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Romans 2:29—“But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.” 

Religious privileges and outward observances cannot substitute for a heart renewed by God. Throughout Romans 2, Paul exposes the folly of possessing God’s law while disobeying its commands. Circumcision, though divinely appointed as a covenant sign, offered no protection from judgment to those who transgressed the law.

Against this background, Paul declares that true Jewish identity involves inward reality. Physical descent and the covenant sign must not be mistaken for personal faithfulness to God. The outward mark could distinguish a person before men, but it could neither cleanse his heart nor secure divine approval.

“Circumcision…of the heart” recalls God’s command to put away inward stubbornness (Deuteronomy 10:16) and His promise to circumcise His people’s hearts so that they would love Him (Deuteronomy 30:6). What sinners need is inward renewal through the Holy Spirit. Possessing the written law cannot produce this transformation on its own.

Such inward religion seeks praise from God rather than men's admiration. A person may impress others through biblical knowledge, public prayers, or scrupulous observance, while remaining proud and unrepentant before God.

Therefore, examine what lies beneath your religious profession. Baptism, church membership, and Christian upbringing are privileges, but none can replace the new birth. Have you repented and trusted in Christ? Does your private life reflect submission to His Word? Seek the Spirit’s renewing work, and live to please Him who searches every heart.

Romans 2:11—“For there is no respect of persons with God.” 

People often favour others because of their wealth, influence, ancestry, or religious standing. God’s judgment, however, is perfectly impartial. No outward distinction can persuade Him to overlook sin or to withhold His righteous verdict.

In Romans 2, Paul confronts those who condemn others while excusing themselves. Verses 6–10 declare that God will render to each person according to their deeds. Tribulation and anguish await everyone who does evil, “of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile”; glory awaits everyone who does good. Verse 11 explains this impartiality: God shows no favouritism. 

Jewish ancestry and possession of God’s law conferred great privileges, yet they afforded no exemption from judgement. Likewise, church membership, Christian parentage, theological knowledge, and ministry involvement cannot shield anyone from divine scrutiny. God judges according to truth rather than human reputation or religious appearance.

This passage does not teach that sinners earn salvation by good works. Paul then establishes that all have sinned and that Christ’s redemption freely grants justification (Romans 3:23–24). Good works are the fruit of saving faith, never the ground of our acceptance before God.

Therefore, examine yourself honestly. Are you relying on spiritual privileges while tolerating disobedience? Do you assume that sins condemned in others will be excused in you? God’s impartiality exposes such presumption. Flee to Christ for righteousness and forgiveness, and pursue obedience with humility. Let His impartial justice also teach you to treat others fairly, without prejudice, flattery, or favouritism.

Last week, we began considering why the Reformation was necessary. We noted that the Reformation was necessary, first, because Holy Scripture was denied its rightful place as the supreme authority in matters of faith and practice. Those who translated and distributed copies of Scripture and insisted on its authority over all matters of faith and practice were arrested and even executed. There are more reasons why the Reformation was necessary, some of which this article discusses. 

The Doctrine of Justification Had to Be Restored and Rightly Proclaimed

The Roman Catholic Church had obscured the clear Scriptural doctrine of justification by faith by teaching that a sinner’s acceptance before God depends on personal deeds of righteousness and participation in the sacraments, rather than on Christ’s righteousness alone, received through faith alone.

How can a guilty sinner be accepted before a holy God? This question was central to the Reformation.

The Roman Catholic Church (RCC) teaches seven sacraments: Baptism, Confirmation, the Eucharist, Penance, Extreme Unction (last rites), Holy Orders, and Matrimony. The RCC regards these as effective means through which Christ communicates the grace of justification. The RCC Catechism teaches that justification is conferred at Baptism and that the grace of justification, when lost through mortal sin, may be recovered through Penance. Thus, their teaching of justification is closely connected with one’s participation in the Church’s sacramental system. 

The Reformers rejected the RCC teaching that justification depends on personal actions and merit. Instead, they proclaimed that God justifies sinners by His grace, through faith in Jesus Christ, on the ground of Christ’s righteousness alone.

Romans 3:24 says sinners are “justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus”. Romans 3:28 declares, “Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law.”

