Universal Need for Salvation: Faith Over Law

 

Summary

In Romans 2:13-15, Paul emphasizes that it is not merely the hearers of the law who are justified before God, but the doers. This passage underscores the principle that God's judgment is always fair and based on a standard known to us, whether it be the law for the Jews or the moral consciousness for the Gentiles. The law, rather than saving, serves to condemn both Jews and Gentiles, highlighting that all are under God's wrath and in need of salvation. The Jews, despite having the law, are condemned by it, just as the Gentiles are condemned by their moral consciousness. This establishes that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile in terms of condemnation and the need for salvation.

The sermon further explores the notion of righteousness before the gospel, citing examples like Zacharias, Elizabeth, and Simeon, who were considered righteous not because they kept the law perfectly, but because they lived in faith, adhering to God's ordinances and looking forward to the coming Messiah. Similarly, Cornelius, a devout man, is shown to be a Jewish proselyte, awaiting the Messiah, rather than a Gentile accepted by God through good works alone.

The sermon also addresses the question of the salvation of those who have never heard the gospel. It clarifies that this passage does not concern itself with the way of salvation but rather with condemnation. Salvation is only possible through Jesus Christ, and those who have never heard the gospel are condemned not for rejecting it, but for failing to live up to their moral consciousness. This underscores the urgency of missionary work to spread the gospel.

Finally, the sermon warns against hypocrisy, particularly among the Jews who boasted in their knowledge of the law but failed to live by it. This serves as a reminder for all believers to examine themselves and ensure their faith is genuine and not merely a facade.

Key Takeaways:

1. God's judgment is always fair and based on a standard known to us, whether it be the law for the Jews or the moral consciousness for the Gentiles. This highlights the universality of God's justice and the need for all to seek salvation through Christ. [02:17]

2. The law and moral consciousness serve to condemn rather than save, emphasizing that both Jews and Gentiles are equally in need of salvation. This underscores the futility of relying on one's own righteousness and the necessity of faith in Christ. [05:21]

3. Righteousness before the gospel was based on faith and adherence to God's ordinances, not perfect law-keeping. This illustrates the continuity of faith as the basis for righteousness throughout biblical history. [09:33]

4. The question of the salvation of those who have never heard the gospel is not addressed in this passage, which focuses on condemnation. Salvation is only possible through Jesus Christ, highlighting the importance of missionary work. [24:31]

5. Hypocrisy, particularly among those who boast in their knowledge of the law but fail to live by it, is a grave danger. Believers must examine themselves to ensure their faith is genuine and not merely a facade. [33:29]

Youtube Chapters:

- [00:00] - Welcome
- [00:14] - Introduction to Romans 2:13-15
- [01:07] - Misinterpretations of the Parenthesis
- [01:58] - God's Fair Judgment
- [03:11] - Moral Consciousness and Condemnation
- [04:29] - Equality in Condemnation
- [06:18] - Righteousness Before the Gospel
- [08:18] - Old Testament Saints and Faith
- [10:11] - Sacrifices and Faith
- [12:12] - Simeon and Anna's Expectation
- [14:01] - Cornelius and Jewish Proselytes
- [16:22] - Cornelius' Devotion
- [18:22] - Misunderstandings About Cornelius
- [20:00] - Greek Philosophers and Idolatry
- [22:42] - Salvation and the Unreached
- [25:32] - Salvation Through Christ Alone
- [27:52] - Urgency of Missionary Work
- [30:00] - Hypocrisy Among the Jews
- [33:29] - Warning Against Hypocrisy

Study Guide

Bible Study Discussion Guide

Bible Reading:
- Romans 2:13-15
- Luke 1:6
- Acts 10:34-35

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Observation Questions:

1. According to Romans 2:13-15, what distinguishes the hearers of the law from the doers of the law? How does this distinction relate to justification before God? [00:14]

