Law – Page 5 – Ministry of Grace Church

Tag: Law

Romans 2:25 – Appearance or Submission

Posted on October 7, 2009 by admin

Romans 2:25

For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.

Truth to Learn

The external features of Christianity mean nothing without the complete submission of our will to Almighty God.

Behind the Words

“Circumcision” is translated from the Greek word peritomē, which is made up of peri, meaning “around” (like the word perimeter) and a form of temnō, meaning “to cut off.” Hence, it refers to cutting around the entire male foreskin to remove it.

The word “uncircumcision” is from a completely different word. It is akrobustia, which is made up of akron, meaning “the extreme” and buo, meaning “to cover.” Hence, it refers to the extreme covering, the male foreskin.

Meaning Explained

Paul now seems to take a turn in his teaching. He has been talking about the Law for the past few verses, but now he starts talking about circumcision. As we have said earlier, the Jews took great pride in the fact that they were the people of God and that they possessed His very Words in their scriptures. They bragged about having the Law, and they bragged about being direct descendents of Abraham. The symbol of their heritage was indicated in their circumcision. That’s what marked them as sons of Abraham, so they took great pride in their circumcision.

When Abram was ninety-nine years old, more than twenty years after Abram (meaning exalted father) believed God and was declared righteous, God made a covenant with Him. God promised to give Abram and his descendents the entire land of Canaan as an everlasting possession, and He changed his name to Abraham (father of a multitude). As a sign of the covenant, Abraham was to circumcise himself and all of his male descendents:

This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. (Genesis 17:10, 11)

Since that time all Jews have circumcised their male children as a sign of the covenant between them and God.

Paul now cautions them, however, that circumcision means nothing if they don’t keep the Law. From other scripture we know that no one perfectly keeps the Law, so he was telling these Jewish Christians in Rome that their circumcision had no meaning to them whatsoever.

That must have been a tough pill to swallow for them because they put great stock in their heritage. Unfortunately, that was precisely the problem. They put their confidence in their heritage instead of in their faith. Paul will deal directly with this issue later in this letter.

Application

Are you proud to be a Christian? Do you possess all the external features and characteristics of a Christian? But… are you completely submitted to His will?

Maybe it’s time for all of us to fall to our knees before God!

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Romans 2:23 – Walk the Walk!

Posted on October 5, 2009 by admin

Romans 2:23

You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law?

Truth to Learn

Christianity is faith in action, not just good sounding words.

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “boast” is kauchaomai. Some Greek Lexicons indicate that this is derived from auchen, meaning “a neck,” which boastful people hold in a proud manner. The verb kauchaomai means “to boast” used both in a good or bad sense.

“Dishonor” is from atimadzō, which is a compound word made up of the privative a, implying negation or “without” and a form of timē, which means “honor.” Hence, the verb atimadzō means “to dishonor” or “to cause a loss of dignity.”

The word “breaking” is translated from parabasis. This is another compound word which is made up of para, meaning “beside” or “beyond” and a form of bainō, meaning “to go.” Hence, parabasis literally means “to go beyond” or “to transgress.” It expresses the sense of going beyond a limit that has been established by the law. This is different from the word hamartia, typically translated “sin,” which means “to miss the mark.” The difference is that a person can sin without being under an express command or law, but he or she can only transgress (or break) a specific law or set of commands.

Meaning Explained

Today’s verse is very clear and very simple. The Jewish Christians in Rome believed strongly in the Law and even boasted about having received it from God and of knowing it through God’s revelation. This was God honoring … in word! At the same time, by their disobedience of the Law they caused dishonor to God … in deed.

Even today it’s fairly easy to learn the language of the Christian faith and to talk the talk. I’m sure we have all met people who know all the right things to say at all the appropriate times. They can quote Scripture with ease and recite Biblical stories in excruciating detail. They are quick to demonstrate their knowledge with relevant facts and figures. In some cases they may even be teaching a Sunday school class, helping others learn the facts. The problem comes when these people do not demonstrate their knowledge by their actions. They don’t walk the walk. As a result, instead of being a shining example of Christianity in action, they are an embarrassment to those of us who know and love the Savior, and they dishonor the God they claim to serve.

The Apostle John, in teaching what true love is all about, warned us to love in deed, not just in word:

My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth. (1John 3:18)

It’s important to know what the Bible teaches, and it’s particularly refreshing when we meet someone who can make Biblical truths easily understandable. It’s even more important to be a living example of Christianity.

Application

We who have been washed clean by the blood of Christ and who have the entire Bible at our disposal, give worship, praise, and honor to God … in word!

But, do we at the same time by our sinfulness, selfishness, and lack of faith dishonor the God we love … in deed?