To be clear, a believer’s faith in Jesus does not earn acceptance with God. Faith receives and rests upon Christ, whose obedience and atoning death provide the sole ground of our justification. Good works follow as the fruit of salvation (Ephesians 2:8–10); they contribute nothing to the righteousness of Christ by which we are justified.

Therefore, our acceptance before God rests on Christ’s perfection and sufficiency, not on the uncertain measure of our own attainments. This truth gives troubled consciences a sure foundation for the assurance of salvation.

Christ’s Sufficient Sacrifice Had to Be Rightly Taught 

The Reformation was necessary because the RCC’s teachings and practices had obscured the absolute sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice. The Reformers called the Church back to Scripture. They directed sinners to the crucified and risen Saviour as the sole and sufficient ground for forgiveness and access to God.

Among many controversies was the doctrine of the Mass. The RCC taught and continues to teach that the Eucharist, which is celebrated at Mass, is a propitiatory sacrifice offered for the living and the dead. The Reformers rejected the claim that priests could offer Christ sacrificially for the remission of sins. They maintained that such teaching compromised the finality of His completed offering.

Scripture declares: “For by one offering he hath perfected for ever them that are sanctified” (Hebrews 10:14). Under the old covenant, priests repeatedly offered sacrifices that could never take away sins. Christ, however, “after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God” (Hebrews 10:12). His seated position testifies to His accomplished work. No further propitiatory offering is needed: “Now where remission of these is, there is no more offering for sin” (Hebrews 10:18).

Accordingly, the Lord’s Supper must be observed as Christ instituted it. Jesus commanded, “this do in remembrance of me” (Luke 22:19). Paul explained that believers thereby “shew the Lord’s death till he come” (1 Corinthians 11:26). The Lord’s Supper commemorates and proclaims the finished sacrifice; it does not repeat it. In the Reformed understanding, commemorating Christ’s death at the Lord’s Supper also serves as a means of spiritual nourishment, through which believers express their faith in Christ and receive the salvific benefits of His death. Such salvific blessings rest upon Christ’s accomplished redemption. The Westminster Confession later expressed this understanding in chapter 29.

Westminster Confession of Faith 29.7 states: “Worthy receivers, outwardly partaking of the visible elements, in this sacrament, do then also, inwardly by faith, really and indeed, yet not carnally and corporally, but spiritually, receive and feed upon Christ crucified, and all benefits of his death: the body and blood of Christ being then, not corporally or carnally, in, with, or under the bread and wine; yet, as really, but spiritually, present to the faith of believers in that ordinance.”

Christ’s Sole Mediation Had to Be Upheld

The Reformers likewise upheld Christ as the sole Mediator between God and sinners, and the exclusivity of His mediatorial office. Scripture states: “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus” (1 Timothy 2:5). His unique person and perfect redeeming work qualify Him alone for this office. Neither Mary, departed saints, nor earthly priests can share His mediatorial office.

RCC publications and even papal statements have historically called Mary “Co-redemptrix”, joining Mary to Christ’s redemptive work. RCC teaching also presents Mary as “Mediatrix”, associating her with the role of an intercessor. The Reformers rejected invoking Mary and the saints because Scripture neither commands this practice nor directs believers to seek heavenly intercessors besides Christ. Christians should pray for one another, but such prayer never makes anyone a mediator of redemption.

Our acceptance before God rests upon Christ’s sufficient sacrifice and unfailing intercession. He “is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him” (Hebrews 7:25). Therefore, sinners must be directed to Christ alone. Through Him, believers may approach the Father confidently, trusting His finished work and continuing priesthood. The church honours her Saviour when her preaching, sacraments, and prayers proclaim that His sacrifice is complete, His mediation sufficient, and His saving grace freely received through faith.

Do We Still Need a Reformation in Our Churches?

A church may bear a Protestant name while neglecting biblical preaching, compromising the Gospel, or tolerating ungodliness. Therefore, remembering the Reformation should prompt us to examine ourselves. Does Scripture govern our beliefs and practices? Are sinners directed to Christ alone? Does our worship honour God according to His Word?

The 16th century Reformation was necessary because the church needed to re-establish the authority of Scripture and restore the clarity of the Gospel. These treasures must be faithfully taught and guarded in every generation. “Hold fast the form of sound words”, Paul exhorted, “in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 1:13). Today, churches must return to biblical teachings, and Christians must submit every aspect of their lives to the authority of Christ and His Word.

