“…not by the written code.” Romans 2:29
/In his letter to the Roman church, Paul confronted the entire social order through the arguments of absolute truth, the law of God, and the certainty of accountability to God (vv. 2:1-16). He was calling them into account for how they were complicit in enabling the abominations of the various hedonistic practices of their city (vv. 1:18-32). He warned these Christians that they were storing- up wrath against themselves for their unrepentant heart (v.5).
The first century church in Rome was predominantly Jewish, and the local Jewish community was quite curious about these followers of Christ. It’s quite apparent that the letter would be read to those in the local Jewish temples, as they exhibited the same problem as their Christian spiritual cousins: failing to be light in a society darkened by a focus on pleasure and entertainment (sound familiar?). In verses 17 – 29 of the second chapter, Paul clarified the purpose of the law and the how to distinguish when one is genuine in their faith.
Paul posed a question to challenge one’s genuineness of faith, referring to one’s faith practices, “if:
One relies on the law (v.17b; and for Christians today, The Word);
One freely identifies oneself as a Jew (v.17a and c; or as a Christian);
One searches the ancient texts for discerning God’s will (v.18a);
One is convinced on the superiority of God’s Word (v.18b; 20b);
One is convinced of one’s life example before the world (v.19); and
One uses God’s Word to teach others (v.20a).
Does one teach oneself or not” (v.21)?
More questions were presented in rapid-fire order to make his point:
“You who preach against stealing, do you steal?” (v.21b)
“You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery?” (v.22a)
“You who abhor idols, do you rob temples?” (v.22b)
“You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law?” (v.23)
Paul summed up their hypocrisy by referring to Isaiah and Ezekiel (Isaiah 52:5; Ezekiel 36:22):
“As it is written: ‘God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.” (v.24)
To us today, it may appear that Paul is trying to pick a fight. That really was not the case. Paul was a prophet of his day. A prophet is one who uses The Word to confront the church (God’s people) and society with the lies they believe or with sin. The lie the Jews were believing (and which Christians are believing today) was that their spiritual ‘heritage’ guaranteed their legitimacy as a child of God. Paul refuted their belief this way:
“Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as you had not been circumcised. If those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker. A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God.” (vv. 25 – 29)
Circumcision was God’s instruction to Abraham as a sign of the covenant between them (Genesis 17:1-14). It is a minor surgical procedure performed on males which removes extra skin at the tip of the male’s reproductive organ. Should a male Jew wander from a path of what is good and right, circumcision quickly revealed one as a Jew (who was to reveal God’s righteous precepts). Thus, God’s name was being profaned throughout an unbelieving world by those who winked at sin and joined the practice of self-indulgence.
With God, faith has always been about the heart. Faith should affect our behavior, which mirrors the truth of one’s relationship to God. God desires relationship with you… not to be a ‘kill-joy’ of life’s enjoyments, but to lead you into godly living to discover the real joys of life. So, we see that if evidence of a good heart is absent in one’s life, one fails the litmus test of being a legitimate faith-walker. The proof is in the pudding: our lives must be transformed by the power of The Word for us to claim true kinship to Christ.
Have you failed yourself, your spouse, your family, and God by rejecting the guidance of God’s Word? Has today’s time in God’s Word convinced you that one’s legitimacy as a child of God is found, NOT BY THE WRITTEN CODE, but by a changed heart sincerely living-out one’s faith through actions that mirror God’s goodness? If you are able, make a difference in someone’s life today through a random act of kindness. If you are unable to do that, make a difference in someone’s life through the power of your prayers.
Have a blessed day…