We're continuing our study of Romans, chapter 2.
You guys want to grab a copy of God's Word and turn to Romans, chapter 2.
!
His Word reads,
For God shows no partiality.
For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law.
And all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law.
For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God,
but the doers of the law who will be justified.
For when Gentiles, who do not have the law by nature, do what the law requires,
they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law.
They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts,
while their conscience also bears witness.
And their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when,
according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men,
by Christ Jesus.
Let's pray together.
Father, You must increase and I must decrease this morning.
God, I pray, I plead,
that I decrease so much that there is none of me left up here this morning.
What is spoken will be Your words to Your people,
to Your church.
God, that if somebody is in here who does not know You,
they would hear Your word for the very first time this morning.
They would repent and believe in You.
God, I plead,
I beg that Your Holy Spirit would continue to move in our hearts.
God, that You have prepared our hearts to hear a word from You.
And the words that are spoken are Your words.
And that combination leaves us different,
leaves us changed this morning.
We pray all this in Jesus' name.
Amen.
As a parent, I love justice.
I look for justice.
If I'm dishing out cereal to my kids,
I try to even it out.
If I give them one candy bar,
I'm going to give each one a candy bar.
I just, I do it.
And even with four or five or six kids in my house,
I try to do that.
I've learned it's not always going to happen.
Jamie's really quick to teach me that
we don't need to always be fair.
But I strive for it.
If there's six Skittles,
I'm giving everybody six Skittles.
If there's two green, two red, two yellow,
I'm going to try to do the same thing.
Have you guys seen a picture of Lady Justice,
a picture or a statue of Lady Justice?
There's different statues,
different little pictures,
but they're all about the same thing.
Lady Justice has a blindfold on.
Her eyes are covered.
She has a scale in one hand
and a sword in another.
She weighs the evidence
and she's blindfolded to show
that she is impartial to anything
or anybody else.
That what is going to decide
and what is going to show justice
is the evidence on the scale.
And the sword is to represent
that she's going to fight to the end
to proclaim justice
based on evidence alone.
She's a great picture of impartiality.
Does not show any favoritism.
Now, of course, we're in a sinful world
and sinful men and women are in charge
and responsible for bringing justice sometimes.
So that doesn't happen all the time
in our world.
But the picture is supposed to illustrate
that she can be impartial.
This morning, verse 11 tells us
that God shows no partiality.
Our Heavenly Father, who is a judge,
is impartial.
He shows no favoritism.
He takes no bribes.
He judges based alone on His righteousness.
Our God shows no partiality.
So everyone, no matter what,
everyone will be judged.
And of course, if you read back last week's study,
we did 6 through 11 or 6 through 10.
We touched on that,
that everyone will be judged.
Well, this morning,
all of mankind are going to be judged
based on God's impartiality.
And verse 12 kind of lays that out for us.
For all who have sinned without the law
will also perish without the law.
So you have those that are without the law
who sin are going to perish without the law.
And all those who have sinned under the law
will be judged by the law.
So we have two groups encompassing all of mankind
covered under this one sentence.
Just think how big God is
for that statement to be true.
That all of mankind will be judged
based on whether they're with the law
or without the law.
Under the law or without the law.
Using that language.
All of mankind, dead and alive.
Throughout all of history,
past to future time,
today and yesterday,
all of mankind will be judged.
The guy who said
we're going to have a rapture yesterday
will be judged.
Everyone will be judged.
And God will show no,
or God will show no partiality
to all mankind,
which means you have no,
show no favoritism.
You cannot earn justice.
His evidence or your evidence
will speak for itself.
The fact,
the truth of verse 11,
that God shows no partiality,
if we are Christians,
if we are believers,
should humble us to know
that we're under that judgment
and yet still made righteous in Christ.
The grace that God has shown us.
We should be humbled
when we read that statement.
If you're not a believer this morning,
you should be scared.
Can't say it any other way.