2. In the sermon, how is the concept of moral consciousness used to explain the condemnation of the Gentiles? [03:11]

3. What examples from the Old Testament are given in the sermon to illustrate righteousness before the gospel? How were these individuals considered righteous? [06:55]

4. How does the sermon describe Cornelius' relationship with God, and what does it suggest about his status as a Jewish proselyte? [16:22]

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Interpretation Questions:

1. How does the sermon explain the role of the law and moral consciousness in condemning both Jews and Gentiles? What does this imply about the universality of God's justice? [05:21]

2. The sermon mentions that righteousness before the gospel was based on faith and adherence to God's ordinances. How does this continuity of faith throughout biblical history impact our understanding of salvation? [09:33]

3. What does the sermon suggest about the urgency of missionary work in light of the condemnation of those who have never heard the gospel? How does this shape our responsibility as believers? [24:31]

4. How does the sermon address the issue of hypocrisy among those who boast in their knowledge of the law? What warning does this serve for believers today? [33:29]

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Application Questions:

1. Reflect on your own life: Are there areas where you might be a hearer of the Word but not a doer? How can you take steps to align your actions with your faith this week? [00:14]

2. The sermon emphasizes the futility of relying on one's own righteousness. In what ways might you be tempted to rely on your own efforts rather than faith in Christ? How can you shift your focus to trust more in God's grace? [05:21]

3. Consider the examples of Zacharias, Elizabeth, and Simeon. How can their faith and anticipation of the Messiah inspire you to live with a forward-looking faith today? [06:55]

4. The sermon highlights the importance of missionary work. Is there a specific way you feel called to support or engage in spreading the gospel, either locally or globally? [24:31]

5. Hypocrisy is a danger for all believers. How can you ensure that your faith is genuine and not merely a facade? Are there specific practices or habits you can adopt to cultivate authenticity in your spiritual life? [33:29]

6. The sermon discusses the condemnation of those who have never heard the gospel. How does this challenge you to think about your role in sharing your faith with others? What practical steps can you take to be more proactive in evangelism? [24:31]

7. Reflect on the sermon’s message about moral consciousness. How can you be more attentive to your own moral compass and ensure it aligns with God's standards? [03:11]

Devotional

Day 1: God's Judgment is Universally Just
God's judgment is fair and based on a standard known to all, whether it be the law for the Jews or the moral consciousness for the Gentiles. This highlights the universality of God's justice and the need for all to seek salvation through Christ. The law, rather than saving, serves to condemn both Jews and Gentiles, emphasizing that all are under God's wrath and in need of salvation. The Jews, despite having the law, are condemned by it, just as the Gentiles are condemned by their moral consciousness. This establishes that there is no difference between Jew and Gentile in terms of condemnation and the need for salvation. [02:17]

"For God shows no partiality. For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law." (Romans 2:11-12, ESV)

Reflection: In what ways have you relied on your own understanding or moral standards instead of seeking God's guidance and salvation through Christ?


Day 2: The Law and Moral Consciousness Condemn
The law and moral consciousness serve to condemn rather than save, emphasizing that both Jews and Gentiles are equally in need of salvation. This underscores the futility of relying on one's own righteousness and the necessity of faith in Christ. The passage in Romans highlights that it is not merely the hearers of the law who are justified before God, but the doers. This principle points to the fact that God's judgment is based on actions and the heart's intent, not just knowledge or awareness of the law. [05:21]

"For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin." (Romans 3:20, ESV)

Reflection: Consider a time when you relied on your own righteousness. How can you shift your focus to faith in Christ today?


Day 3: Faith as the Basis for Righteousness
Righteousness before the gospel was based on faith and adherence to God's ordinances, not perfect law-keeping. This illustrates the continuity of faith as the basis for righteousness throughout biblical history. Examples like Zacharias, Elizabeth, and Simeon show that they were considered righteous not because they kept the law perfectly, but because they lived in faith, adhering to God's ordinances and looking forward to the coming Messiah. This continuity of faith underscores the importance of living a life of faith and expectation. [09:33]

"And he believed the Lord, and he counted it to him as righteousness." (Genesis 15:6, ESV)

Reflection: How can you cultivate a life of faith and expectation in your daily walk with God?


