Entrusted with the Gospel of God’s Love, Not Moral Superiority

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Romans 3:1-20

 

Romans 3:20

For by works of the law no human being^[c] will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin.

(ESV)

 

Christians are entrusted with the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. This is the greatest message ever given to humanity for all humanity has sinned and lives under a death penalty for that sin (Romans 3:23; 6:23). However, Christians and the Church have errored in presenting the Gospel either as a blank check to continue living in sin believing God saves everyone, or as a club of moral superiority over unbelievers. Both of these extremes are seen in the two sons in the story of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). It is the father in this parable that takes the middle ground by forgiving his repentant son and reminding his morally superior son that what he has comes from him. Romans 3:1-20 reminds us that it is God that is righteous and that moralistic obedience to the law does not make one righteous.

 

This text of Romans 3:1-20 is in two sections. The first section upholds God’s righteousness (Romans 3:1-8) and the second section reminds us that no one is righteous due to the guilt of sin (Romans 3:9-20). This illustrates the gap between a righteous God and sinful humanity and why all need a savior to escape the death penalty of sin (Romans 3:23; 6:23).

 

1)      The righteousness of God (Romans 3:1-8) – Paul begins this section on the righteousness of God with a question asking the value of being a Jew and of circumcision (Romans 3:1). In answer to the question, the Apostle Paul reminds the Jews in Rome that they were entrusted with the oracles of God with their unfaithfulness does not nullify the faithfulness of God (Romans 3:2-3). Paul reminds us that God is true and everyone else a liar. While the unrighteousness of man seems to illustrate the righteousness of God presenting the possibility that God is unrighteous in inflicting wrath on humanity (Romans 3:5-6). In addition, if our lie causes God’s truth to abound to His glory, why would God condemn us (Romans 3:7). This also presents the question of why not do evil so that the good of righteousness from God may come (Romans 3:8). While the comparison of our sinful state against the righteousness of God leads to the logical conclusion that our sin somehow glorifies God, Paul later condemns this belief in (Romans 6:15).

2)      Humanity’s unrighteousness (Romans 3:9-20) – The answer to Paul’s first question in Romans 3:1 is there is no advantage for both Jews and Greeks or Gentiles live under sin (Romans 3:9). This is supported in Ecclesiastes 7:20 where we are reminded that no one on earth does good and never sins (Romans 3:10-12). Romans 3:13 states that the throat of unrighteous humanity is an open grave. Psalm 5:9 provides clarification indicating that there is no truth in their mouths. The mouth of the unrighteous is also filled with curses and bitterness (Romans 3:14). The result of this bitterness is feet swift to shed blood and walking down a path of ruin and misery, absent of peace and the fear of God (Romans 3:15-18). The purpose of the law is to speak to those under the law, holding them accountable to God for the law brings the knowledge of sin (Romans 3:19-20).

 

The Jews, entrusted with the law are improperly using their position of trustees of the oracles of God as a position of moral superiority over the Gentiles who are not under the law. This lofty position of moral superiority causes them to completely ignore the sin in their lives and their need for a Savior. It is only God who has a position of moral superiority for only God is righteous (Romans 3:10). However, God is just and righteous but also a loving God who provided the sinless Savior, Jesus Christ to die for humanity’s sin (2 Corinthians 5:21; John 3:16). The law reveals our sin, but it is Jesus who brings salvation.

 

As Christians, we are trustees and ambassadors of the Gospel (2 Corinthians 5:20) and given the mission of proclaiming that message to the world (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20). However, we as Christians can also become guilty of taking a position of moral superiority with this position of trustees of the Gospel instead of presenting the Gospel from a position as a sinner loved by God and saved through the grace of God, offering salvation out of love for others remaining lost in their sins. If you are reading this and have not accepted the gift of salvation offered by the grace of God, I loving invite you to do so now by praying with me,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

May God challenge and bless everyone reading this post. 

