A Forty-Day Study of Paul’s Letter to the Romans

Excerpt from Chapter 1: “Religion” versus Christianity


The righteousness God requires is His perfect righteousness!

So how does one become perfect in the eyes of God? How does one obtain perfect righteousness?

Jesus told a parable that was addressed to those that “trusted in their own righteousness” (Luke 18:9). As you might have gathered by now, those trusting in their own righteousness are the religious. The parable shows the folly of religion.

“Two men went up to the temple to pray. One was a Pharisee and the other a tax collector. The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed, ‘God, I thank You that I am not like the other men—swindlers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week and pay tithes of all that I acquire.’” (Luke 18:10¬–12)

So here we see a man who is self-important, self-confident, and self-righteous—a Pharisee. The text says he is standing by himself, and that’s what the name “Pharisee” implies—separated. The Pharisee doesn’t want to get too close to those who are sinful and unworthy.

The other individual in the parable is a tax collector. During Jesus’ day (and perhaps even in our day) tax collectors were despised (yes, definitely in our day). What made things worse in the time of Jesus was that these individuals were collecting money for Rome—the oppressor occupying the land. It was common for tax collectors to inflate the tax amount that was due, pocketing the extra money for themselves.

With this as background, let’s see what Jesus has to say about the tax collector as he continues the parable,

“The tax collector stood at a distance, unwilling even to lift up his eyes to heaven. Instead, he beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner!’” (Luke 18:13)

So here we have two opposites. We have the religious Pharisee that is not a swindler, evildoer, or adulterer according to his self-appraisal. This righteous Pharisee also goes on to say that he fasts and tithes. We also know that he prays and does so quite proudly and perhaps loudly.

The Pharisee epitomizes one who feels righteous in the eyes of God, not because of what God has done for them—but because of what they, themselves, are doing.

Opposite this is the tax collector who cannot even raise his eyes toward heaven. He knows he is unworthy. He cannot approach God on his own merits. All he can do is ask for God’s mercy. He offers one of the shortest prayers in the Bible: “God, have mercy on me, a sinner!”

What does Jesus think about these two individuals?

Jesus concludes the parable: “This man, rather than the Pharisee, went home justified” (Luke 18:14).

This term “justified” means God has accepted him into His kingdom. The man is forgiven and considered “not guilty” in God’s eyes.

The tax collector has nothing to offer God or to earn God’s favor. He does not rely upon his own merits. He simply confesses his need for mercy. This man, rather than the pious, self-righteous, religious-practicing Pharisee, went home declared righteous!

Religion is when we seek God on our terms. We are either proud of who we are and how much God must love us: “Look what I’ve done for you today, God. And look how I am so much better than those around me. Now here’s my laundry list of what I want you to do for me—you owe me.”

Or we are continually depressed: “Oh my God, look how unworthy I am. I can’t hold a candle to my pastor, or even my neighbor. God, I am so sorry and will try to do better next time—and maybe you will forgive me and maybe love me more if I just do better. I’m so sorry and I’m such a sorry individual.”

Either way, we miss the mark. Jesus has commanded, “Be perfect, therefore, as your Heavenly Father is perfect.” And we are not perfect.

Not even close.

The Pharisee was practicing religion—man reaching for God. Christianity is God reaching for humankind. Christianity is the God of grace dying on the cross in our place. Christianity is the God of mercy voluntarily taking on Himself the punishment we deserve.

Jesus came to replace religion with Christianity.

Religion is you and me reaching for God. We will always fall short. Christianity is God reaching for you and me. And nothing can block His reach or remove us from His grasp.

Ultimately, the religious person tries to be their own savior. They put their hope and trust in themselves. The Christian places trust in God. It is God who saves. God and only God is our Savior.

And that brings us to Paul’s magnificent letter to the Romans.

Paul is going to clearly teach that all have sinned and all fall short of the requirements of God (Romans 3:23)—that following the law of Moses simply cannot be done (Romans 3:9). No one will be made righteous through the law given to Moses (Romans 3:20). The only way we become righteous in the eyes of God is through the blood of Christ (Romans 3:22). We place our faith in what Christ has done. The righteousness of Christ is given to those called into God’s family as an unmerited, unearned gift. It is this that reconciles us to God and gives us peace with God (Romans 5:1). It is this that allows us to be adopted into God’s family (Romans 8:16).

God has shown His love for us. While we were still sinners, Christ died for us (Romans 5:8). And Paul will go on to assure us that nothing, nothing whatsoever can pull us away from the love that God has for us. Death itself, nor anything in life, nothing in the present nor in the future—nothing can separate us from God’s love (Romans 8:38–39).

If God is for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31).

Let’s leave the world of religion—humanity reaching for God. And let’s learn about Christianity—God reaching for humanity. Our teacher will be the Apostle Paul as we listen to his words to the believers in Rome.