Day 4: The Urgency of Missionary Work
The question of the salvation of those who have never heard the gospel is not addressed in this passage, which focuses on condemnation. Salvation is only possible through Jesus Christ, highlighting the importance of missionary work. Those who have never heard the gospel are condemned not for rejecting it, but for failing to live up to their moral consciousness. This underscores the urgency of spreading the gospel to all corners of the world, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to hear and respond to the message of Christ. [24:31]

"And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching?" (Romans 10:14, ESV)

Reflection: What steps can you take to support or engage in missionary work, either locally or globally, to spread the gospel?


Day 5: The Danger of Hypocrisy
Hypocrisy, particularly among those who boast in their knowledge of the law but fail to live by it, is a grave danger. Believers must examine themselves to ensure their faith is genuine and not merely a facade. The sermon warns against the hypocrisy of the Jews who boasted in their knowledge of the law but failed to live by it. This serves as a reminder for all believers to examine themselves and ensure their faith is genuine, living out the principles they profess to believe. [33:29]

"So you also outwardly appear righteous to others, but within you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness." (Matthew 23:28, ESV)

Reflection: Reflect on your own life and identify any areas where you may be living hypocritically. How can you align your actions with your beliefs today?

Quotes

"God's judgment is always fair and is always according to a standard God that always judges us according to a standard of which we are aware, whether it be the law or this sense of the right and one that is in the whole of the human race." [00:02:12]

"The law which had been given to the Jews and which was therefore the standard for them is the very thing that condemns them. That's 13 of course verse 13 is actually the same way it is this moral consciousness that he has that condemns the Gentile." [00:03:36]

"The Jews and the Gentiles from the standpoint of condemnation and therefore from the standpoint of salvation are in precisely the same position as the Apostle will tell us later on more than once, there is no difference, no difference between the Jew and the Gentile." [00:04:31]

"To know the law in whatever form it may be present never saves anybody, it simply condemns. Now that's the big way of putting the same principle you see to know the laws it was given by Moses isn't going to save anybody, continues only to have this normal sense doesn't save anybody." [00:05:08]

"These were people who received all these commandments and ordinances from God, they didn't understand them perfectly, but they understood this much: they understood that God was teaching them that that was the only way whereby they could approach him." [00:10:04]

"These were people in other words who had believed the teaching that God himself had revealed that he was going to make a great provision in some future age for the sins of mankind. These were people who had spiritual minds, they were called devout people." [00:11:31]

"Salvation is only possible in and through the Lord Jesus Christ. It has always been possible only in and through him. The Saints of the Old Testament were saved by the fact that they believed the message concerning him in the way that they had it." [00:24:35]

"Those pagans in the world today who've never heard of the Lord Jesus Christ are under the wrath of God and under condemned, and that therefore it is my business and your business of the business of all Christians to do all we can to send the good news of salvation to them." [00:27:52]

"The essence of the charge he is going to bring here against these Jews is the charge of hypocrisy and there is never in the whole range and realm of scripture a more devastating exposure of hypocrisy and its evil ways than this very section." [00:33:29]

"Hypocrisy is a sin that we sentence all, it is the thing of which we constantly have to beware. You remember our Lord warning his own immediate followers by saying, that's sin of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy, it's a snare he says there's nothing more terrible." [00:34:39]

"God give us grace to examine ourselves, hypocrisy is a sin that we sentence all, it is the thing of which we constantly have to beware. You remember our Lord warning his own immediate followers by saying, that's sin of the Pharisees which is hypocrisy, it's a snare he says there's nothing more terrible." [00:34:39]

"Let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. Give us grace we pray thee to examine ourselves to prove our own selves to know whether we are in the faith or not, o God enable us by thy spirit by thy grace to be honest and to be true in our inward paths." [00:47:19]

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Transcript
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