Lesson 6
R
omans 2: 12- 29, true circumcision of the heart.
VV 12-16, 12 For as many as have sinned without the law will also perish without the law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law 13 (for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified; 14 for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, 15 who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and between themselves, their thoughts accusing or else excusing them) 16 in the day when God will judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ, according to my gospel.
Gentiles who are without the law will perish if they do not believe in Christ. Jews who had the law will also perish if they do not believe in Christ. Hearing the law will not justify but keeping the law will justify but no one is not able to keep the law. Everyone is a law breaker. Gentiles who did not have the law cannot claim ignorance because they have a conscience to tell them right from wrong. For the Gentiles, the law is written in their hearts through their conscience. Gentiles who did not have the law can still do right by following their conscience. On the day of judgment, God will judge the secrets thoughts and deeds of everyone through Jesus Christ.
Matthew 23:27, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which indeed appear beautiful outwardly, but inside are full of dead men’s bones and all uncleanness’’
VV 17-20, 17 Indeed you are called a Jew and rest on the law, and make your boast in God, 18 and know His will, and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, 19 and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law.
The Jews boasts that they had instructions of the Mosaic law, know God’s will and were confident to guide, direct, and teach the Gentiles who did not know the law.
VV 21-23, 21 You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal? 22 You who say, “Do not commit adultery,” do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor God through breaking the law?
Scribes and Pharisees taught people to keep the law but they themselves broke the law by stealing, adultery, idol worship, etc. They boast in the law but dishonor God by breaking the law.
V 24, For “the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you,” as it is written.
Scribes and Pharisees blasphemed God’s name among the Gentiles. Paul quoted Isaiah 52:5 b, ‘’And all day long my name is constantly blasphemed’’.
VV 25- 27, 25 For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 And will not the physically uncircumcised if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law?
Circumcision is nullified when the law is broken. An uncircumcised Gentile who do right according to conscience is better than a circumcised Jew who breaks the law. Circumcision without an inward change of heart is hypocritical.
VV 28-29, 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; V 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.
True circumcised is a spiritual heart transformation, an inward change of heart attitude. Paul in Galatians speaks of a war of the flesh with the Holy Spirit. Spiritual circumcision is the act of cutting the flesh from the Spirit, freeing the flesh from the Spirit.
Deut 10:16, ‘’Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer’’.
Galatians 5:17, ‘’For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another so that you do not do the things that you wish’’.
Prayer:
Heavenly Father, thank You for speaking the truth to us through the words of Paul. We pray for a spiritual heart transformation and a change of heart attitude. Thank You for Your timely and life changing message to every generation, in Jesus’ name, Amen.
