you who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. [romans 2:23]   there are two ditches here: legalism and antinomianism.   let’s start with the more familiar: legalism. if we only let Christ-less deistic moralism dictate our behavior, we will crush...

you who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? [romans 2:22]   paul, speaking to the ephesian elders makes this statement:   pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which...

17 but if you call yourself a jew and rely on the law and boast in God 18 and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; 19 and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness,...

27 and just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him. - [hebrews 9:27-28]...

for this is the covenant that i will make with the house of israel after those days, declares the Lord: i will put my law within them, and i will write it on their hearts. and i will be their God, and they shall be my people. [jeremiah 31:33]   the new covenant...

for when gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. they show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their...

for it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. [romans 2:13]   we said yesterday that it is good for us to sit in a small portion of God's word for a couple of days. we started yesterday sitting...

for it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. [romans 2:13]   it is often good for our heart to sit in a small portion of God's word for a couple of days. we are going to do that together with...

for all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. [romans 2:12]   this verse can spark some deep theological debate and digging. but, at the same time, the message is simple:...

my brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory. [james 2:1]   one of the pulls of our flesh is to seek out who we believe is worthy of our time and energy.  we make all kinds of excuses for not talking to or...