You should fear
what is going to happen
because everyone
will be judged
based on a God
who is impartial.
So,
Paul kind of breaks it up
into two groups
in verse 12.
Those who have sinned
without the law
and those who have sinned
under the law.
So let's go with the first part.
Those who have sinned
without the law
will also perish
without the law.
These would be the Gentiles,
the pagans,
everyone who is not Jewish.
And I know we've touched on that before.
Paul keeps repeating it
in chapter 2.
He'll repeat it again
in chapter 4.
See, the Jews were given the law
through Moses.
And we talked about the law
in our confessions.
The law was the rule.
And it was what they most zealously followed.
And as we know of history,
eventually,
Jewish people started
following the law
above
or in front of
following God.
So they thought,
if I could just follow these rules,
then I would be good with God.
And we know
based on all of Scripture
that that is not true.
We know now
we have to be born again.
And following the law
is secondary
to knowing
and being a follower of Christ.
So the law then becomes
secondary
to the primary,
which is Christ.
Galatians 3.24 says,
So then the law
was our guardian
until Christ came
in order
that we might be justified
by faith.
It was our guardian.
He kind of nudged us.
The law kind of helped us,
pointing us towards Christ.
That was the point of the law.
So we have this
in the Old Testament,
the law was the point
as to Christ.
In the New Testament,
Christ
and out of Christ,
we follow the law.
Kind of flipped it.
So in the Old Testament,
the law was the point
to somebody
who was going to fulfill the law
was going to be perfect.
And that was Christ.
In the New Testament,
we can't follow the law
without Christ.
We can't do any good
without Him.
So
if we
try to do good,
if we try to follow the law,
we're going to fail
because of our sinful nature.
And that nature
loves
to twist it.
We love to say,
okay,
if I just do enough,
then I'll gain Christ.
If I just do enough,
then I'll gain heaven.
If I just do enough,
then I'll gain the favor
of God.
But guys,
it doesn't work that way.
God's Word is clear
on this subject.
The law
does not make you righteous.
Following rules
or a list
will not make you
a Christian.
And neither will
knowledge of the law.
Knowledge of the law
will not make you righteous.
You know,
we
would be part of
a
camp called
the Reformed Theology.
We have a lot of
arrogance
in our camp
who think that
if I just gain
enough knowledge,
I'm better than that guy.
And I'm afraid
that there's guys
who think if I just
know enough,
then I will be in heaven
when it's all said
and done.
The reality is
that's not the case.
Those who practice
the law,
those who do
religious activities,
those who go to church,
those who sing
in the choir,
it's not
going to make you
a Christian,
those who
memorize the law,
memorize scripture,
memorize hymns,
memorize spiritual songs,
memorize songs
on the fish
or 91.5,
it's not going
to do it.
But I'm afraid
that the Christian
church today
and a lot of churches
around here
and everywhere
is filled with people
who think
if I just do enough,
that I'm going
to be a Christian
and I'm going to be in heaven,
that I am going
to find favor
in God's eyes.
But not only
any of those,
but even a desire
to obey the law
is not going
to make you
a Christian,
is not going
to make you
righteous.
Having those
good motives
isn't going
to do it.
I have good motives
in the morning.
I can't say
all those motives
get done.
Desiring to obey
the law
isn't going
to do it.
So the question
is down
at the root
of who you are.
Down at what
makes you tick.
What are your
desires to do?
What drives you?
Is it just to try
to find favor
in God
so I continue
to do good things?
Why do you
do what you do?
Hearing.
Verse 12
will tell us
hearing,
or verse 13
will tell us
hearing the law
does not make
any righteous.
No one.
The word
is not someone
this word
for hearing
is not someone
who just hears,
but someone
whose job
it is
is to hear.
Someone who's
a professional
listener,
like a college
student.
Your guys'
job is to sit,
to listen,
and to learn.
And you're
going to be
tested based
on what the
professor has
spoken.
