Circumcision of the Heart

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 2:17-29

 

 

The Apostle Paul had just finished a diatribe against the unrighteous, both those who know God, but yet choose to serve the creature instead of the Creator (1:25), as well as those who claim to be followers of God, but yet judge others for the same sins that they themselves lovingly partake in (2:1). All of these types of people, regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic status will be judged by God. Now, Paul turns his attention to God’s covenant people: the Jews.

            The Jews were, and still are, a people set apart. In a world of polytheism and idolatry, the Hebrew people were to be known for their faith in and worship of the One true invisible God. God had made a covenant with Abraham (Genesis 12:3) that He would bless his offspring. God continued to renew this covenant throughout the Hebrew generations. Therefore, the Jews perceived themselves as blessed because of their heritage. They believed that they were a superior race of people. The irony is that less than two-thousand years after the writing of Paul’s epistle to the Romans, the view of the Jewish people was basically reversed.

            Paul, in his usual rhetoric, questions his readers concerning their hypocrisy (17-24). Their hypocrisy is so apparent that they have blasphemed the Name of the very God that they claim to worship by their behaviors and attitudes. They were guilty of the very sins that they were accusing the Gentiles of committing. Why would the Gentiles want to conform to a hypocritical faith? The Pharisaical abuse of the law was shameful, not only in God’s eyes, but in the eyes of the unbelieving Gentiles as well. The Law had become a blasphemy to the Gentiles because of the Jews. The same is true today. Why would unbelievers want to worship a God whose people partake of the very same sins that He forbids?

            The Jews had missed the whole point of circumcision (25-29). Circumcision had little to do with outward appearances and everything to do with inward appearances. It showed that the Jew had made an inward covenant of the heart (Genesis 17:11). The circumcision of the unbelieving Jew was of no value. A disobedient circumcised Jew was no more blessed than an uncircumcised Gentile. As a matter of fact, God blesses the uncircumcised believing Gentile in the same manner as the circumcised believing Jew. Paul’s point is that it is not circumcision and ethnicity that makes one a child of God. A true child of God is one who has a circumcision of the heart (29), one who has cut away the outer person, revealing that new inner person (Galatians 6:15). Salvation comes from an internal working of the heart, not externally conforming to the law. 

            These truths should cause us to examine our own hearts. Even though we are not bound by the law, we are still under the new covenant of Christ. We need to make sure that we are not adding to the gospel by mandating observance of certain rules and regulations that even we ourselves cannot keep. Legalism is a problem that has plagued the church for centuries. As believers, we need to keep in mind that salvation comes through faith alone in the finished work of Christ alone.

God's Righteous Judgement

"Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. We know that the judgment of God rightly falls on those who practice such things. Do you suppose, O man—you who judge those who practice such things and yet do them yourself—that you will escape the judgment of God? Or do you presume on the riches of his kindness and forbearance and patience, not knowing that God's kindness is meant to lead you to repentance? But because of your hard and impenitent heart you are storing up wrath for yourself on the day of wrath when God's righteous judgment will be revealed. He will render to each one according to his works: to those who by patience in well-doing seek for glory and honor and immortality, he will give eternal life; but for those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, there will be wrath and fury. There will be tribulation and distress for every human being who does evil, the Jew first and also the Greek, but glory and honor and peace for everyone who does good, the Jew first and also the Greek. For God shows no partiality. 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."

-Romans 2:1-16

Since the evidence of God can be clearly seen through Scripture, creation, and human reasoning (1:19-21), unrighteous humanity has neither excuse nor claim to ignorance. While the pagans are guilty of committing heinous acts against God and each other, the legalist looks on in judgmental hypocrisy. Paul spends the first 16 verses of Romans 2 admonishing the religious moralist. Dr. John MacAruthur notes that “Paul presents his case against the religious moralist—Jew or Gentile—by cataloging six principles that govern God’s judgment” (MacArthur, 1694).

