Lawrence Taylor Ministry

Guest (Male): Hello, and welcome to Teaching the Word with Dr. Lawrence Taylor. Each and every week, Dr. Taylor will be sharing a relevant message from the scriptures designed to inform and instruct us in the ways of our God. Dr. Taylor has been the pastor of Kenwood Baptist Church in the Midwood section of Brooklyn for the past 22 years. He brings a wealth of experience to each broadcast, having been a New York City public schools teacher and a theology professor. Stay tuned to the end of the broadcast to find out how to stream today's message. Now, here's Dr.

Taylor.

Lawrence Taylor: The last time we were together, we examined Romans chapter 1 verses 18 to 32. Today, we will look at Romans chapter 2 verses 1 through 16. However, before we delve into this, I need to say something about Paul's Jewish background. In 1977, E. P. Sanders, an eminent New Testament scholar, published his acclaimed work Paul in Palestinian Judaism. Sanders started the debate on what New Testament scholars call today the new perspective on Paul. He contended that New Testament scholars have failed to examine earlier and contemporary Jewish sources during the time of Paul like the Mishnah in order to gain a greater appreciation of what Paul said about Judaism.

Sanders also argued that Paul doesn't draw a picture of a works righteousness religious system, but one that was based on a covenantal relationship between God and his people. To make the accusation that first century Judaism promoted the idea of justification by works is a misreading of Paul according to Sanders. Other New Testament scholars like James Dunn and N. T. Wright followed this line of reasoning. However, a careful examination of Romans 2 shows us that this cannot be the case. First thing we ought to note when we look at our passage here is that Paul is turning his attention now to Jewish people.

Paul was a Jew. He was a one time a Torah observing Jew. In the book of Philippians chapter 3, the apostle Paul describes his life before Christ. In Philippians 3 verses 5 and 6, Paul wrote circumcised the eighth day of the nation of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews. As to the law, a Pharisee. As to zeal, a persecutor of the church. As to righteousness, which is in the law, found blameless. There Paul lays out his pedigree, and he says that he was a law abiding Jew. In the book of Galatians chapter 1 verses 13 and 14, Paul writes that you've heard of my conversation or manner of life in Judaism.

How I used to persecute the church of God beyond measure and tried to destroy it. Also, in the book of Acts chapter 21 verse 39, Paul told the commander of the barracks quote, I am a Jew of Tarsus in Cilicia. And he repeats that when he speaks to the Jewish crowd in chapter 22. Prior to his conversion, Paul or Saul of Tarsus lived for the sake of the Torah and his religion Judaism. This seems to be some hint in the book of Acts and also in Paul's own writings in his own letters that he was a rabbinical student.

So, he had a clear comprehensive knowledge of Judaism. We don't have to speculate about that. Unfortunately for us, we don't have a lot of information about Judaism in the first century. The word Judaism is not found in the Old Testament. The word Jew is used a number of times in what's known as post exilic writings of the Old Testament like the book of Esther, Nehemiah, or Ezra. But the word Judaism is not found. The earliest use of that word is found in 2 Maccabees chapters 2, 8, and 14. Also, in 4 Maccabees chapter 4, which is part of the Apocrypha, which is not included in the Protestant Bible, but it is in the Catholic Bible.

The second writer who uses the word Judaism is Paul. And that's found in Galatians chapters chapter 1 verses 13 and 14. So, therefore, Paul is more than qualified to tell us about Judaism in the first century. Now, it is true we had the Jewish historian Josephus who gives us some insight to first century Judaism. We had the Alexandrian philosopher Philo who helps and also the Talmud. However, New Testament scholars all agree that a valuable source of information now for first century Judaism is the New Testament. The letters of Paul are the only writings that we have of a Pharisee who lived in the first century who left us something in writing.

Therefore, his writings are invaluable, and we need to examine them carefully. In chapter 2 of Romans, Paul gives us some insight about what some Jews thought when it came to Judaism and the Torah. Paul challenges the notion that possession of the Torah was sufficient enough to justify a Jewish person. Well, we actually see this in another Jewish source called the Wisdom of Solomon, an intertestament Jewish writing that's found in the Apocrypha. It reads in chapter 15 beginning at verse 1. But you, oh our God, are gracious and true, long suffering and merciful because you administer all things.

If we should sin, we are yours knowing your power. Not that we should sin, knowing we are considered yours. For to know you is complete righteousness. Well, then the writer goes on to say in this apocryphal work. This document gives us some insight into Paul's argument that a segment of the Jewish community believed that they would escape the judgment of God by merely being in possession of the Torah and the knowledge of God. Paul tells them that the standard that they use to judge the outsider is the same standard that will be used to judge them.

The apostle Paul goes on to lay down a principle about the judgment of God. In Romans chapter 2 verse 2, Paul tells us that the judgment of God is according to truth. Verse 3 delineates the assumption that possession of the Torah was sufficient and guaranteed exemption from the judgment of God. Paul dispels this notion and says it is absolutely false. He challenges the false assumption that judgment would not come upon certain Jews because they possess the Torah or they possess the law of Moses. Paul writes in verse 4, do you think lightly of the riches of his kindness and tolerance and patience that knowing that the kindness of God leads you to repentance?

It also in the following verse he informs us that the judgment of God is against those who are unrepentant. Paul engages in what we should call syllogistic logic. That is the judgment of God is according to truth, and there is no partiality. The Gentiles are condemned for their sinful practices. You Jews practice the same thing that the Gentiles practice. Therefore, you will not escape the judgment of God. Now, Paul is not giving us a theology of justification by works. However, he is dispelling the myth that possession of the Torah alone was sufficient to justify a person.

