Unlocking Romans Block 3 Session 3

Heavenly Father, we thank you for calling us back uh in the afternoon. May you give us the awakened spirit and allowed us to feel the touch of the Holy Spirit. Allowed us to know your heart, know the urgency and passion in the heart of Apostle Paul to save many and to tell the gospel u to many. uh allow us to learn your word deeply, always discover the new insights and always allow the word of God to talk to our lives. We commit the following time in your hand. In the name of Jesus Christ, we prayed. Amen. Uh we'll continue to look at Romans uh Romans chapter 2. Want to speed up a little bit. Uh walk through Romans will see the sin of the believers. So namely the Jews. uh Romans chapter 2 verse 1 to verse 29. So this morning we uh say some people have different opinion about the division of this section. Some people consider Romans chapter 2 verse one to verse 16 was not talking to the Jews specifically but talked to all those who held superiority superiority inside of their heart and passed judgment to others thinking they were better. If we are not thinking about the original context, we may feel that makes sense and also because literally uh in this section there was no uh specific mentioning uh that Paul was tackling the Jews. uh but knowing the context of his time and how the view of the Jews are also I still consider chapter 2 verse 1 to 16 is about uh the sin inside of the Jews in the first context and also about how this section ends there is also other opinions some people consider uh chapter 2 shouldn't be ended just at verse 29, but rather it should go further until uh chapter 3 verse 8 uh including the discussion of theodysy because they also uh talked about the the the questions from the Jews. So we will we will talked about this part in chapter 3. Uh so I just introduce you different opinions. Um but I think the division of chapter 2 in my opinion is quite well done. Uh so the key points of this part if you're going to teach others Romans chapter 2 what are the key points you want to include in your teaching? Passing judgment. The sin of passing judgment. >> Uhhuh. Hypocrisy. >> Hypocrisy. >> Hypocrisy. What else? Uh-huh. Showing content. >> Showing content of God's mercy. Showing content. Contempt of God's mercy and forgiveness. God's forgiven. Uhhuh. Huh? >> Judgment. Yeah, this is a very important thing. Uh, a lot of people only talk about sin, not sin and judgment. But in chapter one, chapter 2, chapter 3 where Paul was discuss discussing about sin, he talk a lot about the judgment of God. So if we think back chapter one, actually at the end of chapter one, um Paul clearly declared of God's judgment. Uh he will surely judge those who sin. Uh so and those people they knew that God uh God's righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death which is God's judgment. Um so judgment is a very important uh content in the teaching of sin. So when we are teaching sin the modern people tend to teach the consequence of sin and that people realize how sin has brought sufferings to your life how harmful it is to sin. Uh so by telling people about the sequence or telling people about the reason of their pain and struggles which is sin uh it achieves certain p pastoral or missional purpose that people realize how uh important it is to repent and and cast their sinful habit but that's not sufficient right so the very important thing whether people feel good or not whether they are still okay with their sinful habits it or or or they they even bragged about their better living than those who do not commit the same thing. Uh regardless their feeling and their situation of life, there is a ultimate uh consequence which is the the judgment of God. So surely God will judge the sinners. uh so when people know that there is the urgency uh for them to repent they they realize it's important to repent it's urgent to repent otherwise people may say hey I sin I commit this kind of sin that person didn't but I should live a better life than that person and see that person is keeping his or her integrity but his life or her life is nothing more comfortable than mine. So people tend to fall into uh these mindsets and when we teach sin if we try to uh overly emphasize the consequence or the pain singers brought and we will we will uh lose part of the um the target audience because they they they may feel they don't feel the pain. Uh but judgment judgment of God has no one uh running away from it. No one exceptional. Uh so uh it it comes to everyone who sins uh everyone who commits commits sin uh whether they feel uh good or bad about it whether they know this is a sin or not the judgment of God it comes to the sinners. to chapter one uh already talked about judgment and one of the very important thing we miss uh in our discussion of chapter one is gave over. Gave over. God gave them over. So I want to go back to chapter one and put this point there. God gave them over. So this is part of the jud this is part of the judgment. God gave over on them since God giving over. God gave them them over to their shameful lust to their sin. So um how to understand this because it's it's quite hard to understand. We feel and we see in the sound that God does not let go. Uh but it seems that God even gave up. God gave up on man. Oh. So is it is it the meaning of this this verse? Oh, it actually appears several times in chapter one. God gave them over. So what's the meaning? let them do what they want to do. >> So handed them over to something right. Paul also take it as one of the discipline in the church for those who refused to repent uh to the end until being confronted by multiple um parties multiple times for multiple times they still didn't want to repent and Paul says gave them over to their sin so that uh their body may be destroyed that their soul on the day of judgment may be safe so if they want to go their own way. So let go of them and let them suffer and let them be handed over their flesh be handed over to Satan so their soul may repent may may come to the realization. So God gave them over is one way of God's judgment, one form of God's judgment. seems that God has left but actually God has his judgment in his action of giving over. It's not that God is helpless. God couldn't do anything so he just left. But