Threats and Traps by Brother Curtis Hansen

         Good morning. This morning we will be reading from the book of Romans. Before we begin, I want to establish that the letters Pull wrote which are in the Bible were not addressing the world at large in his time. They were written to the church. The theme of Romans chapter 1 is righteousness. The christian theme is believe in Jesus but not as an idea. Anyone can say they believe in Jesus and not live like it. In order to believe in Jesus, you have to have a relationship with him. You need to be committed to it every day not on Sunday's or Wednesday nights.

        As you begin to move towards righteousness, true righteousness that isn't full of yourself, there are three threats to righteousness. 1) The thinking you can still live in unrighteousness because you go to church. 2) Secular religious people. This is a group where they take a verse out of context and apply it to their life and live however they want beyond that. For example, the drunk man always likes to use Jesus changing the water into wine at the wedding as his reason to drink. Living in self righteousness is dangerous because it leads you into planting your faith more in your denomination than in biblical instruction. When you define yourself as a denomination first you are operating in the secular mindset. 3) Dogmatic religion or denomination. You may win a point in an argument but lose the witness when you are in public or heaven help us online putting your unsolicited 2 cents in. Religion doesn't make you righteous. How you treat others, and that's not just your immediate circle but everyone, is everything. People will tie themselves to a set of laws and call themselves righteous still today. The Jewish people had over 600 laws to follow in the time of Jesus' ministry. The more you know of this word, the more you're responsible for in your life. 

        Let's look at verse 12 of Romans chapter 2.

        12 For as many as have sinned without law shall also perish without law: and as many as have sinned in the law shall be judged by the law;

        13 (For not the hearers of the law are just before God, but the doers of the law shall be justified.

        There are 5 traps we can fall into and need to use caution around. 1) Information is not transformation. The Bible is a way to live and live daily. It isn't a one time read and you have everything. 2) Covert not overt. Let's look at verse 14.

        14 For when the Gentiles, which have not the law, do by nature the things contained in the law, these, having not the law, are a law unto themselves:

        Gentiles were holding to the law better than the Jews did in this writing. The law was a guiding light to the Gentiles in their comings and goings. The Jewish people however were continually excusing their behavior. If you choose the ways of the world, you accept the world's outcome. We use the Bible as a pair of binoculars on others rather than a mirror for ourself. God is a good God. He gave us not only scriptures but also a conscience. Your conscience cannot save you, but it can lead you away from danger. We should be judging ourselves and the use the Bible as out guide. Judge yourselves openly rather than judge others. Trap 3) Preaching not practicing. Let's go to verse 17.

        17 Behold, thou arty called a Jew, and restart in the law, and mayest thy boast of God,

        18 And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law;

        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 has the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.

        21 Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preaches a man should not steal, dost thou steal?

        22 Thou that says a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?

        23 Thou that Maes thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonors thou God?

        Paul is pointing out that the people are totally confident in the scripture. You can find this people in every place, work, church, stores, wherever. You're judged by your conscience, scripture and what you speak. If you don't have a relationship with someone, don't speak to them. Paul is warning of hypocrisy in the scripture. It's when you teach and speak things like give to the poor, care for the sick, but you won't do a single thing you're speaking. Don't say laws for you but grace for me.

        The next trap- Trap 4) Rules and not relationships. Rules without relationships can be harmful to a person. You can't write and stack rules to eliminate the free will everyone of us has. You should judge things for yourself every day. Let's read verse 24.

        24 For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles though you, as it is written.

        The name of the Lord was being blasphemed because of how the Jewish people behaved. How is the Lord's name holding up to your behavior? Is it being held high in faith or is his name just in name only? Rules demand perfection and not progress. God is patient, graceful, and kind to us. A lot of time though, we don't show the same with others. The last trap- trap 5) Outward not inward.

        25 For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.

        26 Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?

        27 And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfilled the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?

        28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:

        You are seeking and wanting praise from man than from God. You can't proclaim your belief and faith while not holding true to the scriptures. Who's right? You can look down your nose at other denominations, but if you identify more with your denomination and not your faith, you are doing it wrong. You can trace every christian denomination to the beginning when God turned a direction and the people kept going straight.