13 August 2023

Sunday School Special : Romans – Lesson 12

Sunday School Special : Romans – Lesson 12
Text: Romans 2:25-29

Speaker:
Rev Dr Charles Tan
Series:
Sunday School Special : Romans

Message Notes

SENIOR SUNDAY SCHOOL                                                      13 August 2023

Text: Romans 2

Subject: The Judgment of God VIII

25 For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 

26 Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision?

 27 And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfils the law, judge you who, even with your [written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? 

28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 

29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.

Romans 2:25-29

THE RITE OF CIRCUMCISION

1. This was a major matter in Judaism (Cf Genesis 17)

2. The significance to the Jews was huge:

a) Ethnic
b) Cultural
c) Traditional
d) Religious
e) Covenant of Israel
f) Personal

THE PROBLEM OF SIN

1. The circumcised Jew can also be guilty of the following

a) He can break the law
b) Obviously, he does for no man can keep the Law perfectly
c) He is in fact a transgressor of the law and is liable for judgment

2. Does Circumcision help him to escape Judgment?

The simple answer is NO!

THE UNCIRCUMCISED GENTILE

1. Circumcision is generally not practised by Gentiles

2. But what if he is uncircumcised but he regards and respects the Law of God?

a) The written Moral Law
b) The unwritten Moral Law

3. He will fare better in judgment than the Jew who is a transgressor

REDEFINING IMPORTANT MATTERS

1. Two things are highlighted:

a) The Jew
b) Circumcision

2. Paul attempts to redefine “The Jew”

a) He is not one outwardly
b) He is one inwardly

3. He attempts to redefine “Circumcision”

a) It is not physical circumcision
b) It is the circumcision of the heart
c) It is circumcision involving the spirit

4. The word “Jew”

a) It speaks of “praise” from God
b) It is not the letter but the spirit
c) Praise from men is immaterial
d) Praise from God is the main thing