Most of the
time,
if you
have a
good
professor,
if you
have a
guy who
just says
read this,
then it's
up to what
you read.
But for my
illustration,
there you go,
all illustrations
fall short
somewhere,
so that's
good evidence.
But this
morning,
a college
student's
professional job
is to listen
and learn.
And you're
going to be
based and
held accountable
based on
what you
have heard.
word.
This is the
picture here
of this
word that
Paul uses
in verse
13.
It says,
for it is
not the
hearers of
the law
who are
righteous
before God,
but the
doers of
the law
who will
be justified.
Not just
hearing,
it's hearing
and then being
held accountable
to what you
hear.
So this
morning,
you guys
are all
hearing and
listening,
and you're
going to be
held accountable
for what you
hear this
morning.
verse 13
says,
though,
just hearing
the word
does
nothing.
Just hearing
the word
does
nothing.
Like any
of these
good things
that I've
listed,
knowledge of
the law,
practicing
the law,
memorizing
the law,
desiring
to do
the law,
hearing
the law,
all of
these
results
are
worthless.
They
lead to
nothing.
Listen to
what the
writer of
Hebrews
says about
those who
hear the
law,
who know
better and
continue.
In
Hebrews
chapter 10,
the writer
says,
for if we
go on
sinning
deliberately
after receiving
the knowledge
of the
truth,
there no
longer
remains a
sacrifice
for sins,
but a
fearful
expectation
of judgment
and a
fury of
fire that
will consume
the adversaries.
Anyone who
has set
aside the
law of
Moses dies
without
mercy on
the evidence
of two or
three witnesses.
How much
worse punishment
do you think
will be
deserved by
the one who
has burned
the Son of
God and
who has
profaned the
blood of the
covenant by
which he has
sanctified and
has outraged
the spirit of
grace?
For we
know him
who said
vengeance is
mine and I
will repay.
And again,
the Lord will
judge his
people.
It is a
fearful thing
to fall into
the hands
of the
living God.
Those are
scary words
for those
who hear
the law.
Matthew
seven,
Jesus is
ending his
sermon on
the Mount
and he
ends with
this.
Says
everyone
then who
hears these
words of
mine,
what I
have taught,
hears these
words of
mine and
does them
will be like
a wise man
who built
his house
on the
rock and
the rain
fell and
the floods
came and
the winds
blew and
beat on
that house,
but it
did not
fall because
it had
been founded
on the
rock.
And
everyone who
hears these
words of
mine and
does not
do them
will be
like a
foolish
man who
built his
house on
the sand
and the
rain fell
and the
floods
came and
the winds
blew and
beat against
that house
and it
fell and
great was
the fall
of it.
Can't
just be
hearers.
The second
part of
verse 13
tells us,
but the
doers,
the doers
of the
law who
will be
justified.
It is the
doers who
will be
justified.
In order
to be
justified,
we must
be doers
of the
law.
James
1,
22 and
24 is
a familiar
verse,
I'm sure.
But be
doers of
the word
and not
hearers only,
deceiving
yourselves.
For if
anyone is
a hearer
of the
word and
not a
doer,
he is
like a
man who
looks
intently
at his
natural
face in
a mirror.
For he
looks at
himself and
goes away
at once,
forgets
what he
was like.
Anyone who
is a hearer
but not a
doer is
like this
man.
He's
forgetful.
He's
lost.
He has
no
reference.
He has
part of
it.
He looks
in the
mirror.
He looks
at the
law.
He sees
it.
He looks
at how
he's
supposed
to act,
but he
doesn't
have the
whole.
He
forgets
it.
He
forgets
what he
looks
like.
Following
the
law,
being
doers
of the
law,
our
works,
prove
justification.
They don't
lead to
justification.
And that's
what Paul is
basically arguing
here.
Our works
prove
justification.
They don't
lead to
justification.
This is a
very important
fact that we
need to get.
