Radical chapter 7 – There is no plan B

Background: The membership of the Roman church was divided along racial and cultural lines. The church was made up of Jews and Gentiles. They had a long history of not getting along with one another. Gentiles perceived Jews as being egotistical and legalistic. Jews perceived Gentiles as second class citizens. They did not regard Gentiles as their equals. Examples of division – Differences over diet and holy days. Tradition (Jew) versus contemporary (Gentile). In his letter to the church in Rome, Paul was determined to bring unity. He began by explaining what Jews and Gentiles had in common.

Read Romans 1:14-32

1. To whom does the gospel bring salvation to? Everyone – Jew and Gentile.

Romans 1:18-32 – Paul speaks to the Gentiles in the Roman church.

2. Since the beginning of time, how has God revealed Himself to the Gentiles – people who have never heard/read the Word of God? verse 20 - Since the creation of the world God’s invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature—have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse.
No excuse for not acknowledging God. Ignorance cannot be used as excuse, because Paul says that the Gentiles knew God.

3. Even though they knew God, what did the Gentiles refuse to do? They refused to worship God. They rejected God. God revealed himself to Gentiles through the natural world around them. They had an understanding of God – his power and holiness – yet they rejected God. Rejection came in the form of idolatry (sun, moon, animals, natural phenomena) and sin. They preferred to worship gods of their own making. Without God, Gentiles became depraved (sexual immorality) and sinful (wickedness, evil, greed, envy, murder, strife, deceit, malice, gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant, boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they have no understanding, no fidelity, no love, no mercy. Although they know God’s righteous decree that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things but also approve of those who practice them. Read Radical page 144.

Upon hearing Paul’s words to their fellow Gentile church members, the Jews in the Roman church were probably saying to them, “You tell them Paul!!! Remind these Gentiles that they’re not as holy as we are. Tell them how sinful they are. They are not as special to God as we are. God and us Jews have always been tight. After all, out of all the nations in the world, He chose us to be His people.” In chapter 2, Paul turns his attention to the Jews.

Read chapter 2:1-11

4. Paul tells the Jews they have no excuse. No excuse for what? Sin. Jews were quick to point out the sin of the Gentiles; yet, they turned a blind eye to their own sins. Read verses 17-24. Ouch!!! Jews are just as sinful as Gentiles.

5. In verse 5, Paul accuses the Jews of being what? Stubborn and unrepentant. They are obstinate when it comes to acknowledging that they are sinful. The Jews reject the truth of their own sinfulness. Therefore, the Jews see no need to repent. When Judgment Day comes around, don’t count on your special relationship with God to spare you from God’s wrath.

6. What is Paul’s conclusion concerning Jews, Gentiles and God? Read Romans 3:9-12

Jews and Gentiles alike are all under the power of sin. As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God. All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one who does good, not even one.” Read verses 13-18

That is mighty depressing!!! You are not very encouraging or uplifting there Paul. Jews and Gentiles alike sinful people. Both have rejected God. However, Paul does not stop here. There is a “but” starting in verse 21.

7. Just as there is no difference between Jew and Gentile when it comes to sin/rejecting God, there is no difference between when Jew and Gentile when it comes to what? Salvation through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ – His death on the cross for our sins. Just as all have sinned, all can know salvation. How? Faith in Jesus Christ. Anything else?

Summarize what Paul is saying to the Roman church:

-All people have knowledge of God: Gentiles through creation; Jews through the Mosaic Law and Prophets
-All people have rejected God to pursue sin: Gentile and Jew alike
-All people are guilty before God and stand condemned but…
-God offers salvation to everyone so that they can avoid condemnation. Romans 10:12-13
-This salvation comes only through Jesus Christ. There is no plan B. There is no other choice. John 3:16; John 14:6

On p. 146, Platt asks the question: “What happens to the innocent man in the middle of Africa who dies without ever hearing the gospel? Will he go to heaven or hell?” What is the answer? According to God’s Word, hell. Why? As Paul informed us in Romans, the innocent man does not exist. If he did exist or if there was some other way that a person can get to heaven other than faith in Jesus Christ, the church has wasted a lot of money and resources in missions and evangelism activities. If an unreached people group in India is assured a ticket to heaven simply because they never heard the gospel, then we need to recall the Fox family and shut down IMB. The truth of the matter is no one is born innocent. The only way the over 1 billion people on this planet who have never the gospel can be made innocent/righteous is through faith in Jesus Christ. Romans 10:14-15 - How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? And how are they to preach unless they are sent? As it is written, "How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the good news!"