(Disclaimer: This transcript is auto-generated and may contain mistakes.)

So we're in Romans chapter 2, and so obviously last week we did Romans chapter 1, and we pretty much, half the chapter was a greeting to the Romans and just kind of giving who we're talking about, why he's writing to them, and then the other half of the chapter was dealing with reprobates, so we got into that with those that God has given up on, says he gave up on them twice, and then he gave them over to a reprobate mind, and so we went through all the different times reprobate was used, and the key, before we get into chapter 2, is to remember that the reprobates are full of all unrighteousness. So when we get into chapter 2, when it says, you know, therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that judgest, for, it says, wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself, and it says, for thou that judgest doest the same things. So that's how that chapter starts off, it says, therefore thou art inexcusable, O man. So, but what we'll see in chapter 2 is that they're not saying that you're also a queer, you're also a reprobate. That's not what it's saying. You notice that in chapter 1, we list off all these sins that are going to present a lot, disobedient to parents. I mean, we've all broken that commandment, and there's different things in there that we've done, and I just want you to see that real quick before we jump into chapter 2. Now, the key is that they're filled with all of it. So, just because they do something that everybody else would do doesn't mean that that makes us reprobates, you know what I mean? So, they're doing everything that's a natural sin, but they're also doing unnatural things as well. And so, some of these things in this list are not things that we don't do, or that sinners just in general wouldn't do, like fornication, wickedness, covetousness. I mean, everybody's probably guilty of being covetous. And so, there's a lot of these in here, debate, deceit, being proud, and disobedient to parents, just different things that we can say, yeah, I've done that. But, as we're reading through here, there's a person he's talking to, okay? So, in chapter 1, it says that I'm ready to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome also. And so, he's saying to them, I want to come to Rome because I want to have fruit among you also as other Gentiles, and I want to preach the gospel to you that are at Rome. And he starts going into these reprobates, but then he's, now in chapter 2, what we'll find out is who is he talking to? He's talking to someone particularly. He's not just talking to just general people, all people everywhere. If you go down to verse 21, or I'm sorry, verse 17, verse 17, we'll see exactly who he's talking to, and this will kind of help us understand why he's going into this stuff, okay? And then we'll realize what we're dealing with here. So, verse 17, it says, Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, and knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent being instructed out of the law, and are confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge, and of the truth and the law. So, who's he talking to? He's talking to someone that's called a Jew that's resting in the law. Now, we see at the very end of the chapter, is that a true Jew? No. A true Jew is someone that's not circumcised in the flesh, but someone that's circumcised in the heart. So, who's he talking to? He's talking to somebody that's resting in the law, that is, trying to go to heaven or trying to be justified by the law. So, what this chapter is trying to tell you, it's what it's teaching, is that that's impossible. That, yes, there is a way to go to, if you're perfect and keep the law, remember we were talking about on Sunday night with the rich man, the rich young ruler, right? And he says, you know, if thou keep all the commandments, and he says, I've kept them from my youth up, and he said, all right, if you're perfect, then, you know, one thing that I lack is sell everything that you have and come follow me, right? Well, obviously, he said, with men, this is impossible. So, there's a way to get, you know, to have your own righteousness to go to heaven, but we know, as we've read the whole book of Romans, that that's not possible. As we've read the rest of the Bible, that that's not possible. But what he's trying to prove here to this person is saying, hey, you're a Jew, you're called a Jew. That doesn't mean he's really a Jew. Now, he's called a Jew because I'm sure he's circumcised, and he's of the lineage of Abraham, right? And he's of the lineage of, you know, the people that were of the lower kingdom of Judah that became Judea, and that's why he was called a Jew, right, because of geographic and heritage. But that's not what the Bible says a true Jew is, according to this chapter and according to other verses in the Bible. But, so, this kind of helps you reconcile why, what is this chapter talking about? It's talking about how you'd have life if you do all this stuff, right? But it's impossible. As you get down to the end of the chapter and you get into chapter three, we see that he has concluded all under sin, there's no difference, for all of sin comes true with the glory of God, that by the law there shall no flesh be justified in this sight. So we have, spoiler alert, chapter three teaches that it's not by the law at all. But it's interesting that this chapter is talking about the law and talking about, hey, you say don't commit adultery, don't steal, don't worship idols, but don't you do the same things, too. Isn't that something that we do out of soul winning? We tell them that they're a sinner and we usually say, you know, have you told a lie before? Because most people try to judge other people and say, I'm going to heaven because I'm good enough, but they don't look in the mirror and realize that they're condemning their own selves because if they're going to judge other people by their sins and by what they do, they're guilty themselves. And that's what he's saying here, that you're inexcusable. If you're going to try to judge someone else as saying they're going to go to hell or they're not righteous or they're, you know, not going to go to heaven based off their works, then you've got to look in the mirror. If you're going to justify them by their works, everybody's going to be justified by their works. And that's what this chapter is teaching, but it's specifically talking about a Jew that's resting in the law. So we know he's talking to somebody that is trusting in the law to get them to heaven. So with that premise, it makes sense that, well, who are we talking to? Who's this man that's inexcusable? It's a Jew that's resting in the law. It's somebody that thinks that the law, because he has the law, that that's going to help him. That's going to save him. And so he kind of rebukes him in different ways as he's coming down through the chapter here. But let's look at the, so we read verse one there that you're inexcusable. It says, but we are sure that the judge, in verse two, but we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commits such things. And thinkest thou this, O man, that judges them which do such things and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God. So again, here's