We get it in
other scriptures.
He's not
saying do
things.
remember
last week,
verse six,
he will
render to
each one
according to
his works.
That is
based on
Christ and
Christ alone
doing good.
It is
only with
Christ that
we can
obey,
keep and
do the
law.
Christ
being
primary
and the
law
being
secondary.
It is
only with
Jesus
Christ that
we can
do
anything
good.
Jesus
Christ
being the
indicative
and
everything
good
being the
imperative.
Turn to
James chapter
two.
James chapter
two.
James is a
very practical
book.
Very
practical.
If you
want to
learn how to
be a better
Christian,
read James.
He lays
it out for
you very
clearly.
James
chapter
two,
verses
20 through
26.
It's a
big chunk,
but I
want you
to see
this.
Do you
want to
be shown,
you foolish
person,
that faith
apart from
works is
useless?
Was not
Abraham our
father justified
by works when
he offered
up his son
Isaac on
the altar?
You see
that faith
was active
along with
his works
and faith
was completed
by his
works.
And the
scripture was
fulfilled.
It says
Abraham
believed
God
and it
was
counted
to him
as
righteousness
and he
was
called
a
friend
of
God.
You see
that a
person
is justified
by works
and not
by faith
alone.
And in the
same way,
was not
also Rahab
the prostitute
justified
by works
when she
received
the
messengers
and sent
them out
by another
way?
for as
the
body
apart
from
the
spirit
is
dead,
so
also
faith
apart
from
works
is
dead.
I want
you to
kind of
underline
look at
verse 22
is the
important
verse
here.
You see
that faith
was active
along with
works.
So faith
and works
went
together.
And in
the end
that faith
was completed
by his
works.
Abraham
was justified
first and
then did
works.
Works
followed
his
faith.
So Paul
raises a
question back
in Romans
chapter 2.
So we
got that
works being
doers of
the law
in verse
13.
Now 14,
15,
and 16
he kind
of answers
a question
for us.
And that
question is
how then
can those
who have
are not
under the
law,
who have
not heard
the law,
how can
they be
found
guilty?
How is
it that
they can
be judged
fairly?
Because it
looks to
me,
and Paul
has laid
it out,
that the
Gentiles are
at a
disadvantage.
They don't
have the
law.
They don't
have the
rules to
follow.
So how
is it
that God
can judge
impartially?
Well,
there's four
things this
morning that
God will
judge them
based on.
And them
being us
as well,
because I'm
almost certain
there's not
any Jewish
people in
here.
If there
are,
then you
got the
law.
But we're
all Gentiles,
and there's
four things
that God
judges them
based on.
The first
one is the
rejection of
God in
creation.
And this
is found
in Romans
chapter 1.
Paul says
that they
have no
excuse.
verses 1
or 1
chapter 1
19 and
20.
Says for
what can
be known
about God
is plain
to them
because God
has shown
it to
them for
his
invisible
attributes,
namely his
eternal
power and
divine nature
have been
clearly
perceived
ever since
the creation
of the
world and
the things
that have
been made.
So they
are without
excuse.
So God
is going
to judge
them based
on creation
alone,
based on what
God has put
there and
shown them
what is
created and
their rejection
of it.
They're going
to be judged
on.
Not only that,
they're going
to be judged
on the
conduct.
Back to
Romans
chapter 2.
Their conduct
is going to
condemn them.
Verse 14
and then half
of the first
part of 15.
For when
Gentiles who
do not have
the law by
nature do
what the
law requires,
they are a
law to
themselves even
though they
do not have
the law.
They show
that the
work of the
law is
written on
their hearts.
Do you
know the
population of
the world
is saying
estimating to
be 7
billion in
October of
this year?
7 billion
people.
There's
2.8
billion unreached
people groups
or unreached
people.
2.8
billion.
41% of
that 7
billion have
never heard
the gospel,
never read
the gospel,
read the
Bible in
their language.
