SERMON: No Exemptions! (Presumptuous Moralism)

Romans 2:17-24 | Twin City Bible Church | twincitybible.org/media/sermons

The natural human tendency is to assume that judgment—if it is even acknowledged—is something reserved for "those other people," those who are "really bad." There is an instinctive and dangerous presumption that those who are religious, moral, culturally refined, or traditionally privileged are somehow exempt from the judgment of God.

Romans 2:17–24 directly addresses this deadly delusion. The danger is not merely in being mistaken, but in actually being self-deceived — thinking spiritual privilege (being amongst God's covenant people, having the Scriptures and knowledge of God's will) will somehow secure immunity from divine accountability.

The context of this passage broadens the view that Paul has been building since Romans 1:18. After condemning the overt pagan idolatry and rebellion of the Gentile world (Ch. 1), Paul then turns his attention sharply to the Jew—the religious insider—who, despite all their spiritual advantages, were not shielded from God's wrath. Possessing the truth without living the truth invites not protection but greater condemnation.

The passage examines the privileges enjoyed by the Jewish nation and clarifies that these privileges do NOT automatically shield them from God's judgment. The focus is on how (I) privilege can lead to presumption and how (II) presumption can lead to hypocrisy:

I. PRIVILEGE CAN LEAD TO PRESUMPTION

• One privilege discussed is bearing the name "Jew." This name had a significant covenant association, marking the Israelites as God's favored people under the Mosaic covenant. The name "Judah," from which "Jew" comes, means "praise." However, the issue was not the privilege itself, but the mindset of presumption that developed because of it.
• Another privilege was relying upon the law. Possessing the law was a blessing, as Moses declared it would be the envy of other nations. The law was meant to help and enrich the lives of God's people. However, the Jews presumed that merely possessing and knowing the law was enough to escape judgment. Micah 3:11 is cited as an example of this presumption, where corrupt leaders leaned on the Lord, assuming protection due to their special status.
• The privilege of boasting in God is also mentioned. Boasting in God, meaning to glory in and trust in Him, is not inherently wrong and is even the epitome of true worship. Jeremiah 9:23-24 encourages boasting in knowing and understanding God. However, for many Jews, this boasting became an empty act of bragging, leading to the presumption that God was obligated to them.
• Knowing God's will and being able to approve the things that are essential were further privileges. This knowledge of God's moral will came from scripture, allowing them to discern what truly mattered. They were instructed out of the Law from a young age. However, this knowledge was presumed to provide automatic protection from God's judgment.
• The Jews had the privilege of being a guide to the blind and a light to those in darkness. This was their divine vocation, stemming from the Abrahamic covenant and highlighted in Isaiah 49:6. They were meant to be a blessing to all nations. However, they largely failed in this role. Jesus even accused the Pharisees of being blind guides.
• They were also meant to be a corrector of the foolish and a teacher of the immature, possessing the embodiment of knowledge and truth in the Law. While the Gentiles had some knowledge of God through nature and conscience, the Jews had it in a clear and detailed written form. Despite this, many became smug and self-righteous, leading to the sin of presumption.

II. PRESUMPTION CAN LEAD TO HYPOCRISY

• Paul questions the Jews: "you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself?" He implies they violated the very law they treasured and taught to others.
• Rhetorical questions highlight this hypocrisy, referencing some of the Ten Commandments. For example, "You who preach that one should not steal, do you steal?" This exposed the facade of externalism when their hearts were hypocritical. Jesus also called out the scribes and Pharisees as hypocrites. Examples from Matthew 6 regarding giving to the poor, prayer, and fasting further illustrate the nature of hypocrisy.
• Another example is: "You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery?" While adultery was considered a serious offense in the Old Testament (Leviticus 20:10), it was widely practiced in Paul's day, even by religious leaders. Jesus taught that adultery included lust in the heart.
• Paul also asks: "You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?" While the Jews were known for their monotheism, Paul suggests they might have been literally robbing pagan temples for profit, thus profiting from idolatry, the very thing they detested.
• Douglas Moo is quoted, stating that not all Jews committed every sin, but these sins were representative of the contradiction between claim and conduct that pervaded Judaism. This is a danger for moralists today.
• Verses 23 and 24 bring the argument to its apex, returning to the idea of boasting in the law. Paul states: "You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God?" Breaking the law contradicts their boasting in it, bringing reproach to God's name.
• An Old Testament quotation from Isaiah 52:5 is used to confirm this: "For ‘the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,’ just as it is written." This was initially about the exile due to Israel's sin, but Paul applies it to the Jews of his day whose ungodly behavior under Roman rule brought shame to God's name.

In summary, the Jews, despite their immense spiritual privileges, fell into the trap of presumption, which then led to hypocrisy. Their failure to live in accordance with the law they possessed and taught brought dishonor to God among the Gentiles. Parallels are drawn for contemporary Christians, urging self-examination and sincere obedience to God's Word to avoid hypocrisy and to be a positive witness to the world.

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