Romans - Lesson 2B

• Paul is at work knocking down the major religious lies that deceive mankind

  • So far, Paul has dispensed with two of these lies 

    • First, Paul shot down paganism

    • In fact, Paul demonstrated how paganism, the first false religion, is the course for humanity’s depraved condition

    • They are focused on the creature rather than the Creator

  • Out of paganism came the second great religious lie: moralism

    • Moralism is a belief that people are good enough to get into heaven

    • It assumes God grades on a curve or gives credit for trying, and therefore all but the very worst of humanity get into heaven

    • Today, you can find so-called Christian pastors teaching that hell doesn’t exist, which is an example of the lie of moralism

  • Those two lies cover a lot of ground, and many of the world’s religions and even the non-religious fit into these two categories

    • But there are still two more broad religious lies that must be discounted before Paul is ready to explain the one true way we may become righteous

    • Tonight we study the third of these four lies: Nomianism

    • You see in your chart of the structure of Romans that this topic begins in Chapter 2:12

  • Following Nomianism comes Judaism in Chapter 3

    • In this context, Judaism describes the attitude that a Jew is saved automatically because they are descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob

    • But of course, living as a Jew also included following the Law of Moses

    • And this aspect of Judaism may lead you to think that these two sections – Nomianism and Judaism – are actually one and the same topic

    • But as we move through them tonight, we'll see the differences between them

• Let’s begin with Paul’s argument against Nomianism

Rom. 2:12 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;
Rom. 2:13 for it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.

• Paul’s treatment of the the third religious lie begins as a transition out of v.11 where he stated that there is no partiality with God

  • He means that God does not change His standards from one person to another

    • No human being is graded differently than any other, so no one should expect special treatment

    • God will judge each person against a set of expectations or laws 

    • And He will assign an eternal outcome to each that is just

    • And God is so impartial that He will hold us accountable regardless of whether we know His expectations or not

  • In v12, Paul begins this section by talking about the Law

    • He says all who have sinned without the Law will also perish without the Law

    • He’s raising the third religious system of Nomianism 

    • Nomianism is the pursuit of righteousness by means of observing laws (or rules)

  • The largest world religions follow this system including Catholicism and Islam

    • These systems prescribe an intricate system of rules and rituals and teaches that these methods bring a person into heaven

    • They usually include a belief in the exclusivity of their rules

    • Catholics believe that only Catholics go to heaven, muslims believe only muslims go to heaven, etc. 

    • So if one does not have the right set of laws or rules, they perish

• Paul addresses this idea in v.12

  • In the first half of the verse, he agrees that those without God’s Law will perish in their ignorance

    • They perish, of course, because in their ignorance they did not keep the Law and therefore they sinned

    • No man or woman facing God in their judgment moment may claim they deserve Heaven despite their sin, merely because they didn’t know God’s law

    • Their ignorance of the law will not be a defense

    • They will experience the second death of spending eternity in the Lake of Fire

  • If that sounds unfair, remember that we have the same principle in our system of law

    • If you drive too fast through a school zone not realizing that school was in session, you’re still going to get a ticket

    • If you don’t pay enough taxes because you didn’t realize an additional tax was required, you’re still going to pay a penalty

    • Your ignorance of the law or the situation is no defense 

• Nomianism agrees with this philosophy, at least in theory

  • Nomianism maintains that  “good” people are those who keep the rules and “bad” people are those who break the rules

    • When good people keep the rules, they will be rewarded

    • When bad people break the rules, they will be punished

  • Many people find this thinking appealing, especially those of us raised in a Greek-thinking, western culture

    • We’re taught to respect law and order, and that playing by the rules is the right way to achieve what we want

    • We’re raised to appreciate hard work and to expect that our efforts deserve reward

    • So it makes sense to us when someone tells us that God will reward us by this same criteria

    • If we keep God’s rules and observe His rituals, we get to go to heaven

  • But of course, the opposite must also be true

    • Those who break God’s rules must expect to pay the price for their lawbreaking

    • The punishment is just desserts

    • If you do the crime, you should expect to do the time 

• While Nomianism largely holds true in human society, it conceals a fatal flaw when attempting to explain God’s standard for heaven

