The purpose of it all (Romans 2:17-29)

The second half of Romans 2 talks about Jews and circumcision. How in the world does this relate to us today? It is important to know a couple things about these two topics. One is that throughout the Bible the Jews (or Israelites) are Gods chosen people. This means that he always looks out for them and protects them. One way he looked out for them was by giving them guidelines on the best way to live called the Ten Commandments. These ten commandment and other instructions that God gave his people became the Jewish Law.

Circumcision was a tradition that started with Abraham and it served as a physical distinction between God's people and the rest of the world. In Bible times, circumcision was only practiced among the Jews but today it has become a common practice for newborn babies to be circumcised mainly for hygienic reasons.

"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?

What is Paul saying to the Jews here and to us today? The church at Rome was made up of both Jews and Gentiles (anybody who was not a Jew) and Paul is in the middle of demonstrating that all people, Jew and gentile alike, have an equal need for God. Here he is speaking to the Jew and makes the claim that just because they are God's chosen peole (bear the name Jew) and follow most of Gods laws (rely on the law) and are more religous than most (guide to the blind, light in the dark, corrector of foolish, teacher of the immature) doesn't mean that they are doing it right - in fact they aren't. The Jew knows all the right answers, they know what's right and wrong, and they do the right thing most of the time but they are still missing the point.

So what is the point? What it the point in life? Isn't it enough to be "good" - that's more than other people are able to do isn't it?

Read Isaiah 43:5
"Bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth, everyone that is called by my name, and whom I have created for my glory, whom I have formed, even whom I have made."

So here's the deal. Whether or not you believe in God I find it hard to argue the fact that you were created. I cannot buy the idea what you and I and everything else in the world just came into being and one day it will all disappear. Since you and I were created that means we have a creator and that creator is greater than ourselves. I cannot think of anything on earth that is greater than it's creator. A pot is not greater than the potter, a painting not greater than the painter, and a house not greater than the builder. We struggle with this concept though and I think that is because we often tend to associate greatness with recognition and renown without recognizing that without the creator the created thing, regardless of how magnificent, could not exist. For example, I could tell you what the Mona Lisa looks but I couldn't tell you for the life of me who painted it (sad I know but I bet I'm not the only one). Does this mean that the Mona Lisa is greater than its creator? No, it might be more well known but the creator is still greater in every way because it created it.

It is the same way with us and God, since he created us, he is greater that we are. Not only that but the creator cannot put anything into his creation that does not come from himself. A creation cannot be smarter than its creator, or wiser, or in any way better. How could I put more wisdom into something I create than I have myself? It's impossibe because I wouldn't know how. It is the same with God. He is not only greater but he is in every way wiser, smarter, more magnificent...the whole deal! Since this is the case, the only appropriate response from us as his creation is worship. How can we worship anything if he is the greatest? This is why Isaiah says we were created for his glory - we were not created to glorify ourselves or anything else, we were created to glorify God. That is the point of life.

So how were the Jews missing the point. It sounds like they were doing a pretty good job. They were obeying the rules that God has given them...I mean they weren't perfect but who really is.

Therein lies the problem.



"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."

What does this say to us?

As Christians today we consider ourselves the people of God. We know what is right and we are quick to recognize when someone is doing something wrong. We follow all the rules, we don't say bad words, we don't listen to certain music or movies and we spend time at church. These are in a way the modern "law" that modern Christians, "Jews" in a way, are expected to follow. But like the Jews of Paul and Jesus' day have we missed the point? We think we are doing it right. We think we rely on God's word and we think we honor him in the things we do and say but the reality is that we are only doing so halfheartedly. The