All 7
billion will
be judged.
All 7
billion will
be condemned
unless they
know Jesus
Christ who
is the
way, the
truth, and
the life.
Now out of
the 7
billion, I'm
sure we can
find one or
two good
people.
I'm sure we
can find one
or two just
good, not
Christians, but
good people.
So let's go
throughout history
and I'm sure we
can find a few
more good people
out there.
Good husbands,
good fathers,
good teachers,
fair businessmen
and women,
fair judges,
honest lawyers.
believers.
The Bible, the
Bible talks
about people
who are
pagan, who
God used
their good
deeds as
well.
Look at,
don't turn
there, but
Daniel chapter
six, you
remember what
happens with
Daniel and
the lion's den
comes back the
next morning and
King Darius
finds him and
he's alive.
And then King
Darius, who's a
pagan, who's not
a Christian, not a
believer, not a
follower of God,
makes a decree
and says,
people, you
will follow the
God of Daniel.
God used
King Darius
and his good
deeds in Acts
chapter 23.
We have the
Roman military
protecting Paul
as he's being
moved and
taken to
different people
and the Jewish
people are getting
angrier and
angrier.
They protect
him.
They're not
they're not
believers.
believers to
God use their
good deeds.
They didn't
have the law,
but they had
knowledge of
God's law.
They had this
moral law
written on
their hearts.
Meaning the
law wasn't
given to them.
They're not
Jewish.
They weren't
given that
that that
law, but
they still knew
right from
wrong.
And their
actions prove
that.
if they
never come to
know Christ,
if they never
repent and
believe their
good lives will
be witnessed
against them.
Their good
lives will
condemn them in
this courtroom,
in the
judgment.
So for you
and for me,
if we do not
come to know
Christ, our
good deeds,
our good
actions, our
desires to do
good are going
to condemn
us and not
be in our
favor.
So first,
there was
rejection of
creation.
God created
it and they
are without
excuse.
Their conduct
condemns them.
But next,
in verse 15,
the middle part
of verse 15,
their conscience
condemns them.
While their
conscience also
bears witness.
A definition
of conscience
is an inner
witness that
judges whether
or not an
act is right
or wrong.
And the
first place we
saw conscience
was in the
Garden of Eden
in chapter
three.
Remember,
Adam and
Eve ate of
the fruit and
immediately they
realized they
were naked and
immediately they
realized something
was wrong.
And God
said, guys,
where are you?
And immediately
what did they
do?
They hid from
God because
something in
them told them
they had done
wrong.
this conscience
appeared.
Now,
there's a
there's an
African tribe.
Their
practice of
testing guilt
to accuse a
person is.
I don't
recommend it,
but pretty
fascinating.
They line up
suspects and
they make them
stick out their
tongue.
And what they
do is they
touch a hot
knife onto
each tongue.
Now, the
innocent person,
the tongue will
sizzle because of
the saliva and
there'll be very
little pain.
But those that
are guilty will
have a dry
tongue and that
knife will stick
and burn and
vicious searing.
that making of
the dry mouth
was the
conscience.
The conscience
is what makes
our body
do that.
Like I said,
I don't
recommend that
parents.
You can use
that too if
you want
to give
parental
advice.
Now,
instinctively,
we're built
with the
senses of
right and
wrong.
we're wired
so that when
we do wrong,
we have some
sort of guilt.
Now, of course,
our consciousness
is very in
sensitivity.
You know,
depending on a
person's right and
wrong, depending on
their mental makeup,
depending on a lot
of things, but
their sensitivity
of their
consciousness,
their
consciences,
not consciousness.
So as a
parent,
you know,
one of my
jobs is to
teach my
kids right and
wrong so that
they can have
a sensitive
conscience, so
that they can
know right and
wrong and feel
guilty and
grow and
become good
people.
Now, of course,
as a parent,
as a Christian
parent, my
ultimate goal is
to raise up
godly, world
changing disciples
of Christ.
