Romans 2_17-29 A Security Blankie… that doesn't cut it!

Secular:

Ok Valentine’s day is approaching… quickly
And this is where the uninitiated amongst us
Try and guess what are beloved wants…
We love them… wan to honour them
Appliances… sporting tickets…
Or a musical… and day at the spa
God tells us… how to keep the firing burning

Biblical: Romans 2:17 But if you bear the name "Jew " and rely upon the Law and boast in God, 18 and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth, 21 you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonour God? 24 For "THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU," just as it is written. 25 For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor of the Law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.

Personal:

Frustration comes from not knowing expectation

Boss that doesn’t tell you
Performance review… shot in the dark
Fired… but don’t know why?

We typically want to do well… but what is well
We don’t want to make the boss… our beloved or God mad at us….

Bridge:

We want security in our relationships
Home
Work
Even more important with God
Faithful, everlasting… Security in the wrong spot is hardly security at all…
3 pts… let’s find Security in Character, Practice…Assurance

Body:

The Character of the Child of God:

Romans 2:17 But if you bear the name "Jew " and rely upon the Law and boast in God, 18 and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth,

Rely on the Law…

Matthew 5:17 "Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.
Christ his Word and Promise…. Sufficiency of Christ and His Word… where do you put your faith?

Know His Will… this isn’t an invitation to be a Psychic

Understand the Word He has given… his expressed will…
Do you know the will of God… do you study his scriptures….seek him in prayer?

Approve the essentials… from the Law

Do we support what is right and true?
Do people know where we stand…
Approving the eseentials is active support of the core of truth… do we know what the essentials are?

Guide to the blind.

Are you a spiritual seeing-eye dog?
Or do we watch people around us crash and bang… fall, trip, get hurt…
Do you lead people to faith?

Corrector of the foolish

Do we challenge people when they speak foolishness?
Do extol truth in the face of error?
Directions at the Gas Station… correct their errors… or chuckle at the lost…
Do we stand firm for truth?

Teacher of the immature…

We would scratch our heads at a healthy average 18 year old man that crawls on all fours… drinks from a bottle and has his mommy feed him his lunch…
We would suggest that maybe…

He needs to learns to walk
Feed himself…
Grow and mature…

Yet do we offer any counsel to those of us around who need that help…
Hebrews 5:12 For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you have need again for someone to teach you the elementary principles of the oracles of God, and you have come to need milk and not solid food.
Are you helping to mature other believers?
Great commission call us all to teach!

Do we know the truth… Do we have knowledge…

We can not experience that which we do not know…

Can’t teach it…
Can’t live it…
Can’t share it…
Can’t believe it…

No Warranty expressed or implied….

Need to know… need truth…

Does knowing the truth matter?

The Character of the Child of God:

The Practice of the Child of God

21 you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonour God? 24 For "THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU," just as it is written. 25 For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.

V.21 you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself?
Do as you say… Practice what you preach…

If God condemns adultery… and he does…
It is for all… we read it… we know it… yet we do it…
If God condemns theft…. and he does…
It is for all… we read it… we know it… yet we do it… (appropriate message at tax time)

Christian toothpaste…
You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonour God?
Dobson’s… big hairy audacious toe over the line….
Drives you nuts right…. Cuz they know!
You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonour God?
Inside job… Spouses words…
If you think the measure of faith is what you know… we have a problem…
Persecution is one of the greatest evangelistic tools ever used for Kingdom purposes!!

Because we have to make a choice…
The wheat and the chaff are separated…
We either stand up… or go away… clarifies the witness… clarifies the conviction…
And it spreads like fire…

BUT it isn’t all about doing…
For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
For indeed what you do outwardly if you live in the Word, but if you live inconsistent with the Word, your actions are meaningless!
It is only the right Heart doing the right things that makes sense!
It is only the right heart doing the right things that testifies to our God and Redeemer.
It is only the right heart doing the right things that is the practice of the Child of God

The Assurance of the Child of God

25 For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor of the Law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. 29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.

So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision…
It isn’t about who were are…

Lineage… attendance…giving…

It isn’t about what we have earned…learned

S.S… Workbees… $$... scholar

It is about how are heart responds…

Embrace Christ as fulfillment of the Law…
The Gospel…
And live its message…

For you are not a believer…. Who is only one outwardly one… but one who is one inwardly… and that is not external works, but a transformed life… by the Spirit… not by our own action… and your praise is not from men, but from God.
Assurance of salvation… comes in form of a believer transformed…
Yes… We need to know the Gospel…

But we also need to have it in our heart

We need to live righteous lives…

But we need to be righteous in our hearts

We need to serve our God…

But we need to surrender our hearts

God’s promise is to those who believe… not to those who do… lest we trust in works
God’s promise is to those who believe… not to those who know… lest we trust in the schemes of man

God’s promise is to those who believe… we need to have it in our heart, to be righteous in our hearts, to surrender our hearts…

That is the reality of salvation!
That is The Assurance of the Child of God
The Spirit of God testify to the condition of our heart and transforming us…

Conclusion:

I. The Character of a Child of God

Rely on the Law… where do you put your faith?

Know His Will… Do you know the will of God?

Approve the essentials… Do we support what is right and true?

Guide to the blind?... Do you lead people to faith?

Corrector of the foolish… Do we stand firm for truth?

Teacher of the immature…Are you helping to mature other believers?

Know the truth and have knowledge… Does knowing the truth matter?

II. The Practice of a Child of God

Do as you say… Practice what you preach…
Christian toothpaste…
It is only the right Heart doing the right things that makes sense!

III. The Assurance of a Child of God

It isn’t about who we are
It isn’t about . what we have earned / learned
It is about .