In this episode, we dive deep into Paul’s teachings in Romans, exploring the idolatry that can emerge from religious zeal and adherence to the law. Speaker 01 unpacks the irony of believers turning to the law for comfort and confidence, highlighting the subtle ways in which religion can become a form of self-worship. Through thought-provoking discussions, we learn how reaction formation—a psychological concept—plays a role in shaping our religious behaviors and attitudes.
It’s astonishing when you think it through very carefully that Paul is talking about the idolatry of religion. in chapter 2 of Romans. You remember in chapter 1, he described the idolatry of the world in having suppressed God, and as a result of that suppression, their minds are so dark and fearful that they seek out other gods, which of course are therefore idols, and so they worship things and even people and creatures and crawling things. instead of our Creator God. They reduce God to the level of his broken creation. It’s astonishing. So we think that’s the sin of the world. And then Paul turns the focus on religious people, Jewish people, Christians, everybody, that includes everyone, and implies by all the arguments he is using in chapter 2 that that we have made an idolatry even out of religion and more specifically out of the law. He says, therefore, in verse 1, chapter 2, verse 1, therefore you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge, for in whatever you judge another you condemn yourself, for you who judge practice the same things. So the curious, the irony of the thing is this. that the idol we choose is the idol that condemns us. In this case, it is the law. For Paul says a little farther on, in chapter 2, verse 17 it is, Indeed, you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in God. Now, that phraseology, resting in the law, is really fascinating because it means we find our comfort and our confidence in the way we live. If we obey the law, then we find our confidence in it, we rest in it. Now that’s telling us that our idolatry is actually the worship of ourselves, because we simply use the law to congratulate ourselves. We use the law to give us an assurance that we’re on the right track. Now, have you ever done that? Maybe you haven’t. Maybe you’re so under the bondage of the law, which Paul talks about later in this book, under its bondage, which creates guilt and shame and fear. It clashes with your addictions and makes you feel guilty. So you can’t imagine anybody being confident in the law. But I want to tell you this, and it’s an astonishing thing. There is such a thing called reaction formation. The psychologists use that phraseology, and what do they mean? They mean that when you feel really down and out and low and worthless, you react to that by a formation of life and thinking that makes you feel better than anybody else. And so the truth is that many an addict, especially in alcoholism, well, I won’t say especially, but let’s take an example of alcoholism. Many an alcoholic will be so boastful about himself and will be so self-confident and reassured and be an endless arguer that people think he’s proud. when in fact he’s broken down and knows that he is ruined. Well now, you see, what’s happening there is that the idol which you worship does not give you any assurance of love and care and grace and acceptance. The idol you worship starts to condemn you. And therefore, in that condemnation, you parade about as if you were the finest in the world. That’s reaction formation. People who feel down are excessively proud and always talking about themselves and arguing and winning the argument every time because they are trying to puff themselves up because they feel so deflated. So can you not see how religion, and in this case specifically the religion of the law, becomes an idol? You know, the one writing this is the one who also said about himself that concerning zeal, Paul, in Ephesians chapter 3, was saying, look, I know we all have a reason to boast, or so we think we do, but I have more than anybody else. I was circumcised on the eighth day of the stock of Israel of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews, concerning the law of Pharisee, concerning zeal, persecuting the church, concerning the righteousness which is of the law, blameless. Now what was he saying here? What he was saying between the lines is that I had come to worship the law. How can you say worship the law, you say, when he was simply obeying it? Because in the obedience, that is that obedience that he thought he was performing, came a congratulation of himself, which is to exalt himself and therefore be worshipping himself. You see, the idol that you worship is really an extension of your own inflated self. When we worship God, the true creator and redeemer of our souls, we are humbled. We are brought to our knees. We are saying, thank you, dear God, for having mercy upon me, for having rescued me. But if there is no mercy to receive because we have been able to perform all the law and recommend ourselves to God that way, then what are we actually doing? we’re not being grateful and thankful towards God. We’re preening ourselves and congratulating ourselves and saying, well done, Colin. You have done a very good job in your life, and you should congratulate yourself. But you say, well, I couldn’t even deceive myself that way, Colin. I’ve been too much of a sinner. Well, so have I. But that’s where the reaction formation comes in. When you have done too much sinning, you will parade around with a fake goodness called a reaction formation, which will make you utterly unbearable to be with. A social pariah. People will not be able to stand you because you’re always talking too much and always justifying your own opinions and always telling people indirectly how good you are. All of that comes from an awareness of really how bad you are. It’s a reaction formation to that. And so the essence of idolatry is pride, because you take the idol that you are worshipping to puff up yourself. People say, oh, well, this is my idol. This is the God I worship, and so on.