But God can
use learning
right and wrong
to lead them
to that point.
So as an
example, a
person who has
good knowledge
of God's
word, has
good knowledge
of right and
wrong, will
have a more
sensitive conscience
than someone who
does not know.
So if, you
know, somebody
who's really
sensitive and
somebody curses,
you kind of
feel, oh,
that's, why
do you do
that?
Or, you
know, you
see it in a
TV show or
a movie.
I didn't like
that.
While others
might just
say, eh,
no big deal,
just kind of,
I didn't think
anything of it.
sensitivity will
also vary based
on whether
that conscience
is obeyed or
resisted.
You know, we
have lepers in
the Bible and
back in the
days of the
Bible, they
thought that
lepers, that
the disease was
that just created
sores on their
bodies and they
just appeared and
they didn't know
why.
Well, they
eventually came to
the realization
or found out
that the
leprosy was
the their
bodies became
insensitive to
what had
happened.
So so they
get a sore,
they get a
cut and they
don't even
know it.
They, you
know, cut
their arm off
and they
don't even
feel it.
There's just
the way that
the leprosy
works.
They become
numb to the
pain.
Their body
doesn't feel
it, so their
body just gets
worse and
worse.
there may
come a time
when a
conscience is
neglected so
much that it
never gives a
warning sign.
In a right and
wrong situation,
our consciences
become like the
lepers.
We just don't
feel it.
We just don't
realize it.
Our body, our
minds, our
conscience becomes
numb to seeing
and doing and
hearing things.
see, God
can use and
uses the
conscience of
men to
guide them
towards
himself.
He also
uses it to
convict men.
We've all
been given
some sense
of right
and wrong.
No matter
how guilty
they feel,
it will not
save them
from judgment
though.
No matter
how guilty
you feel,
no matter
how sensitive
you are,
it's not
going to
save you.
No matter
how remorseful
you feel and
no matter
what action
you take to
right the
wrong,
you're going
to still be
judged.
In those
moments,
those whispers,
words,
the moral law of
God is
spoken.
In those
moments,
the guilty
feelings,
the moral
law is
spoken.
In those
moments with
the faster
heartbeat and
the what do
I do?
The moral
law of God
is spoken.
And the
moral law is
what condemns
those who
are without
Christ.
Listen to this
quote from
Charles Spurgeon.
Do you
imagine that if
men's
consciences
always spoke
loudly and
clearly to
them,
they would
live in the
daily commission
of acts
which are as
opposed to the
right as
darkness to
light?
No,
beloved.
Conscience can
tell me that I
am a sinner,
but conscience
cannot make me
feel that I
am one.
Conscience may
tell me that
such and such
a thing is
wrong,
but how wrong
it is,
conscience
itself does
not know.
Did any
man's conscience
unenlightened
by the Spirit
ever tell him
that his sins
deserved
damnation?
Even our
conscience
condemns us.
Even those
that small
voice like
Pinocchio and
Jiminy Cricket
condemns us.
So,
rejection of
creation
condemns
the Gentile.
Their conduct
condemns
the Gentile.
Their conscience
condemns.
But finally,
their conflicting
thoughts
condemn them.
The last part
of verse 15.
And their
conflicting thoughts
accuse or even
excuse them.
Kind of builds
out of the
conscience,
also bears
witness that
statement just
before that.
See, not only
does their
conscience condemn
them, the
conflict that's
within their
head does
as well.
See,
someone may
fight crime
fervently
and never
give credit
to following
the commands
of Scripture.
Someone may
fight world
hunger and
never have
their lives
changed by
Jesus Christ.
Either example,
though, speaks
to the evidence
that they know
what is right
and what is
wrong.
See, the picture
here is a
courtroom where
on one side
you have the
accused.
Okay,
you've done
this, this,
this, you're
guilty.
And on the
other side, you
have the
excuse, you
have, but I've
done this and
I've done this
and I've thought
this.