  • Nomianism claims that keeping rules is required but then makes exceptions for those who don’t keep the rules

    • Religious groups teach that living according to rules and traditions is the way to righteousness and heaven

    • And that failure to keep the rules leads to damnation

    • But everyone breaks rules sooner or later

  • So Nomianism holds that pursuing laws (i.e., rules, rituals) is sufficient to gain God’s approval

    • Nomianism does not require that followers actually keep those laws to receive heaven 

    • For example, have you ever heard someone describe themselves as a “good Catholic” or a “good Muslim?”

    • They aren’t saying they are perfect rule keepers  

    • They’re saying they are one who is sincerely trying

  • In fact, Nomianistic religions assume their followers will fail

    • But these violations do not automatically disqualify someone from heaven

    • Conveniently, these religious systems have rules to cover the inevitable violations and restore the sinner to good standing

  • For example, Catholics teach that those who violate Catholic dogma may receive absolution through confession and doing penance

    • Mormons prescribe a process called repentance and restitution

    • Muslims are taught they may be forgiven by praying day and night, calling upon Allah using specific names they memorize

    • Rule-breaking Jehovah’s Witnesses must submit to a re-education process while demonstrating a proper repentant attitude

• So, every Nomianistic system includes more rules for how the guilty may amend for breaking the initial rules

  • And this is the flaw in Nomianism

    • These system profess that keeping rules is the way to heaven

    • But just as quickly they acknowledge no one keeps the rules

    • Yet somehow they still expect to receive a good judgment from God in the end

  • A cynical follower might conclude that they can ignore the rules altogether while pursuing a life of sin 

    • But when death approaches, they can perform the steps for absolution and still get into heaven

    • That kind of hypocrisy is the logical outworking of nomianism

    • It’s just another lie we tell ourselves, similar to the one moralists profess

  • Both nomianism and moralism pervert the standard God will use to judge

    • Moralism overestimates man’s goodness by assuming he will measure up to God’s standards for heaven

    • While nomianism underestimates God’s standards for heaven, by assuming man’s mistakes aren’t disqualifying 

    • These are two sides of the same counterfeit coin

• In the second half of v.12, Paul exposes the hypocrisy of nomianism

  • He reminds them that those who sin under the Law will be judged by the Law

    • To be under the Law means to have been notified of God’s rules and to be obligated to keep them

    • Should such a person continue to violate those rules despite their knowledge, they too will receive a just penalty

    • Because the Law will condemn them

  • There is no advantage to having the knowledge if it isn’t put to use 

    • And since God shows no partiality, we can expect Him to take note of every rule we break

    • Nomianism’s assumption that effort and sincerity will be enough will be proven wrong in the end

  • Paul targets this flaw in v.13 when he declares that God does not give credit for effort

    • Those who wish to be judged by a law must be prepared to keep it

    • Only those who keep God’s law perfectly should expect to be justified (i.e., declared innocent)

    • Paul’s statement defeats both moralism and nomianism

    • God’s standard for entering heaven isn’t as low as you had hoped, and you’re not as good as you assumed

  • Obviously, Paul’s referring to the Jewish people

    • Gentiles did not receive the Law of God, so they were “without the Law”

    • But Jews were given the Law at the mountain as part of the Old Covenant, and they agreed to keep it

• Perhaps there is no one who practices nomianism more fervently and more scrupulously than a Jew following the Mosaic Law

  • To be clear, Judaism is NOT nomianism 

    • For example, King David and the prophet Daniel, like all Jewish saints, practiced Judaism

    • But scripture testifies that neither of them sought to be righteous before God merely by obeying the Mosaic Law

    • Nevertheless, many Jews throughout history have made that mistake, seeking to be righteous by zealously keeping the Law

    • They twist what the Lord gave Moses into the lie of nomianism

  • But rule-keeping Jews distance themselves from other religions by telling themselves they have the inside track with God

