Circumcision; That Can't Be Undone

For Bible class this Sunday, we are going to continue looking at Paul's letter to the Romans. This week we are looking at the end of chapter two and the beginning of chapter three. This section is the continuation and conclusion of Paul's opening argument. He argues in these first few chapters that all people are condemned under the law. His opening argument is that the judgement of God is being revealed from heaven against all sin. He then goes on to make a distinction between God's judgment and ours. Just because we know the law does not mean we can judge others, instead we must wait for the judgment of God. In this final section, he is going to attack the false security the Jews have in their race and religion.

There is some difficulty here for us modern readers. So much of the history of the West concerns the persecution of the Jews that Paul's words have a different tone for us than what he intended. Paul is a Jew. He goes to great length in Galatians to prove how much a Jew he is. When Paul talks about the race and religion of the Jews, he is talking about his own people. He is talking about himself. What we should hear when Paul uses the word "Jews" is "God's chosen people." He is not only talking about himself, but he is also talking about us, Christians. He is talking about all people who are called by God.

There is a temptation for God's people to have a false security in the outward things in their relationship to God. For the Jews this was connected to their race and circumcision. Their race was chosen by God to be his people. Circumcision is the evidence of God's promise for the individual and his family. The point was not to cling to these things as salvation, but as outward signs of God's love and the salvation that comes from him though his word. Paul attacks the false hope that was placed in race and circumcision instead of the promise and will of God. From the perspective of salvation by works, a person is a Jew or circumcised internally, not externally. The one who keeps the law is a Jew. The one who does the will of the Lord is circumcised. This has nothing to do with what is on the outside, but it has to do with what is in the heart.

I think we could read these words as Christians too. Do we think that just because we say we are Christians and we have been baptized that we will be saved in the end? Do we think that just because we go to church a few times, even if we don't get anything out of it, that we will be right with God? Our relationship with God exists as a part of a community. And this community is an important part of our religion and faith. However, it is Jesus Christ who makes us right with God. Membership in a community does not.

Paul's statement here is law, it is meant to accuse us. I think it does a good job of this. Our only response at this point is confession and repentance. While being a Christian is easy; Jesus does all the work, living as a Christian is not. There are many obstacle to the Christian life and enemies who wish us to fail. Here is where our need of a community comes it. Each week we can bring this guilt with us to our congregation, receive forgiveness, the sacraments, and help from our family.