Becoming More Christlike Than American: Part 5

Part 5: Advocates for the kingdom

“One day as these men were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Appoint Barnabas and Saul for the special work to which I have called them.” So after more fasting and prayer, the men laid their hands on them and sent them on their way…Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared, “It was that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles.” Acts 13:2-3,46 NLT

If you’ve never read Acts 13, or haven’t in a while, first go read it.

This story of the sending of Paul and Barnabas to “the nations” (usually translated “Gentiles”) is foundational to our experience and understanding of the Church.

And they did not see it as a secondary result of the Gospel, but as a part of the primary mission of God’s people. The unity of the nations (“ethnos” in Greek) into the kingdom of heaven is essential to the outworking of the Gospel!

Jesus came to reconcile all people to God and to one another in Him. And so as the church formed it was to become a people who would display this reconciliation to the world. The earliest disciples knew this and it was an essential part of their lives.

Too many times in American church culture today you hear the refrain “Just preach the Gospel” in response to the work of reconciliation. And the assumption is that simply by verbalizing a message to people, all things that are supposed to work themselves out will. But we don’t do this with other issues that come out of the Gospel and shape the people of God…

Does just preaching words automatically give us a relationally healthy church?

Does just preaching words readily form a group of people across ethnicity, age, and socioeconomics?

Does just preaching words naturally bring reconciliation of people to God and to one another?

While words are certainly powerful, there is an active roll we play in advocating for the kingdom of heaven to come here on earth. There is a key relational piece that must occur and not just words that are to be shared.

The testimony of words is crucial. But the witness of reconciliatory relationships is too. The Gospel is not the Gospel without both.

Here’s the truth of Acts 13: Just as the Advocate (the Holy Spirit) lives in us, so we become advocates for the kingdom to be displayed on earth as it is in heaven.

We certainly anticipate the return of Christ as the ultimate reconciliation of all people into the kingdom. But we participate now in bringing the kingdom to earth, just as Jesus and his disciples did, to the highest degree we can.

And the main ministry we are called to in this kingdom work is reconciliation – a relational experience of a coming together, not merely words that are preached.

Since we know there is no division in heaven – not because of secondary theological issues, not because of cultural differences and certainly not because of personal preference – then our efforts must be toward the most amount of unity possible here on earth as well!

Yes we recognize that perfect unity is still not yet achievable before Christ’s return. And yet that shouldn’t cause us to resign ourselves to division as if reconciliation cannot be a reality while we are still on earth – this perspective typically leads to a divisive attitude or a desire to justify division.

So what do we do with the reality of this call to reconciliation while we are still here on earth?

It seems we are left with two options: 1) Leave the kingdom reality of unity across uniqueness (individually and in people groups) to only happening after Jesus returns; or 2) Advocate for that kingdom reality on earth as it is in heaven until Christ returns and it is fully realized.

And in my reading of Scripture, it seems only one of those options fits. Considering that this kingdom reality is not only described after Jesus’s return (Revelation 7), but prayed for by Jesus (John 17) and then sought out by Jesus’ followers (the whole book of Acts starting in Acts 2); then it must be our earnest prayer and earnest seeking as well.

Isn’t it amazing that the immediate result of the Advocate (the Holy Spirit) inhabiting those first believers was a bringing together of people from different unique languages and “ethnos” (Acts 2)?

Isn’t it amazing that the response of the Advocate to the dispersion of believers was to empower them to be witnesses wherever they ended up to the people right in front of them who were not “like” them (Acts 8)?

Isn’t it amazing that the plan of the Advocate was to ultimately send out believers specifically to the unique people groups (Gentiles) across the known world in order to plant the Gospel and see the Church spring up right there among them (Acts 13)?

It should not be lost on us how intentional God is in emphasizing at the very beginning of the Church how important it is that the Gospel bring together all kinds of people from all kinds of places into the kingdom of heaven.

It does not happen by chance or circumstance.

It does not happen because of some expressed cultural value.

It happens because it is a key result of the call of the Gospel and the empowering of the Holy Spirit among His disciples.

The uniqueness of the image of God evidenced in each person from every place is brought to a full display of beauty as we find ourselves united in Christ.

To devalue the uniqueness of God’s image within people and people groups is to misunderstand the Gospel altogether.

And this is what Acts displays for us.

Acts is ultimately a prophetic critique of anyone or any group of people who tie the Gospel to their specific culture or their specific nation. Any ethnocentrism, tribalism, or nationalism of any variety within God’s people is a foreign reality to the kingdom of heaven.

As we read Acts 13, and internalize this outward trajectory of the Spirit’s calling to unite the unique image of God within all kinds of people, we must wrestle with how we may have been formed by parts of our own American culture in a way that might deny this reality instead of embrace it.