    • While Muslims and Catholics and Mormons and other Gentile religions also follow rules hoping to please God

    • Jews know these Gentiles are following the wrong rules, so they won’t be rewarded in the end

  • Jews on the other hand, have God’s Law given directly to them by the finger of God 

    • So while everyone says they have the “right” rules, only Jews actually do

    • And they suppose that this will make the difference for them

  • This is Jewish nomianism, and it has always been prevalent within the Jewish nation

    • The Pharisees of Jesus’ day practiced Nomianism in this way

    • They claimed to keep the Mosaic Law perfectly, and they found confidence in having the right law and in their own piety

    • But Jesus succeeded in exposing their hypocrisy over and over again

    • He called them white-washed tombs, clean only on the outside

• The sad truth is that even the most accomplished practitioner of nomianism will be disappointed upon their death to learn their efforts were insufficient 

  • The Law of God was simply too demanding and their ability to keep that law was woefully inadequate

    • Everyday, many “good” Catholics and Muslims and Mormons enter into an eternity of punishment because they lacked the right rules and the ability to keep them

    • But likewise, many “good” Jews enter punishment as well though they heard the correct Law

    • Because it matters only if they actually keep the Law, Paul says

  • To prove his point, Paul raises the example of a Gentile who knows nothing of the Law of Moses, yet instinctively conforms his life to the Law’s requirements 

Rom. 2:14 For when Gentiles who do not have the Law do instinctively the things of the Law, these, not having the Law, are a law to themselves,
Rom. 2:15 in that they show the work of the Law written in their hearts, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them,
Rom. 2:16 on the day when, according to my gospel, God will judge the secrets of men through Christ Jesus.

• The word instinctively could also be translated “by nature,” 

• It refers to a desire within us that is not taught

• So a Gentile who shows mercy or charity or respects another man’s property or tells the truth or honors his marriage vows, is doing the Law 

  • Paul says he is showing the work of the law written on his heart, which we call following our conscience 

  • The work of the Law is to produce righteous behavior, so we see the Law of God at work in his heart though he’s never heard it

  • God is at work in mankind in this way all the time

  • It’s how otherwise sinful people may accomplish good things from time to time

• Paul says a person’s conscience will be his witness when he stands before God

  • His conscience will defend him in times when he followed it 

  • But it will accuse him in the times when he ignored it

• Paul’s point is that Jews should take no satisfaction merely in the fact that they possessed the “right” law

  • The only question that will matter in the end, for both Gentile and Jew, is whether we kept that law

    • In v.16 Paul says a day is coming when we will be judged and even the secret things we’ve said or done will be exposed

    • But that judgment will come “through” Christ Jesus

    • Meaning Christ will judge us against Himself

    • We aren’t judged against ourselves or others, but against the sinless Savior

  • So if you want heaven, you must keep the Law as Jesus did

    • But many Jews in Paul’s day believed they were keeping the Law perfectly

    • Just like the orthodox or ultra-orthodox Jews today feel they’ve met the mark

    • They hold the same point of view of that young ruler

    • After Jesus named off various commandments, the ruler replied, “I’ve kept them from my youth.”

• So Paul next exposes the self-deception that drives nomianism among Jewish people…thinking they are actually keeping the Law when in fact they are not

Rom. 2:17 But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely upon the Law and boast in God,
Rom. 2:18 and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law,
Rom. 2:19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,
Rom. 2:20 a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth,
Rom. 2:21 you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal?
Rom. 2:22 You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?
Rom. 2:23 You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God?
Rom. 2:24 For “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” just as it is written.

• Notice first that Paul is talking to the one who is a Jew and relies on the law and boasts in God

  • That’s Paul’s description of Jewish nomianism 

    • First, they call themselves “Jew” meaning they see themselves as part of the privileged group who have the right rules

    • They rely on those rules (i.e., the Law) as their means to righteousness or heaven

    • And they boast in God, meaning they believe God is pleased 

  • Remember, Paul is focusing on Jewish nomianism as his example, but this description would apply equally to every law-keeping religion

    • Other systems of nomianism simply change the nouns in that sentence  

    • For example, we could say, “You who bear the name ‘Catholic’ and rely upon the magisterium and boast in Mary, etc.”

