Romans 2:25-29
For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.
Our profession of faith is insufficient for salvation. A pagan who doesn’t claim to be a Christian but lives with moral integrity is better than someone who claims to be a Christian but whose life lacks moral integrity. The Christian life is not in how you dress or talk nor is it about following the rules. The Christian life is the inward integrity of a soul integrated with a regenerated spirit. The resulting peace with God may not win many fans in the world but it does come with God’s approval.
Circumcision was instituted as the sign of the covenant between Abraham and God in Genesis chapter 17. The deal was that Abraham would walk before God blamelessly in order to receive all the promises of God.
When Israel came out of Egypt and received the Law circumcision was included as part of the Law. Leviticus 12:3, “And on the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.”
However, even in the Mosaic Law circumcision was described as properly being first a condition of the heart, having a soft heart toward God. Deuteronomy 30:6, “And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.”
In the New Testament Paul describes the ordinance of circumcision as a foreshadowing. Just as physical circumcision marked out and separated the Jews from the other nations so the separation from sin and death, accomplished in Christ, marks out and separates the church from the world. Colossians 2:8-15, “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority. In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God, who raised him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This he set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them in him.”
Just as circumcision was a sign of belonging for the Jews we Christians have certain ways of living that mark us. The way we talk or dress or the things we do or don’t do have value only for those whose hearts are right with God. If someone uses Christian lingo and manners as a mask to hide behind but really they are not saved, none of their words or deeds will save them. 1 Corinthians 7:19, “For neither circumcision counts for anything nor uncircumcision, but keeping the commandments of God.” Jesus told us what that meant in John 6:29, “Jesus answered them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in him whom he has sent.”
The word hypocrite comes to us from the Greek word for an actor. It literally means ‘behind a mask’. When Jesus called out the Pharisees as hypocrites He was saying that they use religion as a mask to hide their true identity as law breakers. Read Mark 7:1-11.
The circumcision God recognizes is of the heart not the flesh.
Galatians 6:15, “For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation.”
2Corinthians 5:16-21, “From now on, therefore, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we once regarded Christ according to the flesh, we regard him thus no longer. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us. We implore you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Jeremiah 4:4
“Circumcise yourselves to the Lord;
remove the foreskin of your hearts,
O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem;
lest my wrath go forth like fire,
and burn with none to quench it,
because of the evil of your deeds.”
People outside of Christ cannot comprehend these things. They can and will use their misunderstanding to cast us in a bad light. In Paul’s day Jews were trying to convince new gentile believers that they had to obey all the Jewish rules. Paul refutes this in many of his letters.
Galatians 5:1-6, “For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery.Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. For through the Spirit, by faith, we ourselves eagerly wait for the hope of righteousness. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love.
It is unreasonable that God would have any praise for any man. But everything He does is gracious beyond reason, even though we come to him with nothing and deserving nothing He rejoices over us.
Matthew 25:21, “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master.”
Luke 15:32, “It was fitting to celebrate and be glad, for this your brother was dead, and is alive; he was lost, and is found.’”
The key is sincerity of heart toward God in the recognition that none of our rules, kept or broken, can save us. None of our religious pretences are any help. The Spirit of God must change us to conform us to the image of Christ.
Romans 8:29, “For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”
brotherpayne 