there is one form of God's judgment. And certainly there is this very painful heart inside of God that we really need to know. We need to see the uh personal God. So God as a person personal God doesn't just mean God and me has personal relationship. So this this means God has emotion. God has affection. God has his will, his choice. He is a person. He he's um we can't say he's a person. Three person uh in one. But but this personal God carries the personality. personal God. Uh his pain and his sufferings and his anger and his uh choice pain, suffering, anger and and choice. What else contain this? Um so I think it's we should elaborate this part a bit more. So this is one way of God's judgment so that those who committed sin uh let go so that they actually sleep into the deeper darkness. And so the sinners sleep into the deeper darkness. So in that way they maybe may come out the realization of sin and the uh awakening of the conscious um that gave them over. So instead of being indifferent uh God had God is a wrathful God right. So there is the image of God's wrath. The wrath of God. Let me make it smaller. Yeah, this is also this is God's judgment. Um but in the image of the wrath of God, we see not only the justice of God, not only the justice of God, um but more over the love of God. I'm going to squeeze Try to squeeze everything in. Yeah. How how can we explain God's wrath as the love of God? >> Uhhuh. Uh this is more like just justice of God. There is an explanation of the love of God. Um God's passion and love. How was that revealed in his wrath? Do you have any memory and impression of this? Oh, we should talk about the indifference. The difference between love and indifference rather than have no emotion and staying cool. Uh the personal god uh because of love the love is deep and the wrath is even deeper when he sees his children uh indulged in sin. Yeah. And then we come to chapter two. So we need to recognize the important teaching of the judgment of God. In chapter two, it's done in a more obvious form. Um Paul talked about the judgment of God because those who believe in God, they show contempt uh to God's forgiveness as if there is no judgment towards them. As typically the mindset of the Jews. So before entering into the detail explanation of Romans chapter 2, usually we'll talk about two things. One is the topological approach. theological approach of writings about Jews in Romans or and other Holland epistles. So it's a very important aspects uh because it's very easy for people to just look at it as the Jews problem. uh we may already learn again again and being told that oh this is a believer this is a believer or contemporarily this is myself this is my image as Christian uh but for people who just started to read Romans it's so easy to feel uh this is the scene of the Jews and we look at chapter 9 to 11 which directly talk to the Jews it's also very easy for us to simply look at the proverbs and the history of the Jews and failed to see the topological insights of the contemporary believer. So the topological approach of the writing about Jews we need to apply to believers which literally means Christians and all the things related to Jews that they bragged about uh law and circumcision and holy temple rituals those seemed far away from Christian Christian life But they are actually very close. For example, church membership uh baptism, good deeds, kindness, donation and uh the gospel, right? The the message of the gospel, the concept, so many beautiful concept about love. Uh so you may fill your brain with all of these and feel your feelings of all of these to the point you deceive yourself thinking that you're a very loving person, right? You watch the video generation Z and and one of the typical problem of generation Z or the the situation of generation Z's since young they were exposed to the problems and disasters and pain of the whole world which is beyond what they can carry but they are highly soaked in this virtual world and internet that they are actual ability of living of doing of serving and working were all very weak. So it become like they feel extremely uh kind and sensitive and loving to the point they may feel themselves are very loving cared about people showing empathy to the uh children of the whole world and they may have the affection towards the African children and and they may shed the tears about those who are in natural disasters but they couldn't even wash the dishes for the one who lived together with them so and they fight they divorce Right. So, so the earliest generation Z already experience a wife of divorce and one one key reason they actually separate is because of this contrast of what they think, what they feel and what they could actually do. So, so this is a typical problem inside of the believers because we are taught the noble truth uh and and that those truth are so deep and profound uh whether it's old testament to the to of the Jews and or or the whole book the gospel. So those deep truth we receive we creates the feel we create the feeling that the hearer of the truth are righteous right Romans chapter 2 mentioned about this uh we are not a doer we are hearer we listen to the truth and we felt wow that's how I am I'm superior uh so this is the first thing we want to set the foundation of the typological approach to interpret all the writings about the Jews And secondly, we want to go a little bit into the historic background to introduce the mindset how extreme they are, how how bizarre they are in thinking they are superior than all the Gentiles. But do you remember what we talked about when we talk about the the the mindset of the chosen inside of the Jews? So if you want to introduce the first century Jews the this historic background to your Bible teach Bible students. So what are you going to say? Mhm. You remember. So one thing we always want want to mention is they their understanding towards salvation, right? And then second thing is their attitude towards the non-Jews. >> The prayers. >> Yeah. Three prayers, the very boastful prayers. Uh so their attitude about their own salvation and their attitudes towards the uh Gentiles. So their attitude is about their own salvation. They really believe that they are the descendants of Abraham and they are the circumcised one, right? Descendants