Letter and Spirit

In Romans chapter 1, Paul has taught that: 1. All humans are born condemned, as is demonstrated by the Law of Moses. 2. There can be no substitute for God’s perfect righteousness. Humanism and idolatry are equally wrong, before God. 3. No one is exempt from God’s judgment.

But if you bear the name “Jew” and rely upon the Law and boast in God, and know His will and approve the things that are essential, being instructed out of the Law, and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, a corrector of the foolish, a teacher of the immature, having in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and of the truth, you, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself? You who preach that one shall not steal, do you steal? You who say that one should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the Law, through your breaking the Law, do you dishonor God? For “THE NAME OF GOD IS BLASPHEMED AMONG THE GENTILES BECAUSE OF YOU,” just as it is written. Romans 2:17-24

“Jew:” one who is of Judea. Synonymous with Hebrew, one who has crossed over; and Israelite, descendant of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (who became Israel). V 17 “if” (1st class condition, and you are), that means you are identified with the law and call yourself one of God’s people. The Jews knew the law. They didn’t get grown without knowing it; it was essential to the education of all Jewish children. They were doctrinally deluded, however, in thinking they must keep the law for salvation. They were convinced that they were guiding the blind. This is operational delusion. Matthew 15:14 (Jesus speaking) Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.” They also were under the intellectual delusion that they had the authority to discipline the foolish and instruct the immature.

They, the Jews, the “keepers” of the law were deluding themselves, and apparently no one else. Their hypocrisy was known; probably among the Gentiles, and certainly to God, Whom they claimed to represent. You Jews need to pay attention to your own teaching. You need to practice what you preach. Your Ten Commandments are displayed on the wall, and you are breaking them daily by your mental attitude of unbelief and your self-righteous behavior. Ezekiel 36: 20-21 as well as other Old Testament writings tell us that this was a continuing pattern among the Jews, throughout their history. They didn’t just fail to keep the commandments they received from God; they made up hundreds of their own, as legalists are prone to do, in an effort to control the masses they were supposed to be nurturing. This does not honor God. This blasphemes God. And they were calling themselves God’s people.

For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. So if the uncircumcised man keeps the requirements of the Law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? And he who is physically uncircumcised, if he keeps the Law, will he not judge you who though having the letter of the Law and circumcision are a transgressor of the Law? For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God. Romans 2:25-29

Let us keep in mind that this was the Apostle Paul, formerly Saul of Tarsus, a Pharisee, writing these words. He of all people knew exactly what he was talking about, having lived the very life he describes here. This was not an ancient Gentile idolator or a modern Christian heaping this criticism upon the Jews, but one of their own, who had met the risen Savior and understood the reality behind the rituals they were taught to observe. Ritual without reality means absolutely nothing.

Your circumcision, which is a physical indication of your Jewishness is meaningless if you do not practice the Word of God, which you teach. You may as well not have that identifying scar. If the uncircumsised man is keeping the law of God, then he is as good as circumcised. Furthermore, he knows you are a hypocrite, who boast about knowing the technical details of the law.

Jewishness (belonging to God), therefore, is a matter of the heart of a man, and not a matter of the physical appearance. Spiritual circumcision is a matter of not just knowing, but believing God’s Word, loving God’s Word, sharing God’s Word and expecting the promises of God’s Word to be fulfilled; in His Messiah and in us, regardless of race or nationality.