Saturday, November 26
Dishonor God
Scripture: Job 28-29, Romans 2
Romans 2:23–24 You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 For, as it is written: The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.
Observation
These early chapters of Romans are Paul’s most thorough presentation of the gospel. He lays out the universal rebellion and sin of humanity (our need) and God’s gracious answer in Christ. Starting in 2:17, Paul addresses Jews who have God’s law but have failed to live by it. He makes it clear that there is no advantage to having God’s law if one breaks it. The Jews with the law were as sinful (and in need) as the Gentiles who didn’t have it.
In v. 17-24, he takes the Jews to task for failing to live by the light they had (the law). On the one hand, they boasted about being God’s chosen and having God’s revelation; on the other hand, they dishonored God by breaking the law, and consequently the Gentiles blasphemed the name of God. Their behavior brought dishonor to God.
Application
The same could be written to Christians today. When we fail to live by the gospel, we bring dishonor on the Lord we say we love.
As I said yesterday, this can be done by a smug or even angry self-righteousness, or by a careless disregard for God’s word. On the one hand, we have truth without grace—we pride ourselves in our righteousness and look down on others. On the other hand, we have grace without truth—we abandon God’s standards and conform to the world around us. Either one fails to honor Jesus who was full of grace and truth. (John 1:14, 17)
Paul’s particular complaint to the Jews was that they weren’t living by the standards they professed. They were no different than the Gentiles.
As followers of Jesus, we should be different as He is different—holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:14-16). The word “holy” means set apart, not common, unique, different.
We face tremendous pressure to conform to the world we live in. Jesus warned us that the world would hate us because we’re different (see John 15:18-25). And later in this book, Paul tells us, “Do not be conformed to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” Not conformed, but transformed—different.
We are called to be different—different in our values, behaviors, morals, words, relationships, grace and truth. We are called to be like the One we love.
Prayer: Lord, I don’t want to be one who brings dishonor to You, but I want to honor You by my life—all of it. My private and public life, my words and deeds and motives—all of it.