Many of us have had the experience of getting a traffic violation. We’re given a court date, and eventually stand before the judge to plead our case. The judge might hear our pleas, but he must adjudicate according to the Law. We might even know the judge personally, and hope that he’ll show mercy, but to be just, he must be impartial. Excuses, blame-shifting, minimizing, all fails to move the judge, so we appeal to our relationship. “Judge, you know me. We’re friends. Can’t you cut me a break?” you say. But the court cannot show favoritism. All are judged impartially by the law.

This Sunday we’ll complete our examination of Romans 2 and move into chapter 3. The Apostle Paul is confronting the self-righteousness of the Jewish believers in the church and exposing their distorted vision. They have a distorted view of themselves, the Law of God, the Judge (God), and the gospel. Their internal conflicts with each other are the result of these distortions. This week, we’ll consider their distorted view of God and of the gospel. Join us as we worship and humble ourselves before the righteous One.

Sunday, we’ll go back to Romans 2 as Paul confronts the Jewish believers' distorted view of themselves, the law, God, and the gospel. This week, we’ll focus on their distorted view of God’s Law. Remember that after exposing the sinfulness of the world, particularly the Gentiles, in chapter one, Paul now zeros in on the Jewish believers' “partiality.” The Jewish believers in Rome believed they were a privileged class, having grown up knowing the Scriptures and living a more moral life. That sense of “privilege” is a distorted view of self that produces their judgment of others (2:1), especially the Gentile believers they engaged in church, and blinds them to their own sin (2:1). Paul is adamant that God’s patience and goodness were meant to lead them to repentance not moralism (2:4). They were the “older brother” in the story of the Prodigal Son, rejecting their wayward, but repenting, brother.

Moralism had crept into their lives. The Jewish believers saw themselves as “pretty good people.” But in this they distorted the Law of God as something they could and were obeying. But Paul is adamant again, saying, “no one is justified by the Law,” (3:20). The most moral person is much more sinful than they realize, and an undistorted view of the Law will expose that. Here’s the bottom line, if you think you’re living a good life and obeying the Lord, you might have a distorted perspective. If life is good and you think to yourself, “I must be doing something right,” you have a distorted view of the Law. Join us Sunday as we unpack the Scriptures.

“How could a good and all-powerful God let something like that happen to me?

Does God even care?” It seems suffering is inevitable - Job 5:7 states that “man is born to trouble as the sparks fly upward.” Jesus said, “In this world you will have trouble…” John 16:33. Theologians often state “we live in the now and not yet” meaning the in between times of Christ first coming and his second coming. Another writer uses the term the age of ambivalence or the age of tension. We have a portion of His kingdom but not the completion/fulfillment of God’s promises of a new heaven, new earth, and new body. In this meantime, people still suffer in evil and cruel ways. We all experience losses and unfair treatment. Things just don’t work like they should. Why can’t we get back to Eden? What does Jesus Christ have to offer us during this age of suffering and waiting and hoping?

While suffering is something we must all endure, those of us who know Christ can hold to the promises of his presence, his purpose, and his plan for us.

This Sunday join us in worship of the Man of Sorrows, the Suffering Servant: Jeus Christ our LORD and King!

This Sunday we will be looking at Paul’s letter to the Church in Colossae. In the first two chapters Paul focused on Christ’s authority over all of creation and our redemption. Now in chapter three Paul is delving into the implications for Christ’s authority over the lives of His people. Specifically, Paul addresses the sins that try to define us as well as the natural identities that can become idols in our lives. Paul ultimately points the church to its eternal identity in Christ which overcomes all sins, breaks down worldly barriers, and calls us to set our mind on the glory of God. 

Imagine you’re in the Roman Church, surrounded by the depraved culture the Apostle Paul described in Romans 1:29, “filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, and malice.” The sexual debauchery and shameful acts being carried out in the brothels and homes confronts you every day. But you know the truth, you were raised to obey God, you believe and have devoted your life to your faith and traditions. How would you feel if people from that culture walked into your church proclaiming that they believe in the risen Christ? Would you feel morally superior? Would you be quick to welcome them? How would you respond to their struggle to break the habits of their upbringing and experience?

