I eat my eggs sunny side up of course I am a Christian. I drink my sweet tea from a gallon jug of course I know Jesus. I rode the church bus when I was a kid of course I am going to heaven.
Obviously, we would all agree these things aren’t true. However, some do rest their salvation in a prayer they said once or because they attend church occasionally, or because they do a lot of nice things. This is not a new thought people were struggling with salvation through works and salvation through their birthright since the early church days.
“For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 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 2:28-29
In Romans 1 the Bible talks about the person who blatantly rejects Jesus. Now, in Romans 2 the Bible is talking about the Jewish person who is resting in the law (which Paul says you break anyhow) and the fact that the Jewish person was resting in circumcision given to Abraham as a promise. Paul basically says you rest in those things, but your heart isn’t turned towards Jesus. They had sinned, we have sinned, and the reality is without Jesus we deserve the wrath of God. No one is good, not one. In verse 17-23 it even talks about them doing the things they teach others not too.
It’s not how you cook your eggs, or drink your sweet tea, or if you rode the church bus as a kid. It is about making God Lord over your life. Can you say you are willing to do whatever Jesus tells you to do and go wherever He tells you go?
Jesus is good. It is that goodness that leads us to turning away from our way of doing things and turning to Him. “Or do you despise the riches of His goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads you to repentance?” Romans 2:4
- To Know Jesus. To Live on Mission.