    • Or we could say, “You who bear the name ‘Muslim' and rely upon the Qur’an and boast in Allah.”

    • Or “You call yourself ‘Mormon’ and rely on the Book of Mormon and boast in Moroni”

    • In all cases, it’s conceit and self-righteousness

  • Nevertheless, the Jewish people were privileged to have the right law

    • Paul says in v.18 that they knew the will of God as revealed in His word 

    • And they approved the things that were essential

    • Paul means they accepted and practiced the rituals that the Lord used to make Israel distinct in the world

    • Things like the feasts and sacrificial system and dietary laws

• So Israel had the right law, but the question remains were they successful in keeping it as some claimed?

  • Paul answers that question by asking a series of rhetorical questions intended to expose their hypocrisy

    • He begins by drawing into question their success

    • He asks are you confident that you are guide to the blind and a light in the darkness?

    • A corrector of the foolish and a teacher of the immature?

  • Paul’s sweeping descriptions alert us to his skepticism as to their claims

    • Notice how he ends v.20

    • Paul asks if they believe that merely possessing the Law has somehow produced these outcomes in them?  

    • That the Law has become the embodiment of knowledge and truth for them?

  • The word embodiment means outward form

    • So Paul is asking has the presence of the Law among the Jewish people produced righteousness in their lives?

    • It’s like asking if I gave your son a rulebook for the game of baseball, would that rulebook (by itself) cause your son to become a Hall of Fame pitcher?

• Knowing that someone in his audience might have been tempted to answer yes, Paul narrows his point through a series of examples

  • In v.21 Paul asks, you Jew who claims to teach the Law to others, are you sure you’re keeping it yourself?

    • You who preach that the Law forbids stealing, have you stolen?

    • He asks the same for adultery and idolatry

  • Jewish people were renown for finding ways around their own laws when it suited their purposes

    • They would find creative ways to charge interest when the Law prohibited the practice, thus stealing from someone

    • They found creative ways to dissolve marriages and permit remarriage (which is adultery) even though the Law said no

    • They would rob pagan temples to obtain gold for themselves, thus revealing their true god, which was money

  • Paul’s point is obvious…the Jewish people (and all people) fall short of the rules somewhere, as I discussed earlier

    • Though they claim perfection in keeping their law, they obey it selectively and inconsistently 

    • So they are breaking the Law even as they claim to follow it, which is not righteousness at all

  • In short, no one who pursues righteousness by keeping rules will be found innocent in the end

    • Even if we were to reduce our system of laws down to just one law, sooner or later we would break it

    • If you doubt me, remember that Adam had only one rule to keep in the Garden and we know how that turned out

  • So the conclusion is inescapable 

    • In v.23 Paul says those who “boast” in the Law are dishonoring the Lord as they break that law

    • Notice he changed their boast from boasting in God to boasting in the Law

    • Because that’s what nomianism does: it makes rules into a god

    • Nomianism doesn’t seek to serve God

    • It seeks to serve the rules we set for ourselves

  • Remember what the Pharisees said to the blind man Jesus healed:

John 9:28 They reviled him and said, “You are His disciple, but we are disciples of Moses.
John 9:29 “We know that God has spoken to Moses, but as for this man, we do not know where He is from.”

• They admit to being disciples of Moses (not of God)

  • They say they follow Moses because they know God spoke to Moses

  • What they’re truly saying is they are disciples of the Law because they know those rules came from God

• To prove his assessment is accurate, Paul quotes scripture where God foretold Israel’s hypocrisy 

  • Paul quotes in v.24 from Isaiah 52:5 where the prophet described this very behavior in his day

    • Israel was blaspheming God before the Gentile nations (who lacked the Law) by their failure to keep the Law

    • So if God declares that those who fail to keep His law are blasphemers, then what prospect did those Jews have of reaching Heaven?