descendants of Abraham. Uh sorry for the typo. Uh and also uh they uh the circumcised circized and the chosen the the chosen. So they grew this attitude which leads to the moral hazard. moral hazard means I don't need to be good. I don't need to act well because my salvation is guaranteed. This is guaranteed. This um guaranteed salvation. Guaranteed salvation. attitude towards the gentile. The three famous prayer Jewish uh man made daily. Thank God I'm not a slave. Thank God I'm not a Gentiles. Thank God I'm not a slave. Thank God I'm not a woman. This is the their attitudes. And they also believe that Gentiles will not be saved. They are uncircumcised one. So despise the Gentiles uh thinking that uh they uh are they will sered. They are filthy. They are unholy. they will be doomed to uh they they are doomed to be destructed. So they they are basically the firewood of the hell. Uh so no matter how good they are, how well they behave, they they would they will not be saved. U so that was their um attitudes. also need to introduce this to know uh the the message better and then we'll continue to go to the topic judgment So want to elaborate a little bit passing judgment. This is verse verse one to verse two. This one to sorry to four three vers three. Hypocrisy is actually mentioned it later. We'll do it later. Showing contempt of God's forgiveness, God's love, right? Uh his love uh kindness, forbearance and patience. So riches of his kindness, forbearance, and patience. uh not realizing that God's kindness is intended to lead you to repentance. Oh, I'd better just write kindness for the words and patience. Uh so that's verse four. So abusing we may we may call it abuse abusing God's love and then uh there is one more point stubbornness and verse five unrepent unrepenting image and uh stubbornness and unrepentant heart storing up wrath against yourself for the day of God's wrath when his righteous judgment will be revealed. So that's this five uh oops sorryness and u repentant heart verse five and all these verses actually talk about judgment right we see judgment in verse one judgement in verse one judgment. So yeah, condemn this one is actually condemnation. Oops. There's two judgments. Verse three, this three also talk about judgment and storing up wrath against yourself. I think verse one as well. Verse one is condemnation. Verse two, verse three, verse four, wroth. the day the day of God's wrath and verse five. Oh, sorry. This is verse five, not verse four. Verse five. Where else? uh God's fair judgment actually verse uh the whole passage from verse uh 6 to verse 11 God's fair judgment verse 6 to 11 God's fair judgment it talks about God will repay uh the evil to evil and will punish the evil. Repay each person according to what they have done. And God does not show favoritism. Um so this one does judgement is fair. Which means those who carry the identity as the chosen yet still leave the sinful in a sinful way they will also be judged. Uh and and here he actually um goes to a point of judgment starts from the believers. Where can we find it? Uh, verse 8 verse Oh, sorry. No, let's say verse 9 and verse 10. Chapter 2 verse 9 and verse 10. Can you find it? First for the Jew, then for the Gentiles. And verse 10, the reward, the glory, honor, and peace for everyone who does good. first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For God does not show faith and in the later part there's 12 to this 16 uh it talks about the effectiveness of law uh engraved in people's hearts. So God will judge those who have law which means the Jews according to the law I think delivery and anything else about God's judgments. anything about God's judgment. So actually secret the heart right secret heart uh and this is the uh power of the gospel. Why people who holds the law who hold the law thoughts the law judge the beha behaviors uh the gospel actually uh expose the sin in in the heart and Paul in the length of the gospel he looked back the law he realized actually in the law there is already encoded the law for the heart even in the framework of the whole law the ten commandment the last one. So in Romans chapter 7, he purposely took out the 10th commandment, do not coveret, the commandment about the heart. Uh so when Jesus compared the law and the gospel, he actually didn't abolish the law, but he talked about do not murder, do not commit adultery, right? Do not um what else? Um do not no he didn't talk about stealing. uh he talk about uh making vow right. So so all of this he tried to focus on the heart. So those who think they have done well in their behaviors uh they were exposed of their sins in the heart by the gospel because the gospel is not the standard outwardly but the standard inwardly. Uh so if we show uh hatred towards our brothers it's considered as murder. If we show uh uh we despise our brothers we consider they are fool they are stupid or slow this is considered as a sin of murder uh in in the eyes of Jesus. And if we look at people with lustful eyes and lustful hearts and you know eyes and hearts those even before engaging in the actions or may never developed into actions were already considered as the sin of adultery in the uh in the eyes of God. So God's judgment uh is about heart. So talk about secret um verse 16 and including verse um verse 15 including verse 15 even though the verse itself is about the battle in the conscience this legal court inside this legal court inside of uh a person's heart you show that requirements ments of the law are written on their hearts. Their consciences also bear also bearing witness and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them. So verse 15 and 16 those about uh the effectiveness of law in the heart. Uh and finally uh in I will just make the whole section simple. Uh in second part of Romans chapter 2 from verse 17 to uh verse 29 Paul tackle two things Jews boasted. Jews love to boast. Two things. One is >> no the compared to the Gentiles, what do they have? >> The law. >> They have the law. And what else? Circumcision. Right. Of course, there are other rituals including holy temple. uh mainly two things, the law and circumcision. And Paul actually tackled these two things uh up to verse uh um 20 by 24 is about the law and verse 25 to verse 29 is about the circumcision. uh