SPEAKER 02 :
How is that?
SPEAKER 01 :
You see, with Christians, we can’t do that. We are brought to our knees. We are brought to believe that we have been sinners and God has had to have mercy upon us and forgive us. And we go into the temple to express that through the parable that Jesus taught, beating our breast, saying, Oh God, be merciful to me, a sinner. But the one who had turned the law into an idol, that is, the one who had turned his religion into an idol, comes into the temple and says, Dear God, I’m so glad that I’m a religious man and I’m not like this other poor fellow over here. You see then that the essence of idolatry is selfish pride. And that’s what Paul is getting at in Romans chapter 2. Therefore, he says, you are inexcusable. Chapter 2, verse 1. I’m sorry, let’s start again. Therefore, you are inexcusable, O man, whoever you are who judge. For in whatever you judge another, you condemn yourself. For you who judge practice the same things. Now, when we start judging by the law, what are we implying? That we are superior to others, that we have accomplished obedience to the law, but these other poor Westerls down here, they haven’t. They’re a wreck. They’re wasting space. They are the poor and the forlorn of the earth. When we judge, we exalt ourselves. Why do we exalt ourselves? Because we have used the law and turned it into an idol by which we compliment ourselves for how successful we have been in keeping the law. It’s astonishing. It’s a psychological twist. It’s an amazing convolution of thought. Then he says, You see, this man has a blind spot. He’s doing the same things as others are doing, but in some way he has used the law to excuse himself by the very fact that he has the law and knows the law, even though he doesn’t keep it. And so that’s his blind spot, and he uses that law to condemn others. You see, then, it’s pointless if you are a law keeper and never sin, never commit adultery, never steal, always keep the Sabbath. It’s an hypocrisy if you use that behavior to condemn others and exalt yourself. Because in that act, you have not kept the law at all. Because the law does not exalt you. It brings you to a place where you say, oh God, be merciful to me, a sinner. When you examine the law in any detail, as Jesus did, whosoever hates his brother is a murderer, whosoever covets someone else’s goods is a thief, and all of that in-depth examination of the law, once you examine that, you begin to realize that you are not a law-keeper at all. The only good law-keepers are those who know they are bad law-keepers. And so, Paul goes on to say, Or do you think, this man, O man, you who judge those practicing such things and doing the same, that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of God leads to repentance? You see, if we do believe God is good and merciful, then we say, we rub our hands and say, oh, lucky me, he’s merciful. I can go to him and ask him to be merciful to me and to forgive me of my sins. But the law keeper doesn’t know that kind of God. Why does he need mercy? I keep the law. I don’t need mercy. I’m doing good and being affirmed by that goodness. And so he develops a steely, cold heart in relation to God. You see, what Paul is getting at here is the heart of faith in the loving grace and mercy of the Savior. When you have that grace, then it is that you cast away the idol of the law. Thank you so much for listening today. Colin Cook here and how it happens. And I wonder if I can appeal to you to consider an offering to this broadcast. This is listener-supported radio. It’s now in its 28th year, I think it is. I’ll reckon that up and let you know next time. And each program is $39 per 15 minutes, $200 for a week’s programs, and about $850 to $900 per month. It’s a real stretch on this small ministry, I can tell you. If you would like to make a donation, would you take action today? Make your donation online at faithquestradio.com. Thank you so very much. I’ll see you next time. Cheerio and God bless.
In this episode, we dive deep into Paul’s teachings in Romans, exploring the idolatry that can emerge from religious zeal and adherence to the law. Speaker 01 unpacks the irony of believers turning to the law for comfort and confidence, highlighting the subtle ways in which religion can become a form of self-worship. Through thought-provoking discussions, we learn how reaction formation—a psychological concept—plays a role in shaping our religious behaviors and attitudes.