somebody that's resting in the law. But we know that for whosoever shall keep the whole law and yet offend at one point is guilty of all. Because as for he that said do not commit adultery said also do not kill, not if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill thou art become a transgressor of the law. So we know that you could say, well, I haven't committed this sin, but you have committed a sin. Therefore, you're guilty of the law. And so everybody comes short of that. Everybody comes short of the glory of God. Everybody has sinned. And that's why the only way out, the only way that's even possible is by faith in Jesus Christ. And so we see here that he's basically just making that point. He's making that point that, hey, don't judge these people and think, well, they're definitely damned for hell, which they are, right? We just read about reprobates. They're twice dead, plucked up by the roots. But he's coming back to them and saying, hey, you're judging those people, but you're lost yourself. And so it's like somebody that's unsaved is trusting in their works, judging a queer or some reprobate and saying they're damned for hell and judging them on that. It's like, yeah, it's true that that person is damned, but if you don't get saved, you're damned too. So we see here that he's kind of, he's rebuking them for that. And then in verse four, it goes on a little bit here. In verse four it says, Or despises thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance. But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasures up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God, who will render to every man according to his deeds. Now this goes right back to what we talked about with James chapter two. Everybody is going to come before judgment. Everybody is going to be judged according to what they've done. And here's the thing, if we were judged according to what we've done as far as spiritually, we would all go to hell. Everybody that's judged according to their works are going to go to hell, and that's just the finality of it. But it's without respect to persons. So what we'll see is that there's a judgment for the lost and there's a judgment for the saved, but everybody's going to be judged according to what they've done. So spiritually speaking, we're saved no matter what, right? But the lost are going to be judged according to their works, and they're going to be damned and have to pay for those sins. The righteous are going to be judged according to what they've done, and they're going to be rewarded or not rewarded, right? Or they may suffer loss, but they're not going to be judged according to their sins. Does that make sense? So there's two different types of judgments. Judgment must begin first at the house of God, and if it first began at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? So we know that there's a judgment seat of Christ that we all have to go to and will be judged according to what we've done in the body, whether it be good or bad. That's not talking about sin, but it is talking about what we've done, whether we're going to be rewarded or not. And so I'll show you those two dichotomies, the lost judgment and then the saved judgment. They are different, but they are based off what we do. So obviously if you don't do anything but you're saved, you're better off than the people that are lost, that's for sure. Anything's better than that. So let's go on as we read through here. So he's going to render to every man according to his deeds. So he's making a point here that God is going to render to every man according to his deeds. And then it goes on and he's showing now that there's no respect to persons in that, between Jew or Gentile, between Jew or Greek, everybody. And so what he's trying, I believe the big point he's trying to get across here is that you're not special because you're a Jew. You don't get special treatment because you were born in a nation that God gave the law to. And actually when you go into chapter three, it says what advantage then had the Jew? It says much every way because unto them we're given the oracles of God. So what it means is that the advantage they had is that they grew up in the nation that had the law of God. Whereas if you're in another nation, you know, you may have to search a little more for it. You know, you're not growing up with it. So they did have an advantage in that aspect, but God doesn't respect, like basically just because they have the law, then they're good and they don't have to worry about it. Everybody's going to be judged equally. God's not a respecter of persons. That's what we get into now. It says to them who by patient, in verse seven, I'm sorry, to them who by patient continuance and well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life. But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, tribulation and anguish upon every soul of man that doeth evil of the Jew first and also of the Gentile. But glory, honor and peace to every man that worketh good to the Jew first and also to the Gentile, for there is no respect to persons with God. So think for a moment that we're not talking about Christ dying on the cross. We're just thinking about here on earth, you have the law or you just have the fact that God has laws and there's sin and there's righteousness, right? He's basically saying that it doesn't matter who you are, what your lineage is, who your father is, that you're going to be judged without respect of persons according to your works. Whether you grew up with the law in your home or whether you didn't, it doesn't matter, you're without excuse. And so what it's saying here is that I look at this as far as someone trying to get to heaven on their own. Someone trying to use the law for their own righteousness and that's what we're going to see is that if you try to keep the law, that's your own righteousness. But the Bible teaches that it says that it may win Christ and be found in him not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith. So there's two righteousnesses you could have in order to go to heaven and have eternal life. Your own, by the law, keeping the law being perfect, never offending at one point, which we know with men this is impossible. Or you could have Christ's righteousness, God's righteousness by faith. And so those are the dichotomy that we're talking about. And chapter two is really encapsulating your own righteousness. And we know that Israel stumbled out of that stumbling stone that we'll see. That's what their stumbling stone was. They were trying to establish their own righteousness and they were ignorant of God's righteousness. And so this is really, what's interesting to me is the fact that that's how we go soul winning and that's how it's laid out in Romans. Is the law sin? You can't do it that way, right? And that's what we tell people. You can't get there by your own, but your own merit, you're a sinner, you come short of the glory of God, and then it goes into how it's just by faith not of works. And isn't that exactly what we do out soul winning? That's exactly what Paul is doing here. He's showing them, hey, there's no respect to persons of God. You don't get special treatment just because you're a Jew or just because you're an Israelite and that you have the promises