two things choose both about the law and the circation. So the law the verse 17 to 24 right and this is verse 25 to 29. So how did Paul tackle that? How did he go? Paul exposed the hypocritic image inside of the Jews who thought they kept the law. They are circumcised. They were circumcised. Paul literally points out the inward sin inside uh the Jews. They thought they kept the law. They didn't steal. Uh they were the light, right? They were the teacher and and and they they they were the holy one. Didn't commit adultery. Uh and they hated the idols. They didn't worship idols and they kept the law and they they didn't commit a sin of blasphemy. Uh yet every uh evil or the worst of all the sins they consider those big sins they've committed. Uh so the things in worldly first is the attitude of relying on the law and both they thought they were a light they were a teacher uh they taught others but they didn't teach themselves. So teaching but not teachable a teaching but not teachable. um since teaching but not teacher and stealing right so up to verse uh 21 first part of verse 21 that's about this image teaching but not teachable so that's the fundamental problem inside of the Jews so the law couldn't really speak to their part 18 to verse uh 21 first grace um stealing right uh so what is stealing uh taking what belongs to God as mine taking what belongs to others as mine is coveting and not even giving tithe and uh taking the blessings from God without giving Thanks to him without uh giving what we should give uh and uh adultery. So verse 22 uh and a Napoleon woriing idol stealing the uh Robbing robbing temple this is I what is this what's called robin temple despising the pagans believe belief yet like like the things or some of the things they they they worship for example uh when Jericho was conquered uh Achen actually took the possessions and people discuss how could that scene be so serious. Um of course the primary reasons God asked them to destroy everything. Uh but it was also possible that the things the items have engraved the mark of the pagan worships. When we just moved thing to this site, we really literally discover the yoga signs engraved everywhere is everywhere and and of course on the tools they didn't put the yoga sign but this is how the idol worshiing people try to put their mark in everything they use and even on the silver on the gold and sometimes God allow his people to take the gold and give to the temple uh but having lust to the uh destructible valable things um and destroy the things which is not valuable and taking the valuable things. Saul actually did the same committed the same sin. He kept the fat coughs uh for very selfish purpose for his own desire but he beautify that by saying I'm giving that to God. Um but actually this is this is like robbing robbing was in idol's temple as mine. Um this is idolatry. So one example uh is how the invaders uh to the eastern countries um they they destroy a lot of cultural uh heritages yet they rob all the items made with precious materials uh and exhibited them in their museum uh which was considered as a shame and people may say ah unless Um unless it was robbed you can't keep them well. So uh and those invaders they are from Christian countries. Um and and and verse 23 to 24 is about a scene of blasphemy. That's okay. 3 to 24 and what about the circumcision? So circumcision and uh which is related the identity as Jews. Um so um the change the word uh derived from trudas which means price. So how the BO tle them same in what juice uh in in circwardly without the inward uh circumcisioned heart without the inward identity to seek the praise from God and God alone you fake. You're hypocrite hypocritic. Uh so the true Jews and true circumcision 28 to 29 28. Uh sorry this one is 28 to 29. The law actually covers up to seven. So gentile came to judge This is chapter two. in um then the key some key words actually the floor is already clear the key words um there's nothing very typical but but when when we teach that to to Christians we need to really show this typological approach of interpretation of how arrogant or the spiritual blindness and arrogance inside of the the believers. Yeah. Okay. Chapter three. So chapter 3 verse 1 to 8 sounds like a really odd part unnecessary part of the discussion on theodysy. So should we combine this part with chapter two because it started with a question from the Jews after uh exposing all the sins in the Jews and there is this conversation this interaction. Uh so Paul really did it in a dialectic way that dial dialogical way. Uh so what what is the benefit of being a Jew? But what advantage is there in being a Jew? So because of this people consider probably this part is better to group to chapter 2 uh together with the uh saying of the Jews or what's the function of chapter 3 verse one to verse 8. If we take away this section, just jump directly from the scene of the Jews to the universal reality of sin, then it seems that we still keep the flow. If we amputate the part of Romans chapter 3 verse 1 to8, it seems that it doesn't affect our reading of the whole Romans. So what is the ne necessity of uh chapter 3 verse 1 to 8? So what is the purpose and function? or >> people regardless regardless. >> So both Jews and Gentiles are similar all the people are understand. >> Yeah. Then that's chap chapter 3 verse 9 on what? What about chapter 3 verse 1 to8? >> So what's the function? Can we delete it if we throw that away? >> Yeah. What's the necessity of this part? What's the function >> in the big picture of the doctrinal teaching of Romans? What is the necessity of this part? Chapter 3 verse 9 to verse 20 makes sense people understand or it's talking about the universal reality of sin regardless you are a Jew or a gentile then no problem that that part is fine but what about the first part of chapter 3 I think if you are the people of God and you sin and in chapter two if you comm though you are the people though you are the believer you're still under God's judgment and so I think from here the believers and all the Jews there is a question. What's the benefit of >> Yeah, that's the first question. >> Yeah. What's the benefit of being the >> Yeah. Yeah. It's natural. Chapter 3 verse one uh and two. It's quite natural because you you tackle on