Alba 7-25-2021
CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART
Romans 2:25-29
There is that old saying, “Do as I say, not as I do.” That doesn’t really work does it? Lately we have had some politicians live by that motto.
They gave various restrictions for their communities, but didn't live by them, themselves. Some are even facing a recall because of that fact. We don't like to see hypocrisy in our leaders.
The same is true about people in the church. The only pleasure the unchurched get from hypocrites in the church is to have an excuse not to bother about things of faith.
There is a poem that starts: “I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day…” That could be the heading of the section of scripture that we will look at today.
The apostle Paul writes in Romans 2:25-29 that the Jewish Christians needed to live their faith, not just rely on the rituals of their past. Among those rituals was circumcision that was given to Abraham as a sign of the covenant God made with him. Lets read:
25 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.
The primary purpose of circumcision was to identify the Jews as those with whom God had established His covenant and who therefore belonged to Him.
It was to be a reminder of their covenant relationship with God. And an important part of that relationship was that they were to be set apart from the other people around them in the way that they lived their lives.
It was a ritual God had commanded. But the significance was not in the circumcision, it was in the covenant relationship. They were identifying with the covenant, yet violating the covenant when they did not live their lives the way that covenant required.
The problem was that the Jews had come to rely upon this physical act of religious ritual instead of seeing the spiritual significance behind the physical rite of circumcision.
This scripture is saying is that the outward act only has value if you observe the law. To go through some religious ritual when it is only an outward act with no inner spiritual significance is foolishness.
If they were not willing to do what God had commanded, why should they think God would accept them based upon some religious ritual.
One of the subtle traps of religion is the idea that somehow, if we participate in religious activity or ritual, that will gain us favor with God.
But God is not impressed with any of our outward displays of religious signs and symbols. He is not interested in the empty morality of man. God is interested in the heart of a person.
Is there a difference between being “religious” and being “godly”? Truthfully, the answer should be “No”. Religious people should be righteous and godly people.
But unfortunately, for some people, the more religious they are, the less righteous or godly their lives. The word “hypocrite” is one that aptly applies to a person who is living that way.
The 16th century French Renaissance philosopher, Michael De Montaigne (“Mon-tane”) wrote: “I find no quality so easy to counterfeit as religious devotion.”
I am sure that none of us here today want to fall into the category of hypocrite. And yet the more religious we claim to be the easier it is to end up falling into that category, and we misrepresent our Lord.
You know, membership in a religious community, whether the covenant nation of Israel or the visible Church, does not guarantee that we have obtained God’s favor.
It is not that belonging to the visible community of God’s people is unimportant. It is. But salvation is not won by any external associations. When we depend on such things, we become less than what God wants us to be.
Have you noticed how companies are shrinking the size of their products while keeping the packaging the same? The result is less product while the price stays the same or goes up.
Marketing experts argue that consumers are more sensitive to price changes than they are to size changes so companies can get away with less quantity. Let me demonstrate.
• Cans of Coffee. Years ago, coffee was sold in 1-pound, 2-pound or 3-pound sizes. Without making the container any smaller, now the weight of some cans is only 11 ounces.
• Orange Juice. The one-gallon container has been shrunk to 96 ounces and yet the packaging makes it look like you’re still buying a whole gallon.
• Ice Cream Containers. Several companies have subtly changed the size of their containers from ½ gallon to 1.75 quarts.
When consumers started complaining, some of the companies explained that the smaller size fits better in the freezer! It’s almost like they’re doing us a favor!
Interestingly, the packaging industry has dubbed these new containers “cheater cups” because they’re designed to fool consumers. One thing companies are counting on is that it’s easy to sneak a subtle change past people.
Many believers today are “cheater Christians,” because they’re fooling themselves and others. Too many religious people have pretty packaging on the outside but have downsized the amount of spirituality on the inside. Unfortunately, most people have just accepted the change.
Several years ago, Fritz Ridenour wrote a commentary on the book of Romans and entitled it, “How to be a Christian without Being Religious.” His idea was that Christianity is a relationship, not a religion filled with rules and rituals.
I understand that Christianity is a religion, and it is the only true religion. But the idea of being “religious” has some fatal flaws, for it often focuses only on the outside, and not on the inside.