of God, which were given to the nation of Israel, but they were supposed to be the light of the world to preach the gospel to every creature. And they failed at that. And that's one of the big reasons why God, I believe, the nation was taken away from them and given to the nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. Because they weren't bringing forth fruit like they should have been. And so, as we go on here, I want to show you in Proverbs 21, 21, 21, 21, I want you to see this because this is something that's in the Old Testament too. Every time I read through this passage in Proverbs, it makes me think of Romans chapter 2. In verse 21, so 21, 21, he that follows after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honor. So we see that same thing. It's talking about here that it says to them who by patient continuance and well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life. So what this really comes down to is God is not mocked, for whatsoever man soweth, that shall he also reap. And so, as saved people, our spirit is saved, our soul is saved, nothing can separate us from the love of God, but our flesh is still under the law. And that's something we're going to get into as we get on through this book that, yes, we're not under the law, we're under grace spiritually. But our body is still under the law, therefore this still applies to us physically. Does that make sense? Physically we'll still reap what we sow. If we sow to the flesh, we sow of the flesh, reap corruption. So if we do this, if we, in verse 7, to them who by patient continuance and well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life, because he that soweth to the Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. So he can win someone to Christ, but it also talks about laying hold on eternal life. Because it talks about in the Bible how we're trying to attain unto the resurrection of the dead. Paul said, I have not attained unto the resurrection of the dead. But he's pressing toward the mark. He's trying to know God. He's trying to lay hold on eternal life. He's trying to be that perfect man. And there's a lot of scriptures on that, but that's something you're trying to do physically by walking in the Spirit. So you can either walk in the Spirit and try to get as close as you can to being like Christ and being that person that is almost as if you have been in your resurrected state, right? He said, I haven't attained unto the resurrection. He says, not as though I'd already attained or were I already perfect, but it says, you know, but I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ. He's not forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forth unto those things which are before. And so this does apply to us. Now, obviously, this is a great passage to show someone that they're a sinner and say, hey, listen, if you're saying someone, if you're judging someone for lying, look in the mirror. If you're trying to say, well, that person's not going to go to heaven because they did this, this, and this, they're a murderer. Well, have you been angry with your brother without a cause? Have you looked upon a woman to lust after her? Because there's adultery that you committed in your heart. And so what that means is that, you know, as someone that's lost and trying to get there on your own by the works of the law, you're inexcusable yourself. And so if you're trying to rest in the law, and that's what we're talking about, as someone that has the law, they call themselves a Jew because they have the promises of God, they have the oracles of God, meaning the law, and they're resting in that, saying that's, they're trusting in it. You can use it like resting, we would rest in Jesus for our salvation. They're resting in the law for their salvation. And so he's saying to them, you're inexcusable. If you're resting in the law, you've broken it. And that's what he gets into when he goes down to the end of the chapter. So I wanted to show you that first. Who are we talking about? And notice that, did it say, you know, thou preaches that thou shall not steal, does thou steal? Does it say, thou preaches that you shouldn't be a fag, but you're a fag? You know, like, what I want to show you is those are all natural sins that he lists off there. Those are all things that are natural, that are not, you know, reprobate. So he's talking to someone that's a normal person, that's trusting in the law. And that's what you have. Most of the people in the world are not reprobates. They're just not reprobates. The Hollywood, and you know, all this propaganda on TV wants you to think that 30% of the world is a queer. 30% of the world is reprobate. It's not true. It's more like 1 or 2%. And then most of those people are in those big cities, you know, where they're all, where all the wickedness happens, the babbles, you know, the tower babbles that we have throughout America. So don't believe the lie that everybody's a reprobate. So what he's speaking to here, he's not speaking to reprobates, he's speaking to most of the world, but he's using a Jew that's resting in the law to show that. Because there's tons of people out in the world that we go out and give the gospel to that are not Jewish, you know, they don't call themselves a Jew, but aren't they resting in the law? Because they think they have to do good work to go to heaven. And so this is very applicable, but I want you to know that it is, it does apply to us physically, meaning that until we have our resurrected state, until this flesh drops and we're in a spiritual body that doesn't sin anymore, we still need to know that hey, if we by patient continuance and well doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, eternal life. So we're going to lay hold on eternal life, we're going to reap those things that are eternal, right? But unto them that are contentious and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness in the nation and rat, tribulation and anguish upon every soul man that doeth evil of the Jew first and also to the Gentile. We are not inexcusable physically. We're saved no matter what, nothing can separate us from the love of God. But what we have to remember is that physically, actually we're hold to a higher standard, I believe. Because God doesn't chase in those that aren't His children. The Lord love with whom He chases and it says it's a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God. And that says that right after it says and the Lord shall judge His people. So we need to fear God and remember hey, just because we're saved, there's still that rod of correction that can come after us, there's still that indignation, that fearful looking for fiery indignation and that devoured the adversaries. Everybody that died in the Old Testament under Moses' law, under two or three witnesses, some of those people were probably saved. Just because you're saved doesn't mean that you can't be punished with capital punishment or punished with other means. We see that happening in the Bible, where that's happened with people that we believe are saved. You know, you think of Miriam, you think of God didn't allow Moses and all those people to go in because they sinned. And Moses, it says that he talked to him face to face as a friend. It doesn't say he was a friend, we were