Obedience Brings Hope

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Jeremiah 29:1-23

 

John 16:33

I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

(ESV)

 

While each of us would like to live in a utopian world free from problems, but we live in a fallen world full of hatred and strife. This is why Jesus told his followers that they could find peace in following Him and His teachings with the warning that in this world, we would experience tribulation. However, Jesus did remind His disciples that he overcame the world, which occurred with his death, burial, and resurrection (John 16:33). The utopian world we seek will occur when Jesus returns to establish His millennial kingdom (Revelation 20:1-10). Until that time, believers, the Church, have a mission of taking the Gospel to the world (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20).

 

Jeremiah is in Jerusalem and while there writes a letter to those in exile in Babylon (Jeremiah 29:1-3). This letter is a letter of instruction and encouragement, instructing the exiles to,

 

1)      Build houses and live in them, plant gardens and eat what they produce (Jeremiah 29:5-9) – The letter also instructs the exiles to take wives in Babylon and to have sons and daughters so their population can multiply and increase (Jeremiah 29:6). They are also to seek the welfare of the city they live in and pray on the city’s behalf (Jeremiah 29:7). The letter also instructs the exiles not to listen to the false prophets in Judah and Jerusalem for they are not prophets of the Lord (Jeremiah 29:8-9). In essence, the Lord is instructing the Jews in exile to live normal lives.

2)      Have hope (Jeremiah 29:10-14) – The Jews in exile knew they were not living in the land promised to them by God yet are instructed by God to live normal lives building houses, taking wives, having children, and multiplying their numbers. However, without any hope the exile will end would make this difficult, and why God reminds them that the exile will only last seventy years (Jeremiah 29:10). God reminds his people that exile is not their future but that God has a future bringing hope after they pray and return to God (Jeremiah 29:11-14).

3)      Not listen to the false prophets in Jerusalem (Jeremiah 29:15-23) – The reason for the exile is the sin of not making the Lord God thir only God but to have duplicitous worship of God through ritual and pagan gods (Jeremiah 25:4-7). The act of obediently going into exile involves turning one’s back on this duplicitous worship and turning to God while in exile. Those remaining in Judah and Jerusalem believe a loving God will not punish their duplicitous worship and return the items of worship to the Temple (Jeremiah 28:1-4). This listening to false prophets and remaining in Jerusalem instead of turning their backs to their duplicitous worship and disobedience to God in repentance has the consequences of sword, famine, and pestilence (Jeremiah 29:17).

 

The prosperity gospel teaches that those in Christ will have an abundant life of wealth and freedom from trouble (John 10:10). The error in this teaching is its shallow materialistic definition of abundant life for Jesus also warned his believers that they could have peace in Christ but not without tribulation (John 16:33). Abundant life in Christ is a life that has trouble in this world but the hope of eternal life (John 3:16). The Jews in exile are experiencing peace and even instructed to build houses while in exile and have children (Jeremiah 29:4-6). God also instructs them to pray and seek the welfare of the city in which they live while in exile (Jeremiah 29:7). Through Jeremiah, God is telling the Jews in exile that they will have peace in the middle of the tribulation of exile because of their obedience to God (Jeremiah 29:11). In contrast, those remaining in Judah and Jerusalem will suffer sword, famine, and pestilence due to their continued rebellion and lack of obedience to God’s instructions to go into exile (Jeremiah 24; 27; 28).

 

As Christians, we are ambassadors for Christ in a dark world of chaos, hatred, and tribulation (2 Corinthians 5:20). Christians are ambassadors of reconciliation to Christ, the one bringing peace because he overcame the world through his death, burial, and resurrection bringing reconciliation to God (2 Corinthians 5:16-19; Romans 10:9-10). This message of reconciliation is the Gospel message God’s people are to spread throughout the world (Mark 16:15; Matthew 28:19-20). A covid dominated world in chaos needs God’s people to serve as ambassadors spreading this message of reconciliation.

 

Reconciliation to God begins when one decides to accept Jesus as their Savior. If you are reading this and have not prayed to accept Jesus as your savior, I invite you to do so now by praying with me,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

May God challenge and bless those reading this post. 

