Dangers of Religion
Romans 2:17 - 3:8
Paul wrote to a very proud people, the Jews. They were convinced that they were God's chosen people ... His ONLY chosen people ... and that everyone else was a heathen .... hated by God and marked for destruction.
The Jews on the other hand were a people of great privilege who were marked for eventual victory and blessings. God had shown that he loved them most and only by giving THEM the law, giving THEM the circumcise, and giving THEM the covenant.
Problem was that they had come to worship their ancestry, their law, their promises instead of worshiping God. They had forgotten the responsibilities or warnings of God against sin and had come to trust in the fact that the blood of Abraham flowed in their veins, and that alone would guarantee them victory and God's favor.
These promises had had much the same effect as welfare ... intended for good they had actually worked in reverse to acerbate the problem. Government's desire to help the poor, to supplement their income and bring them out of poverty only served to lock most of them into deeper poverty. With that check coming in, they did not continue to work, they just quit. now, after generations, they are dependent on that check. and they live in more deplorable poverty because there is NO INCENTIVE to work. NOT ALL. .. but most.
The promises of God caused the Jews to get lazy and self-righteous and feel they didn't have to do anything, just reap the benefits of genealogy. In fact, they had become more sinful and less repentant.
If Paul were here today he would write the same words to Christians.
In fact, where Paul speaks of Jews in verse 17, you can insert Christians
We Christians are guilty of the same sort of religious snobbish-ness, that we are the only true believers and we are so much better than other religions.
It is true that Christianity is the only true religion .. but it should not lead to pride.
OR LAZINESS... don't think that because you are a Christian that you are somehow magically saved from the responsibilities of obedience and that God will make special allowances for you.
We have great privilege {later} but we have tremendous responsibility
Paul wrote to wake the Jews up to the dangers of their religion.
He should wake us too.
Paul named a number of dangers
1. Profession Without Performance. vv. 17-24
The Jews profesed a great relationship to God, a great knowledge of the law, and a great obedience.
Paul said ... You put your trust in two things ... Name and Law ... v. 17
Sure, you know the law and even are instructed out of it at the synagogue .. v. 18
You even profess to be a guide to the blind and a light in the darkness.
And of course, because you are Jews, you are so superior to others that you think you are over them like a teacher over the ignorant or babies.
That was their profession, what they believed and said.
But Paul was concerned that they had PROFESSION WITHOUT PERFORMANCE.
That their profession was just words, a house built on sand.
He said, OK, you've got the profession, now lets see the performance ... deeds, works, fruit.
Though Paul couches it in a question, it is really an accusation.
You claim to teach others, but you do not teach yourself
YOU DON'T PRACTICE WHAT YOU TEACH!
You preach that a man should not steal BUT THEN YOU STEAL!
You are quick to stand up and rail against adultery, BUT YOU ARE GUILTY OF IT!
You stand and shout against idol worship, BUT YOU PROFIT FROM IT!
You make great claims about your obedience to the law, BUT YOU BREAK IT!
Do you think that you will get to heaven and God will read this record and get ready to punish but will then notice that you are a Jew and say, "0 ,never mind, he is exempt, he is a Jew!"? OR A CHRISTIAN???????
NOT!!!!
Those who hold such a belief are in GRA VE DAN GER. ..
Danger of bringing condemnation on themselves ...
And Danger of bringing CONDEMNATION ON RELIGION.
I hate to see President Hillary and her husband making pictures together… all smiley… because I know what they were like before he ran for president.
Or to see Doug Wilder and chuck Robb standing on the same platform, arm In arm,
smiling, and claiming great admiration for each other.
It makes me sick because I know the truth.
Hypocrisy, especially SPIRITUAL hypocrisy, has that effect on folks.
I know "Christians" who when I hear them quote scripture, or pray, or sing a hymn .... IT MAKES ME SICK.
When we are guilty of PROFESSION WITHOUT PERFORMANCE we bring
condemnation on God
Stuart Briscoe tells a true story about working in a bank. A co-worker was supporting two wives and families. He embezzled money. When apprehended he said, "I am sorry for what I have done, I wonder if I should fulfill my preaching commitment in a local church
this week?"
Stuart Briscoe relates that he discovered that the man's colleagues dispised the man ... his church {dismissing them as hypocrites}, the gospel he preached { a lot of hogwash}, and his God {nonexistent}.
GOD TAKES THAT STUFF VERY SERIOUSLY!!!!!!!!!
Paul also said that they were guilty of. ..
2. Ritual Without Reality. vv. 25-29
Having already angered every Jewish person because of his words about the name Jew and on the Law, Paul now goes even further by turning his spotlight on Circumcision.
They were so proud of their circumcision, so self-righteous ... it was a physical sign that God loved them and them only.
For the Jews, the essence os the covenant was ... Genesis 17:4-8.
For God it was verses 9-10a ... "YOU MUST KEEP MY COVENANT, YOU AND
YOUR DESCENDENTS AFTER YOU FOR THE GENERATIONS TO COME."
EX. 19:3 "If you OBEY me FULL Y and KEEP my covenant, THEN "
Deut 4:13 "He declared to you his covenant, THE 10 COMMANDMENTS, which he commanded you to follow and then wrote them on two stone tablets. And the Lord directed me at that time to teach you the decrees and laws YOU ARE TO FOLLOW in the land you are crossing the Jordan to possess."