    • Wasn’t their eternal future in jeopardy though they attempted to keep the Law?

    • What does that say about our prospects for the same?

Rom. 2:25 For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.
Rom. 2:26 So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision?
Rom. 2:27 And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor of the Law?
Rom. 2:28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh.
Rom. 2:29 But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.

• Simply put, having the Law won’t be an advantage to the one who can’t keep it

  • Paul says their circumcision is only of value if they are living according to the Law they uphold

  • Circumcision is a euphemistic way of describing those who are part of the family of Israel by birth

  • If a circumcised Jew is a transgressor of the Law, then he might as well be uncircumcised like a Gentile

  • Paul’s saying that being a Jew is no better than being Catholic or Muslim if you don’t live up to the standards revealed in God’s law

• So our identity offers no advantage unless it’s an accurate description of our heart

  • It all comes down to performance

  • A Gentile will get credit for keeping the Law though he never became part of Israel

  • And such a one will stand as a witness against those Jews who ignored the Law despite having the privilege to be among God’s people

• Paul’s conclusion is that our outward condition is not the measure of our righteousness

  • We cannot be judged by how we perform, or even which system we join

    • Who we are before God is not what we show to others 

    • Or even what we tell ourselves

    • It’s what’s true about us on the inside

  • Paul says a Jew is not determined outwardly

    • The mark of a true follower of God is not something made in the flesh

    • It’s a mark on the heart made by God by His spirit

  • Imagine a bottle with a label on the outside

    • The label’s description doesn’t determine the contents of the bottle

    • If we scratch out the description and write a different description, the contents of the bottle don’t change to match our new description 

    • Instead, the contents of the bottle will determine the description on the label

• That’s Paul’s point to the Jew seeking to follow the Law

  • His or her approval won’t be determined by the “letter” Paul says in v.29

    • Notice earlier in v.27 Paul referred to the letter of the Law

    • So Paul’s referring to law in general

  • Our approval before God will not be determined by our accomplishments under a law, not even the Mosaic Law

    • And it certainly won’t depend on the praise of men

    • Only God sets the standards for Heaven, and only He can approve our entrance into His eternal kingdom

• So to summarize the lie of nomianism, it is a religious lie that claims we obtain righteousness by observing laws and rules and rituals

  • It’s the philosophy of major religions including many Jews

    • It’s chief mistake is in overlooking the impact of breaking the rules

    • Everyone breaks the rules in these systems, but they assume God doesn’t mind   

    • Even within Judaism, which does have the right set of rules, they still ignore the consequences of breaking the Law

    • But the word of God says that those who break God’s law will be judged for it

  • So how do we reach out to those trapped in these systems of religious rule-keeping?

    • Frankly, it can be very difficult to pull people out of these systems

    • Jews, Catholics, Mormons and Muslims are some of the hardest people to evangelize – for at least two reasons

  • First, nomianism systems tend to be rooted deeply in culture

    • Generation after generation of families participate in these systems 

    • So a person’s very identity is connected to these systems

    • Furthermore, if you indict their system, you’re implying that their deceased family and friends are not in heaven

    • Often these implications are so threatening that the person shuts down the conversation 

  • There’s no easy way to address these concerns except to redirect their attention back to themselves and the question of their future

    • If they find the truth of the Gospel compelling, there will be time to reconcile with the implication for others

    • No one has a perfect family history, so everyone has relatives who have gone to the grave without knowing the truth

    • So perhaps reassure the person they are not alone

• But secondly, people who are caught in nomianistic systems have difficulty accepting that entry into Heaven won’t be based on personal performance

  • When you tell them that God is even prepared to grant a murderer entry into heaven, they reject that idea as illogical and unfair

    • They see that all achievements in life are based on performance, reward and punishment

    • So how can they believe the Creator does not work in the same way?

  • Jesus addressed this objection specifically when talking to committed law-keepers, the Pharisees 

Matt. 5:17 “Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish but to fulfill.
Matt. 5:18 “For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished.
Matt. 5:19 “Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Matt. 5:20  “For I say to you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will not enter the kingdom of heaven.
Matt. 5:21  “You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘You shall not commit murder’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’
Matt. 5:22 “But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell.

