The Light #
Romans 2:12-16
I. Light of the Law (12) “sinned in the law” #
A. Law’s Severity #
1. Extensiveness - Not just 10 commandments. #
2. Complete obedience #
James 2:10 For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.
B. Law’s limitation - #
1. Cannot justify #
Acts 13:38 Be it known unto you therefore, men and brethren, that through this man is preached unto you the forgiveness of sins: 39 And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
2. Cannot redeem #
Gal. 3:13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.
3. Cannot free from condemnation (Romans 8:1-4) #
4. Cannot give the Holy Spirit (Gal 3:2 Rhetorical) #
C. Law’s Light #
Gal. 3:24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
1. The law revealed sinfulness (imperfection) #
2. The law revealed a need for Salvation! #
II. Light of Nature (12) “sinned without the law” #
A. Revelation in Creation (Rom 1:20) #
1. God is Clearly revealed in heaven! #
Psa. 19:1 ¶ The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
Psa. 97:6 The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.
2. God is clearly revealed in creation #
Is. 40:21-22, 26
B. Revelation in Conscience (Rom 2:14-15) #
1. Man has a conscience #
- Morality is built in… can be calloused, seared,
1Tim. 4:2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
2. Man rejects God #
- Didn’t like to retain God in their thoughts (1:28).
John 3:19 And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.
3. Man re-writes education to omit God #
Eccl. 12:1 ¶ Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;
- There is a war against God!
III. Light of the Gospel (16) #
A. Gospel includes God’s Judgement #
1. Judgement is after death #
Heb. 9:27 And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:
Rev 20:11-15
2. Judgement is a reason to be saved! #
- The fact of the matter, if there were no punishment, no one would get saved!
- If there were no prison, if there were no judges, if there were no law… what would happen???
- There is a Judge (GOD), There is a Judgement day (after death), There is a punishment! (hell)
B. Gospel must be given “my gospel” #
Rom. 1:16 ¶ For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.
1. This was a personal claim of responsibility #
Matt 28:19 says, “Go ye…” Mark 16:15 “Go ye…”
Luke 24:47 And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in his name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem.