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This recent lesson began on a Wednesday evening as Brother Singh took us through Romans 2. In this chapter, we see that the apostle Paul is primarily speaking to the Jews who were in the church at Rome, which happened to be a mixed congregation. Towards the end of chapter 1, Paul outlines the heathen Gentiles' willful desire to pursue a multitude of abominations throughout history, so much so that God simply gave them up to their own lusts. If you were a Roman Jew reading this letter, you might imagine feeling quite special and maybe even a little proud of your heritage at this point.
But in chapter 2, Paul begins to deal specifically with a problem that we, part of the Body of Christ, must boldly confront if we are to enter the kingdom of God: our failure to be inwardly what we profess outwardly. This was ever the problem of Israel throughout the Old and New Testament.
Whenever we find that our religious life is making us feel that we are good—that we are better than someone else—we may be sure that we are being acted on, not by God, but by the devil. In fact, as long as you are proud, you cannot know God.
After itemizing a long list of abominable practices, Paul asks a question: "And do you think or imagine, O man, when you judge and condemn those who practice such things and yet do them yourself, that you will escape God's judgment and elude His sentence and adverse verdict?" (Rom 2:3, Amplified). As Christians it is so easy to condemn the ways of the world, to point out the folly of others, and to speak loftily of how different we are, even in comparison to other churches. But upon closer examination, is there really a difference? If there is a difference, is it only in matters of tradition and outward show? Paul is telling us that the one who does the act and the one who stands at a distance, yet finds pleasure in observing it, are in the exact same boat. This applies directly to us when we consider the television we watch, the music we listen to, the places we go, the conversations we engage in.
In this lesson, we were taught that the Lord is not looking for a bunch of religious individuals who remain unaffected by the cleansing power of Christ. In fact, our religious standing and heritage might be the main thing impeding our progress as it gives us a false sense of security. To prove their identity, the Jews were able to fall back on their heritage and customs - but this carries no weight in the sight of God. (Gal 5:6).
In the same way, we must realize that something greater is required in terms of integrity: our commitment to God and ourselves when no one is even around. We must resist the tendency we have to feel superior and act smugly towards those in the world or in other church fellowships. These very thoughts are an abomination to God and does not reflect Christ. And this is where Paul took issue with the Jews:
"And if you are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, and that you are a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the childish, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and truth - well then, you who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you teach against stealing, do you steal by taking that which does not belong to you?"
This is so important for us to understand, because the Lord is not weighing us according to any man-made standards. Certain elements of order are important, but we must always bear in mind that it is the inner man of the heart that must be transformed. Conforming to man-made standards and traditions often bears no fruit except pride and self-righteousness.
And so, the real question is, have our hearts been circumcised or are we trusting in some element of religious heritage and pointing to that as our emblem of sanctification? Now we begin to understand that if we habitually live in rebellion and transgression, our "circumcision is made uncircumcision."
In fact, we must learn to walk humbly and resist hypocrisy because, "ìf a man who is uncircumcised keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be credited to him as equivalent to circumcision?" It is not our knowledge or history or self-proclamations that will draw us closer to the Lord. (2 Cor 10:18). Rather, it is His working in us and through us, changing us as we yield to Him, that bears fruit. It is simply in being doers of the word, not hearers only. It is in showing love and mercy to those who don`t deserve it. It is our constant awareness that without Him we would surely fail, and for this reason give Him all the glory.
Perhaps Paul captured it best: "For he is not a real Jew who is only one outwardly and publicly, nor is true circumcision something external and physical. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and true circumcision is of the heart, a spiritual and not a literal matter. His praise is not from men but from God."
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