Do we trust God enough to prioritize the call of the Spirit to go to those who do not share our ethnic values or do we find ourselves bunkering down into silos out of a need for comfort or control?

Do we trust God enough to live as residents of the kingdom of heaven here on earth among all kinds of “people groups” right around us (many that may not look like us or live like us) or do we distance ourselves from that calling because it may inconvenience us?

Do we trust God enough to identify and deal with our own biases so that we can love our neighbor as Jesus loves them or do we live with blinders on which keep us from valuing someone enough to love them well?

Do we trust God enough to celebrate as someone else to express their faith thru the uniqueness of how God has formed them (and the people He’s formed around them) or do we feel the need to get them to conform to our version of expression as if it is “the standard”?

Acts models for us what it looks like for the kingdom to come to earth across all earthly divisions (specifically ethnicity).

May we become Advocates for this united multiethnic kingdom of heaven being displayed here on earth and not for any ethnic-specific version of the American church.

May we become Advocates for this multiethnic kingdom that wages war against the evil in this world that divides and dehumanizes, in order that we may display fully both righteousness and justice as the very witness of The Advocate’s work in our lives.

Who’s Life is it Anyway?

The apostle Paul tells us in Colossians 3:4 that Jesus’ life is now my life. Have you considered what this means for how you live your life?

I was reading Colossians today and this phrase in chapter 3, verse 4 stood out.

When Christ, who is your life…(CSB)

Paul is talking about how we have become a “new man.” That the old person we used to be has gone away. We have been changed and transformed. It is a truly remarkable thought. Continue reading “Who’s Life is it Anyway?”

Sermon | “Spiritual Injuries and God’s Insights”

The sermon preached on 1 Peter 2:4-12 this past Sunday, September 25, 2016, at Ambassadors of Christ Fellowship.

You can also download the sermon outline.

Lent Day #37 | Redemption

As we draw closer to Easter morning we will take some time to explore what it means that God has redeemed us

We have interacted with the idea of redemption at various times during this series of reflections (here, here, here, and here). Today, as we draw closer to Easter morning we will take some time to explore what it means that God has redeemed us.

Redemption is a financial term. Many of us have used coupons before. We go to a store with the coupon and when we redeem it we get what it offers at the time of check-out. The reality of this transaction is included in our salvation. When Jesus came to earth, his mission was to redeem that which was lost. In what way was it lost? It was lost to sin and sinfulness. No man or woman who has ever lived can rise up to God. Our blood has been tainted by the sin of Adam and Eve. When they disobeyed God and decided to do their own thing, they damned their ancestors to a life of struggle, strife, and strain.

I want to correct a common misconception here. There are some who believe (and teach) that Jesus redeemed us from the devil. The idea being the enemy of God was holding us captive. This does not make any sense because he too is captive. The devil must still submit to the will of God, even though God is waiting to pronounce his final judgment! So, if we were not redeemed from the devil, who are we in debt too? We are in debt to ourselves. The reason we are stuck in our predicament is because we keep making withdrawals from the account and have been overdrawn for millennia. The debt of sin is the belief we can live independent of God. This however is not the case. If it were not for God we would have nothing. Paul, said it this way,

²⁴ “The God who made the world and everything in it, being Lord of heaven and earth, does not live in temples made by man, ²⁵ nor is he served by human hands, as though he needed anything, since he himself gives to all mankind life and breath and everything. ²⁶ And he made from one man every nation of mankind to live on all the face of the earth, having determined allotted periods and the boundaries of their dwelling place, ²⁷ that they should seek God, and perhaps feel their way toward him and find him. Yet he is actually not far from each one of us, ²⁸ for, ‘In him we live and move and have our being’.” (Acts 17:24-28a, ESV)

If it is true that “in Him we live,” then we need someone to redeem our debt and make a deposit into our account of unrighteousness. The only one who could do that was Jesus. When we came into this world, he lived the life we could not live; he died the death we deserved; was raised to life from the grave so we could stand before God forgiven–not perfect. We will never be perfect, but we are being perfected.

Redemption is what Jesus has done to remove the burden of our sin debt. He was submitted the coupon of his blood for the balance of sin in the world. The hymn writer was correct when they said

What can wash away my sin?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
What can make me whole again?
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain

Oh! precious is the flow
That makes me white as snow;
No other fount I know,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

For my pardon, this I see,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
For my cleansing this my plea,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain

Nothing can for sin atone,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
Naught of good that I have done,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.

Refrain

This is all my hope and peace,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus;
This is all my righteousness,
Nothing but the blood of Jesus.
(Source)

Lent Day #36 | Righteousness

I want to share with you one of the many mind-blowing verses in the bible!

