Faith Works: The Dark Side of Religion Romans 2:17 – 3:20

Big Idea: You don’t need ___________, you need ______ religion faith

Religion - a set of concepts, ceremonies, liturgies, and practices that are expected in a particular pursuit of the divine.

Big Idea: You don’t need religion, you need faith

Religion emphasizes the _________ over the _________ 2:17-28 physical spiritual

Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God… v. 17

You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? v. 23

God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you. v. 24

Religion emphasizes the physical over the spiritual

A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. v. 28

Religion emphasizes ___________ _________ while ignoring matters of _________ ___________ 2:29 Secondary primary matters importance

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. v. 29

Religion cannot save you from ________ _______ 3:1-8 God’s wrath

Religion blinds you to your need for _______ ______ 3:9-20 God’s grace

“There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” “Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit.”

“The poison of vipers is on their lips.” “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery mark their ways, and the way of peace they do not know.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” v. 10 – 18

Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law (being religious); rather, through the law we become conscious of sin. v. 20

The principle point of the law in true Christian theology is to make people not better but worse; that is to say, it shows them their sin, so that they may be humbled, terrified, bruised, and broken, and by this means be driven to seek comfort and so to come to the blessed Christ. Martin Luther