Romans 2:17-24
A Form of Life

Introduction
1. In Romans 1:16, 17 I am not ashamed of the Gospel…in it the righteousness of God is
revealed. You have to get ‘lost’ before you can be ‘saved’. There is a God-shaped emptiness
on the inside of everyone. Mankind is trying to fill that emptiness. The Rebellious (1:21-32) …The
Righteous (self-righteous) (2:1-16) …The Religious (2:17ff). So, we can grasp its impact…substitute
Christian for the word Jew in verse 17 But if thou art called a Jew (Christian)…
2. Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creation, old things are passed away; behold all
things are become new. (II Cor 5:17) Christianity is the possession of life!
3. Pollster George Gallup observed that most American who profess Christianity don’t act
significantly different from non-Christians in their daily lives.
4. Often our Monday Christianity is different than our Sunday Christianity. The world is tired of
dead Christianity. They want to see (Rom. 1:16, 17) in action.
5. A Christian is not an accumulation of facts about God. A Christian is an organism (anything
that carries out the functions of life). A sheep carries out the functions of animal life. An eagle
carries out the functions of bird life. A plant carries out the functions of plant life.
In the highest realm of existence and experience: A Christian is a spiritual organism who
carries out the function of spiritual life…the life of Christ. Christianity is Life!
6. There is a danger…in verse 20 the Jews had a form of life, but not the real thing. Illustration:
A living plant form of life… compared to artificial flowers have a form of life, but fake, not real).
7. We have mechanized, secularized, homogenized, galvanized, sterilized the Christian life into
something Mr. Average American doesn’t want. It has no meaning. Those dead in sin need
Life. They are sick of religion!
8. Are you presenting a form of life or life? Are you artificial or the real thing?
9. Romans 2:17-24 the Jews had a form of life:

I. THE PRIVILEGES OF A FORM OF LIFE 2:17,18
The flesh can be right and do right things.
A. Right Designation 17a
1. Behold, you are called a Jew…Christian.
2. The Jew was a peculiar people set aside by God. Today, you are an evangelical,
church going protestants or a devout Roman Catholic. These are very religious, but
you need the Gospel! You are called a Christian. You have the right designation…
a form, but no Life!
B. Right Duty 17b
1. You rest in the Law…circumcision. (v. 28) Their life, cleansing and even their
defense rested in the Law.
2. Being a Christian is not walking an aisle, signing a card, baptism or even church
membership. The ‘Christian’ may read the Bible, quote it, memorize it. He or she
may have may even carry it. I know of some who even preach from it! The
problem: There is no Life!
C. Right Deity 17c
1. Who make his boast in God.
2. This is not just any deity, but the one and only God! There is a form…there is no
Life!
D. Right Direction 18a
1. Knows His will…the rest of the world could not make that claim!
2. Having His Word we know His will. There is no Life!
E. Right Decisions 18b
1. You test the things that differ and then comes to the approval of things that are
essential…being instructed out of the Law.
2. They know the facts. Many, many ‘Christians’ know the facts. There is no Life!

II. THE PERSUASION OF A FORM OF LIFE 2:19,20
The flesh can duplicate, imitate the work of the Spirit.
Are confident that you, yourself are…having persuaded yourself. They are the authority. 4
ideas are used:
A. To Be A Guide of the Blind 19a
1. Israel was a magnet of the world to open their eyes. Such was not the case (having
persuaded yourself).
2. The church has persuaded itself that it is a guide to the blind. We’re kidding
ourselves! We have a form, but no Life!
B. To Be A Light of Them Who Are in Darkness 19b
1. To the world Israel was light and life shining amidst a dark world…having
persuaded yourself.
2. We are to be salt and light. We are neither. The salt has lost its saltiness and our
light has all but gone out. We fool ourselves…we have a form, but not Life!
C. To Be Instructors of the Foolish 20a
1. Israel felt they were correctors of the foolish…the senseless, the stupid. Israel was
so full of pride!
2. ‘Christians’ and the church give the impression that we have all the answers. We have a
form, but no Life!
D. To Be Teachers of Children 20b
1. You have persuaded yourself to teach those who don’t know.
2. So it is with ‘Christians’ and the church. We have persuaded ourselves that we are doing what
we’ve been called to do. We are going through the motions.
3. Who has a form of knowledge and truth…They were the repository of the truth of God in
written form. R.C. Sproul Something is missing. We go through the motions. We play church.
We are instructors. We teach, but we lack the power of the indwelling Spirit.

III. THE PRACTICE OF A FORM OF LIFE 2:21-23
The flesh cannot pull off a super-natural life.
They didn’t practice what they preached. Paul raises 5 heart searching questions to expose
the artificial. You is emphatic and personal!
A. Personal Pride 21a
You therefore teach others, do you teach yourself?
1. You teach others. We all lead somewhere. You know what every one else should do.
What about your own life? They have a form of Life cannot stand close inspection.
2. “Lord, teach me.” We are too busy instructing to listen.
B. Personal Proclamation 21b
You preach a man should not steal. Do you steal?
1.Paul may have had something specific in mind.
2.‘Christians’ how inconsistent…we steal: Time…it belongs to God…we call it ‘mine’. Talent…it belongs to God…we call it ‘mine’. Tithe…it belongs to God. We call it ‘mine’.
3. You cannot rob God and expect to be the testimony God would have us.
C. Personal Purity 22a
You say a man should not commit adultery. Do you commit adultery? (gasp)
1.Sexual sin is killing the church. We preach one thing and practice another.
2.We are against adultery. You are married to Jesus Christ. When was the last time you flirted with and had an affair with the world. We begin to see nothing wrong with it. We justify it and blame others!
D. Personal Piety 22b
You say you abhor idols. Do you rob temples?
1.Abhor is ‘to stink’. Paul refers to robbing heathen temples in spite of their contact with idols. They made a profit…it was o.k.
2.Does it mean that they robbed God of the honor properly due Him? We don’t know how they broke the 1st commandment. We know how we break that commandment. We give someone or something God’s place. Something takes the place of God…a place that belong to God alone. It may be success, fame, money, pleasure, a person, a position, etc.
E. Personal Privilege 23
You make your boast in the Law. Though you break the Law and dishonor God.
1.You boast…this Book is our only hope and rule for life. Through a lack of obedience, we dishonor God.
2.“God, you’re wrong!” “I’m right!”

Conclusion:
For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you. (2:24)
The world is looking for something real. Profession neither makes it with God or man.
It won’t stand close inspection.
A form of life will never save you…you need Life. Only Jesus can fill that emptiness!
Until those who call themselves Christians have God do a work in their hearts...
we continue to present to a lost world a form but no life!!