Roaming through Romans - Including the Jews and Everyone Else (Romans 2:17 – 3:20)

During the next few months, the SPC Thursday Evening Bible Study will be looking at Paul's Letter to the Romans, the single work that may best offer his theology and ethic. You see, in this letter, he explained to the church in Rome his understanding of human nature, faith, righteousness, and God's intention for everybody. He also offered practical ways we can live as Christians within the world and the church. And as we'll see during the seventeen session, what he had to say to the Romans is just as applicable today as it was almost 2,000 years ago. We'll following the schedule below:

• July 18 - The Reason for the Letter (Romans 1:1-17)
• July 25 - Human Guilt (Romans 1:18 – 2:11)
• August 8 - Including the Jews and Everyone Else (Romans 2:17 – 3:20)
• August 15 - But There's Faith (Romans 3:21 – 4:25)
• August 22 - Faith and Righteousness ( Romans 5:1-21)
• August 29 - The Living Dead ( Romans 6:1-14)
• September 5 - Sin, Slaves and Spouses ( Romans 6:15 – 7:6)
• September 12 - Sin Remains( Romans 7:7-25)
• September 19 - New Life ( Romans 8:1-39)
• September 26 - Back to the Jews (Romans 9:1-29)
• October 3 - But They Rejected Jesus ( Romans 9:30 – 10:21)
• October 10 - God's Ultimate Plan (Romans 11:1-36)
• October 17 - Now What We Should Do (Romans 12:1-21)
• October 24 - Obedience and Love (Romans 13:1-14)
• November 7 - Concern for Brothers and Sisters (Romans 14:1 – 15:6)
• November 14 - Tying It Up (Romans 15:7-33)
• November 21  - Personal Greetings (Romans 16:1-27)

During our third session, we looked at Romans 2:17 – 3:20 and discussed why everyone needs to hear the gospel. The recording of our discussion and the passage we discussed are below.

Romans 2:17 – 3:20 [New Revised Standard Version] 

But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast of your relation to God and know his will and determine what is best because you are instructed in the law, and if you are sure that you are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth, you, then, that teach others, will you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You that forbid adultery, do you commit adultery? You that abhor idols, do you rob temples? You that boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” Circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law; but if you break the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. So, if those who are uncircumcised keep the requirements of the law, will not their uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? Then those who are physically uncircumcised but keep the law will condemn you that have the written code and circumcision but break the law. For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is true circumcision something external and physical. Rather, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly, and real circumcision is a matter of the heart—it is spiritual and not literal. Such a person receives praise not from others but from God.

Then what advantage has the Jew? Or what is the value of circumcision? Much, in every way. For in the first place the Jews were entrusted with the oracles of God. What if some were unfaithful? Will their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means! Although everyone is a liar, let God be proved true, as it is written, “So that you may be justified in your words, and prevail in your judging.” But if our injustice serves to confirm the justice of God, what should we say? That God is unjust to inflict wrath on us? (I speak in a human way.) By no means! For then how could God judge the world? But if through my falsehood God’s truthfulness abounds to his glory, why am I still being condemned as a sinner? And why not say (as some people slander us by saying that we say), “Let us do evil so that good may come”? Their condemnation is deserved! What then? Are we any better off? No, not at all; for we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under the power of sin, as it is written: “There is no one who is righteous, not even one; there is no one who has understanding, there is no one who seeks God. All have turned aside, together they have become worthless; there is no one who shows kindness, there is not even one.” “Their throats are opened graves; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of vipers is under their lips.” “Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness.” “Their feet are swift to shed blood; ruin and misery are in their paths, and the way of peace they have not known.” “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”

Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For “no human being will be justified in his sight” by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin.