Why Israel is Important – Part 2
“The problem with religion”
Romans 10:4-15
Is being zealous for God a good thing?
Maybe Not!
Brethren, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for Israel is
that they may be saved. 2 For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for
God, but not according to knowledge.
1.
If there is one thing you can say about the
Jewish people: They are zealous!
a.
An observation of the lifestyle of Hasidic Jews,
orthodox Jews, these are groups that expend a great amount of time, effort, and
energy being obedient to the Torah.
2.
You can trace this back to the return of the
Jews from the Babylonian captivity,
a.
The people in that group understood why they
were sent into captivity; they finally got what the prophets had been telling
them!
b.
Israel was cured of her idolatry!
c.
Even when Jesus come on the scene, the nation of
Israel was not guilty of idolatry, just looking at Jesus ministry and His
discussions with the religious leaders,
d.
No, idolatry wasn't their problem, their problem
was religion!
3.
The Jews had a zeal for God, but it was a
misguided zeal, it was a self-righteous zeal.
3 For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and
seeking to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted to the
righteousness of God.
4.
If you’ll notice, Paul is telling us that there
are essentially two types of righteousness:
a.
Man’s righteousness (law), and God’s
righteousness (faith).
5.
Man’s Righteousness: A state of behavior in order to BE righteous
a.
Following the law of Moses
b.
Following a particular moral code or set of
principles (all religions have their set of codes)
6.
God’s Righteousness: A state of BEING that results
in righteous behavior. (remember “faith
without works)
a.
Man’s righteousness is imperfect; God's
righteousness is perfect.
b.
Man’s righteousness is something we DO; God's
righteousness is something we RECIEVE.
7.
Where some Christians get off track (and what
Paul warns about in Galatians) is they attempt to mix the two:
a.
Yes, I’m saved by grace; Faith in Jesus Christ
b.
But, I need to do good things, or perform
certain practices in order to stay right with God.
8.
But Paul is teaching us that it's not possible
to trust in our own righteousness AND in God's righteousness.
a.
The two are incompatible - If we believe that we
must earn God's acceptance by our holy actions, then we cannot believe in God's
righteousness, which is a gift.
b.
Example:
Someone wants to give you a gift of $100, great! But then they tell you
they need you to mow their lawn.
c.
That $100 just became a wage, it’s no longer a
gift.
Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as
grace but as debt. But to him who does not work but believes on Him who
justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness, Romans 4:4-5
d.
It has to be one or the other; it cannot be both.
9.
You might say “yes, but didn’t God give the law,
say it was good, and Jesus even taught the law?”
a.
Correct!
But when Christ went to the cross, He put an end to the law of
righteousness:
4 For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to
everyone who believes.
10. See
the law IS good, and Jesus DID teach it, but the purpose of the law, the Ten
Commandments, was to give us the standard of righteousness,
a.
Which we cannot meet up to, thus showing us that
we needed a savior (turn to Galatians 3)
21 Is the law then against the promises of God?
Certainly not! For if there had been a law given which could have given life,
truly righteousness would have been by the law. 22 But the Scripture has
confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be
given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under guard
by the law, kept for the faith which would afterward be revealed. 24 Therefore
the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by
faith. 25 But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you
are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:21-26 (NKJ)
(NLT reading)
24 Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian
until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God
through faith. 25 And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the
law as our guardian. For you are all children of God through faith in Christ
Jesus. (Vs 24-25 NLT)
11. Christ
didn’t nullify the law, He fulfilled the law.
And it is still fulfilled today, in the life of a believer through the
power of the Spirit in our lives, that’s what Paul meant in chapter 8:
…that the righteous requirement of the law might be
fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the
Spirit Rom 8:4
a.
So you see, the reign of the law ended when
Christ went to the cross, and Christ ushered in a new era of grace:
for you are not under law but under grace. Rom 6:14
12. In
verse 5, Paul goes on the give us a contrast:
Law (Man’s) Righteousness vs Faith (God’s)
Righteousness
5 For Moses writes about the righteousness which is of the
law, “The man who does those things shall live by them.”
13. You
want to see a contrast, think about this:
a.
Moses brought the law down from the mountain, but
before Moses even got down from the mountain,
b.
the Israelites were throwing a wild, naked dance
party around a golden calf that they were worshipping as the “god that brought
them out of Egypt”
c.
(Prompting
the most lame excuse ever: “What happened Aaron? Moses, we just threw our gold into the fire,
and out jumped this golden calf!)
d.
On the day the law came down from the mountain, 3,000
died (Ex 32:28),
e.
But, on the day the Spirit descended, in Acts 2,
3,000 were saved (Acts 2:41)
6 But the righteousness of faith speaks in this way, “Do not
say in your heart, ‘Who will ascend into heaven?’” (that is, to bring Christ
down from above) 7 or, “‘Who will descend into the abyss?’” (that is, to bring
Christ up from the dead). 8 But what does it say? “The word is near you, in
your mouth and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach):
14. Bottom
line, what Paul is saying: If we think
we have to do good works to keep a right standing with God,
a.
Then we are essentially disavowing the fact that
Christ is in heaven now, interceding for us.
b.
