For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?

(Rom 2:25-27)

Explanation:

One may argue with Paul, as he’s been reasoning in these verses, by asking him, “Well what about circumcision?”.  Paul has been arguing that just being a Jewish person isn’t enough.  He has also been arguing that posessing the law isn’t enough.  The law must be obeyed.  

So the natural question for the Jewish person might be, “Well, Paul, I’ve kept all the cermonial law.  I’ve been circumcised!  What was the point of all of that?  Doesn’t that make me right with God?”

Here is Paul’s response in these verses.  Sure, it was important to obey God in the ceremonial law if you are Jew.  If one perfectly kept the rest of the law, then keeping the ceremonial part would have been profitable.  If they would have been perfectly righteous, never violating any of God’s commands, then keeping those commands would retain their perfect record.  But in terms of standing righteous and guiltless before God, being circumcised doesn’t undo the guilt that a person accrues by breaking the rest of the law.  This is what he means when he says, “For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law; but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumsion.”

He even makes the argument that those who are uncircumcised (gentiles), if they were to keep the moral law perfectly, would be right with God despite being uncircumcised.  He even says that the fact that there are uncircumcised (gentiles) who are more moral than some who are circumcised and possess God’s written law says something about the Jew.  This is a judgement on the Jew, and reveals that the point is not to posess the law, or to conform to some ceremonial standard to outwork your law breaking, but rather to obey the law.  This is the problem, because in breaking one law the whole law is broken.  

Here is the summary statement:  Keeping the ceremonial law is not enough to make you guiltless before a Holy God.

Application:

In the context we live in people rest in all kinds of religious activity as symbolic of their right standing with God.  They may claim baptism, church membership, observing communion, or doing any number of “good works” as what will get them to heaven.

While there is merit to being obedient in these areas, none of these or any other religious activity will get you into heaven by making you right with God.  

Response:

1. Are you trusting in some religous activity to make you right with God?  Your trusting in the wrong thing!  Repent!

2. Do you know someone who is trusting in something that won’t save them?  How can you help this person?

(17)  Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, (18)  And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; (19)  And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,(20)  An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.

Romans 2:17-20

Explanation:

Yesterday we discussed how that many of the Jews found security in their Judaism as evidence of being right with God.  We pointed to verse 17 for this case.  The second thing they put their security in was the law.  Not only did they find their security in their heritage, they also found security in their privileged position of having the moral law given to them by God.  They boasted in the revelation of the law they received from God.

Certainly having the law was a point of great privilege for the Jews.  It has given them incredible advantages.  A culture that more closely obeys even just the 10 commandments, much less the other parts of the law, is at an advantage over cultures that did not follow these commands.  Less murder, less adultery, less theft, honor for parents, and laws that serve as a check to greed and dishonesty would facilitate a more workable society.

But of course, for the Jews, it wasn’t just a social construct.  They believed their laws came from God, which of course they did.  The problem is that they thought that since they were Jewish, and since they “kept the law” they were by definition accepted by God.  Many of them thought that because they had the law, and strived at times to do what it said they were OK with God.  More than that, many of them saw themselves as those who “knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law.”  Paul goes on to say that they “art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness,  An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law.”  They viewed themselves as not just secure, but superior to others because of their law keeping.

Paul is making the case in these verses that everyone stands guilty before God.  As we’ll see in coming days, the law does have advantages, but the law is not sufficient to save.  It shows us where we fall short, because no one can perfectly keep the law.

Application:

Not much has changed today. Many people think that by keeping a set of rules they will be right with God.  When you ask the normal American if they are going to heaven when they die, most will answer with a “yes” or “I hope so”.  When you follow up with asking for a reason why, they will often tell you “I’m a good person.”  They may say, “Well, I don’t hurt people.  I try to be kind.” etc.  Some even attach religiosity to their doing good, much like the Jews, thinking the combination will make them right with God.

The truth is that neither our heritage, nor our keeping the law, will make us right with God.  We stand before God guilty, unable to perfectly keep the law.  What the law teaches us is that it can not be kept.

Response:

• Do I think God is lucky to have me because I keep the law well?
• Do I think I’m right with God because of the good things that I do?
• We must stop thinking this way.
• It is by God’s grace through faith in Jesus Christ that I’m accepted by God!