Identity - "Knowing Our True Problem" - Romans 2-3:20 - Mike Maglish

LifeSpring Christian Church Sermons

Knowing Our True Problem
Romans 2-3:20
Mike Maglish

Part of IdentityA Study in Romans

September 24, 2023

Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. 2 We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. 3 Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? —Romans 2:1-3“Judge not, that you be not judged. 2 For with the judgment you pronounce you will be judged, and with the measure you use it will be measured to you. 3 Why do you see the speck that is in your brother’s eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when there is the log in your own eye? 5 You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother’s eye. —Matthew 7:1-57 And as they continued to ask him, he stood up and said to them, “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her.” —John 8:7

1. blind guides (Matt 23:16)
2. fools (Matt 23:17)
3. whited supulchres…full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness (Matt 23:27)
4. serpents (Matt 23:33)
5. brood of vipers (Matt 23:33)
6. hypocrites! (Luke 11:44)
7. unmarked graves (Luke 11:44)

11 For God shows no partiality. —Roman 2:11

The Mirror reveals our shortcomings

28 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God. —Romans 2:28-29

The Mirror exposes our motivaitons

9 What then? Are we Jews any better off? No, not at all. For we have already charged that all, both Jews and Greeks, are under sin, 10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” 13 “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.” “The venom of asps is under their lips.” 14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.” 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they have not known.” 18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.” 19 Now we know that whatever the law says it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be stopped, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. 20 For by works of the law no human being will be justified in his sight, since through the law comes knowledge of sin. —Romans 3:9-20

The Mirror lowers our judgement seat

Takeaway: The problem is sin. We are not the solution