Two Concepts

Rom. 2

There are 2 principles in this chapter that are meaningful to me. The first is found in v. 1. Therefore you have no excuse, O man, every one of you who judges. For in passing judgment on another you condemn yourself, because you, the judge, practice the very same things. It is amazing that this verb follows immediately after the section concerning God giving up those who practice evil because they did not honor him as God nor did they offer thanksgiving to Him. The list of sins in ch. 1 was extensive going from the highly distasteful to the more socially acceptable. Yet even after this, Paul says that if we pass judgment on any of these, we condemn ourselves because we practice the same things. How can that be? Certainly not in manifestation, but most definitely in root cause. It all comes down to the maturity of the sin, how far along the sin-continum it is. Yet we believers can't stop judging other believers who worship and love the same Lord. But the principle remains the same. If we judge one another, then we condemn ourselves because we have that same sin rampant within ourselves. Heavy words! One that should command careful thought and action.

The second is found in v. 28, the last verse of the chapter. 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. Here, Paul's concept has to do with circumcision, a rite that the Jews held dearly. If they were circumcised but did not keep the law, they had lost the significance of their circumcision, their circumcision itself. But if a Gentile would keep the law, but not be circumcised, His uncircumcision would become circumcision. What is the principle here? Paul is saying that being a Jew is not a matter of the physical or the outward. But a Jew must be one of the inward man and his circumcision must be a matter of heart. God looks on the heart not on the appearance! A Gentile could be a Jew in heart without every having physically been circumcised. The sacrifices of God are a broken and contrite heart.

Father,

I want my heart to be sincere and broken before You. Help me to be true in every area of my life. Take away from me a judging eye and heart. Fill my vision with love and my actions with compassion.

In Jesus name,

Amen