Sermon Tone Analysis

Is the law still for today?

In other words do we still have responsibility to the law?

If we are free from the law—meaning on this side of the cross the law holds no authority over us,,,

 

Is it ok to lie?

Or put in another way is it lawful to lie?

Is it ok or lawful to kill?

What about stealing?

Is that lawful?

Hopefully you are thinking already and starting to form an opinion… lets base our opinion in biblical fact in order to end with a biblical belief.

– Today we will explore the topic of law and in doing this we will take a very brief survey of Romans.

I will jump around a bit pulling out certain verses—I trust that you will check up on me by reading and studying Romans 2-8.

First lest get some background on the book of Romans.

Rom 1:1 Paul introduces himself by name Paul, by identity a bondservant, by vocation apostle and by purpose separated for the gospel of YHWH.

Paul wrote Romans while in Corinth around 57 AD.

This would be after his 3rd evangelistic journey.

Based on the style of writing and the lack of personal greetings scholars conclude Paul didn’t personally know the Christains at Rome but their faith was know to him.

Most believe Paul was writing mainly to introduce himself there so that he could use Rome as a spring board for his fourth evangelistic journey to Spain.

This journey of course never happened.

Romans is unique, in that it holds the most complete Pauline Doctrine.

It is the longest of all his epistles and truly walks the reader through NT theology.

Of important note, about 7 years earlier (50 AD) Paul went to Jerusalem for the Jerusalem Council.

Here the apostles decided what was required or not required for gentile converts to Christianity.

Acts 15 tells us they concluded with 4 regulations: 1) Abstain from things polluted by idols.

2) Abstain from sexual immorality 3) Abstain from things strangled 4) abstain from blood.

*Romans 2*

Rom 2:2 But we are sure that the judgment of God is according to truth against them which commit such things[i]

*Truth *

*237* ἀλήθεια (/alētheia/), ας (/as/), ἡ (/hē/): n.fem.; ≡ DBLHebr 622; Str 225; TDNT 1.232—LN 70.3–70.4

*truth*, /i.e./, that which *is in accord with what really happens*, facts that correspond to a reality, whether historical (in the time~/space continuum) (Lk 4:25; Ac 4:27), or an *eternal reality not limited to historical fact*

[ii]

 

Rom 2:6 Who will render to every man according to his deeds:[iii]

*Deeds*

*2240* ἔργον (/ergon/), ου (/ou/), τό (/to/): n.neu.; ≡ DBLHebr 4856, 5126; Str 2041; TDNT 2.635—*1.*

LN 42.11 *act.*,

deed, activity (Jn 10:32; 1Co 12:6); *2.* LN 42.42 *work*, assigned task, job (Mk 13:34); *3.* LN 42.12 *workmanship*, the result of one’s work (1Co 9:1)

[iv]

 

If the law is of no effect, then by what means will YHWH use as the standard?

Is there another standard mentioned in the biblical text?

 

12 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; 13 (For not the hearers of the law/ are/ just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.[v]

/The law of Nature/

Roman Jurisprudence was familiar with the conception of a law of Nature, which became law of the nations (*/jus gentium/*) so that certain principles could be assumed as obtaining among those who had not the knowledge of the Roman code; and in accordance with these principles the dealings between the Romans and barbarians could be regulated.

[Paul’s concept in Rom 2 reflects this sentiment in man’s relation to YHWH.]

 

 

Oh but brother Todd what about all those people deep in the darkest part of the jungle who haven’t seen an person since they left the tower of babble?

*See Romans 1:19-20 and 2:14-15*

*See James 1:22-24 (be doers of the word)*

*Word*

*3364* λόγος (/logos/), ου (/ou/), ὁ (/ho/): n.masc.; ≡ DBLHebr 1821; Str 3056; TDNT 4.69—[vi]

*3.* LN 33.260 *gospel*, the content of what is preached about Christ (Ac 19:20; Col 3:16; Mk 16:20 v.r.);[vii]

 

Oh but brother Todd, the word and the law cant be the same thing can it?

