Proclamation:
“A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is
circumcision merely outward and physical.
No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is
circumcision of the heart, by The Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other
people, but from God.” Romans 2:28-29
(NIV)
Explanation:
The Apostle Paul wrote these words under the influence of
The Holy Spirit of God. He begins by
stating that is unacceptable and inexcusable for those who do the things which
they condemn others for doing. Those who
pass judgment on others for doing something and yet do the same thing will not
escape the judgment of God. (Romans 2:1-3) The Lord God will repay each person according
to what they have done. (Romans 2:6-10) Then Paul speaks out against those who teach or preach
against a sin then they commit it themselves. (Romans 2:21-24) After this he goes on to describe who is a
Jew. He clearly states that being a Jew
is not a birth right but a behavior. One
can be a Jew outwardly or physically, but if they do not obey the law of God
then they are not a Jew inwardly or in their heart. And, conversely, one who is not a Jew by
birth but who keeps the law of God, he then is a Jew by his behavior and he
will receive God’s praise.
Application:
Some people will say “Do as I say do, not as I do” but that
is not Christ-like. Our actions speak
much louder about us than our words. It
is our behavior which defines us and not our words. When Judgment Day comes, we will all be
judged on our actions, (Revelation 20:12) our words, (Matthew 12:36) and our
thoughts (Hebrews 4:12) by The Lord God who sees and knows our hearts.
(Proverbs 21:2) Let us pray that The
Holy Spirit of God will make us real Christians, not just outwardly appearing
to be one but inwardly, in our heart and spirit. We want to truly be one of God’s people.
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