That's the
picture, but
either way,
guilt is the
final verdict.
See, even the
hardest pagan or
atheist or
agnostic know
what is good and
what is wrong.
Think about
it.
There is a
universal sense
of remorse when
you hear a
story about a
young child
getting abused
or murdered
or an elderly
person that
way.
Everybody knows
right from
wrong for the
most part,
even with our
sinful nature.
It is because
within every
human being,
a conversation,
a discussion,
an exchange is
occurring,
deciding whether
or not what
has happened
was good or
bad.
What is what
am I going to
do is good or
bad?
And if it was
wrong, then
there is sadness
and those those
thoughts try to
excuse that
person.
Well, I felt
bad for that.
That was sad.
There's malice.
There's desire to
do bad, to do
evil.
And those
thoughts are
going to
accuse.
Either way,
though, based
on Romans
chapter three,
all have
sinned and
fall short of
the glory of
God.
No one is
righteous.
No, not
one.
So just
because you do
good things
more than you
do evil things
does not mean
that you'll be
justified.
And just
because you
know good
and you know
evil does
not mean that
as well.
look at
verse 16.
The section
ends with
I'll back up
to verse 15.
They show
they being the
Gentiles being
us show that
the word of
the law is
written on
their hearts
while their
conscience also
bears witness
and their
conflicting
thoughts accuse
or even excuse
them on that
day when
according to
my gospel,
God judges
the secrets of
men by
Christ Jesus.
The scariest
fact here,
I think,
is that God
knows the
hearts of
men.
There's the
secrets of
men.
Scary.
The apostle
John says
in John
chapter 2,
but Jesus
on his part
did not
entrust himself
to men
because he
knew all
people and
needed no
one to bear
witness about
man for he
himself knew
what was in
man.
Jesus.
God speaking
in Jeremiah
17 says,
I, the
Lord, search
the heart
and test
the mind.
David says
of God
in Psalm
139,
Oh, Lord,
you have
searched me
and known
me.
You know
when I sit
down and
when I rise
up, you
discern my
thoughts from
afar.
You search
out my
path and
my lying
down and
are acquainted
with all
my ways.
That is
scary stuff.
So what
you do
behind closed
doors, what
you think
inside of
your brain,
what you
desire, God
knows.
Wow.
God knows
the heart
of men and
will judge
based on
that evidence
as well.
God.
So what
does that
mean for
the Gentiles
then?
OK, so
they're guilty.
Got it.
Four things
God judges
check.
So what
does that
mean about
us?
We don't
have the
law.
How can
we be
innocent
then?
Well,
Romans 11
talks about
being grafted
in to the
family.
That if we
are believers,
that we are
now, if we
are Christians
and followers
of Christ, we
are now God's
chosen people
spiritually.
There's a
spiritual thing,
no longer
physical, no
longer just
because your
blood is
Jewish.
We have
been grafted
in.
And so
now we
have the
law.
Ephesians
2.
Turn
there.
Ephesians
chapter 2.
Ephesians
chapter 2.
Start reading
in verse 13.
But now
in Christ
Jesus, you
who are once
far off, have
been brought
near by the
blood of
Christ.
For he
himself is
our peace
who has
made us
both one
and has
broken down
in his
flesh the
dividing
wall of
hostility.
By
abolishing
the law
of
commandments
expressed
in
ordinances
that he
might
create
in
himself
one
new
man
in
place
of
the
two.
So
making
peace
and
might
reconcile
us both
to God
in one
body
through the
cross,
thereby
killing
the
hostility.
So what
he's
saying is
that wall
between
Jew
and
Gentile
has
been
broken
down
because
of
Christ
and
the
cross
and
the
death
that
he
suffered.
And
he
came
and preached
!
Who
Were
Near
For
Through
Him
We
Both
Have
Access
In
One
Spirit
To
The
Father
So
Then
You
Are
No
Longer
Strangers
And
Aliens
But
You
Are
Fellow
Citizens
!
