“The just shall live by faith” is a key statement in Romans 1:17. Through Romans, God tells us that the world as a whole isn’t justified because it is unbelieving. The Word also shows us that a moral person is not justified by his morals. Today, we see in this section of Romans that the religious person is not justified by religion. The word Jew identifies the religious person in this passage. The word Jew means praiseworthy. Thus, the person who is Jewish in the proper literal sense does not need a specific national origin, but a special work of God’s grace.
- Profession does not make us praiseworthy (Romans 2:17-18)
- I am a Jew was a claim made by many
- Speaks of a special call
- Suggests a special quality
- I am of the truth
- I rely on the law
- I know God’s will
- I am a Jew was a claim made by many
This argument is up to date when you substitute the word Christian for Jew. These claims do not make us praiseworthy.
- Production does not make us praiseworthy (Romans 2:19-25)
- The claim of what I am
- Guide to the blind
- Light to those in darkness
- Corrector
- Teacher
- What I do
- Steal
- Commit adultery
- Rob
- Break the law
- The claim of what I am
- Privilege does not make us praiseworthy (Romans 2:28-29)
- The identity of the Jew signified privilege
- Going through a ceremony does not make one praiseworthy
- Change within one’s life is what is praiseworthy
- The identity of the Jew signified privilege
What matters is not how we appear to men; it is who we are before God. Therefore, each of us needs to examine his own life to see whether his faith is genuine.
