The Deadliness of Zealous Ignorance | An Expository Sermon Based on Romans 10:1-4

Scripture

• Romans 10:1–4

About this sermon

Introduction: Truth is not measured by passion. Truth is not measured by commitment. Truth is not measured by effort. That is a lesson that our current culture needs to learn. That is a lesson that an entire generation of young people need to learn. The Gentiles who have been saved have discovered something, arrived at something, received something, that they NEVER SOUGHT. What was that? As verse 3 of chapter 10 makes clear, not just any kind of righteousness, but THE VERY RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD. The righteousness that is God’s own righteousness. The righteousness that God accepts. The righteousness that means fellowship God and receiving the glory of God. The RIGHTEOUSNESS GOD GIVES AS A GIFT, RECEIVED BY FAITH IN HIS SON. The Gentiles that are being saved are not now reconciled to God because this was their lifelong pursuit. GOD BROUGHT IT TO THEM, through the preaching of the gospel. They simply received it by faith in the stumbling stone (9:32-33). But when it came to the Jews, it was just the opposite. THEY HAVE BEEN SEEKING RIGHTEOUSNESS. But their seeking of righteousness was really a seeking after God’s law by an entirely wrong principle. They were seeking to keep God’s law as a means to ACHIEVE A RIGHTEOUSNESS OF THEIR OWN that God would accept. And in their case, that striving manifested a profound ignorance. An ignorance of the holiness of God. An ignorance of the standard required. An ignorance of their own sinfulness. An ignorance of the depth of their plight and what is necessary for their deliverance. And Paul KNOWS THIS ALL TOO WELL, BECAUSE THIS USED TO BE HIS OWN CONDITION. Harrison and Hagner – “Paul has spoken pointedly about Israel’s failure but not censoriously. He has empathy with his countrymen. He knows their plight because their condition was his own condition prior to his conversion.” How does Paul’s pity play out in his own life? HE LONGS FOR THEIR SALVATION HE PRAYS FOR THEIR SALVATION HE PREACHES FOR THEIR SALVATION Question: Do you have pity for poor lost sinners? Do you have pity for those held captive in zealous ignorance? Do you long to see them delivered? Do you pray for their deliverance? Do you speak the truth to them in love? ZEALOUS IGNORANCE IS SINCERE (vs.2) Paul does not question their zeal. There were, without question, heartless hypocrites represented among the unbelieving Jews of Paul’s time. There were people who were not in the truth that didn’t have any real care about the truth. But considering the whole of the Jewish people, Paul could describe an earnest zeal FOR GOD. It is possible to be sincere and to be wrong. It is possible to be deceived. It is possible to be sincerely misguided. It is possible to be blind. ESV Acts 23:1 And looking intently at the council, Paul said, "Brothers, I have lived my life before God in all good conscience up to this day." The only thing that delivered Paul from his own zealous ignorance was the grace of God in Jesus Christ. ESV Galatians 1:11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man's gospel. 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, ESV Philippians 3:3 For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh-- 4 though I myself have reason for confidence in the flesh also. If anyone else thinks he has reason for confidence in the flesh, I have more: 5 circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; as to the law, a Pharisee; 6 as to zeal, a persecutor of the church; as to righteousness under the law, blameless. 7 But whatever gain I had, I counted as loss for the sake of Christ. 8 Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ 9 and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which comes through faith in Christ, the righteousness from God that depends on faith-- 10 that I may know him and the power of his resurrection, and may share his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, 11 that by any means possible I may attain the resurrection from the dead. 12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. One reason why Paul felt such pity for his countryman was that he knew that many were sincere in their lostness.