Christians who are just acting religious can be a serious problem for the church. We could say it this way: Ritualistic religiosity can lead to shrinking spirituality.
Have you had those little chocolate bunnies or Santa’s that show up around Christmas and Easter?
There is a difference in how they are made. You know, some of them are hollow; some are filled with marshmallow or fudge.
While others are solid, creamy milk chocolate, and of course, everyone knows that the solid ones are the best. They are the real ones!
Some church members are a lot like those chocolate bunnies and Santa’s you get at Christmas or Easter. On the surface they look like real disciples.
However, upon closer examination, they prove to be hollow, empty on the inside. Others are filled with the things of the world, or worse, a false sense of security.
Because they can point to all their good deeds in comparison to others who are the “real” sinners. But only those who are solid will be able to stand before the judgment of Christ with victory.
There have been many polls through the years, some published quite recently, which describe the religious conditions in America.
The most shocking of all the statistics are those that show the majority of Americans believe in God, and yet, only a few of those would say that their beliefs make any difference in the manner in which they live.
Many people seem to be content to trust their own efforts and religious practices to make them acceptable before God. We need to be aware that religious activities are only good when they express an inner reality.
Lets consider the example of a wedding ring. Let’s suppose that a man had never lost his ring and had never even taken it off his finger. And let’s suppose that while he was wearing that ring constantly, he became a cruel and unfaithful husband.
One day his wife reaches her breaking point and comes to him and says, “You have ceased to be a loving and faithful husband. You have become a cruel tyrant who cares only for himself and not at all for me. I want you to leave.”
How do you think she would feel if the husband responded, “How dare you complain, I’m wearing the same wedding ring you put on my finger on our wedding day, and I’ve never taken it off even once. Sure, I’ve mistreated you, and cheated on you, but I was always wearing this ring.”
That would be pretty ridiculous wouldn’t it? But isn’t that exactly what we’re doing with God when we engage in the symbols He has given us while at the same time completely disregarding His purposes, plans and ways?
Sadly, it is possible to be religious without being a Christian. We just spent this past week teaching young people God's Good Rules, the Ten Commandments.
The problem with the commandments is that while they point us in the way we all should live, we all fail in some area.
If anyone could perfectly keep the law of God, they would be saved by keeping it. But the scripture here is saying that no one can perfectly keep the law of God. All have broken the law of God.
Therefore, we can be saved only as the result of Christ’s death on the cross. He paid the penalty for the wrongs we have committed. His forgiveness must be applied to our lives.
It is then that we can experience real religion and renewal by the Holy Spirit. It is then we have an inner transformation which results in a burning desire to please and praise God.
And when we do, that is when we receive praise from God Himself, not from those we may have tried to impress by being so “religious”.
Look at verse 29, “Such a man’s praise is not from men, but from God.” Paul is actually using a pun here. The word “Jew” comes from the name Judah and means “praise.”
In Genesis 29:35 it says when Leah gave birth to Judah she said, “This time I will praise the Lord,” and the text adds, “So she named him Judah [or ‘praise’]”.
One who is only religious will focus on external things so that others will praise him. The true believer is one who has an inner relationship with Jesus Christ, resulting in praise from God.
First Samuel 16:7b says, “Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart.”
God looks beyond what we profess to be, and sees whether or not we have a new heart, one that honors and obeys Him.
CONCLUSION:
I referred earlier to the poem, “I'd rather see a sermon than hear one any day.” I want to share the whole poem with you.
I’d rather see a sermon than hear one any day.
I’d rather one would walk with me than merely tell the way.
The eye’s a better pupil and more willing than the ear.
Fine counsel is confusing, but example’s always clear.
The best of all the preachers are the men who live their creeds.
For to see good put in action is what everybody needs.
I soon can learn to do it if you’ll let me see it done.
I can watch your hands in action, but your tongue too fast may run.
The lectures you deliver may be very wise and true.
But I’d rather get my lesson by observing what you do.
I may not understand the high advice that you may give.
But there’s no misunderstanding how you act and how you live.
Outward expressions of our faith are good only if they come from a heart that is given to God.