them and then same said there's no benefit to be become of becoming a Jew because judgment starts from the house of God. Then I think that justify only chapter 3 verse 1 and two. And what about chapter 3:3 and verse 8? Seems those discussions were not directly related to the Jews. >> I think chapter chapter 3 verse 3 to 8. I think this is the argument that from not the argument >> from who >> the debate and the from the people of God. >> from people of God. >> Yeah. >> So you mean the Jews towards towards whom? Towards God. >> Yeah. >> Uh-huh. >> To answer this judgment. But to answer >> to answer those arguments to respond to those arguments and answer those questions. What's that to do with the the message of the gospel? That's why some people say, hey, this part should go to the chapter two because chapter two talk about the Jews and chapter three probably the problems and questions among the Jews. What do you think? The previous one >> here in order to make the gospel of to remind them about God's faithfulness. >> God's faithfulness. So you think the purpose is to talk about God's faithfulness which is part of the message here especially in the second conversation and uh so so the point is here it's still about judgment chapter 3 the theme of chapter 3 whole chapter 3 is about God's dealings with sin So the foundation is God is right to deal with sin. His right to judge. >> That's verse 1 to8. And verse 9 to 20 is God's dealing with with sin by the law. Later I will elaborate that. And chapter 3 verse 21 until 31 is God's dealing with sin by the gospel. And that kind of imagery matches with Paul's interpretation in Galatians 2. So Paul talk about the way God deals with sin by the law and the gospel. So it's not that God start to introduce the law and think that oh probably law works well but oops it didn't work well so let me send my son and start the era of the gospel. So it was not like that but it's God's plan from the beginning. He deals with sin by the law to capture the sin and to expose the sin to circle the sin to make everybody dis disobed disobedient which is also in Romans chapter 11. Do you want to have a look at that? Chapter 11. Chapter 11 verse 32. For God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. So this is the argument Paul made. This is his understanding of how God deals with sin. He bound everybody under disobedience under sin so that he show mercy and he showed the gospel. And if we turn to Galatians which is the book he wrote at the similar time of writing Romans probably slightly earlier uh but it depends how you define Galatians. I believe Galatians was written at the similar time of of Romans. not much earlier. Uh so verse chapter 3, Galatians chapter 3 verse 22. Verse verse 22. But scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin so that what was promised being given through faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. So circle locked up and chapter 3 verse 9 to 20 has this image train up. uh we may not see that word but the Jewish rabbi uh typically use this skill to take verses from everywhere in the Bible and link them together to talk about one topic. So this is called karas it's it's like a uh a string putting all the post together. So this is a skill used quite often by the Jewish rabbi, skillful rabbi to talk about a topic with all the verses uh like systematic theology, right? So they are systematic theology. So Paul adopted that skill and tried to say that this is how God deal with sin. He used law throughout the whole law. He trained up all the sins from the heart to the mouth to the feet to the whole person being whole being corrupted deprived train them up and this is how God holds everybody accountable to his judgment. So so this image train up all the people under sin and locked up circling. So in Romans in Galatians actually tell us this is how God deal with sin. First step train make sin a sin make sin exposed make sin acknowledged and make all mouth silenced. And then chapter 3 verse 21-31 especially verse 21 to uh to verse uh verse 26 is about God's dealing with the sin by by his mercy by the gospel by sending his son Jesus Christ. So the whole chapter three is actually the complete block about God's dealing with sin and theodysy uh God is right to judge is the foundation. It's very important. So this this part shouldn't be missed. Uh chapter 3 odds dealing with s Romans chapter 3. So we may take part of it and summarize ah this is theodysy and next part this is um uh universal reality of uh the scene of man rights. If you look at in the micro perspective right tick box tick box and then the third part is about justification by faith but what is the relationship between what is the flow? So there is actually this flow connects really well in Romans chapter 3. It connects with Romans chapter 2 with the question among the Jews and then it goes to uh one accusation people made among the Jews uh they made about Paul's gospel gospel encouraged sin right so so Paul came out this uh saying um uh verse 8 uh why not say as someone slanderally claim that we say let us do evil that good may result their condemnation is just. So those who attack Paul attack Jesus saying that gospel abolish the law encourage the sin is saying let us do evil to to make good uh that good may result that to show God is good. Uh so it's a confusion about predestination but it's actually very straightforwardly it's the accusation people had towards the gospel. Um so you have two extremes. One is the uh legalistic uh and uh even the Christians in the church the Jewish Christians who have very weak conscience still fear to do many things. But uh at the other extreme what the gentile believers who was too free who just do whatever and think a gospel just justify me and God show mercy on me. So people look at a life of that extreme that liberate liberal image and they accuse hey see Paul you encourage sin you preach the gospel and they do evil. How about we just all do evil to let your your good god to be very good? So, so towards this sentence, we notice that Paul actually didn't make any reasonable argument, right? People are people are curious why Paul didn't reason like two first two questions. He actually reason he quot scripture but in the third question he just says uh this this person should be