The first of Paul’s principles against the moralist is the principle of knowledge. The fact that one has not indulged in the moral excesses mentioned in chapter one, does not make that person exempt from God’s judgment. The self-righteous person has more knowledge of their sin than does the one who has never heard the name of Christ. That is why they are good at pointing out other people’s faults. They are hoping to take attention away from their own sin. It is like a boy who points a finger at his brother for eating out of the cookie jar when he himself has his hand in it. The self-righteous has a greater accountability for their sin. This person actually condemns themself because, as MacArthur puts it, “he shows that he has the knowledge to evaluate his own condition” (1694). These people are so busy finding fault with others that they have seemingly excused their own sin. They are too busy noticing the splinter in others’ eyes that they do not notice the log in their own (Mat 7:1-5).

The second of Paul’s principles against the self-righteous legalist is the principle of truth. The judgment of God falls on the unrighteous as well as the self-righteous (2:3). No one can escape the judgment of God. Since God is truth (John 14:6), disobedience against Him is untruth and thus makes one liable to judgment.

Thirdly, Paul notes the principle of guilt which condemns the moralist. The moralist takes for granted God’s kindness, forbearance, and patience, believing that these attributes are needed for only the most hardened of sinners (2:4). This person even shows contempt for God’s grace, reacting in surprised amazement when God calls a sinner out of sin. The moralist wants to see people die in their sins. The irony is that it is the religious moralist that is truly the unregenerate. While they despise the grace of God, assuming they are more righteous than others, they are truly the ones that are the most unrighteous people on the planet. They are the ones with the refusal to repent. They would rather treasure up wrath and evil in their hearts than kindness and grace. The moralist will be dealt with on the Day of Judgment. 

This brings us to Paul’s fourth principle of God’s condemnation: good works. While works are not meant to merit God’s favor, grace, and salvation, they however do merit God’s judgment (Isaiah 3:10-11). The works of those who have faith alone in Christ are the evidence of their salvation. True saving faith, and eternal life in Christ, can be evidenced by good deeds (James 2:14-20).

The fifth principle of God’s condemnation against the self-righteous is the principle of impartiality (2:12). God shows none. He is a perfect judge. He chooses His people based on no merit of their own, but of His own grace and mercy. Mankind, regardless of race, gender, or socioeconomic status, is judged by God based on their sin against Him. The fact is that all have sinned (Romans 3:23), making us all liable for God’s judgment. But God casts judgment on Christ, who died for His people. All those covered by the blood of Christ will be saved from God’s wrath.

The sixth and final principle that governs God’s judgment against the self-righteous person is motive. On the day of Christ’s return, all will be judged because of their sin, even secret sins. MacArthur writes that “the secrets of men”, mentioned in verse 16, “primarily refers to the motives that lie behind men’s actions”. Even our motives will be judged.

The wrath and judgment of God are very frightening topics of discussion. They are unpleasant and unsettling. But the wrath and judgment of God are real. Christ will return soon to claim His people and bring judgment to the world. On that day, Christ will not bring peace, but a divine sword (Matthew 10:34). Those who have placed their hope and trust in Christ alone for salvation will be saved from the wrath of God. But all those who refuse to acknowledge Him or trust in Him alone, will be the subject of God’s divine wrath.

Sources: MacArthur, John. The MacArthur Study Bible: New King James Version. Nashville: Word Bibles, 1997. Print.

God's Wrath on Unrighteousness, Part IV

And since they did not see fit to acknowledge God, God gave them up to a debased mind to do what ought not to be done. They were filled with all manner of unrighteousness, evil, covetousness, malice. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit, maliciousness. They are gossips, slanderers, haters of God, insolent, haughty, boastful, inventors of evil, disobedient to parents, foolish, faithless, heartless, ruthless. Though they know God's righteous decree that those who practice such things deserve to die, they not only do them but give approval to those who practice them.

Romans 1:28-32

Since the unrighteous refuse to acknowledge Christ as their Lord and Savior, God has revealed His wrath against them (1:18), and has given them up “in the lust of their hearts to impurity” (1:24), “dishonorable passions” (1:26), and “a debased mind” (1:28). Because of their blatant rebellion against Him, God is allowing unrighteous humanity to do things--such as participating in homosexuality--that they were never created to do. Their souls are being used by Satan as worthless trash, not even fit for the vilest of dumps.

