Romans, Day 3
Prevalence of Sin – Part 2 (Romans 2:17 – 3:20)
It amazes me how often people’s actions and words do not match. A phrase I heard quite often while growing up was, “Do as I say, not as I do.” Sometimes, people would say it as a joke when they were purposely doing something wrong in front of someone else. I have known people who seemed to be experts in telling people not to do the things that they themselves did. I remember this one classmate in college who would publicly denounce some movies because of their non-biblical content. That didn’t bother me because we all have opinions, but what did bother me was that they then proceeded to watch the movie in the theater so they could tell everyone else exactly how bad it was. I could hardly believe it. How could they tell all of us not to watch the movie and then go see it for themselves? The thing is, I think we can all be guilty of this from time to time.
This passage gives us as Christians an excellent opportunity to self-reflect. Do we practice what we preach? We talk about loving God and loving others, but do we love ourselves more? We talk about putting God’s will before our own, but do we end up seeking our own desires first? We talk about the importance of spending time daily in God’s Word, but do we end up filling our day with other things and then not leave anything for Him? These can be very difficult questions to ask, but they are also good questions to ask.
Paul was concerned about the Jews in this passage because they were so focused on keeping certain aspects of the Law, but then they neglected their own spirituality. They were so busy telling others what they needed to do that they did not stop to think about what they themselves were doing. I know politics can be a touchy subject, but how many politicians have you known that say we need to take care of this planet while they are flying in their private jet? Or how many say publicly that we need to support a certain group of people only to make decisions later that hurt them?
Sadly, Christians are not immune to this way of living. Lately, my mind keeps thinking about a certain man who was big in the Christian world, but since his death, his reputation has been shattered because of his massive, habitual moral failures. Now, I am not pointing the finger at anyone, because I am not perfect either, but as a Christian, our desire should be to follow God’s Word. That does not mean that you will never fail. What it does mean, however, is that when you do fail, repent, make amends, and strive to not do it again. Don’t live two lives.
I challenge you to examine your own heart. Do you have two sets of rules: one for others and one for yourself? Do you find yourself doing the very same things that you tell others not to do? Do you justify your thoughts and actions? Do the ends justify the means? Psalm 139:23 – 24: “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!”
Pastor David Guenin