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Romans 2:20 – Giving Truth Away

Posted on September 30, 2009 by admin

Romans 2:20

an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law.

Truth to Learn

We have the truth and we are to freely give it away.

Behind the Words

The word translated “instructor” is the Greek word paideutēs, which is the verb form of paidagogos, from which we get our English word “pedagogue” meaning “an instructor.”

“Foolish” is translated from the Greek word aphronos, which is made up of the privative a, meaning “without” and a form of phrēn, which metaphorically refers to “the mind” or “intellect.” Hence, aphronos means “someone without intelligence.”

The word translated “babes” is the Greek word nēpios, which literally means, “someone without words” or “someone who can’t speak.” In Biblical Greek it refers to “a baby.”

“Form” is a translation of morphōsis, which means “an appearance or an impression.” Today, when we see a computer simulation of an image changing gradually into another we say that one image has been “morphed” into the other. The appearance of the first has been changed into the appearance of the other.

Meaning Explained

Paul has been describing the arrogance of the Jewish Christians who believed themselves to be justified in that arrogance since they were Jews, descendents of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; since they had the Law, the Holy Scriptures; and since they could know the will of God and could distinguish the good from the bad through the instruction they had from the Law. Because of all these things, they believed themselves to be spiritual guides to the blind Gentiles, and they believed themselves to have the light of the truth for the world.

In today’s verse Paul is saying that the Jewish Christians in Rome also believed themselves to be instructors and teachers of the unintelligent and the immature. Several verses back Paul said that the Jewish Christians in Rome were arrogant, and he implied that he was going to deal with that pride. Paul is now setting them up for a rude awakening. You see, any devout Jew or Jewish Christian would be nodding in agreement with Paul in these verses because they knew what Paul has been saying is the truth.

Paul now starts to turn the tables on them. In the last part of today’s verse he says that they “have the form of knowledge and of the truth in the Law.” It would be clear to Paul’s readers that he was not saying that they possessed knowledge and truth from the Law but that they simply appeared to have them, while in reality they didn’t have them at all.

In the next verse Paul will begin to do a little toe stompin’ as he points out the problem with this Jewish arrogance.

Application

As we have said before, there is no place for arrogance among Christians. We are servants of His Majesty, the King of Kings. Our responsibility is to humbly proclaim His truth to the world. He has entrusted His truth to us, and we are not to hoard it but to freely give it away.

How much of His truth have you given away lately?

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Romans 2:17 – No Place for Pride

Posted on September 27, 2009 by admin

Romans 2:17

Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God,

Truth to Learn

Relying on heritage and obedience to the Law is futile.

Behind the Words

“Indeed” is translated from the two Greek words ei de. Some translations use the English word “behold” as if this was the Greek word ide, but there is no evidence for this in the most reliable manuscripts. The Greek words ei de literally mean “and if,” indicating a conjunction with the previous thoughts and implying a first class conditional clause which means the statements are assumed to be true.

The words “you are called” are translated from a single Greek word, eponomadzō. This is made up of epi, meaning “upon” and onomadzō, meaning “to name.” So, it literally means “to name upon.” It refers to the name upon which other names are added, like a surname that an entire family shares. The word is expressed here in the passive voice indicating that it is a name that others call them.

“Rest upon” is a translation of the word epanapauō, which is made up of epi, meaning “upon” and a form of anapauomai, meaning “to give rest.” Paul indicates that Jews have a blind, mechanical reliance on the Law to produce righteousness.

Meaning Explained

The early Christian believers in Rome, to whom this letter was written, took pride in being descended from Abraham. Many of them believed, similar to the Galatian Christians, that one had to be a Jew and obey the Law before one could become a Christian. Paul has spent the last 5 verses explaining why obeying the Law of Moses does not lead one to righteousness. He now will show these Roman Christians why being a Jew may, in fact, be a hindrance to becoming a Christian.

In his letter to the Galatians, Paul made a very bold statement regarding righteousness:

We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified. (Galatians 2:15, 16)

This justification (righteousness) does not come from resting on the Law, it comes by faith. Notice what he says in today’s verse, “you are called a Jew, and rest on the Law, and make your boast in God.” Do you see the condemnation of pride implied in this verse? In the coming verses Paul will deal directly with that pride and will show how it is not external appearances which are important to God, but internal attitudes.

Application

As we have said before, there is no place for pride in a Christian. Pride focuses on self instead of on God. Pride is, in a sense, the very definition of sin. God wants us humbled before Him, relying on Him. Pride does not humble, it lifts self up. Pride does not rely on God, it relies on self. We have a big God, one who will judge the whole world. Let us humble ourselves before the Judge and plead for His mercy through the blood of Jesus Christ. Pride can’t do that. Can you?