talking about how Abraham was the friend of God. And Moses I would say is pretty close to that. He says as a friend, so I would consider him probably the friend of God. But he was judged because of his sin, physically. So as we go on here, it says in verse, let's see, my notes are kind of, just make sure that I got everything I wanted to say out of that. So yeah, so what I wanted to show you now is that there is a judgment. So we were talking about that judgment of the lost, judgment of the saved. Now judgment of the saved, this is a false doctrine out there that we're going to be judged, you know, our sins are all going to be brought up on this big screen, you know, where God's going to just, you know, put this whole list of everything that I've done in my life and I have to answer for it. No, our sins are separated as far as the east is from the west, he's put them behind his back, they're in the depths of the ocean, they're not going to be remembered. It says your sins and your iniquities will I remember no more. So therefore, he's not bringing up the big screen and then showing your whole list of sins to everybody, okay? That's not what it teaches in the Bible as far as that goes. But for the lost, go to 2 Corinthians 11, 2 Corinthians 11, you know that the mostly unsafe world out there, they want to be justified by their works. We'll go and go through this and be like, no, you have to do the works, you have to do this. Well, if they choose that route, they're going to be judged according to their works in the end. And 2 Corinthians 11, 2 Corinthians 11, and verse 15, notice what it says. And we're talking about, you know, Satan being an angel of light and all that stuff but then it goes down to verse 15, it says, therefore, it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness, whose end shall be according to their works. Now, go to Revelation 20. Revelation 20, now this is a familiar passage obviously for soul winners. We go here a lot to show hell. But before you get to Revelation 20, 14, back up a couple verses there. Revelation 20 and verse 12. The Bible reads, and I saw all the dead, small and great, stand before God, and the books were opened, and another book was opened, which is the book of life, and the dead were judged out of those things which were written in the books according to their works. So we have the lost, this is all the dead. This is after the thousand year reign, all the dead that were in hell for that whole time, the rich man. And Luke 16 is coming up right here. And they're all going to be judged according to their works. And the books, I believe, that are being opened is these 66 books. I believe that this is, you have the book of life, which is where those that are saved are written and sealed in the Lamb's book of life, but then you have, I believe, it says that there were books that were opened and they were judged according to those, I believe that's this. I believe they're going to be judged according to the law, the law of God, the perfect law of liberty. And so, but, it says, go to verse 13, it says, and the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and hell delivered up the dead which were in them, and they were judged, every man, according to their works, and death and hell were cast into the lake of fire, this is the second death, and whosoever is not found written in the book of life was cast into the lake of fire. So I believe everybody that said this great white throne judgment are not written in the Lamb's book of life, but it's just a proof that they're not written there for, that's why they're going to be judged according to the works and have to pay for themselves. And so, anyway, so this right here is where their body and soul is going to be cast into hell. So we have right now, people that are in hell, it's just their soul. Their body's still in the grave, or it's decayed, or dust, but this is the resurrection of the dead. You know, there's going to be the resurrection of the just and the resurrection of the unjust. And so this is where their body, that's why it says there's going to be the dead that are in the sea, right? So there's not just souls down there in the sea right now, but people died in the sea. And someone may ask, well, you know, whose body was in hell? Well, we can go back to Korah if you want to, where it opened up and they went alive, you know, down into hell. So there are people that have gone quick down into hell in those cases. And so, but anyway, that's a side note with this. So you have the judgment of the lost, but then you have the judgment seat of Christ. And we looked at this, but stay in Revelation. So I'm going to read to you 2 Corinthians 5. We've already read this this past week, but go to Revelation 22, 12, says you're already in Revelation 20. So 2 Corinthians 5 and verse 10 says, for we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that every man may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad. So we know that judgment seat of Christ, we're going to be judged, you know, what we've done in the body, whether it be good or bad, notice in the body. So we're judged, you know, according to what we do physically in the body, and it'll be judged basically, have you walked in the spirit or walked in the flesh while you're down here. And so, but Revelation 22, 12, I believe really gives you an understanding that we're going to be judged according to our work, but notice what he says in verse 12, 22, 12. It says, behold, I come quickly and my reward is with me to give every man according to as his work shall be. So as a saved person, we're looking for that reward. We're looking for, you know, basically the fruits of our labors here in this life at that judgment seat when Christ comes back. And so we see these two things working together. So this chapter is great for showing, hey, and just stepping back from it's a Jew trusting in the law, he's saying you're inexcusable because you've done the same things you're judging people for. Therefore, what you're trusting in isn't going to help you. And so that's off the, you know, just a primary example of what he's saying here is that he's trusting in the law and it's not going to help him. Now what we need to see here is that they're being justified by law or being justified by faith. And notice what it says in Leviticus, verse 18, Leviticus chapter 18, chapter 18, verse 5, I'm sorry. Leviticus chapter 18, verse 5. So I just want to show you that the law is our own righteousness, but Christ and what he did and his righteousness by faith is the only way that's possible. So there's two ways to have righteousness, your own through the law, or Christ, which is the end of the law, to everyone that believeth. And so, Luke, or I'm sorry, Leviticus 18, verse 5, it says, ye shall therefore keep my statutes and my judgments which if a man do, he shall live in them, I am the Lord. So this is quoted in the New Testament a lot. So this is where it's, if he shall live in them, you know, if he do, he shall live in them. So it's basically saying you will live, you'll have everlasting life, you'll have eternal life, you'll never die if you keep all my statutes and all my commandments. But we know there's not a just man upon earth to do as good as sinneth not. In Deuteronomy 6, 25, it says, and it shall be our