above it would be possible for a Gentile to be a
better Jew than the natural Jew, because the Gentiles' heart is right
with God. God looks on the heart of man and judges the heart. Only you
and God know the relation that you have with God. Men look at the
outward man, but God sees the heart.


                                 Notes












                             Questions 6


1.  In v. 17 those who are called a Jew rest in _____and boast of____.
2.  What is Paul telling these Jews in v. 17?
3.  How were these Jews instructed?
4.  1 Corinthians ch. 1 v. 31 tells the only thing to glory in, what
    was it?
5.  Who did these Jews think themselves to be a guide to?
6.  Vs. 20 says they thought they were instructor to the _____
    a teacher of _________.
7.  They had the form of what?
8.  What two things does God want from us rather than our formality?
9.  Verse 21 says, they preach what and yet are guilty themselves?
10. Where in Matthew teaches the same lesson?
11. In just a few words, what are both Scriptures saying?
12. Verse 22 lets us know what about ministers?
13. We must be a ____ and not a____only of the law.
14. What is the best sermon any man or woman can preach?
15. What was the law given for?
16. What had happened to the priesthood that made it a less honorable
    position?
17. What was happening to the name of God among the Gentiles because
    of these natural Jews?
18. How does circumcision profit a Jew?
19. If those uncircumcised keep God's law, what is it counted unto
    them as?
20. In Galations ch.3 v.11, we find what about God's relation with all
    men?
21. God is not interested in our ____. He is interested in our ____.
22. Galations ch. 6 v.15 tells us only one thing counts with God, what
    is it?
23. What is the circumcision that is important to God?
24. What is a possibility in the spirit that is not a possibility in
    the flesh.
25. Who is the only one who knows your condition with God?.