“28 For he is not a Jew, which is one
outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29
But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart,
in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God”
(Romans 2:28-29).
[We have been considering,
in this 12th tranche of studies, the apostle Paul’s characterisation
of a true Jew as he chides his kinsmen in the flesh for their hypocrisy and
false confidence. We considered in the first article how Paul chided them for
having a form of knowledge, but walking contrary to it. We saw in the second
article, how the Jews mistakenly placed their confidence in their circumcision.
But now in this final instalment, we must consider how Paul condemns the
nominal Jew]
3. Nominalism
This
point is similar to what we have just spoken about in the previous article. In
verse 25-27, Paul condemns the Jews who boasted of their circumcision, but
lived like Gentiles. Here, in verse 28-29 he brings in a theological principle.
There is such a thing as a true Jew and a Jew only in name. The apostle Paul
was not condemning the true Jew. He was condemning nominal Jews.
The
Jew who is a Jew only in name is circumcised in the flesh, but not in the
heart. He keeps the law to the letter in
order that men will praise him. His worship is mouth-worship. His heart is far
from God. His circumcision is only external. It does not touch his soul. He
does not have a real relationship with God. His Jewishness is only skin-deep.
The
true Jew on the other may or may not be circumcised in the flesh, but he is
circumcised in the heart. He keeps the law in the spirit,—not for the praises
of men, but for the praises of God. His circumcision touches his inner man. He
has a real and living relationship with God. He is a true Jew deep in his
heart.
A true Jew who lived in the Old Testament is
no different from a true Christian. Amongst the true Jews are the heroes of
faith listed in Hebrews 11—Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Joshua, Rahab,
Samson, Samuel, David, and the prophets.
Today,
a born-again Christian is a true Jew. The church of Christ is the Israel of
God. The true Jew is a true Christian. The religious people in Palestine today
are not true Jews. They may be Jews in the definition of unbelieving men, but
not in the definition of God and the Scriptures.
Paul is implying that nominal Jews are
guilty and condemned before God. He is not saying that a true Jew is not guilty
by nature. Nor, is he saying that there are no true Jews. He is saying that the
large majority of so-called Jews during his days, were Jews only in name. These
were trusting in their circumcision and their knowledge of the Law. But their
boasting is empty. They are guilty before God in the final analysis.
What about true Jews? True Jews are those
who have learned to look away from themselves to look at the Messiah to come.
The true Jew knows that his knowledge cannot save him. He knows that he falls
short of the glory of God. He know that he has to depend on the propitiatory
sacrifice of the Messiah. His heart has been changed by the Spirit of God. He
lives out of gratitude and love, unto the praise of God. He knows that he does
not belong to himself, but to God. So he lives for God with a sincere heart.
The question we must ask is: Am I a true
Jew or merely a nominal Jew? If you read Romans 2:28-29 without asking this
question, you have misread the Word of God.
Conclusion
The message of Paul
is clear. Whether Jews or Gentiles, we are by nature guilty before God. We
cannot save ourselves. Our religion cannot save us. Our knowledge cannot save
us. Our keeping of the law cannot save us.
But
that does not mean that it is not important to keep God’s laws.
Since a true Jew today is a true Christian,
we must realise that there is also such a thing as a nominal Christian. There
is such a thing as person who is baptised outwardly only. There is such a thing
as a Christian hypocrite. Now, we may infer from what the apostle has written
that there are two kinds of Christian hypocrites.
The
first kind comprises sincere professing believers who think they are Christian
but are not keen to engage their mind on anything theuy consider to be too deep
for them. They think theology is for theologians and the law of God is only for
the Jews or for fanatics. We are under grace, not law, they say. They believe
they will get to heaven because they have once prayed to receive Christ and
have been baptised. They attend church regularly so long as nothing else crops
up. But otherwise, they walk no differently from how they did before their
supposed conversion. They prove
themselves to be hypocrites.
The second kind, on the other hand,
comprises those who trust and boast in their knowledge of God’s Word. They
profess the Reformed Faith and know how to criticise others for their lack of
knowledge, or for their being unreformed. But their lives demonstrate their
hypocrisy. They are obedient only as far as it does not go against their pride
and excuses. They would vigorously justify their disobedience in other areas.
They figure that so long as they can justify themselves to man, and appear to be
obedient enough to man it is sufficient. So, like children, they are
selectively obedient. Their praise is not of God but of man.
Am I describing you? I must ask myself the
same question because I know I have a remnant of corruption that makes me prone
to hypocrisy. I would urge you to ask yourself the same: “Am I blissfully
ignorant? Am I selectively obedient.” If you are, you must repent lest you be
duped by the deceitfulness of sin, and be found a reprobate at the last day.
As
there were circumcised Jews who would face the wrath of God, let us remember
that unless we are truly converted and live by faith for God, we will face His
wrath. Let us therefore pray for one another and pray for our children that we
may all be genuinely converted, genuinely believe in the Lord, and genuinely
walking by His grace. Amen.
─JJ Lim
