Romans 2:29: But A Jew Is One Inwardly, And Circumcision Is A Matter Of The Heart

Romans 2:29
[29] 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. (ESV)

When we think of what defines being a Jew we might be missing the point of what Paul is saying in this verse. We can consider people being descendants of those born in Israel. We can think of those who celebrate Hanukkah and other Jewish holidays. We can even think of the covenant that God made with Abraham that he would be the father of many nations. Abraham was the father of all the Jews.

While the Jews were very proud of their lineage a Jew is more than just a physical descendant of Abraham. Paul is saying that a true Jew is one inwardly. Being a descendant of Abraham, celebrating feasts, attempting to keep the Law, or even the physical act of circumcision does not make one a true Jew. It is a matter of the heart.

This fact of faith being a matter of the heart and not physical works is one that was lost on many Jews. Those who knew the Law were fixated on the act of keeping the Law, but in the process only proved how incapable they were. The Law is impossible to fulfill because we are human and cannot keep God's holy, perfect law.

This is why the true Jew needed to be one in their heart. They needed to have genuine faith in God and his work on their behalf. In the Old Testament the true Jews were the ones who, through the sacrificial system, looked forward to a Messiah who would ultimately fulfill the Law for them. True Jews today are those who depend on that same Messiah (Jesus) for their righteousness.

Are you a true Jew? I do not mean your physical lineage. Have you placed your faith in the Messiah, Jesus? Salvation is a matter of the heart, by God's grace, not your works.

Comments

Romans 8:18: For I Consider That The Sufferings Of This Present Time Are Not Worth Comparing

Romans 8:18 [18] For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. (ESV) Perspective. What an important word. Let's be honest. We do not like the idea of suffering. We will do almost anything to avoid any kind of suffering. Some churches have gone so far as to preach against the idea of suffering, declaring it to not be a part of the true believer's life. Paul is not shy about the topic. Paul uses the sufferings of this present time as a means to consider the greater glory that awaits us. Perspective. Paul is not in any way attempting to diminish our suffering. A view toward eternity puts our suffering in a proper understanding. Yes, our suffering is terrible. In the grand scheme of eternity it is not even worth comparison. Maybe you are thinking that Paul does not know what he is talking about when it comes to suffering. In 2 Corinthians 11 Paul describes countless beatings, often near death,

Romans 11:24: For If You Were Cut From What Is By Nature A Wild Olive Tree, And Grafted, Contrary To Nature, Into A Cultivated Olive Tree . . .

Romans 11:24 [24] For if you were cut from what is by nature a wild olive tree, and grafted, contrary to nature, into a cultivated olive tree, how much more will these, the natural branches, be grafted back into their own olive tree. (ESV) We continue looking at the illustration of an olive tree. The root of the tree is the covenant relationship relationship of God with Abraham. Abraham's faith is what this spiritual tree is built on. The first branches would have been the faithful people of Israel, who like Abraham, placed their faith in God. They believed God, just like Abraham, and it was credited to them as righteousness. There were branches of the people of Israel who never placed their faith in God. Because these branches were not true followers of God they were broken off of the tree. Faith in God was the essential element that made the branches true branches of this spiritual tree. Some branches remained. Others, the faithless unbelievers, were removed. After Jesu

Romans 15:20-21: And Thus I Make It My Ambition To Preach The Gospel, Not Where Christ Has Already Been Named

Romans 15:20–21 [20] and thus I make it my ambition to preach the gospel, not where Christ has already been named, lest I build on someone else's foundation, [21] but as it is written, “Those who have never been told of him will see, and those who have never heard will understand.” (ESV) We need to be reminded continually that the message of the Gospel is intended to move all across the world. Jesus said that his followers were to preach the Gospel, starting in Jerusalem, and continue preaching the Gospel to the whole world. Christians have not always been good at delivering the Gospel message as far and as often as they should. In the first century church it took intense persecution to motivate the disciples in Jerusalem to bring the Gospel to Judea and Samaria. Once the disciples fled to new regions they shared the Gospel wherever they went. Would the disciples have preached the Gospel without the persecution? We may never know. Some probably would have stayed in their co

Search This Blog