Romans 2:25-29 – “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.”

Those who where children of the physical nation of Israel assumed that they were God’s people by birth.  Accordingly, on the eight day after their birth, they were to be circumcised.  This was their sign  that they were the covenant people of God, the people whom God loved.  Isn’t it interesting all the different answers that you would receive if you asked a group of professing Christians what makes a Christian?  “My parents were Christians, so I am”  “I go to church”  “I tithe”  “Because Jesus Died for Me”  “I believe in God”  “I read my Bible and Pray”.

When the Pharisees came out to be baptized by John the Baptist, they too thought that this was a sign that needed to be performed by them to be righteous, and John said to them in Luke 3:7-9 – “He said therefore to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?  Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham.  Even now the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.”

Paul in Romans 1 and 2 has exposed that these people who were hoping that God would accept them for their outward righteous, had each fallen short, moreover, they were not even close.  The problem is that they were comparing themselves to those around them, and they were able to uphold the law better than most, but the law was not simply “better than most” it was pointing to the perfect righteousness of God.  These people should rather have compared themselves to God, and in His light, the depth of their sin and depravity might have caused them to beg the mercy of God – that was the purpose of the law.  Further, the Romans 2 is going further to show t that while through effort one might be “outwardly” righteous, God delights in the righteousness that is inwardly, that of the heart.  This of course creates a problem, even for those like the Pharisees who claim to be outwardly righteous, because no one is righteous inwardly.  This is what Christ was exposing in Matthew 5:21-22 – “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder; and whoever murders will be liable to judgment.’  But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; whoever insults his brother will be liable to the council; and whoever says, ‘You fool!’ will be liable to the hell of fire.“   What a gift we have through the blood of Christ!   Not only was the price paid for our sins, but through faith we have been given the Spirit of God to renew the inner man, and to conform us into the righteousness of Christ.  For those of us who know this hope in Christ, let our faith be genuine, renew the inner man in the washing of the Word of Christ – meditate on the Word; and press on that faith and renewal would have its full effect in overflowing in the proclamation of the gospel with love and good works tos others.

James 2:18-23 – “But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works.  You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder!  Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless?  Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar?  You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God.”

How would you answer the question, “what makes you a Christian”?  Are you the type of person who claims Christ as savior, but are not repentant from your sin?  Does your love for God through faith overflow into your life’s actions?  Certainly we all fall short, but when we do, let’s not decide to shorten the goal; rather let us run the race that has been set before us in love with the grace of God pushing us forward.  There is no salvation through works, but saving faith will always be accompanied by works.

My prayer to our Lord for myself and all of us who are in this race together comes from Psalm 90:14-17 – “Satisfy us in the morning with your steadfast love, that we may rejoice and be glad all our days.  Make us glad for as many days as you have afflicted us, and for as many years as we have seen evil.  Let your work be shown to your servants, and your glorious power to their children.  Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us, and establish the work of our hands upon us; yes, establish the work of our hands!” 

Titus 3:3-8 – “For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another.  But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life.”

Grace and Peace,

Adam