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Romans 2:15 – Conscience Conviction

Posted on September 23, 2009 by admin

Romans 2:15

who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them)

Truth to Learn

Our conscience is more effective at controlling our actions than any set of rules.

Behind the Words

The word translated “conscience” is suneidēsis, which is made up of sun, meaning “together” and a form of eidō, meaning “to know.” It is that part of our mind that knows, along with our heart, whether something is right or wrong.

“Bearing witness” is from summartureō, which is made up of sun, meaning “together” and martureō, meaning “to witness.” In this verse Paul says the conscience is witnessing together with the heart, where the natural law is written.

Meaning Explained

Paul is continuing on from the previous verse where he said that even though the Gentiles don’t have the Law of Moses, they still do things that are good. In today’s verse he is saying that when they do good things their conscience is clean because they know that they have done good. Likewise when they do not do what is right, their conscience witnesses to their heart that what they have done is not right.

This is a significant statement from Paul because, as he said in the first chapter of this epistle, the natural man knows and understands the nature and power of God simply from the creation around him. Now he is saying that the natural man knows, instinctively, the difference between right and wrong. He even goes one step further saying that those without the Law recognize when another person does good or bad and as a result they either accuse or excuse one another. There is a law written in our hearts, to which our conscience bears witness, and it teaches us the difference between good and bad.

Do you remember when the Scribes and Pharisees brought to Jesus a woman who was caught in the act of adultery? The Law demanded that in such a case the woman was to be stoned to death. Jesus initially responded by bending down and writing in the dirt with his finger, pretending not to hear them. As they continued to press him about it he responded by saying:

He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first. (John 8:7b)

Do you remember what happened next?

Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. (John 8:9)

Do you see that? They were not convicted by the Law, they were convicted by their own consciences.

Application

We all know when we have done right and when we have done wrong, even if we don’t know everything taught in the Bible. It’s true that there are some people who don’t seem to have a conscience. They actually have one, but they have denied it for so long that it has become ineffective at directing their actions. But they are not free of their conscience, they are trapped by their sin nature and their conscience has become ineffective.

Is your conscience still working effectively?

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Romans 2:14 – Moses’ Law vs. Natural Law

Posted on September 22, 2009 by admin

Romans 2:14

for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves,

Truth to Learn

Even those who don’t know the Law can do some good.

Behind the Words

“Gentiles” is translated from the Greek word ethnos, which generally refers to “a tribe” or “a nation.” In Jewish writing it nearly always refers to “non-Jewish people” or “Gentiles,” though it is sometimes translated as “nations.”

The word translated “by nature” is the Greek word phusis, derived from the verb phuō, meaning “to produce from seed.” Phusis refers specifically to “natural birth” and has come to mean “that which is part of a person’s nature.”

Meaning Explained

Paul is now showing the Jewish Christians in Rome that having the Law and living by it is not sufficient reason to feel confident. As he said in the previous verse, simply hearing the Law is not good enough to demonstrate a person’s righteousness; instead one must be a doer of the Law.

Lest we get confused here, Paul is not claiming that any of us can be justified by obeying the Law. As he will point out later, there is no one who keeps the whole Law, and if we break one of the commandments, then we are guilty of all of them. The only one to keep the whole Law is Jesus Christ. For that reason, he is righteous. In the next chapter of this letter Paul will quote from Psalms 14 as he informs his readers:

As it is written: “There is none righteous, no, not one;” (Romans 3:10)

Yet, somehow the Jews believed that it was possible to keep the Law. This is precisely the notion that Paul is in the process of systematically proving false. To the Jew, and therefore to most of the early Christians, the Law was supreme and keeping the letter of the Law was paramount. That’s how they gauged how good they were.

What Paul is saying in today’s verse is, even though the Gentiles do not have the Law (the Old Testament), they still do some good things. And by doing so they demonstrate that there is a natural law that governs man independent of the revealed Law in the Old Testament. In the next couple of verses Paul will proclaim that the Great Judge will judge the Gentiles according to that natural law, and their consciences.

But salvation (being righteous) can only come by faith. Man is capable of doing good things, but not enough to satisfy a perfect, righteous, holy God. Whether it is the Law of Moses or the natural law, man is incapable of satisfying it completely. And Christians today sometimes develop a mindset that we are good Christians if we keep all the rules of the church. That really is no different from the early Christians believing that they could be saved by keeping the Law.

Application

Obeying God is good. It’s what He wants us to do. It’s what we ought to do, but it won’t save us because we can never be good enough. That’s why we need the grace of God, and that’s why salvation can only come through faith. As Paul will tell us later in this letter, God does not look favorably on the Christian who lives by all the rules; He looks favorably on the Christian who lives by faith.