• Jesus’ strategy begins by acknowledging that performance is required to enter Heaven

  • In fact, those who suggested that Jesus was attempting to abolish the Law got it wrong

    • That’s the essential objection of those coming out of a rules-based religion

    • They reject the notion that God doesn’t care about rule keeping

  • And Jesus agrees with them!

    • He says that setting aside even the least Law will have negative consequences

    • While those who keep and teach them will be honored

  • In fact, Jesus says He came into the world to fulfill the Law

    • To fulfill is a Greek word that means to accomplish in full, to fully carry out

    • So Jesus is saying He came to keep the rules of the Law for us so we wouldn’t be judged by them when we fail

  • That’s your first answer to someone caught in these systems

    • Our Gospel message doesn’t claim that God doesn’t care about keeping rules or Law

    • On the contrary, the Gospel tells us how we can keep the rules

    • All God’s rules have already been kept for us by Jesus

    • He lived a sinless life, without breaking any rule, so He has already done all that’s required to satisfy entry into Heaven

• On the other hand, should a person remain determined to keep those rules themselves, they had better be prepared to meet the standard God will use at the judgment

  • Remember, nomianism underestimates the consequences of breaking the rules

    • People caught in these systems are taught that breaking the rules is no big deal

    • They need only say a few words, perform a certain ritual, and God forgives and forgets

  • But Jesus says that our righteousness must surpass that of the Pharisees, which is an unimaginable standard

    • Pharisees lived a lifestyle we can hardly imagine, and few of us would tolerate very long

    • Their every minute was directed by scrupulous rule keeping

    • They fasted several times weekly, said prayers at all hours, and tithed on even the herbs that grew in their garden

    • Rule keeping drove their every thought and action

    • You can see examples of this type of extreme nomianism still alive in Israel among the ultra-orthodox Jews 

  • Even these scrupulous law keepers are falling short of God’s standard, Jesus declares

    • And if you want to know exactly what God’s standard is for entry into Heaven, consider Jesus’ example

    • He says you’ve no doubt heard of the rule that murder is sin and if you murder you will be judged by God

    • Certainly, any one caught up in nomianism would agree that murderers shouldn’t be in Heaven

  • But then Jesus says God’s standard is much stricter than that

    • Have you ever been angry with a brother?

    • Have you ever said an unkind word against someone?

    • Have you ever judged someone to be a fool?

    • Each of these offenses is sufficient to place you in Hell

• So if you have taken comfort in the fact that you haven’t committed murder, you should take a second look at your life

  • Are you sure you have the right rules?

    • Are you sure you’re even keeping the ones you do have?

    • Are you sure God overlooks your mistakes?

    • If God is willing to overlook your failures at the rules, why is keeping the rules even necessary?

    • How does anyone know when they’ve done enough to satisfy God?

  • Or maybe you’re the person who has committed murder? Or you’ve done something you feel is equally disqualifying?

    • And so you struggle to find hope in any system that teaches heaven is reserved for good people

    • Jesus says everyone is in the same boat with you

  • So on Hell’s death row we find murderers seated next to those who hate and those who use profanity and those who call another a fool

    • If calling someone a fool is a disqualifying offense for heaven, then who can qualify?

    • Clearly, systems based on personal performance aren’t going to make us righteous enough

    • If anything, they simply expose our sin and leave us more vulnerable to judgment

    • And so we must look for another solution

• Now as we end Chapter 2 and prepare to move into Chapter 3 next time, notice Paul’s transition

  • He was discussing the nature of a true Jew verses that of one who misuses Jewish Law

    • That is but one major way Judaism is distorted

    • There is another way, which then forms the fourth major religious life

  • I’ll call it Judaism, but here again I’m not talking about authentic Judaism 

    • It’s a system of assuming righteousness by identity

    • It’s unique to Judaism 

    • And it was a major force in the church in Paul’s day