Daily Thoughts from Romans: Circumcision Become Uncircumcision (2:12-29)

Daily Thoughts from Romans: Circumcision Become Uncircumcision

For all who have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and all who have sinned under the law will be judged by the law. For it is not the hearers of the law who are righteous before God, but the doers of the law who will be justified. For when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do what the law requires, they are a law to themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, while their conscience also bears witness, and their conflicting thoughts accuse or even excuse them on that day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men by Christ Jesus.

But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth—you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

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.  (Romans 2:12-29 ESV)

Paul knows that his Jewish brothers will argue that they are exempt from God’s judgment because they follow the Law but Paul points out that Gentiles show the work of the Law on their conscience even though they don’t have the Law.  And Jews who have the Law disobey it knowing it is against the honor of God to do so.  Yahweh has spoken in the Old Testament through His prophets of how Israel’s disobedience has been a reason for Gentile nations to blaspheme God.  You can’t argue against God’s evaluation of your nation.

So circumcision, which is the hallmark of Israel under the Law, really only has value if one keeps the Law, and not being circumcised but yet keeping the Law makes it as if one is circumcised (a member of God’s holy people).  Real Judaism (which means ‘praise’) is an inward matter of the heart and obedience produced by the Holy Spirit, not by the Law itself (the Law can’t produce holiness).

We cannot rely on being identified as Christians to escape judgment if in fact we don’t follow Christ.  This doesn’t mean we won’t fail often in doing so but we will be seeking to follow Him as the tenor of our lives and will see progress by the Spirit in doing so.  Our praise will not come from what others see of our outward show but from what God sees of our hearts.  We don’t want to cause others to question the value of being a Christian because of our dishonoring behavior toward God.

It is unfortunate that the widespread experience of evangelical believers is that we are judgmental.  Of course, to the guilty every correction feels judgmental.  But it seems true that the people who have experienced God’s grace are often the least graceful.  We fear that if we do not speak out against sin we will somehow fail at our duty.

I’ll never forget the first time the musical Hair came to Memphis.  Because in the Broadway version all the cast came out on stage naked at one point (this did not occur in the Memphis version), several evangelical leaders in Memphis decried the musical.  One pastor in particular went with signs that said “God hates HAIR” and sought to dissuade those in the ticket line from purchasing tickets.  A man on the staff of the church I attended also went down to the theater to picket,  but his sign read, “God may hate HAIR, but He loves the people in it.”  Some of the cast and crew saw him and asked him to come speak to them.  Judgmentalism repels!  Grace draws!