Sermon Text: Psalm 148
Speaker: Pastor Prabhudas Koshy
Date: 25th October 2026

Romans 2:4—“Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”

Paul addresses the person who condemns others while practising the same sins. Such a person mistakenly assumes that he will escape God’s judgment (vv. 1–3). He mistakenly regards his continued enjoyment of divine kindness as assurance that he will escape God’s judgment. Paul exposes this presumption: delayed judgment is no evidence of divine approval.

“The riches of his goodness” describes God’s abundant kindness towards undeserving sinners. His “forbearance” denotes His withholding of deserved punishment, while His “longsuffering” emphasises His patience with persistent offenders. Every preserved breath and providential blessing testify to mercy that sinners cannot claim as their right.

Yet these blessings can be despised. We despise God’s goodness whenever we accept His gifts while resisting His authority, excusing our sins, or delaying obedience. Outward respectability cannot conceal such ingratitude from Him.

God’s goodness “leadeth thee to repentance”. His kindness summons us to acknowledge our guilt, forsake sin, and turn to Him. This does not mean that everyone who receives temporal blessings will repent. The following verse warns that an impenitent heart treasures up wrath against the day of judgment.

Examine how you respond to God’s patience. Has His kindness softened your heart, or have you used it as an excuse to persist in sin? Do not mistake another opportunity to repent for permission to rebel. Confess your sins and seek forgiveness through Jesus Christ. Let every remembrance of God’s goodness deepen your repentance, gratitude, and obedience.

Acts 19:18—“And many that believed came, and confessed, and shewed their deeds.”

 These words capture the solemn impact of God’s work in Ephesus, a city steeped in idolatry and magical practices. After the humiliating defeat of the sons of Sceva, fear fell upon Jews and Greeks, and “the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified” (v. 17). Christ’s authority exposed the folly of invoking His name without belonging to Him.

Those who believed responded differently. They came to confess and disclose their deeds. Faith in Christ brought their former practices under the searching light of His lordship. What they had concealed or accepted could no longer be comfortably retained. Their confession acknowledged the sinfulness of their conduct and demonstrated their readiness to forsake it.

The following verse records a costly expression of this repentance: practitioners of curious arts publicly burned their valuable books (v.19). They refused to preserve instruments of spiritual bondage merely because those possessions had considerable monetary worth.

Such actions did not purchase forgiveness. Salvation is God’s gracious gift, received through faith in Christ. Nevertheless, saving faith bears fruit in repentance, honesty, and obedience. Grace teaches us to deny ungodliness (Titus 2:11–12).

We must therefore ask whether we are protecting sins that God’s Word exposes. Confession requires neither indiscriminate public disclosure nor unnecessary descriptions of evil. It requires truthful acknowledgement before God and appropriate confession to those affected.

Let us abandon excuses, seek cleansing through Christ’s blood, and decisively forsake whatever draws our hearts away from Him.

Acts 18:21—“But bade them farewell, saying, I must by all means keep this feast that cometh in Jerusalem: but I will return again unto you, if God will. And he sailed from Ephesus.”

As Paul departed from Ephesus, he left the people with a promise qualified by submission to God: “I will return again unto you, if God will.” Though they wanted him to stay longer, he declined, explaining that he was determined to keep the approaching feast in Jerusalem. Yet his departure did not indicate indifference to their spiritual needs. He intended to return, while acknowledging that the fulfilment of his intention rested with God.

Paul’s words reveal the proper relationship between purposeful planning and humble dependence. “I will return” expresses genuine intention, while “if God will” recognises divine sovereignty. Faith does not forbid planning. Rather, it teaches us to place every plan under the authority of our heavenly Father.

James rebukes those who confidently announce their future plans without acknowledging their dependence on God. He instructs them: “For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that” (James 4:15). Our very life, as well as every opportunity for service, depends on God’s sustaining providence.

“If God will” must therefore be more than a familiar religious expression. It should reflect hearts willing to accept His direction, including delays, disappointments, and altered circumstances. We may sincerely desire something good, yet God alone knows when and how it should be accomplished.

Paul subsequently returned to Ephesus (Acts 19:1), demonstrating that submission need not weaken resolve. Let us plan diligently, fulfil our responsibilities faithfully, and pray humbly. When God redirects our steps, may we trust His wisdom and continue serving Him.