Hypothetically, if you're going to argue that a person is justified by the law, then that means that you must keep the law. Paul has demonstrated that the principle of God's judgment is against all sinners regardless of their nationality or race. Let's be clear. God is not a bigot. He does not favor one race over the the other. He does not give one group exemption merely because of who they are. Unfortunately, many Christians have failed to understand God's character and his hatred of racial bigot bigotry. You know, I got to tell you a story. When I was a student at a well known Bible college, a college that I won't mention, I faced racial discrimination.

God blessed me with a job at that college. I was the head of the security forces. The college had just moved. They had a new campus, and I was the guy who was the head of security. This way I could pay my tuition. However, my supervisor was a prejudiced man. He told me that he was going to get rid of me. He was going to fire me. Now, I was very conscientious about my duties, but he didn't like me because I was a black man. He made unkind remarks to me and engaged in a campaign of harassment.

He believed that his skin color gave him an advantage over black people. I prayed to God, and I asked God would deliver me, vindicate me from this. And I refused to act unkind towards this bigoted man. One day, I decided to report him to the vice president of the college for his overt racism. I went into the vice president's office, and the vice president's secretary told me to take a seat, that the vice president was looking for me and that he wanted to talk to me about something. When I went into the vice president's office, he smiled, and before I could even report this man, the vice president said to me, I just want you to know that your supervisor has just been fired, and I want to promote you to that position because you are a faithful worker.

I said to myself, God is faithful. Oh, getting back to our text, in Romans chapter 2 verses 12 through 16, Paul expands on the principle of the impartiality of God's judgment. This time he includes Gentiles into his argument. But if you note in verse 12, he says, for as many as sin without the law will perish without the law. Of course, in this case he's referring to Gentiles. Both Jews and Gentiles will perish if they engage in a lawless life. The converse is also true, Paul says. As he continues on, he says that if they live a life according to the law, even if they don't have the law, but the law is written in their hearts, then they will be commended by God.

Well, you know, this also reminds us of an earlier argument that Paul made in chapter 1 when he talked about the issue of intuition. Well, he doesn't use that word, but that's what he implied. He said Gentiles intuitively knew even without having a law without being given this divine revelation that they knew what was wrong and what was right, and you could see it in their judicial systems, how they brought each other to court, how they would indict and accuse each other and uh and you could see this in a number of Gentile nations. This was a God consciousness that was intuitively placed in them.

Paul, like a careful craftsman, fashions his argument. His logic is irrefutable. What is the point that he's making? Well, from verses 1 to 16, the point is no one can come up with an excuse on judgment day. Let's remember Paul has given us a picture of a tribunal. All humanity is standing before God. God has put the Gentiles on trial, and his verdict is guilty. He's put the Jews on trial. His verdict is guilty. So, the essence of it is this, you cannot come up with an excuse. That's why he starts off in chapter 2 verse 1 by saying, you have no excuse, oh man.

You are inexcusable. You cannot come up with anything that will be a defense against the judgment of God. He does not believe that a person will be justified by works. That's not what Paul is arguing. However, if you follow the principle that you are justified by works, God says possessing the knowledge and having the Torah alone will not do it. If you're going to live by that principle, you have to follow the principle through and live by works. Having the Torah will not suffice. Paul's insight to Judaism dispels the ideas that he promoted the new perspective such as the one E.

P. Sanders and others hold to. But I think it is clear where Paul is moving in his argument. He's showing that no one can get right with God on his own. No person has the ability. Every human being stands condemned before God. I like to point something out about verse 13. It says in verse 13, for it is not the hearers of the law who are just before God, but the doers of the law law will be justified. Many see this as a contradiction with Paul's doctrine of justification by faith when he says later on that you are not justified by the law.

But I think we ought to keep in mind he is just following through his logical argument. If you submit yourself to a system of works, you must do those works in order to be justified. You know, I think this point needs to be hammered home because even in many of our churches today, we believe that we have to do something. We have to earn it. We have to merit it that the death of Jesus was not sufficient alone, that we have to add something to this in order to get right standing with God. Many years ago when I was just um new in the faith, I accepted Jesus.

But then I was told by someone who had been in the faith a lot longer than I that that was not enough, that I had to come that night to the church, and I had to go to this bench called the tarrying bench. And I had to tarry for the Holy Spirit, and I had to beg God, and I had to plead, and I had to say the name Jesus over and over and over again uh in order for me to be complete. And I didn't know any better. I didn't know the Bible. So, I went and I saw people with this unique experience, and so therefore, I went to the tarrying bench.

And they put me down and and I got to tell you something. Again, I didn't know much, so I was rolling all over the floor. I tore up many suits tarrying for the Holy Ghost. And they were trying to force me, and they're saying, this is it. You got to get it this way, and you got to get it that way, and and there I was. But then I realized later on that this is human effort. This is an attempt on my part to introduce a system of works through the back door. It is by grace alone, nothing else.

There are no rituals that I have to engage in. I don't have to get on my knees and beg Jesus to do something for me. The reason why I don't have to is because he already did it. His death was sufficient enough to pay the price for all of my sins. And as a result of his death being sufficient enough to pay the price for all my sins, the only obligation I had the only challenge that stood before me was to accept what he had already done for me. And I realized that when you have Jesus, you have it all.

I'd like to remind our listeners that this ministry is a book study. We take one book at a time chapter by chapter, verse by verse, and we are continuing our study in the book of Romans. See you next time.

Guest (Male): Thank you for listening to today's program. This broadcast is an extension of the ministry of Dr. Lawrence Taylor and the Kenwood Baptist Church. To stream today's message, please go to lawrencetaylorministry.com and click on lawrencetaylorministry/message. Please join us again next week at the same time for Teaching the Word with Dr. Lawrence Taylor.

Guest (Female): As long as you are near, please be near me to the end. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path. Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path and a light unto my path. You're the light unto my path.