righteousness, it shall be our righteousness if we observe to do all these commandments before the Lord our God as he hath commanded us. Deuteronomy 6, 25. So notice the law is our righteousness. Galatians chapter 3, so this is where it breaks these two things down. Go to Galatians chapter 3. And it does this in many places. But I just want you to see this. This is what chapter 2 is talking about. Someone resting in the law on his own righteousness and how that's not going to work. How he's inexcusable. If you try to, you know, keep the whole law and yet offend at one point, you're guilty of all. It just means that you're guilty of the law. If you commit adultery but you don't kill, or if you kill and don't commit adultery, it doesn't matter. You've broken the law. So it's not a matter of like I've done less. I've only broken part of it. You break one of it, you broke the law, you're a sinner, you're condemned, you're going to be judged according to your works. Galatians chapter 3 verse 11. Galatians chapter 3, and this is a great chapter. If you ever wanted a chapter to memorize, Galatians 3. And when it comes to faith, being saved by faith and not works, Galatians 3 is packed and destroying Zionism. And so, which is what the end of this chapter does in Romans 2. But Galatians chapter 3 verse 11, it says, but that no man is justified by the law on the side of God. It is evident for the just shall live by faith. And the law is not a faith, but the man that doeth them shall live in them. Isn't that what we just quoted in Leviticus? The man that doeth them shall live in them. And so there's the law, but it's the curse. We're all under the curse. Christ became a curse for us to deliver us from the law because for whosoever is under the law is under the curse. And it says curses at everyone that continue with not and all things which are written in the book of the law do them. As you go on there in Galatians. So if you don't do it all, you're cursed in the law. So this chapter is really just kind of hitting that hard where you're cursed and you're, if you don't keep it all. And so he's trying to show that and say, hey, you can say you're resting in the law. You can say that you're a guy to the blind and all this stuff, but you're not going to make it. You're not going to make it trying to do that. And Romans chapter 10, go to Romans chapter 10. And really Romans is just packed with this whole aspect of how people are trying to trust in the law. Actually turn to Romans 9. I just want you to read the end of Romans 9 there as far as we're dealing with Israel. In verse 30 it says what shall we say then that the Gentiles, so he's saying, he's asking a question and then he's making a statement. What shall we say then? Here's the statement. That the Gentiles which followed not after righteousness have attained to righteousness even the righteousness which is of faith. But Israel which followed after the law of righteousness hath not attained to the law of righteousness. Wherefore? Because they sought it not by faith, but as it were by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. As it is written, behold I lay in Zion a stumbling stone, a rock of offense, and whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed. So we see here Israel stumbled at that stumbling stone. He goes straight into chapter 10 where he's saying, you know, my heart's desire and prayer to God for Israel is that they might be saved. So he's basically saying, hey, they're not saved. They're trusting in the law. And it says in verse 3 of chapter 10, it says, for they being ignorant of God's righteousness and going about to establish their own righteousness have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. Doesn't this exactly sound like the Jew? He's called a Jew and he's resting in the law. He's not going after God's righteousness but his own righteousness. And God's righteousness is by faith. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone that believeth. So we see that that's clearly stated. Notice what it says in the next couple of verses here. It says, for Moses describes the righteousness which is of the law that the man which doeth those things shall live by them. So that's the righteousness which is of the law. Moses described that. But, verse 6, the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, say not in thine heart, who shall ascend into heaven, that is to bring Christ down from above, or who shall descend into the deep, that is to bring up Christ again from the dead. But what saith it, the word is nigh thee, even in thine mouth and in thine heart, that is the word of faith which we preach that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, you shall believe in thine heart that God is raised from the dead, thou shalt be saved. What's interesting with that and we'll get into that when we get into the circumcision part of this because that passage right there about the word is nigh thee, even in thine mouth is right after it talks about being circumcised in the heart in Deuteronomy 30. So the passage that that's quoting it from is in Deuteronomy and right before that it talks about being circumcised in the heart and not in the flesh. So this isn't something that's just New Testament. This isn't something that, well, they just figured this out in the New Testament. Everybody that was in the Old Testament was damned and no one went to heaven. We know that Abraham believed God and was imputed on him. We already went through this, right? Everybody was saved by faith and this wasn't something that wasn't taught. But they stumbled at that stumbling stone just like people do today. Most people that claim to be Christian are not saved. They're trusting in the law. They're not trusting in, and we even have more revealed today, back then was the same thing. They had the law. There was people that were saved. There's always a remnant. There's that 7,000 that didn't bow the knee. There's that 7,000 that were saved. There's always that remnant or they would have been Sodom and Gomorrah if they weren't. So it's not that there weren't Jews that were saved, but the majority of them were those that called themselves Jews because of their lineage, because that's a religion but they were trusting in the law. And that's the people that when Jesus came on the scene where we had the Babylonian Talmud type of rabbi Pharisees that were there that had all their traditions and were trusting in the law. But there were definitely saved people and Nathaniel was a saved person. Jesus said, Behold an Israelite indeed in whom is no guile. And so there was somebody that he knew, hey, this is an Israelite indeed, meaning that they were spiritually saved. They were spiritually of Israel and there was no guile in them. You can only say that if you're saved. No one that's not saved can say there's no guile in that person. But it talks about in Psalm 32, it talks about blessed is the man whose sins are forgiven and it's talking about David, the one that spake of this that was justified or given the righteousness without works. And it says, and in whose spirit is no guile if you go to Psalm 32. So there were saved people. There were Jewish people. It's not like everybody was lost until Jesus came on the scene. John the Baptist I believe was saved and he was there before Jesus