Sunday sermon: "What the Law Teaches Us"

Are you a Christian? That question is answered "yes" by many, but when we dig down deeper we find that people mean different things by the term "Christian." Some use it to mean they were born into a family that was a member of a Christian church. Some mean they are religious, and not Jewish or Muslim or anything else, so they must be Christian. Some mean they are decent people who try to live according to what they consider to be what Jesus taught (although often when you probe deeper, you find they don't really know what Jesus actually taught!). And of course, others mean that they have placed their faith in Jesus as their Savior and Lord, and seek to follow His leading in their life.

Paul had to deal with a group of Jews in Rome who had placed their faith in their ability to keep God's Law. They felt they were superior to the Gentiles, and that they were indeed the wise teachers who were much more spiritual than others and could teach them how to be like them, and thus get closer to God. Their boastful attitude was designed to ensure their own status in the eyes of others, and to make a statement about their relationship with God.

Paul brings them down to earth in Romans 2:13-24. He notes that we are all responsible for what we know. The Gentiles, who did not know the Law, still had enough knowledge about God to be subject to judgment. As Paul pointed this out, no doubt the proud Jews were nodding in agreement. This wasn't about them, for they knew the Law.

Then Paul brings down the hammer. Knowing the Law isn't enough. In order to be justified under the Law, you had to keep it-all of it. Resting on your knowledge and background was not sufficient to be right with God. This not only critiques the Jews of Rome in Paul's day, but many who call themselves Christians in ours. Our churches are filled with people who think because they grew up in church, or know so much about religion, or keep more of God's commandments than others, they are in good standing with God. Yet the Bible tells us it's all or nothing; either we keep the whole Law, or we are guilty of breaking it.

This really is the first step in being restored to a relationship with God. We not only aren't right with Him, we can't be right with Him. We will see more about this further along in our study of Romans, but the good news is that it'snot up to us. Jesus did it all for us, and it is through faith in Him that we are freed from trying to impress God and others with our good works.

This passage ends with a frightening verse. Paul says that those who claim to keep the Law but break it cause the name of God to be blasphemed (2:24). Those outside of Christ and the church look at our failures and sins and use them as an excuse to say God's work and Jesus' sacrifice don't mean anything important. Trying to be "Christian" on our own only brings the name of Christ we carry into disrepute.

The Law teaches us that we are inadequate. The bad news is that we can't be right with God on our own. The good news is that we don't have to; Jesus made us right through His death on the cross. Through faith in Him we a set free from the Law, and set free from ourselves, and are free to let our good works shine to show what Jesus has done for us rather than as what we do to try to be right with God.