See, when we sin, the devil say’s “look at that
guy Clay, he just sinned, he’s not worthy to be in your kingdom!”
c.
To which Jesus replies, “You honor, I paid the
price for his sin”
d.
Verdict:
Not guilty!
15. By
the same token, if we think we have to endure punishment for our sins,
a.
Then we are essentially disavowing what Jesus
did on the cross, in that He paid the penalty for our sin.
16. This
goes to the heart of the gospel, tit becomes incapacitated when we start adding
our works, or our punishment, to the equation.
a.
Thus Paul’s simple statement…
9 that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and
believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.
10 For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth
confession is made unto salvation.
17. This
verse is part of what’s called “the Romans Road” to salvation (I’ll post on my
blog clayritter.com)
18. Greek
word HOMOLOGEO," translated means "to assent, covenant, acknowledge”
a.
This word means “to say something you mean”
b.
What we speak has power, in that our words are a
reflection of what’s in our heart.
“Confess + “Believe”
For out of the abundance of the heart [the] mouth
speaks. Luke 6:45
Ever say something, say in a ‘discussion’ with your
spouse, followed up with “Oh, I didn’t mean it…” –chances are you really did
mean it, you just wish you didn’t actually say it! What you should say is “I
said something mean, and I really feel that way, and I confess that it was
wrong, and I apologize!
19. Of
course there are times when we say what we don’t mean, when we promise to do
something we don’t plan on doing…
a.
Which is why the heart is important: Are you
speaking what you believe?
20. What
we believe in our heart doesn’t change; think of the heart vs the mind:
a.
The mind may change because the mind discerns
based on information in the physical realm.
i. “It
looks cloudy, it’s going to rain, I’m going to say home..”
ii. But
then the clouds move away, “let’s go to the beach!”
b.
But the heart does not change so easy:
i. A
teenager steals from your house, you don’t let them come over anymore;
ii. But
if it's your teen, you’ll discipline them, but you won’t bar them from your
house!
c.
That’s why scripture tells us:
11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not
be put to shame.” (Is 28:16)
21. Not
“whoever obeys perfectly will not be put to shame,” but whoever “believes”
Equal Opportunity Savior
22. Salvation
is not only a gift, it’s an “equal opportunity gift,” Jesus is an equal
opportunity Savior
12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for
the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls
on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (Joel 2:32)
23. God
is the original author of the “equal rights” bill: Before the Civil Rights Act,
before the Emancipation Proclamation, before Women’s Suffrage,
a.
God said “all are equal before me”
There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave
nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ
Jesus. Gal 3:28
b.
So the gospel destroys self-superiority!
c.
The thinking that we’re better than others
because of our nationality, or our race, or our gender… ALL are equal before God!
Law Righteousness vs
Faith RIghteousness
24. When
we stand them side-by-side, we can see the contrast:
|
Law Righteousness
|
Faith Righteousness
|
|
Based on works
|
By faith alone
|
|
Obey the Lord
|
Call on the Lord
|
|
Leads to pride
|
Glorifies God
|
|
Self-righteousness
|
God’s righteousness
|
|
Cannot save
|
Brings salvation
|
|
Only for the Jew
|
For “whosoever”
|
25. And
through its simplicity, it strikes at the heart of the problem with man: Our own self-righteousness!
a.
If there is one thing that the human race loves
to do is to place ourselves above the next guy:
b.
More money, more toys, bigger house, better
house,
c.
Run faster, lift more, look better in a swimsuit
d.
Smarter, cooler, hipper, whatever!
e.
Whether is nationality, race, gender, we want to
be better than the other guy
f.
Religion plays right into that line of thinking: I’m more righteous than you, I know more
scripture, I give more to the church, on and one.
26. The
gospel is the antidote to self-righteousness:
I’m a lowly sinner that’s deserving of Hell, but Jesus Christ saved me,
and I had nothing to do with it, except to accept it!
27. The
gospel is the antidote to racial or gender superiority: I’m a human being, created equal by God.
A New way of living –
that must be shared
28. The
gospel of “faith righteousness” is the most incredible truth that has ever
permeated this world,
a.
In that it brings a new way of living, a new way
of loving, a new way of relationship with God, and with others.
14 How then shall they call on Him in whom they have not
believed? And how shall they believe in Him of whom they have not heard? And
how shall they hear without a preacher? 15 And how shall they preach unless
they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who
preach the gospel of peace,
Who bring glad tidings of good things!”
29. The
gospel of “faith righteousness” is such good news, but truthfully, it’s NOT so
great if it’s not shared.
a.
It may be great for me,
30. If
you found a small vein of gold in your backyard, it’s unlikely that you’d
invite all your friends over and give them shovels!
a.
But what if it were a magical gold mine, one
that never ran out?
b.
You might keep it a secret for a while, but
sooner or later you’d get tired of being the only one with gold.
c.
It would be lonely, you’d start hoarding,
protecting, building walls around your property…
d.
You’d end up in a pit!
31. One
reason many Christians are in a pit – they never share the gospel with others!
a.
I find that I am blessed, and energized, when I’m
willing to share my faith with others.
Copyright © 2014 Clay Ritter.
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