They don’t even have the same greek strong’s number… /you would be right that they do not have the same greek number… we will get to if they refer to the same thing latter./

V13

For not the hearers of the law/ are/ just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.[viii]

*Law*

*3795* νόμος (/nomos/), ου (/ou/), ὁ (/ho/): n.masc.; ≡ DBLHebr 9368; Str 3551; TDNT 4.1022—*1.*

LN 33.333 *law*, rule prescribing what a person must do (Ro 3:27; Heb 7:16); *2.* LN 33.55 *the Law*, Torah, the Pentateuch, the first five books of Moses (Mt 11:13; Lk 24:44; Jn 1:45; Ac 28:23; Ro 5:13; Jn 8:5 v.r.); *3.* LN 33.56 *the Scriptures*, the Holy Writings, the Tanakh, not limited to the first five books of the Christian OT (Jn 10:34); *4.* LN 33.58 ὁ νόμος καὶ οἱ προφῆται (/ho nomos kai hoi prophētai/), the sacred writings (Mt 5:17; 7:12; 22:40; Lk 16:16; Ac 13:15; Ro 3:21+); *5.* LN 33.341 νόμος τοῦ ἀνδρός (/nomos tou andros/), marriage law (Ro 7:2+)

[ix]

*Doer*

*4475* ποιητής (/poiētēs/), οῦ (/ou/), ὁ (/ho/): n.masc.; ≡ Str 4163; TDNT 6.458—*1.*

LN 42.20 *doer*, a keeper, an obeyer (Ro 2:13; Jas 1:22, 23, 25; 4:11+); *2.* LN 33.25 *poet* (Ac 17:28+)

[x]

*Justified*

*1467* δικαιόω (/dikaioō/): vb.; ≡ DBLHebr 7405; Str 1344; TDNT 2.211—*1.*

LN 34.46 *put right with*, justify, vindicate, declare righteous, /i.e./, cause one to be in a right relation (Ro 3:24); *2.* LN 88.16 *show to be right*, demonstrate to something is morally just (Ro 3:4); *3.* LN 56.34 *acquit*, remove guilt, set free, /i.e./, clear of a transgression (Ac 13:38); *4.* LN 37.138 *set free*, release from the control of (Ro 6:7); *5.* LN 36.22 *obey righteous commands* (Lk 7:29)

[xi]

 

 

Who is a Jew? Are you a Jew?

R2:24-29

Circumcism….

Truly what’s needed is… *Gal 6:15* cir and uncir avails nothing…but a new creation

*Deut 30:6* YHWH will cir your heart and your children’s heart

The jew is one inward….

Ie YHWH doesn’t look on the outside he looks on the inside…

Saul rejected as king *1 sam 15:22-23*

David anointed as king *1 sam 16:7* --- YHWH looks on the heart.

*Isa 1 11&16* washed cf with *EPH 5:26* washed by the water of the word

*Phil 3:3* we are the cir who worship YHWH in spirit.

(whats opposite of the spirit?

Flesh possibly but in Paul’s writings it is the letter of the law… which is merely obedience in the flesh and not in heart)

 

Recap CHAPTER 2

We are judged by our deeds

Its not the hearers but the doers of the law are justified

The true Jew is circumcised in heart

 

*Chapter 3*

R3:6 How will YHWH judge the world?

Rom 3:19-20

19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guiltyb before God.

20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: *for by the law/ is/ the knowledge of sin*.[xii]

Oh now brother Todd what are you and Paul doing to us? Are you trying to confuse us?

You just told us in Chapter 2 that the doers of the law were justified now you tell me that the deeds of the law justify no flesh.

So which is it?

Here’s a little illustration that might can help us…

Little Johnny told to stand but inside he’s sitting.

21 But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22 Even the righteousness of God/ which is/ by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus:[xiii]

 

*Righteousness does not come from works or the deeds of the law.

Righteousness comes from YHWH alone.

It comes by means of the Blood of Yeshua.*

The redeeming work of Christ provides what the law had failed to provide, righteousness which can satisfy the requirements of the law; a righteousness that is indeed “apart from the law: apart from all men’s attempts to keep the law, but is never the less in deepest *harmony with the principles of the law*, and has been witnessed “by the law and the prophets”

 

 

V27 tells us that boasting can only be done through the law of faith… Interesting note, even in faith we are not getting a way from law.

Notice it is called the LAW OF FAITH.

31 Do we then make void the law through faith?

God forbid: yea, *we establish the law*.