“A Righteousness that Condemns Religion"
Romans 2:17-29
For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God. [Romans 2:28-29]
A devout religious man came to Jesus and asked, “Teacher, what good thing must I do to get eternal life?” Our Lord’s response? “Why do you ask me about what is good?” “If you want to enter life, obey the commandments. Do not murder, do not commit adultery, do not steal, do not give false testimony, honor your father and mother, and love your neighbor as yourself.”
“All these I have done from my youth” the man replied. Then Jesus said, “if you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” [Matt 19:21]
The man’s response, however, was that he left sorrowful because he had many possessions, thus revealing a stunning reality. Religion does not get us to heaven. Because God’s righteousness is revealed in the condemnation of all religions.
By “religion,” I mean by an external profession of creeds, and in the context of our passage this morning, it is the Jews and their Law. The application, however, extends to all religions, including the Christian religion.
Religion gets no one to heaven. As the rich young ruler was counseled, heaven comes by following Christ. “If you want to be perfect, go, sell what you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come follow Me.”
Notice, though, it is not possessions that keep us from heaven, it is anything or anyone that keeps us from following Christ. For this rich young ruler, it was his possessions.
That is what makes our passage in Romans applicable today. External religion saves no one, only an internal personal relationship with Jesus gets us to heaven.