Of
The
Saints
And
Members
Of
The
Household
Of
God
Built
On
The
Found
The
Apostles
And
Prophets
Christ
Jesus
Himself
Being
The
Cornerstone
In
Whom
The
Whole
Structure
Being
Joined
Together
Grows
Into
A
Holy
Temple
Of
The
Lord
In
Him
You
Also
Are
Being
Built
Together
Into
A
Dwelling
Place
For
God
By
The
Spirit
So
Because
Of
Christ
Then
We
Can
Be
One
Spirit
Because
Of
Christ
We
Can
Have
The
Law
We
Can
We
Know
Right
We
Are
Now
United
Or
Can
Be
United
In
Christ
And
God
Knows
The
Heart
And
We
Can
Have
A
New
Heart
Because
Of
Him
Because
Of
His
Miraculous
Work
A
Couple
Weeks
Ago
I
Touched
Or
Talked
About
David
And
Bathsheba
Everybody
Knows
This
Story
I
Think
Maybe
Not
Most
People
Know
The
Story
But
In
David
And
Bathsheba
He
Committed
Adultery
He
Then
Had
Her
Husband
Uriah
Killed
He
Then
Married
Her
To
Try
To
Cover
It
Up
And
Act
Like
The
Child
Or
Try
To
Cover
It
Up
With
Uriah
Trying
To
Go
Home
And
He
Would
And
He
Was
A
Noble
Guy
So
Then
He
Married
Her
Trying
To
Cover
It
Up
All
These
Offenses
Are
Major
Offenses
And
God
Could
!
Easily
Justly
Killed
David
But
He
Didn't
He
Didn't
Because
The
Basic
Motivation
And
Direction
Of
David's
Life
What
Drove
David
Was
Not
Selfish
Ambition
Was
Not
Unrighteousness
But
Is
The
Glory
And
Worship
Of
God
That's
What
Drove
David
Read
The
Psalms
He
Repented
He
Put
His
Life
Down
The
Mercy
And
Grace
Of
God
Often
Judas
On
The
Other
Hand
Judas
Had
Everything
Outward
He
Was
A
Disciple
Of
Jesus
He
Cared
For
Those
That
Jesus
Cared
For
He
Helped
Feed
The
Five
Thousand
Although
It
Was
Probably
Against
His
Spirit
Jesus
Judas
Had
Everything
Outward
But
He
Was
Self
Centered
And
Evil
In
The
End
His
Content
Towards
!
Jesus
Came
Out
And
His
Betrayal
And
Finally
In
Judas
Suicide
See
These
Two
Lives
Are
Very
Different
In
Direction
But
In
Both
Thoughts
And
Actions
Led
To
Judgment
They're
Going
To
Be
Judged
On
Their
Thoughts
And
Their
Actions
See
Works
Being
Doers
Of
The
Law
Prove
Justification
They
Prove
Salvation
They
Do
Not
Lead
To
It
Hear
Me
Clearly
!
They
Do
Not
Lead
To
It
They
Prove
It
So
Out
Of
Being
Saved
Being
Born
Again
We
Do
The
Law
We
Are
Doers
Of
The
Law
And
Our
Thoughts
Are
Evidence
They're
Evidence
For
Evidence
Of
Or
Evidence
Of
Against
Being
Justified
In
Faith
See
David
Knew
This
Paul
Knew
This
John
Knew
This
Judas
Not
So
Much
So
My
Question
To
You
Is
Do
You
Know
This
Does
Your
Conscience
Condem
You
Or
Does
It
Excuse
You
Because
Of
Christ
Just
Because
You
Have
Desires
To
Do
Good
Doesn't
Mean
You
Know
Christ
Just
Because
You
Have
Desires
To
Pray
Three
Times
A
Day
Doesn't
Mean
You
Know
God
Let's
Pray
Together
To