Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church0 by Eric Douma Gospel of Grace Fellowship January 10, 2016

Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church1 Rom. 2:17-20 = The Boasts (If you…) 1.Bear the name Jew…Rely upon the Law…Boast in God 2.Know His will… 3.Approve the essential things… 4.Are instructed by the Law… 5.Are a guide to the blind… 6.Are a light to those in darkness… 7.Are an instructor to the foolish… 8.Are a teacher to the immature, having the Law… Rom 2:21-24 = The Problem in Your Boast “You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law.”

Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church2 Romans 2:17 But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely upon the Law and boast in God…  Jew = comes from “Judah” but referred to every Israelite after the Exile.  Rely upon the Law = the Jews “rested” upon the law – it was their hope! John 5:45 Do not think that I will accuse you before the Father; the one who accuses you is Moses, in whom you have set your hope.

Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church3 Romans 2:18-20 and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth…  Know His will = most Jews boasted in having knowledge of God, yet Paul challenges this! Romans 10:2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge.

Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church4 Romans 2:21-22 therefore you who teach someone else, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who tell others not to commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?  Matthew 23:1-3 Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, 3 so do and observe whatever they tell you, but not the works they do. For they preach, but do not practice.  Rob Temples? 1.To use pagan idols in God’s temple 2.To rob the Jerusalem Temple by not paying the temple tax 3.To act in a general impious way

Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church5 Romans 2:23-24 ESV You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. 24 For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” Isaiah 52:4-5 For thus says the Lord GOD, “My people went down at the first into Egypt to reside there; then the Assyrian oppressed them without cause. 5 “Now therefore, what do I have here,” declares the LORD, “seeing that My people have been taken away without cause?” Again the LORD declares, “Those who rule over them howl, and My name is continually blasphemed all day long.

Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church6 1.We must understand that the Mosaic Law was designed to increase sin and to reveal that God’s righteousness is found in Christ. 2.We must realize that trusting in anything other than the person and work of Christ will give false security to a person.

Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church7 The Law increases sin and shuts every mouth before God: Romans 5:13, 20 …for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law…Now the law came in to increase the trespass, but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more. Romans 3:19-20 Now we know that whatever the Law says, it speaks to those who are under the Law, so that every mouth may be closed and all the world may become accountable to God; 20 because by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified in His sight; for through the Law comes the knowledge of sin.

Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church8 The Law reveals that God’s righteousness is found in Christ: Romans 3:21 But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets… Galatians 3:19, 24 Why the Law then? It was added because of transgressions, having been ordained through angels by the agency of a mediator, until the seed would come to whom the promise had been made… So then, the law was our guardian until Christ came, in order that we might be justified by faith.

Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church9 The Jews had a false security by pursuing a righteousness that God had never revealed: Romans 10:1-4 Brethren, my heart’s desire and my prayer to God for them is for their salvation. 2 For I testify about them that they have a zeal for God, but not in accordance with knowledge. 3 For not knowing about God’s righteousness and seeking to establish their own, they did not subject themselves to the righteousness of God. 4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Gospel of Grace Fellowshipggf.church10 Matthew 7:21-23 Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’ 23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness. Galatians 4:9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how is it that you turn back again to the weak and worthless elemental things, to which you desire to be enslaved all over again?