Romans 2:21

Romans 2:21 says, Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal?  After reminding the Jews that they were to teach others about the will of God, here he made it personal to them.  When they taught others, did they not also believe that these teachings applied to themselves.  Paul used the example of stealing, but we could apply it to any sin.  As followers of Christ, if we teach that it is wrong to hate, for example, do we yet hate others?  We must not teach one thing when reaching out to the lost and live as though those teachings do not apply to us.  We must always apply the teachings to our own lives first.  Verse twenty-two adds, Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege?  Paul cited two more examples here of where the Jews, God's chosen people, might be teaching one thing and doing another.  It is sometimes easier to expect others to live by God's law than it is for us to live by His law ourselves, but we cannot be effective by doing that.  This was what Paul was telling those in his day and what applies to us today.  We are to be the example, not just by what we say but by how we live.  We cannot condemn the sins of others while excusing our own sins.  Verse twenty-three continues, Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God?  Paul was warning the Jews about boasting about the law to others while breaking it themselves.  For us today, as followers of Christ for example, it is not enough to boast about and display the Ten Commandments without following them.  That includes all of them, plus Christ's commandment that we love one another.  Verse twenty-four concludes, For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written.  Paul told the Jews that their actions caused the name of God to be blasphemed among the Gentiles, the lost people of the world.  We must be very careful that our actions today do not do the same thing.  Until we put God first in all aspects of our lives, we are in danger of bringing dishonor to His name.