came on the scene. And I believe Elizabeth. Elizabeth and Zachariah, the father of John and the Baptist, they were filled with the Holy Ghost before he was born. So there were saved people. It's not like everybody was lost in Israel. Most of the people, just like the most of the people today are lost because they're trusting in the Word. They're still stumbling at that stumbling stone. Even though we have a more sure word of prophecy. And so of course that's our job to go out soul winning. So we saw that the difference between being justified by the law and being justified by faith. Our righteousness, which what does the Bible say about our righteousness? Our righteousness is filthy rags the Bible says. So if we're going to try to trust in that, it's just not going to cut it. But if we trust in Christ's righteousness, then we're good. His grace is sufficient and His righteousness is all we need. And so, let's see here. So I want you to get into in verse 12 there. In verse 12, so Romans chapter 2 verse 12, it says for as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law. And as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law. For not the hearers of the law are just before God but the doers of the law shall be justified. So what's he saying here? He's saying, listen, those that don't have law, they're going to be judged without the law and those that have the law are going to be judged by the law. So they're going to perish without the law and those that are going to be judged. So it doesn't matter if you have the law or not, you're inexcusable. And you know what that really proves is that this whole argument that if someone's out on a desert island somewhere and has never heard of God, you know what, they're still damned to hell and that's why we need to give them the gospel. You're condemned already. It says he that believes on him is not condemned but he that believes not is condemned already because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten son of God. That whole argument is stupid anyway because it's a non-existent hypothetical that doesn't matter and if there is that guy, I want to meet him. Show me that guy because I want to go find him. But the thing is that they make up this big straw man argument with that but you know what the Bible says? That those that don't have the law, they're going to perish without the law. That's the hard fact of life and you know what, if you don't like it then give them the gospel. And so there's reality, there's truth and you know what, if it hurts your feelings, if it doesn't make sense to you, it doesn't matter if it makes sense to you. If God was just going to send us all to hell, what could we do about it? But God is not willing that any should perish and he loves, for God so loved the world he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not perish but ever everlasting life. And so it's not that we have some evil God but we do have a just God and we do have a God that tells us that they are without excuse, that the creation itself, that they can see it clearly, his eternal power and Godhead in the creation. And so I believe people that are on Desert Island, if they really wanted to know God, God would send them someone just like he did with Cornelius and just like he did with other people in the Bible. So this whole idea that God will send someone but you know what, there's got to be people to send too. We're not Calvinists so it's not just going to happen without anybody going. And so if you don't like that, if that hurts you and you're just like, you know what, that really makes me feel sad, then get out and do something about it. Let's go out and tell them because I don't want to think about people going to hell because they haven't heard the truth. Now if someone's heard the truth and they've been given the gospel then you know it's still sad but what can you do? You can't force someone to get saved. So those that are without law shall perish without the law. But those that have the law are going to be judged by it. So again, God's not a respecter of persons when it comes to that. But notice what it says in verse 14. It says, For when the Gentiles which have not the law do by nature the things contained in the law, these having not the law are law unto themselves which show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, in their thoughts, the meanwhile accusing or else excusing one another, in the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel. So again, we see that everybody's got a conscience. So even this guy that's out there on the desert island somewhere, like Castaway or something, you know, that guy has a conscience. And so the fact is that God has given us certain laws written in our hearts that our conscience will bear witness to us that, hey, that's wrong. So we talked about this. This destroys total depravity. And I'm not getting into that tonight. But so I don't want to really, we've already kind of touched on that part of the passage anyway when it comes to the fact that yes, unsaved people can do things right. Yes, unsaved people can put their faith in Christ. That's the only condition for salvation. So this whole idea of total depravity where someone that's unsaved can never do any righteousness is garbage. Now the truth of the matter is is that, yeah, if you do some righteousness it doesn't change the fact that you've done unrighteousness. And that's what it's talking about is the fact that you offend at one point you're guilty of all. And so we saw that already. Now let's go on beyond that. We've read this part of it. So it says, Behold, thou art called a Jew and resteth in the law, in verse 17, and makest thy boast of God, and knowest his will, and approvest of things that are more excellent, being instructed out of law, and art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which has the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. So he has a form of knowledge, meaning it looks like he knows what he's talking about. And that's what we have in a lot of churches today. We have a lot of people that have a form of knowledge. It looks like they know what they're talking about. The Church of Christ down here, the people that I talked to out at Soul Waning, they're like this guy just seems to really know his Bible. He just knows so much about the Bible. You know what? You can know every story in the Bible. You can know every detail about David and Goliath and about all these different great stories like Jonah and the whale and the stories with Jesus and all the stuff that he did. But if you don't understand salvation, it's pointless. And here's the thing, the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God. And it says not that can he know them, it is foolishness unto him because they're spiritually discerned. And so most of the stuff that they're probably preaching down there is a bunch of false doctrine anyway. So they can know all the stories and know all this stuff. And everybody can think they know a lot, but it's just because they have a form of knowledge. And those people are resting in the law. They're like this Jew here that's resting in the law. They think that they're a leader of the blind. They think that they're a guide of the blind. They think that they're these leaders that they can look to. But what