The terms of the covenant were clearly spelled out by God in Jeremiah 11: 1-8
{4-0BEY, 6-listen and FOLLOW, 8-0BEY ME, 9-1 had commanded them to
FOLLOW but they DID NOT KEEP}
The rite of circumcision did not guarantee God's satisfaction ... it was JUST A SIGN.
To God the essense of the covenant was "KEEP, OBEY, FOLLOW"
The act of circumcision was only meaningful as a SIGN of their acceptance of God's mastery over their lives and their sincere desire to be pleasing to Him.
It was an outward and visible sign of something on the inside, in the heart.
That is why Jeremiah cried, "Circumcise YOURSELVES to the Lord, circumcise YOUR HEART" 4:4
"Paul was convinced that the sign had lost its significance to many of his kinsmen and the rite was completely devoid of reality."
I believe that the same thing can be said of the high and holy Baptist rite .... Baptism.
Baptism is JUST A SIGN
Just an outward and visible sign of what has supposedly happened on the inside ... in the heart.
It symbolizes a death ... to the old nature
a washing of the heart to become pure
a newness of new life in Christ
a resurrection to live a new life
Paul said "Circumcision is indeed profitable IF YOU KEEP THE LAW ... IF it is legit!
The rite is profitable IF there is reality behind it
But without reality, without the inward change and desire and purity ... the rite is useless and empty.
Lack of reality kills or nullifies the rite .... "but if you are a lawbreaker your circumcision is uncircumcision. "
And for Baptists ... Your baptism is profitable IF there is the inward change, IF there is reality.
Otherwise your baptism is empty ritualism
Listen as Paul gets real blunt ...
"He is not a {real} Jew who is one outwardly {only}, nor is that
circumcision which is outwardly {only} in the flesh.
He is not a Christian who is one outwardly only, nor IS that genuine baptism which is outward only, in the flesh!
But he IS a Jew who is one INWARDLY. .. circumcision is that OF THE
HEART.
AND he IS a Christian that IS one INWARDLY... baptism IS of the
HEART!!!!!
There are those today who are steeped in dead, empty ritualism... having an excess of religion that borders on superstition, avidly adhering to ecclesiastical rules and regulations and covered head to toe in buttons, awards, and certificates, but they do not have any reality in their ritual... their heart is not right, their desire is for the ritual, not for the Person.
"To do this {writes one person} is to qualify for the wrath of God along side the pagans who reject the law of God. "
So, Paul had charged them with profession without performance
and ritual without reality
3. Privilege without Perception. 3:1-2
I remember being in Tanzania. I remember being afraid every time I was in a town, especially every time a police or government person came around. I was afraid because they can do as they please, I had no rights, and if I got in trouble I was not sure that even the US government could help. I remember seeing the ubiquitous poverty, total lack of luxury, and hopelessness that I felt for them. I was so glad to be an American citizen, I was so happy to know that I could and would leave, that I did not have to live that way forever, that I would go back to where police were protectors and government had restrictions. I knew, for the first time, how lucky, how blessed, how fortunate I was to be an American. I knew that American citizenship had its benefits. I promised myself three things ...
I would vote when I had the chance
I would gladly pay my fair share of taxes ... and
I would be proud to be an American.
I see people burning American flags and demonstrating against our government, and hear them putting down America and I just want to say, "Let's give the a one way ticket to Haiti, or the middle east, or Japan, or even France or Spain." Then give them two weeks and ask them this question .. "What advantage is there to being an American?"
They could give you a list longer than your arm. Tell them they have to stay there until they come up with 100 reasons.
I get really upset when people don't understand or respect their great privilege here.
They don't; or they would take advantage... 100% voter turnout... no tax fraud... no flags burned.
I also feel, as did Paul here, that Christians do not truly appreciate their great privilege in being Christians.
Paul’s answer to his question, "What advantage then has the Jew?" was
"LOTS!"
Peace in the storms of life, strength when we are weak, guidance when we are lost, hope in the darkness, Abundant life here, Eternal life in Heaven, the presence of God, fellowship with God, access to God, someone to listen, hope beyond man, forgiveness of sins, the opportunity to start all over,
I hate to see Christians squandering the benefits of Christianity, or worse yet ... putting down the church, religion, Christians, leaders, etc.
They don't understand the terrible price that was paid to give them this opportunity.
They take it too lightly.
That is why so few are here today, that is why so few take advantage of the spiritual opportunities offered all week.
Well, God has spoken today. And some of you have been touched ... made uncomfortable because you felt the long, pointy finger of the scripture as it has pressed hard against your chest saying ... "Thou art the man!"
The Holy Spirit has guided your mind on a trip, an introspection, examining your life, your heart, your deeds, and has you pressed hard against the wall, saying .. you need to make a change.
He has shown you that your were guilty of
Profession Without Performance
or Ritual Without Reality
or Privilege without Perception
Whatever he has shown you ... he expects you to FIX IT!
HOW?
1. Admit it to self
2. Confess it to God
3. Ask for forgiveness
4. Ask for strength and grace to change
