Father God, thank you for this time that we can spend reading and studying your Holy Word. Thank you for teaching us in this section that all people, Jew and Gentile need salvation. In Jesus's name we pray, amen.
In these verses, Romans 2:17-20, Paul is very specifically addressing the Jewish people. Many of them believed (and today some of them still believe) that just because they are born Jewish, that they are automatically saved. But, this simply isn't true.
17 Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God,
Just because they are physically born Jewish doesn't make them God's people or "the Israel of God". Rather, unbelieving, disobedient Jews were "of the devil" (John 8:44).
God's people are believers, people who not only believe in God but who BELIEVE God. The Jews were given the law but most of them didn't really believe in it, and couldn't see its true purpose was to show us our sin nature, need for a savior and to turn to God for our salvation. Instead, they wanted to boast in themselves and their self-righteous efforts instead of believing God and giving all glory to God. They would worship false idols all throughout their history including the idol of man-made religion and self-righteousness.
18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;
The Jews were to believe God, follow His law and be a light to the Gentiles. But, they did not do this and in Acts 7, after the stoning of Stephen, the nation of Israel as a whole, fell, and they are still today blinded in part until the fullness of the Gentiles be brought in (Romans 11:25) .
19 And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,
20 An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.
Again they were supposed to be a light in a dark world. They had an advantage because they were given God's word but most of them never understood the purpose of the law, which was to show us our sin nature and need for a savior and to turn to and believe God for our salvation.
Thank you Father God for showing us the truth in your word rightly divided, including the truth that all people Jew and Gentile need salvation. Thank you that through simple faith in Christ's death, burial and resurrection as atonement for our sins, we are saved and given eternal life! In Jesus's name we pray, amen.
Homework: Are people saved if they are born Jewish or born into a "Christian family"? Write the answer out in your journal. Think over these verses in Romans chapter 2 for the answer. How are people actually saved today?
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