this really comes down to, and this passage just destroys the Zionism stuff about how the Jews are just set on a pedestal and they're this special people. And if you pray for a Jew, you're going to have a special blessing in your life. We'll get to that in another sermon when we get to Romans 9 and Romans 11. Trust me. But here's the thing. This is like a slap in the face to that because he's saying to them that basically the uncircumcision, if they were to keep the law, they would judge you even though they're not even circumcised. Because you know that the thing is that if someone kept the whole law, let's say someone was not a part of Israel in the Old Testament or even now because people still think the Old Testament is still going on, which it's not obviously. But let's say you're back in the Old Testament or you're back with Abraham and the circumcision. Do you know that someone, if they didn't get circumcised but they kept the whole law, they would have eternal life, they would never die if they were perfect and didn't get circumcised? That's what this passage is teaching. And they would judge those that were circumcised and had the law. Because circumcision doesn't avail you anything unless you keep it all. It doesn't profit you anything unless you keep it all. And that's why it says neither circumcision nor uncircumcision availeth anything but a new creature, but faith which worketh by love. And so that's why we don't have any sons, but we've talked about that. What's the point in circumcising them? Unless there's some health issue that would help them, there's no need. But in our culture, there's such a Judaizing culture that everybody in my generation was probably circumcised as a man. And so not saying that we're all damned to hell because we were circumcised. What I'm saying is that it's pointless. It doesn't avail you anything. It doesn't help anything because that's done away with. And so what I really want to get to, though, is talking about what that represents. Because notice what it says here. So we see that he's rebuking him saying, hey, you're telling people not to commit adultery. Does not commit adultery. You're telling people not to steal. Do you steal? So he's making a point to saying, hey, you're telling people that they can't do this, can't do this, can't do this, but you're doing the same things you're telling people not to do. Therefore, you can't say you're resting in the law. You can't say that that's your righteousness, that's your hope. That's what's getting you to heaven. It says in verse 24, for the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you as it is written. That's strong language. And it just gets stronger as you go down. It says in verse 25, for circumcision verily profiteth if thou keep the law. But if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. It's basically saying, you might as well not even be circumcised because it's not doing anything for you. And so I don't know how you get uncircumcised. Did anybody ever read that where it says, you know, if you're circumcised, don't worry, you know. It's like, how do you get uncircumcised? I don't know how that works. I don't want to know how that works. But here's the thing, basically saying that, you know, if you're circumcised, you might as well, it's as if you weren't because it doesn't matter if you don't keep the law. And so, therefore, if the uncircumcision in verse 26, keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? Now why would this be? Well, it explains that because when people hear circumcision, they think of the physical cutting of the flesh and that's what they're thinking of. Verse 27, it shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfilled the law, judge thee who by the letter in circumcision dost transgress the law. It's going to explain to you why would your uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? Because circumcision was always a picture of what happens spiritually, just like baptism. So, circumcision is just, it's the seal of the righteousness which Abraham had yet being uncircumcised, or I'm sorry, yeah, the faith that he had yet being uncircumcised. It's the seal of that. All that is is an outward show, an outward thing that you do in order to show, hey, I put my faith in Christ, just like baptism. Isn't that exactly what we do with baptism? Now, circumcision was only for men, so if circumcision is what you need to go to heaven, then I guess all the women went to hell, which would really be weird in the Old Testament, right? So, in the New Testament, obviously, baptism is for everybody, and so there's a big difference there. So, it explains to us what this is talking about. How would your uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? And it's not saying go get circumcised, it's just saying you're counted as you're circumcised. And it says in verse 28, for he is not a Jew which is one outwardly, for he is not a Jew which is one outwardly. So, that's why it says he's called a Jew, but he's resting in the wall. So, therefore, is he really a Jew according to God? No. For he is not a Jew which is one outwardly, neither is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh. So, it's basically saying that circumcision outward in the flesh does not make you a Jew. Verse 29, but he is a Jew which is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God. So, this is something that is in Old Testament, New Testament, talking about the circumcision which is spiritual. It's something about faith, it's faith, it's when you put your faith in Christ. Philippians 3, 3 says this, it says, for we are the circumcision which worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and have no confidence in the flesh. Then he goes on about how his circumcision, how that doesn't mean anything. He counts that all but dung. So, he says, we are the circumcision. Who's we? Him, Timotheus, and all those of Philippi. Now, was Philippi like a Jewish nation there? No, he's writing to Philippi, or Philippi, Philippi, right? It's spelled the same way. But anyway, he's writing to Philippi and he's saying, we are the circumcision. That makes sense with this passage because it says that you're a Jew if you circumcise the heart, if you put your faith in Christ. And notice, this is throughout the Old Testament. Deuteronomy 10, Deuteronomy 10 and verse 16, if you want to look at these. So, this isn't something that, I just want to show you these passages where it talks about this. It talks about rend your heart and not your garments. I didn't put all these in here, but it talks about this. Basically, you need to get your heart right and not worry about the outward part of it. Not your clothes, not your flesh. That doesn't matter. What matters, if you're in Israel and you're in the Old Testament and you're a male, you need to be circumcised because that was the ordinance that you had to do, right? To be right with God. And the same thing with baptism. Does baptism send me to heaven? No, but I'm not right with God if I don't get baptized. Does that make sense? You're still supposed to do those ordinances of whatever testament you're in. And we'll get into that, obviously, when we get into the Old Testament versus New Testament. But Deuteronomy 10, 16. So, we're just going to kind of blow through these real quick. It