Book of Romans
1-11-2012 Vol. 6 Part 9
Psalms 55:8-16 NKJV I would hasten my escape From the windy storm and tempest." 9 Destroy, O Lord, and divide their tongues, For I have seen violence and strife in the city. 10 Day and night they go around it on its walls; Iniquity and trouble are also in the midst of it. 11 Destruction is in its midst; Oppression and deceit do not depart from its streets. 12 For it is not an enemy who reproaches me; Then I could bear it. Nor is it one who hates me who has exalted himself against me; Then I could hide from him. 13 But it was you, a man my equal, My companion and my acquaintance. 14 We took sweet counsel together, And walked to the house of God in the throng. 15 Let death seize them; Let them go down alive into hell, For wickedness is in their dwellings and among them. 16 As for me, I will call upon God, And the LORD shall save me. Father we praise you, we give you all the glory. We thank you for all you provide to us. I ask that you pour out your wisdom to those that read this message of yours and shower us with your loving-kindness in all we do. In the name of Jesus of we pray! Amen!
Romans 2:25-29
Romans 2:25-29 NKJV For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.
Religious Rituals: What are they? What do they mean? What is there origin? Are current day rituals biblical? Do they hold meaning in modern day times? Why do we do them? Are modern day rituals from God, or has man came up with them to satisfy his human desire. Have we done what is stated in Romans 1:21-23 ……And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles.
Lots of questions as to why we do the things we do when we go to church or practice the religion we are involved in. Questions like these are what we should be asking ourselves concerning the religion we practice. Our religious customs have been handed down to us from generation to generation. In studying the Bible and especially the last lesson I can see a correlation in what the Jewish people practiced over 2,000 years ago and how certain denominations are very ritualistic today. The Jewish people were very ritualistic in the Old Testament. It was all about ritual and they adjusted their customs/laws to fit the need, like on the Sabbath they could only carry a certain weight, or couldn’t walk over a certain distance, or spit on the ground because they would be making mud and it was forbidden to work. The Jewish people were caught up in the rituals of their religion. They placed their faith in their religion meaning their laws and ceremonial rituals. Paul points out to them and us that religious heritage (what is handed down to us from previous generations), religious claims (knowing Gods word), and religious associations (what denomination we belong to) will not get a person to Heaven. The Jews, like many religious people today, were confident that they were right with God because they practiced the rituals or liturgies of their faith/denomination. Using the Old Testament, Paul now shows that rituals are not sufficient to commend one to God.
Verses 25–27: Paul starts out with the ritual of circumcision and how it was being used by the Jews in them thinking that if they were circumcised they were guaranteed passage into Heaven. With this way of thinking the Jewish people figured they could live any way they wanted. They could break God’s commandments and still go to Heaven. Paul is doing a reality check here. How foolish were the beliefs of the Jewish people thinking that if they were circumcised they were living right in God’s eyes. It kinda makes ya chuckle doesn’t it, but wait, what about our modern day belief that if we are baptized as infants we will go to Heaven? It is this idea that a mere religious ordinance can profit the soul in place of a person’s spiritual relationship with Jesus Christ, that’s what Paul is condemning, then and now.
The circumcision ritual was a sign that whoever was circumcised would be a covenant member of Abraham and his descendants community, but with time it was misinterpreted by humans. Genesis 17:10-11 NKJV This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; 11 and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. Paul clarifies why Abraham received this ritual of circumcision in Romans 4:11 NKJV And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also. Abraham received this covenant due to his faith in God, not by any good deeds or ritualistic act. Many people in today’s world believe that if they perform all that is required by their practiced religion, they will be made right with God.
Circumcision was more important than keeping the laws in Israel. Many rabbis taught that if you were circumcised you would go to Heaven and none would go to Hell. The second part of verse 25 Paul points out that if they didn’t obey the law they were no better off than the Gentiles. It doesn’t matter if we keep all the laws but one, we are still a transgressor in the law. James 2:10 NKJV For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all. The error of the Jews has become our error. We count our church membership, our baptismal record, our denominational affiliation, and many other things as proof that we are Christians, yet go on living a sinful life with the expectation of going to Heaven when we die. Outward signs only have meaning if there is an inward reality.
Paul goes on to point out that God will adopt anyone into His family if they obey His laws. This also holds true today. We have a merciful God and He is waiting for us to repent and ask Jesus to come into our heart. In verse 27 Paul isn’t saying the Gentiles will judge the Jews some day, but what he is saying is that God’s righteous adopted children will be present come judgment day. Matthew 12:41-42 NKJV The men of Nineveh will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, because they repented at the preaching of Jonah; and indeed a greater than Jonah is here. 42 The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here.
Verses 28-29:
In these next two verses Paul points out to the Jews and to us, that Jewishness/Christianity is not something we inherit from our parent, receive from a denominational rite, obeying laws, belonging to a certain denomination, receiving sacraments, receiving last rites, etc. In other words, it is what is in a person’s heart, it is that spiritual birth we must have that Jesus was telling Nicodemus about. John 3:3-7 NKJV Jesus answered and said to him, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God." 4 Nicodemus said to Him, "How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother's womb and be born?" 5 Jesus answered, "Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, 'You must be born again.'