A Matter of the Heart

 By: Dr. Dale Weckbacher

 

Text: Romans 2:12-29

 

Matthew 6:19-21

“Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust[a] destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

(ESV)

 

 

We all have things in our lives that we treasure. For some, it may be the acquisition of wealth, good health, our spouse, children, career, or education. However, when we make the treasure of our hearts something on earth, created by God, it can and will disappoint us. If we have learned anything over the previous two years, it should be that change can come quickly, unexpectedly and from sources we are unaware of. The outbreak of Covid and its variants have impacted much of our lives and even destroyed much of what people treasure. During times like these, one must make a relationship with God their Greatest treasure.

 

Romans 2:12-29 is a teaching by the Apostle Paul regarding God’s judgment and the law. Since all have sinned, one either sins without the law, Gentiles, or while under the law, Jews (Romans 2:12). The teaching continues by reminding us that simply hearing the law does not make one righteous for we must also do what the law instructs us to do (Romans 2:13). For Gentiles not having the law but who live in accordance with the law, are viewed by God as a law to themselves (Romans 2:14). What this means is that the law is not something they know through teaching but a way of life they have in their hearts (Romans 2:15-16).

 

Those calling themselves Jews rely on the law and boast in God, knowing His will and approving what is excellent because they have been instructed by the law (Romans 2:17-18). This embodiment of knowledge causes the Jews to view themselves as guides to the blind, a light to those in darkness, instructors of the foolish, and teachers of children (Romans 2:19-20). However, since the Jews are also sinners they must teach themselves as well as others for they also break the law they teach (Romans 2:21-22). Paul reminds the Jews that their hypocrisy of boasting in the law while breaking the law dishonors God and causes the blaspheming of the name of God among the Gentiles. Like Jesus, Paul is reminding the Jews of their hypocrisy, something he was familiar with as a pharisee who once persecuted Christians.

 

Paul then goes into a discussion of circumcision which for the Jews was an outward sign of one’s dedication of their life to following God. As an outward sign, circumcision has value when one lives in obedience to the law for it demonstrates a lack of hypocrisy in one’s life, but if one circumcised disobeys the law, the circumcision becomes uncircumcision due to their hypocrisy (Romans 2:25). A Gentile living without the law, has his uncircumcision regarded as circumcision when he or she lives in obedience to the law (Romans 2:26). This is why those uncircumcised who live in obedience to the law will condemn the Jews who have the law and circumcision yet choose to continue sinning (Romans 2:27). The teaching concludes with the Apostle Paul stating that being a Jew is not based upon boasting about the law and their circumcision but a matter of the heart (Romans 2:28-29).   

 

In considering the role of the law of God in one’s life there are two extremes. Some believe the grace of God covers all sin and that there is no longer a need to consider adherence to the law in one’s life (Romans 6:1). The other extreme is strict adherence to the law, ignoring salvation through the grace of God (Ephesians 2:8-9). The parable of the prodigal son illustrates these two extremes with the father in the parable demonstrating how God deals with judgment and the law.

 

The older son in the parable of the prodigal son believed his moralism and adherence to the commands of his father made him morally superior to his younger brother (Luke 15:29-30). While the older brother’s adherence to the commands of his father is noteworthy, the older brother is carrying bitterness and jealousy in his heart, exposing his sinful nature. Like his younger brother (Luke 15:17), the older brother must realize the sinfulness of his heart and repent.

 

In a world dominated by divisive hatred, it is crucial for God’s people to be peacemakers wearing the shoes of the preparation of the gospel of peace wherever they go (Ephesians 6:15; Matthew 15:9). The world already sees enough divisive hatred and does not need to see the Church contributing to more divisiveness. The Church must take a moral stand on issues but must also point the lost to Christ so they can receive salvation and the forgiveness of sins. If you are reading this and have not asked the Lord to forgive you of your sins, I invite you to do so now by praying with me,

 

Dear Lord Jesus, I know I have sinned (Romans 3:23) and know that the penalty for my sin is death (Romans 6:23).  I ask you to forgive me of my sin and cleanse me as you promise in your Word (1 John 1:9).  I believe you died, spent three days in the grave, and resurrected from the dead and now declare you Lord of my life.

 

The challenge in 2022 for those believing in Jesus Christ as Savior is not the flaunting of moral superiority but being peacemakers by sharing the Gospel of peace in a lost world. May God bless and challenge everyone reading this post.