Practice What You Preach | Romans 2:17-24

The Text

Romans 2:17-24 But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

Some Thoughts

Just as Isaiah penned in chapter 52 verse 5 of his book, because Gods people are enslaved, his name is blasphemed among the Gentiles. In Isaiah it was because they were physically enslaved, and here in the New Testament it's because they are spiritually enslaved.

Why was Israel God's "chosen" people? It was through them that the messiah would come to save his people. It was also through them that the truth of God was to be proclaimed to the nations around Israel. Unfortunately because of Israel's idolatry and general disobedience, God used other nations to continually punish them.

Just as Israel didn't understand the messiah when he came, they also aren't getting that the truth of the law needs to cause repentance and turning to God. Instead they taught about the law and practiced breaking it in their daily lives.

We are called to be a royal priesthood of God in 1st Peter 2:9, and as such we must continually evaluate our lives so that we keep a good testimony before the world for the sake of the gospel and God's glory.