As we begin chapter two in Romans, Paul confronts the assumptions of the life-long religious person! Does their upbringing and practice make them “better than”? Should their “moral goodness” give them a leg-up in the church? Does God favor them over their Gentile brothers and sisters? Join us Sunday as we explore what Jesus describes as older brother syndrome in the story of the Prodigal, Luke 15:11-32. Maybe watch this video from the Bible Project on the Prodigal Son’s older brother.

Sunday, we’ll continue in Romans 1, as the Apostle Paul unpacks the revelation of God’s wrath. The great “religious monstrosity” (John Murray) of worshipping created things rather than the Creator, results in God giving mankind over, as he says, “in the lusts of their hearts to impurity.” Notice something important here, God turns mankind over to the desires of his heart. Moral corruption flows out of inordinate desires leading to impurity, specifically impure actions. That’s important because the Apostle isn’t just condemning sinful actions, but corrupt desires. (See James 1:14)

He explains this “giving over” in two arenas: “dishonorable passions…debased mind.” The passions that are dishonorable center on going against the sexual order that God created, specifically engagement in homosexual behavior. The mind that is reprobate or has completely turned against God is filled with all kinds of vice, or as Paul says, “all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice.” What’s increasingly troubling is that they promote these vices even though they know God’s judgment.

This is the backdrop of the gospel, the good news revealed amid this evil. These are the very people God reveals the gospel to and who join the family of God by faith! Join us Sunday as we worship God and rejoice in the gospel of Jesus.

In our study, the Apostle Paul is unpacking the gospel: the good news of Jesus’ Lordship and God’s salvation through him; a salvation received by grace through faith. He does this to root them in Jesus and heal the divide between Jewish and Gentile believers. He has taught them that the gospel reveals God’s justness, now he will show that it reveals God’s justice dolled out on those who refuse him.

From 1:18-3:20, the Apostle sets out to destroy any claims of sufficient obedience to warrant or earn God’s favor. His summary statement is simple, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” 3:23. Our text will be 1:18-23, where Paul explains why mankind is without excuse before God. In summary, it’s not that we are ignorant of God, rather, we suppress the truth. Join us Sunday as we worship and serve, “the Creator who is blessed forever. Amen.” (1:25)

The next section of Paul’s letter is interesting because the Apostle wants to “preach the gospel to you,” the Roman believers. Why would he want to preach the gospel to believers? Notice in the text, Romans 1:8-17, that Paul affirms their faith, prays for the opportunity to give and receive encouragement with them, and expects that when he does visit there will be spiritual fruitfulness in his visit. Why do believers need to hear the gospel? With all that the church is experiencing from the external culture of Rome and the internal strife of the church, why does Paul see the gospel as the essential teaching for the believers?

Verses sixteen and seventeen present the answer: the gospel is the power of God advancing for the salvation of all ethnicities; and it humbles believers as recipients of grace by faith, not as laborers receiving a wage. This presentation strikes the heart of the church’s divisions and our distortions of self, others, and God. Join us Sunday as we worship together.

As we considered Sunday, we know Paul’s overarching purpose in the Roman church is “to establish” them in the gospel, 1:11 and 16:25. The word “gospel” is a compound word of “good” and “message.” We often call it “the good news.” When the news channel posts a breaking story, we call it “breaking news,” though it’s often a tragedy, because that’s what sells. Well God’s news has been breaking forth since the creation narrative, and it is good news about his promised Son.

Our text this week explains the good news in those terms: breaking, good news about God’s Son and chosen Lord. For the Roman believers, living in the decadence and oppression of Rome, the news is of a King, David’s descendent, who will transform the world, by bringing about the “obedience of faith.” Why is that important news? Because God’s grace, initially extended to the Jews, has been extended to the Gentiles, “including you.” Join us Sunday as we worship God’s appointed Lord and rejoice in our participation in the good news!

Sunday, we begin our study of the book of Romans. Below are two links to a great explanation of Paul’s letter for you to watch and prepare for our study. The Roman church was divided along ethnic lines (Jew and Gentile). The Jewish believers had significant misunderstandings about themselves, justification by faith, the law of God, the Spirit, and the church of Jesus Christ. Those misunderstandings generated a distorted view of themselves, God, and Gentile believers. Distortions create division.

Our study will focus on the Apostle’s prescription: the gospel of Jesus. He writes to “establish” them in the gospel because he knows it will heal their divisions by removing their self-distortion. Join us as we engage the Lord through his Word.

Romans, Part 1 Romans, Part 2