The unrighteous person is easy to spot. Spend just a few minutes with one and their characteristics become self-evident. Paul gives us a description of their defining qualities. He notes that they are exceedingly greedy. They intentionally seek to cause physical and emotional harm to others. The unrighteous person is an angry, deceitful, and resentful murderer. Those without Christ are known for their broken promises, arrogance, disrespect for authority, and lying tongues. Paul even goes so far as to note that they are “haters of God” and “inventors of evil”. The unrighteous person lacks common sense, compassion, mercy, reason, and sympathy. Such is the state of fallen man. The unrighteous know and understand that their lifestyles break the laws of God and that they are risking eternal damnation. But they do not care. In fact, they seek to persuade others to do the same, giving approval to those who disobey God. This is not ignorance. This is sheer rebellion against the Creator. This is rebellion that will have fatal consequences. Though their sin may bring them pleasure for a time, the unrighteous person will die, and their souls will burn in the fires of sheol forever.

Such was the state of the Christian before we were washed and justified by the blood of Christ and regenerated by the Holy Spirit (I Cor 6:11). Without the grace and mercy of God, I would be subject to His just wrath against sin. Thanks be to God, Who has delivered from wrath those who call upon His name. As can be seen from Romans chapter 1, God’s wrath is very necessary for the distribution of justice. Without the wrath of God against sin, holiness would be non-existent. 

God's Wrath on Unrighteousness, Part III

"For this reason God gave them up to dishonorable passions. For their women exchanged natural relations for those that are contrary to nature; and the men likewise gave up natural relations with women and were consumed with passion for one another, men committing shameless acts with men and receiving in themselves the due penalty for their error."

Romans 1:26-27

 

Because reprobate humanity has refused to worship and honor the one true God of the universe, He has allowed not only allowed, but foreordained their totally depraved natures to rule their lives. God, in His sovereignty, has seen fit that the unrighteous will pursue impurity until they die as a direct result of their sin.

A staple of an unregenerate society is their participation in and tolerance of homosexuality. Homosexuality is unnatural according to Scripture. It perverts the unity of the marital sexual relationship of a husband and wife (Genesis 2:24). Homosexuality is willing disobedience against God. The homosexual lifestyle is not only degrading to those involved in it, but more importantly it is degrading to God. As they continue to practice this debauchery, their sins keep adding up. Referring to this passage, John MacArthur writes, “Here the law of sowing and reaping takes effect, as Paul refers to the self-destructive nature of this sin, of which AIDS is one frightening evidence.”

The sanctity of marriage is an issue that Christians must continue to fight for. We may be labeled as intolerant bigots, but if we do not stand up for biblical marriage, who will? We must also speak out and condemn homosexuality, all the while calling for repentance and restoration to those seduced by this deadly lifestyle.

God's Wrath on Unrighteousness, Part II

"Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the dishonoring of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed forever! Amen."

Romans 1:24-25

 

In continuing his diatribe against the unrighteous in his letter to the Romans, Paul writes that God has allowed these people to pursue impurity. In His sovereignty God has elected for certain individuals to continually and eternally reject Him. He has hardened their hearts so that it is impossible for them to believe in Him. Much like a judge hands over a prisoner to the warden after his conviction, so too does God hand over the reprobate to Satan. Satan tempts this person with a life filled with the lusts of their own selfish desires, resulting in a punishment of divine judgment.

But why would a benevolent, gracious, and merciful God allow people to fatally mire in their own sin? If He really loves His creation, why would He choose this fate for certain people? The answer is that sinful mankind rejects the truth of Christ that has been clearly revealed in many different forms (Romans 1:18-23). The truth is offensive. The reality of their sinful condition cuts to the bone. Therefore they have traded the truth for a lie, choosing to serve the god of their own desires and refusing to worship and give honor to the Almighty God, the Creator of all things. 

All mankind has been blinded by sin. But thank the Lord that He, in His sovereignty, has opened the minds of His elect through the conviction of the Holy Spirit. We would all be eternally doomed, wallowing in the filth of our own desires. But God has washed, sanctified, and justified His people through the death of His Son and the work of the Holy Spirit (I Corinthians 6:11).