condemned. Let us do evil and good may result. their condemnation is just because he's responding to those who accuse the message of the gospel. uh so if we look at the function of Romans chapter 3 verse 18 and first is is a foundational part uh of uh God's dealing with sin to states that God uh is right to judge So it's still about God's judgment and those questions were raised from the Jews. So all questions basically three rounds of conversation. So ma m mainly three question all questions were raised by the Jews to accuse uh the gospel po typically The third uh question uh sl slandery uh by saying let us do evil so that uh that good may result. So contentwise is theodysy. Um it's nothing wrong to say that to summarize in this way but we need to see the overall flow of Romans chapter 3. So don't type in this way. The overall flaw of Romans chapter 3. God is right to judge. Right to deal with saints, right? And God deals with saints by the law. train ch training up all the uh things by this camera. I will just type in this way training all the verse together and uh circling up just now look at Romans chapter chapter 11 right chapter 11 verse 32 bound God has bound everyone over to disobedience so that he may have mercy on them all. Romans chapter 11 verse uh 32 bound I Galatians chapter 3 which verse is it? Galatians chapter 3 verse 22 so locked up where a similar image this is how God deal with uh sin by so this is verse uh 1 to8 this is verse uh 9-2 20 and God deals with saints by the gospel. Yeah. By sending his son by showing his mercy. Um, and this part is about the righteousness of God revealed under the law. And this part is about the righteousness of God apart from the law. Okay. Um, we need to start another slides to talk about Romans chapter 3 because it's a uh very central uh passage. From from here uh Paul review God's plan of salvation in this uh overall picture. Uh this is God's history. So I hope we will not uh look at Romans chapter 3 in a very fragment way uh which is usually how people look at that. Um and this car I will not elaborate it talk about the sinful heart, sinful mouth, sinful feet and and and they they do not fear God. This whole being uh is going against God without fear. And what's very important is chapter 3 verse 19 to 20. 19 to 20. Now we know that whatever the law says it says to those who are under the law so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. Therefore, no one will be declared righteous in God's sight by the works of the law. Rather, through the law, we become conscious of our sin. So, this is the function of the law. See 19 to 20. This is the key verse. law make sin uh being exposed and acknowledged. So we we we are cautious about our sin and this is a very important step of the salvation and we want to elaborate the final part of Romans chapter 3 verse 21-31. Romans chapter 3 verse 21 to 31. So this part actually has two parts. This section has two parts. The first part is verse 21 to 26. Uh basically it's that what God has done. and 27 to 31 how man should respond. So what God has done through his son. So he revealed his righteousness apart from the law. And Paul explained um the impossibility in human beings to glorify God to meet the requirement of righteousness. So um all fall short of the glory of God. In this part there are several key concept uh apart from the law and righteousness of God and and Jesus salvation in verse 24 to 25. Justification, courtroom, uh redemption, slave market and uh properation. uh the uh sacrifice of atonement sacrifice of so three analogies. So apart from the law uh in this part in order to explain apart from the law we need to explain under the law which is highly concentrated in Romans chapter 3 verse 19 to 20 right? So we need to uh explain uh under law. So first first thing is uh under law. So under the law the the righteousness of God is revealed in the way of justice. If you sin you'll be punished. And God definitely prepare reward for those who who does good but who can stand before him. U but apart from the law means we are not judged by the law. So what does that mean? God's love, God's mercy is shown to the sinners. Um so apart from the law and righteousness of God um people also approach this image as justice right to judge a justice of God he's right um but here the righteousness of God is explained as the relationship of love with God human beings the sinners are made right with God by the blood of Jesus Christ and also there is this transmission of righteousness or imputation. We will say imputation. So right relationship with God by grace and also imputation of the righteousness through Jesus. Yeah. Righteousness of God and three analogy. Three analogy. Uh the first purpose, first function is talking to different target audience. Uh justification is talking to >> the Greek and the and the Rome. They acknowledge the legal system really well and uh redemption. It actually contain two things. One is slave market talking to basically the Gentiles who knows the trading slave market. Well, but the idea of redemption also appear in the Old Testament as a exchange and promotion. The unclean one is exchanged by the clean one is called redemption. So redemption is not merely the idea using slave market but also the idea using the old testament. Uh but here we consider mainly it's talking to different target audience to the gentiles. >> Yeah it's different atonement I'm I'm going to explain redemption means you know the meaning of redemption exchange and promotion. So two meaning exchange is not everything promotion. So the good exchange the bad. So the bad is made good. This promotion uh and and sacrifice of atonement atonement this word uh firstly is is a Latin a Latin word at one month. What does that mean? at one month. So may make two parties into one. Uh if you pay attention to some translation, it may translate as the sacrifice of reconciliation. So atonement basically means re reconciling two broken party two parties holding hostility towards each other. So when man sin this is how God is God is a wrathful God because he's justice and he's loving God. He can't just tolerate sin. And we also feel distance with God because of the distrust the sin of Adam which distrusts God and disobey God. So we don't trust God's love. We don't know God's love. But