Acts 18:9—“Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision, Be not afraid, but speak, and hold not thy peace.”

Paul’s ministry in Corinth met with opposition. When some Jews resisted his preaching and blasphemed, he turned to the Gentiles. Nevertheless, God blessed the gospel work: Crispus and his household believed, and many Corinthians believed and were baptised (Acts 18:6–8). Amid these encouragements and conflicts, the Lord addressed His servant.

“Then spake the Lord to Paul in the night by a vision”. This divine revelation gave the apostle the Lord’s authoritative assurance. The Lord knew the pressures surrounding Paul and graciously supplied the encouragement he needed. Even a faithful, experienced servant needed his Master’s strengthening word.

“Be not afraid”. Paul later recalled being among the Corinthians “in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling” (1 Corinthians 2:3). Courage in ministry does not require an absence of fear; it requires obedience with faith when fear presses upon us.

“But speak, and hold not thy peace”. Fear must not silence the gospel. Paul was commissioned to proclaim Christ, and opposition did not cancel that responsibility. The following verse supplies the foundation: “For I am with thee”. Christ’s presence and sovereign purpose sustained His servant’s obedience.

We should not claim Paul’s vision or its particular promises as personal revelations. Yet Scripture clearly commands Christians to bear witness to Christ and assures them of His presence (Matthew 28:19–20).

Are we silent because we fear rejection, embarrassment, or hostility? Let us pray for boldness, speak truth with love, and trust the Lord with the outcome. His sufficient grace enables trembling servants to faithfully proclaim their mighty Saviour.

Acts 17:28—“For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring.”

Addressing the Athenians at Mars’ Hill, Paul proclaimed the God they did not know: the Creator and Lord of heaven and earth. Unlike their idols, He neither inhabits man-made temples nor depends on human service. Rather, “he giveth to all life, and breath, and all things” (v. 25).

“For in him we live, and move, and have our being” explains humanity’s dependence on this God. His power sustains every breath, movement, and moment of existence. Paul does not identify creation with God; he distinguishes the sovereign Creator from the creatures whose lives He continually upholds.

Paul then cites their poets: “For we are also his offspring”. He draws on a familiar statement for his hearers and applies it to the true God. Humanity owes its existence to Him and bears His image. This creaturely relationship does not imply that everyone possesses the saving adoption granted through faith in Christ.

The following verse exposes the folly of idolatry. Since human beings derive their existence from God, they should not imagine that His nature resembles gold, silver, or stone shaped by human skill. The living Creator cannot be adequately represented by lifeless objects.

Dependence also entails accountability. Paul then announces God’s command for all people to repent and His appointed judgment through the risen Christ (vv. 30–31).

Your life is neither self-originating nor self-sustaining. Receive every ability with gratitude, reject pride and false worship, and acknowledge your Creator’s rightful authority. Seek reconciliation with God through Christ, and devote the life God sustains to His glory.

Deuteronomy 34:7—“And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.”

Moses died at 120, yet “his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated”. His death did not result from the ordinary exhaustion of his faculties. God had preserved his sight and bodily vigour until his appointed work was complete.

The surrounding verses emphasise divine sovereignty: Moses died “according to the word of the LORD” (v. 5). Though still physically capable, he could not prolong his ministry beyond God’s determination. Neither strength nor usefulness gives anyone authority over the length of life.

His death outside Canaan also recalls the seriousness of disobedience. God had forbidden him to enter because he had failed to sanctify Him before Israel at Meribah (32:51–52). Long and faithful service did not exempt Moses from divine discipline. Spiritual leaders must honour God carefully, remembering that their influence increases their responsibility.

Nevertheless, discipline did not erase God’s gracious regard for His servant. Moses saw the promised land, and Scripture honours his unique prophetic ministry (34:10–12). His preserved strength was a gift of God, not evidence that he could dispense with dependence upon Him.

This verse does not promise every faithful Christian undiminished health in old age. God appoints differing measures of strength and differing lengths of service. Our calling is to use whatever He supplies for His glory.

Receive each day as His gift. Serve diligently while strength remains, accept limitations humbly when they come, and entrust the conclusion of your earthly labours to the Lord whose wisdom never fails.