Paul is trying to get through to the Jewish people to climb down from their high pedestal and start humbling themselves and seeking God. Jesus took on human form so that all might be saved if they believe in Him. This not only pertains to the Jewish people of Paul’s time, it also pertains to us today. Please don’t take what I’m about to say the wrong way. I’m not condemning the religion I grew up in, in fact if it wasn’t for my upbringing and the importance my parents put on religion I probably wouldn’t be doing these Bible studies. I left a denominational church and joined the church of Jesus Christ. The church the Bible teaches about. I’m going to use my life experience as an example so people can relate to what Paul is saying. After all Paul was a Jew and what was coming out of his mouth was condemning the Jewish people and his own past and what he was taught when he was young. I too can relate to what Paul is saying and feeling. So here it goes, I was taught by religious instructors, nuns and priests that the Catholic denomination was the one and only true church. That if a person belonged to the Catholic denomination and received all the sacraments, they would be guaranteed passage into Heaven. Over the years I have heard this proclaimed at times by other Catholic’s. I have also heard some people of other denominations proclaim similar things. What does a proclamation of such sound like? To me it sounds like the Jewish people of Paul’s time over 2,000 years ago. If anyone thinks there is a religion that guarantees passage into Heaven they are only fooling themselves. Their minds have become dark and confused. Jesus came so that all can have a chance to be saved if they seek, ask, and knock. We have to have a spiritual birth in order to go to Heaven, no denominational doctrine will save us.
The circumcision Paul is speaking of is a circumcision of our hearts. The giving of our hearts to Jesus, so He can come in a live within us. It is the cutting away the corrupt skin that surrounds our hearts to expose a new clean heart that Jesus can transform into a righteous one with His laws written on it. Deuteronomy 10:16 NKJV Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer. Deuteronomy 30:6 NKJV And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.
A true Jewish person of Paul’s time or a true Christian of our day is one whose heart is right with God, it is a change of heart produced by God's Spirit. A person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.
Man looks at our outward appearance, but the Lord looks in the heart 1 Samuel 16:7 NKJV But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not look at his appearance or at his physical stature, because I have refused him. For the LORD does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." The praise of God can only be bestowed on those who conform internally, and not externally to his requirements. What we learn from Paul that he addressed to the Jews holds true for us today in:
| 1. That the external ritual of religion from generations past, are of little importance compared to the state of the heart. |
| 2. That the only value of rituals is to promote holiness of heart and life, like the Commandments are to point out what sin is. |
| 3. That the mere fact that we are born of pious ancestors or raised up in a denomination will not save us. |
| 4. That the fact that we were dedicated to God in baptism will not save us. |
| 5. That a mere profession of religion, however orthodox may be our creed, will not save us. |
| 6. That the value people put on our piety is not the proper measure of our true character and standing with God. |
| 7. It is a privilege to be in possession of the Word of God, and our duty to be doers of the word and not just know it. |
| 8. It is a fearful thing to neglect Gods Word because we will be judged according to it. It will be an awful event to stand before Jesus with his word externally in hand, and not internally in our hearts. |
| 9. Whatever our destiny is, it is our duty to make preparation to meet God. Speculating on what our destiny may be based on our actions, religion, heritage, or status quo would be fatal. It is the duty of every individual to be at peace with God, and to flee from the wrath to come. |
For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,
for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,
Create in me a clean heart, O God, And renew a steadfast spirit within me.
Unless you are Born Again, you cannot enter into Heaven, the Kingdom of God."
Bill
Last Week’s Trivia: Why do some denominations hold up their hands in prayer?
Answer: To lift up the hands denotes supplication, as it was a common attitude of prayer to spread abroad the hands toward heaven. God’s word tells us to in, 1 Timothy 2:8 NKJV I desire therefore that the men pray everywhere, lifting up holy hands, without wrath and doubting. Here is another way to think of it. We want to be submissive to God and by raising our hands it is a show of us submitting our lives to Jesus. Another way to think about being submissive is if you are being held at gun point. Where are your hands? They are raised to signify that you are submitting to the person with the gun. Have you ever watched two strange dogs greet each other, what does one of the dogs usually do? One will invariable lay down on its back submitting its vital organs to the other dog. It is a dog’s way of submitting. Cats do the same thing. So when we stretch out our hands and arms toward Heaven, it is a form of submission to God Almighty.
This week’s Trivia: Can man tame all things?
| Verse List: |
| Genesis 17:10-14 |
| Romans 4:11-12 |
| Exodus 4:24-26 |
| Joshua 5:2-5 |
| Galatians 5:3 |
| James 2:10 |
| Matthew 12:41-42 |
| John 3:3-7 |
| Ezekiel 33:30-32 |
| Deuteronomy 10:16 |
| Deuteronomy 30:6 |
| Jeremiah 4:4 |
| Colossians 2:11 |
| 1 Samuel 16:7 |
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