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Romans 2:13 – Walk the Walk!

Posted on September 21, 2009 by admin

Romans 2:13

(for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified;

Truth to Learn

God wants us to be doers, not just hearers.

Behind the Words

The word translated “hearers” is akroatēs. There is another Greek word, akouō, which means “to hear with attention,” that is, “to listen.” But the word that we have in the current verse, akroatēs, means “to listen to something for pleasure, such as a piece recited or sung.”

“Just” is from the Greek word dikaios, an adjective that means “righteous, just, or one who conforms to all the rules.”

Meaning Explained

In the past seven verses Paul has described the judgment that will be meted out to the just and the unjust, the righteous and the unrighteous, independent of who their ancestors were and independent of what they look like because God is not a respecter of faces. He also told us that those who have sinned without the law will perish without the law and those who have sinned under the Law will be judged by the Law.

Now he makes his next great statement: it’s not the hearers that will be saved (justified before God) but the doers of the Law. These Roman Christians apparently took delight in hearing the Scriptures being read to them. But, it doesn’t matter if you hear the law being read every weekend as these Roman Jews have for years. And it’s not the ones who have been reading their Bibles every day for years who will be justified before God. We are not commanded to read our Bibles or even to listen to good sound doctrinal teaching. We are told to put the teaching into practice.

If you love Me, keep My commandments. (John 14:15)

We are admonished in a number of passages in the Bible regarding the importance of doing rather than simply hearing. Here are some of them:

But become doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. (James 1:22)

Not everyone who says to Me, Lord! Lord! shall enter the kingdom of Heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven. (Matthew 7:21)

Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on a rock. (Matthew 7:24)

Whoever comes to Me and hears My Words, and does them, I will show you to whom he is like. (Luke 6:47)

And you shall keep My statutes and My judgments, which if a man does, he shall live in them. I am Jehovah. (Leviticus 18:5)

Application

It’s amazing how many times we are admonished to put action to our faith. Clearly, it is important for us to be reading and studying our Bibles every day in order to learn the truths that God has for us. But reading and studying alone are not good enough.

We’re not commanded to read the words and talk the talk.

We’re commanded to read the words and walk the walk!

In God’s service, for His glory,

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

Romans 2:12 – With or Without the Law

Posted on September 20, 2009 by admin

Romans 2:12

For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law

Truth to Learn

We have all sinned and are unrighteous, deserving of God’s condemnation.

Behind the Words

The expression “without law” is from the Greek word anomōs, which is a compound word made up of the privative a, implying negation and a form of nomos, meaning “law.” Although it can refer to any law in general, in the Biblical text it is almost always a reference to God’s revealed law as contained in the writings of Moses and the prophets.

“Perish” is translated from the Greek word apolountai, which is made up of apo meaning “away from” or “completely” and a form of ollumi, meaning “to destroy.” Hence, “utterly perish” would be a good translation of this word.

Meaning Explained

Paul is now giving further explanation to what he said in the previous verse (Romans 2:11,) the fact that God is not a respecter of persons. And, we saw that verse 11 was an explanation of the repeated phrase, “to the Jew first and also to the Greek.” God will not take into account who our parents or other ancestors are when He judges us. All He will be concerned about is whether we are righteous or not. Also, keep in mind what Paul will tell us later in Romans:

As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one. (Romans 3:10)

Righteousness, in God’s view, is the characteristic of always doing what is right. Since we don’t always do what is right, we are unrighteous, whether we are Jewish or Gentile. As Paul is talking to the Jewish Christians in Rome, he is telling them that those who have sinned without law will perish without law (because they are unrighteous). He is saying that those who do not have the Law as laid out in the Old Testament will perish (into the lake of fire) without the law.

At this point the Jewish believers are likely to get a bit prideful knowing that they do, indeed, have the Law. So Paul drops the other shoe. He tells them that those who have the Law and transgress the Law will be judged through the precepts laid out in the Law. Since there is only one who satisfied all the Law (Jesus Christ, the righteous one), Paul is telling these Jews that they are just as condemned (and unrighteous) as the Gentiles who commit sin apart from the Law.

This particular treatise of Paul’s is going to show that obeying rules and statutes is impossible for sinful man to do whether he is a Jew or a Gentile. He will, in fact, eventually demonstrate to these Roman Christians that all of us are sinners and worthy of death apart from the grace of God. In other words, if God does not get involved in our lives and save us through His grace, we will all justly be sentenced to the lake of fire.

Application

Deep down inside we all know that we are unrighteous in and of ourselves. Thanks be to God that He declares us righteous when we believe the good news about His Son.

In God’s service, for His glory,

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