Sermon by Rich Richardson on Romans 2:17-24

Knowing about God is no protection from God.

1. Spiritual privileges alone are insufficient.
The Jews were God's people. They had God's Word. They had a special relationship with God.
Over item they went from thinking of themselves as the people of God to the people who had God.

2. Spiritual privileges alone make hypocrites.
Do you practice what you preach?
There is a difference between a religious hypocrite who is going to hell, and a Christian struggling against hypocracy. Genuine Christians struggle against hypocracy because we are not what we should be. A hypocrite is someone who knows about God but does not live for God.

Spiritual privileges are never enough. Trusting in Jesus is always enough.
None of us is more than half awake. May we be awake enough to see the coming wrath of God and fall into the arms of Jesus asking for mercy.

Sermon by Rich Richardson on Romans 2:12-16

Wrath is coming, for the religious too. We will get exactly what we deserve.

Justified = Right before God
It is not enough to hear the law. God's standard is perfect obedience of the law.
Religious people will be judged by an impartial God. For all the times they worshipped something or someone other than God.
There are no loopholes. Is it as bad as all that? It's worse.

The bad news: We need to be saved from God Himself.
The good news: Christ Jesus, mentioned in verse 16.

Christ = title meaning anointed
Jesus = the Lord saves

If our only hope is perfect obedience, then our only hope is Jesus.
How can Jesus be judged for our disobedience? It doesn't make sense. That's why we call it amazing grace.