Christ make the atonement. He make the reconciliation of the two broken parties as one. That's that's why it's called atonement. It's totally different from redemption. Redemption emphasize exchange and promotion. And atonement emphasize the sacrifice offer to make two parties as one. So that's the peak point of all the offerings in the Levitic law. Uh all kinds of offerings and sacrifices but this atonement is the peak points. This atonement reconcile God and man and Jesus Christ is the lamp of the sacrifice of atonement. uh besides talking to different target audience, Paul also used these three analogies to emphasize different angles to look at this grace through Jesus Christ. So what are these? What are the different emphasises held by different analogy? penalty. Yeah. >> Substitution. The substitution is more like >> redemption. Yeah, I think closer to redemption justification. What is the emphasis of? They definitely have overlapping parts. Um, so but but what is the emphasis? Mhm. >> Legally. Legitimacy. Legitimacy. Uh so the legitimacy of the gospel, the grace of the gospel of our salvation because it's highly valued. Uh you can't just let go. Muslims may describe God as the almighty and as the unlimited God. Can't God just forgive you? And they felt Christian God is very foolish. Why do you need to forgive the sinners by killing a son? So why do you need to do that? You are God. You can just do whatever. You can just forgive. But we say no. God make the salvation of the sinners legitimate. So this justification uh means Christ carry all the penalty that the sinners need to carry and pay it off, get it done. So the justice judge God declare the sinlessness the release of the criminal. So this picture uh really allow us to see the legitimacy of our salvation. and what else? Uh in the history of Christian doctrinal development, justification by faith, right? Justification by faith, that justification is different from this analogy, justification. But this word is is favored even if justification by faith this phrase doesn't exist. So we are made righteous by by grace and by faith. Uh this word is favored because this emphasis of the foric salvation. So as a c criminal we can't do anything >> to to solve the penalties. Of course we can't do anything in any scenario where we're a slave. We also can't do anything. But but as the criminal except doing all the all dealing with all the penalties, paying all the penalties, we we can't escape the righteous the judge. Uh but this grace is for sick. Uh so which means it's foreign. Foreign means foreign is given. So someone righteous come came and took away all the penalties and suffered the penalties so that we're done. So it's typically the the the cultural understanding of under the culture of guilt. You can distinguish the culture of guilt and culture of shame. In in culture of guilt if I made a mistake my mistake and myself person is view somehow separately if I made a mistake I've fixed this I apologize for this mistake the the the the cloud will think oh what a great person she solved the problem and she apologized about her problem so that's accept her and that's also affirm her as a person who is honestly who who is honest, who admit the problem and solve the problem responsible. But in a culture of shame, you may see, hey, why this Japanese guy kill himself? Can't he just come out and solve the problem? Just apologize to the cloud and solve the problem. And and in the culture of guilt, people thought maybe some people have plots or some they push him to die because the solving the problem is too costly. But but no, it's the culture of shame. People and problem they're bound together. No matter how much you solve the problem that labor is on you, you are the person who used to make this m mistake. So couldn't car being not being able to carry the shame. People choose to kill themsel. So so it's a very different approach of culture of understanding. So definitely each culture carry both. But there is the differences in the more communal culture or emphasizing on relationship or your social status, how senior you are, your age, right? Or your your identity in a family and what you have done in the past were highly valued. Uh so they can't be separated from you. But in the culture of guilt which is more individualistic what you've done and who you are people view it relatively separated uh they will not put your past problem to your current issue because current current image because you you already solved that as long as you solve it you don't hide it you don't try to keep your face fame and hide it uh so the practice the common practice in the culture of shame uh will be considered as very nasty in a culture of guilt because you try to make yourself have good image so you cover up your past. So it's not acceptable. Uh so in a culture of guilt that's understand this this approach this this this analogy of justification. So why you can be simply let go by the judge because your penalty is dealt with. So the judge view you as a person who already pay off everything then you can go uh so uh that that's the emphasis um for rain sick uh rescue and the image of redemption. So what does it emphasize? >> Substitution. >> What's the message embedded? >> Yeah. to pay the price of his blood. >> Yeah, he emphasized on the price paid. Actually, you think about related to the target audience. What does the Gentiles really value as a slave? You value about the price paid and also the freedom you have. So, we emphasize on the price Christ has paid and the freedom um from sin. because of the price. And what about atonement? This is actually directly deal with sin, right? Sin and relationship with God because it's talking to the religious people uh and reconciliation. How can sinners dwell together with God? It's impossible. According to the law, the holy God cannot dwell with the sinners. So the problem exists and just stay there. I can't do anything to change it unless a sacrificial lamb is offered to make the reconciliation happen. U so there are different there are overlapping parts um but different emphasis and verse 23 to 20 uh 27 to 20 to 31 is about how man should response uh I will make it simple two things do not boast do not despise so one is your attitude in front of God nothing to boast second is your