says, circumcision therefore, circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart and be no more stiff neck. Turn to Deuteronomy 30, verse 6. So, the foreskin of your heart. Now, obviously, when it talks about circumcision, it's the foreskin, right? And so, the Bible is wholesome. It doesn't get into the graphic details of what we're talking about when we're dealing with that. So, we know what the foreskin is. And if you don't, don't worry about it. So, but when it says the foreskin of the heart, it's giving, hey, don't worry about the physical. You know, and he's not saying to, you know, gouge your heart out and cut off a piece of it. This is obviously spiritual. Deuteronomy 30 and verse 6. It says, and the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart and the heart of thy seed to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart and with all thy soul and that thou mayest live. Now, what's interesting about this is right after that is where we get into what I quoted, what was quoted in Romans 10 where it says in verse 14, and it goes through the stuff that was already read, we already read, but it says in verse 14, but the word is very nigh unto thee in thy mouth and in thy heart that thou mayest do it. Do what? Believe. So, it's interesting that all that's in there. Jeremiah 4, you don't have to turn there, but it says, Circumcise yourselves to the Lord and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, lest my fury come forth like fire and burn that none can quench him because of the evil of your doing. So, you know, in this case, obviously this is a spiritual thing, you know, as far as getting right spiritually. And so, Colossians chapter 2. So, go to Colossians chapter 2, and this is the last thing I'll show you as far as the spiritual circumcision, but this also links circumcision with baptism and how both these are physical things that were done. So, one was the Old Testament and then baptism is the New Testament ordinance as far as a picture of what happens, right? Circumcisions where you put your faith in Christ, you're separating yourself as far as you're sanctified, right? You're sanctified in the Lord Jesus Christ. Baptism represents how that happens by the resurrection of Christ, and so that's the baptism of Christ. Colossians 2 and verse 11. Colossians 2 and verse 11, notice what it says. It says, In whom also ye are circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, and putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ, buried with him in baptism wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. So, you see these two things work together, and it really just shows you that, hey, if the physical circumcision didn't save anybody, does the physical baptism save anybody? No. It's all to represent the spiritual, and so we're not against baptism. We'll dunk people under deep water, because that's an ordinance of the New Testament. That's something that we're supposed to do to new believers, and so, but that doesn't save somebody. All that does is represent the spiritual thing that already happened when they put their faith in Christ. The spiritual circumcision, the spiritual baptism, you know, that happened when you believed. Now, so you have the true Jew, which is the one that believes in the Lord Jesus Christ. Then you have the false Jews that call themselves Jews. Now, notice it says that he's called a Jew and rests in the law. Notice what it says about those that call themselves Jews in Revelation 2. Revelation 2, 9, and so this is where we're going to end here with this, and so those out there, the Jews that are out in Israel that left brown and came back white, that claim to be Jews, that are this false religion Judaism that basically is just picking up where the Pharisees left off with their Talmud, their Babylonian Talmud. They don't believe in the Torah or anything like that. If they did, they'd be keeping the law. They'd be doing the sacrifices. Most of the five books of Moses is keeping the sacrifices, doing the feast. You know what? They do none of that, so don't tell me they believe in the Old Testament, because they don't believe in any of that, because they're not doing any of it. And so that's another sermon for another day. Revelation 2, verse 9. Now, this is Jesus talking to the churches, and it says, I know thy works in tribulation and poverty, but thou art rich, and I know the blasphemy of them which say they are Jews, and are not, but are the synagogue of Satan. Revelation 3, 9. Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie. Behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. So this is exactly what that's talking about. Who are these people? Who are these people that say they're Jews and are not? It's not that they're saying they're Jews, but they're not really like in Judaism. That's what people will say is that they're saying they're a Jew, but they don't really follow Judaism. No. These are people that are in Judaism that are saying they're Jews, but according to the Bible, are they? He is not a Jew which is one outwardly, and circumcision is not outward in the flesh, but he's a Jew which is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart and the spirit. So when you're reading through the Bible and you're reading through Revelation, you see the synagogue of Satan that say they're Jews and are not. These are people that are claiming to be Jews that are of the religion of Judaism, but God says they're liars. They do lie. They're calling themselves Jews. They're saying they're Jews just like this person says, you're called a Jew, but you're resting in the law. Why is he not a real Jew? Why is he not really of the circumcision? Why is he not really of Israel? Because they are not all Israel which are of Israel because they didn't put their faith in Christ, because they haven't circumcised their heart, and therefore they're a liar. They're not really a Jew, and so I hope that makes sense. I hope this chapter makes more sense now when you look at it and the fact of who's he talking to? He's talking to a Jew that's resting in the law, and he's showing, hey, you're inexcusable yourself, so you need to get saved. You need to put your faith in Christ, stop trusting in your own righteousness, and put it in Christ and his righteousness, and so to me that makes sense, and then you get into chapter three where it kind of goes on from there, and still talking about Israel, and Israel's brought up a lot in Romans, and just kind of explaining all that stuff, so a great chapter, and just a great chapter that we can apply to us as well. Just remember, we're still under the law in the flesh, and until we die, we still have consequences in this life. We're still going to reap what we sow in the flesh, so we need to remember, hey, we need to not kill. We need to not commit adultery. We need to not steal a lie. We need to keep God's commandments. Fear of God and keep his commandments is the whole duty of man, and so let's end with a word of prayer. Dear Heavenly Father, we thank you for today, and thank you for everybody that came out, and Lord, we just pray that you be with us as we leave tonight, and as we go home, and be with us throughout the rest of the week as we go to work, and Lord, we just love you, and pray all this in Jesus Christ's name. Amen.