Romans 2: 17-29
The Jews and the Law
17 You who call yourselves Jews are relying on God’s law, and you boast about your special relationship with him. 18 You know what he wants; you know what is right because you have been taught his law. 19 You are convinced that you are a guide for the blind and a light for people who are lost in darkness. 20 You think you can instruct the ignorant and teach children the ways of God. For you are certain that God’s law gives you complete knowledge and truth.21 Well then, if you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal? 22 You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples?[b] 23 You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it. 24 No wonder the Scriptures say, “The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you.”[c]
25 The Jewish ceremony of circumcision has value only if you obey God’s law. But if you don’t obey God’s law, you are no better off than an uncircumcised Gentile. 26 And if the Gentiles obey God’s law, won’t God declare them to be his own people? 27 In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep God’s law will condemn you Jews who are circumcised and possess God’s law but don’t obey it.
28 For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. 29 No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise14 from God, not from people.
When Paul is addressing the Jewish people and the Law, he calls them out on their pride and hypocrisy, 21 Well then, if you teach others, why don’t you teach yourself? You tell others not to steal, but do you steal? 22 You say it is wrong to commit adultery, but do you commit adultery? You condemn idolatry, but do you use items stolen from pagan temples? 23 You are so proud of knowing the law, but you dishonor God by breaking it. 24 No wonder the Scriptures say, “The Gentiles blaspheme the name of God because of you.”
He then goes and talks about the Jewish ceremony of circumcision. Stating that its value is only in obeying God’s law. I am no scholar but according to Google, the Jewish Ceremony of Circumcision was a sign for the covenant that God had with his people. The people were not obeying God’s law yet they were in covenant with God. Paul then states that even the Gentiles that are uncircumcised obey God’s law.
He then begins to call into question what a true Jew is. He says that “28 For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision. 29 No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by the Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise14 from God, not from people.”
Paul then suggests that to be a true Jew one’s heart is to be right with God. He then addresses circumcision and takes it beyond the obeying of the letter of the law but rather saying that it is the changing of the heart, which he said is produced by the Spirit. He also gave us a way to identify a changed heart by saying “and a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.”
Based on what Paul has written might I suggest to you a gentile/christian version. Using verses 28-29, I want to state it like this:
We are not true christians just because we were born of christian parents or because we have gone through christian ceremonies like baby dedications or baptisms. No, a true christian is one whose heart is right with God. It is not the ceremonies itself and the traditions we uphold that show our covenant with God but it is our change of heart. This change is produced by the Holy Spirit.
So my prayer for all of us is this:
God, we thank you for who you have called Lifespring to be. As Lifespring is on this journey of Maturity, let us invite the Holy Spirit to change our hearts. Help us to grow in the fruits of the Spirit so that we may have hearts that are in right standing with God and that we may represent you to all those around us. Let us receive the gift of our Lord Jesus Christ daily so that we may have the grace to keep pushing. We pray that you would search our hearts and show us what we need to work on. In Jesus Name, We pray Amen.