attitude towards the fellow believers do not despise towards the Gentiles, right towards God or people think I'm I'm chosen. Abraham will help me. I don't need to be perfect because I'm chosen. God loves me or he he's a unlimited credit card. So that's a really wrong mindset and towards the Gentiles despising thinking they will be doomed in the hell. They are the firewood in the hell, right? Those are the wrong mindset inside of the Jews. But the work of Jesus Christ, the saving grace allowed us to have the right attitude. So no boast, no discretations. So nothing to boast not by the law of the works but by law of faith. uh and no discrimination because everyone's made everyone is accountable uh in front of God and fall short of the glory of God but everyone is made uh reconciled to God and and we are made as one in Jesus Christ. So God is the God of the circumcised and the God of uncircumcised. the same God. God justify the Jews uh the circumcised and God also justify the uncircumcised um by the same faith. Uh and verse 31 somehow responds to the previous question raised in the first part. Those attackers slanderous who says gospel nullify the law. So Paul say in verse 31 uh do we then nullify the law by this faith? Not at all. Rather we uphold the law. But instead of jumping into chapter uh six and seven to talk about how the the gospel uphold the law. Um Paul actually start to talk about history. So chapter 4 was mainly about Abraham. We say Abraham and David but actually David only carries a minor part. So what Paul tried to say is uh God is the same. From the beginning he started to talk about gospel from verse two pro promised by the prophecy and also uh chapter um three uh so uh this is chapter 3 yeah chapter 3 verse 21 uh which the law and prophet testify is not and a new invention to notify the law. Nor was it a uh supplementary aid for the sinners who could not abide to God's uh lawful standards but it is the um plan and promise of God since the beginning. So this is the function of talking about history and the similar passage can be found in Romans chapter 1 verse two Romans chapter 3 verse 21. So it's promised by God. This is God's plan. This is God's plan. So so why why did Paul try try to talk in this way? He tried to change the wrong mindset towards the law. Certainly the Jews love the law but they failed to see the function and limitation of the law. Law is not the ladders allowing us to climb to the heaven. Law plays the function as the mirror to allow us to see how sinful we are. And this is the design of God. So from the beginning, God never intend to use law to perfect you to make you righteous. From the beginning, God gave law for us to know our sin. So it's the Jews who misunderstood it. So through the lens of the gospel, Paul revealed the law he used to love so much and see his uh missing part. He was blinded to see very important uh parts uh of God's heart by giving the law. So he probably say, "Hey, why I never see the 10th commandment? Do not cover it, right?" Probably that was his realization. It's been there all the time. We know that all the time, but we just never see it because the gospel enlighten our eyes to see the history of God and God's purpose of giving us the law. uh viewing the law uh through the lens of the gospel. So this actually take take place regularly. This took place regularly in post writing. So Abraham's faith. What are we going to talk about here? So in Abraham's faith, what are you going to talk about? >> Yeah. So righteousness by faith. What else? Circumcision. Okay. Supercition. Nothing to boast in the flesh. And what else? Promise inheriting inheritance of the promise. Uh so in Galatians it actually share the same theme. Uh what enable us to inherit the promise from Abraham. This is what Jews really valued. Um but Paul says um the blessing and promise of God is only inherited by faith. And there is a one important thing about resurrection. So the new life in Christ coming after the justification And there is a small passage about David here. So what is the function to talk about David? These two figures were not parallely dis discussed in chapter 4. So major figure is Abraham >> but David also appear. So what is the purpose? What is the purpose of talking about David? Something in Abraham's story may not reveal that strongly but very very important in the message of the gospel. Sin and forgiveness. Of course, Abraham definitely received the forgiveness from God, but it's not very apparent, but sin and forgiveness is very very obvious in David's song. So, the blessing comes by forgiveness of sin. Yep, that's Romans chapter 4. Uh, why can't we skip Romans chapter 4 and go directly to Romans chapter 5? If we take away Romans chapter 4, go directly from chapter 3 to chapter five, it also makes sense. >> What's so important about chapter 4? justification. >> Yeah. So we always need to bear in our mind the pastoral function of this letter. So Paul is not writing a thesis. Any part can be taken away. He's talking to the congregation and the congregation contains the weak and the strong. Right? So, so and many many questions and concerns are from the weak from the Jews. Uh, and there are various of misunderstanding towards the gospels towards the gospel among the Jews. So that that's why Paul somehow spend a lot of effort talking to the Jews. But this is not merely to the Jews. We already look at the function of history. Paul tried to say that the gospel we believe has is the promise of God. It has the history is the overall plan of God from the beginning. The same God, not two gods, same God who justified, who made Abraham uh uh righteous by faith is the God who justified us in Jesus Christ. and then we'll come to chapter five. Should we take a 10 minutes break and come back? We'll pray shortly and take a small break and come back. Heavenly Father, um thank you for giving us such a precious book. Uh allowed us to really understand it through the heart of Apostle Paul even if we may not see a movie playing displaying in front of us. um help us to restore the very first context, the very first occasion when this letter was addressed so that we can understand the message better. So we can translate the message into the context today and preach it powerfully. In the name of Jesus Christ we prayed. Amen.