Does God want you to be circumcised?

Good morning, everyone,

Our theme for this month: “Sound doctrine, strong faith”

Our Bible verse for today: “For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, and true circumcision is not something visible in the flesh.” Romans 2:28 (CSB)

Our thought for today: “Does God want you to be circumcised?”

This section of Romans chapter two is a continuation of Paul’s teaching in the previous passage about righteous judgment. Paul urges his readers to avoid becoming a religious hypocrite who puts on a religious show by doing and saying one thing publicly but then is a secret sinner in private. In both cases he was using Jewish heritage, the Jewish mindset, and common Jewish practice as an illustration. It’s in that way that he is now going to us the subject of circumcision to teach an important spiritual lesson, and it is a key element of sound doctrine that leads to strong faith.

In the previous passage, Paul created a fictious Jewish man who was fastidious about observing every jot and tittle of the law. He prides himself on being a rule-keeper and he is that proverbial religious poseur, the hypocrite putting on the big outward religious show. This is the guy Paul described in Romans 2:17-24 and it was an obvious reference to the scribes and Pharisees that all his early readers would have been so familiar with. But it also applies to modern-day Pharisees who are self-righteous religious hypocrites who pride themselves on being “holier than thou”.

Now, in fairness, it is understandable (while not excusable), that the Jews could be tempted to see themselves as being better than the rest of humanity. Remember the covenant that God made with them and which we read in Genesis 17:10-14 in yesterday’s devotional. He was their God, they were His people, and they bore the physical mark of circumcision in their flesh to prove it.

So, they were special, they knew it, they could prove it, and they were proud of it, so… it went to their heads. They had forgotten an important part of the covenant – they had forgotten what circumcision was supposed to symbolize. The covenant was never supposed to be about mindless ritual. It was never supposed to be about outward shows of religious piety that weren’t real. Circumcision was never supposed to be some kind of Boy Scout merit badge to wear on your uniform. Physical circumcision was supposed to be an outward symbol of an inner reality. Listen to King David in Psalm 51:16-17: “You do not want a sacrifice, or I would give it; you are not pleased with a burnt offering. The sacrifice pleasing to God is a broken spirit. You will not despise a broken and humbled heart.”

We will continue thinking about this tomorrow. For this morning, I encourage you to ask God to show you if the practice of your own faith has in any way devolved into little more than a religious show. Then ask Him to forgive you and to help you correct it.

God bless,
Pastor Jim

(If you like what you are reading in these daily devotionals and if you would like more content from Oak Hill Baptist Church, join us on Sundays at 10:00 – in-person if you are nearby or, if you are geographically distant or if you just can’t make it, online at www.YouTube.com/@oakhillbaptistcrossville

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