For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV)

I am stunned at the reality this points to. Before we go any deeper into the verse, let’s look at what righteousness is. Righteousness has been defined as having a right relationship with God. Now, this sounds great, but it does not describe for us how we can get to the right relationship. What does the journey from “here” to “there” look like?

As I have studied, thought and prayed about this I have composed a simplified definition based on what I have seen on my faith journey. I am sure others have come to a similar conclusion, so I do not claim exclusive rights to this. For me, righteousness is hearing or reading God’s word and saying to myself, “I will do whatever I have to do, to do what I have heard.” The essence of this idea is to take God at his word. What this means is making every effort to trust and comply and fulfill what God has said, living it out every day.

Paul says this about Abraham:

“So also Abraham ‘believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness.'” (Galatians 3:6, NIV)

What did Abraham do? He believed God and then lived his life in light of what he believed about what God said. This is the key that releases toward us God’s blessing. When we move and live trusting in God we are saying He is the most important reality in our lives. This is the evidence of our desire for a right relationship with God. If our desire is to dwell with God, we must work toward that objective. We must do everything within our power to demonstrate it, to God and everyone else.

I want to be counted as righteous. Do you? And, if you say that is your desire, what are you doing to show God you are serious?

“Faith is…” Series, Pt. 13 | Faith is… Receiving the Righteousness of God

For our sake [God] made [Jesus] to be sin [even though Jesus] knew no sin, so that in [Jesus] we might become the righteousness of God. (2 Corinthians 5:21, ESV)

I will say this from the word go. If you can wrap your mind around this you will be well on your way to living a life that is pleasing to the Lord. If, however, you are like me, then you may struggle to make sense of how it could be possible for us to receive the righteousness of God in Christ.

This is possibly one of the most loving and compassionate verses of scripture in the Bible. It reveals the motivation in God’s heart toward us. Paul is telling us that as we go out into the world as ambassadors for Jesus what we are telling the world is that God has done something so awesome, so mind blowing that if we really thought about it we would break out into spontaneous praise! There are several key points of interest in this ONE verse that I want to highlight. I will break it down so that we can appreciate what Paul is saying.

1. Why?: “For our sake…”

Paul is saying that the reason that God has acted in the way that he did; the reason that we are the beneficiaries of God’s unmerited favor is because God was thinking about us from the beginning. This does not make us the center of God’s affections. What this describes is that the reason for Jesus dying was because God knew, understood and accepted the fact that without Jesus death there would be no life for anyone.

It was for OUR sakes that Jesus came.

It was for OUR sakes that Jesus lived.

It was for OUR sakes that Jesus died.

It was for OUR sakes that Jesus was raised again on the third day.

This is the why of Jesus entire life and ministry on earth. It was for our sakes! This cannot be understated, overstated, minimized or made too important. What Jesus did is beyond comparison. What Jesus accomplished can never be duplicated. What Jesus did can never be undone.

2. Who?: “God made…”

There is nothing in salvation that can be attributed to my efforts as a sinner. There is nothing that I can contribute to the process or the event. Salvation is such a gift from God that God did not and does not see fit to entrust me with any aspect of it. He knows that if I were to lay my hands on salvation I would so damage it that it would become useless. Not sure about this? Look at what Peter has to say on the subject. (What a wonderful passage of promise!)

³ Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, ⁴ to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, ⁵who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3-5, ESV, emphasis added)

The wonder of God’s love is that he secures the grace and salvation that he provides. He is unwilling that anyone should lose what he has carefully provided through the death of his Son. God does not even trust me to maintain it. God does that himself. This is grace through and through, from beginning to end.

3. How?: “made [Jesus] to be sin [even though Jesus] knew no sin…”

Right here, at this point we run into one of those theological puzzles. How is it that God has provided for us what we need more than anything else, his righteousness? The Scripture says that Jesus was made to be sin. The idea was that Jesus became sin. Not that Jesus committed a sin; not that Jesus sinned, but that somehow he became the very thing that I am, without actually being guilty of doing anything wrong.

I think you are beginning to see the difficulties here. How is this possible? There is a concept that we have to understand. It is described by a big word, but is can be understood rather easily. The concept is imputation. According to Theopedia “Imputation is used to designate any action or word or thing as reckoned to a person.” If you think of it this way it might help. I love to smear butter on a freshly baked dinner roll. The butter is not a part of the roll, but when I take the knife and I apply the butter, I imputed the butter to the bread.

This is the idea. Jesus did not change who he was, but something was added to him that was not his, in this case the sin of the whole world. This is why Paul says that God made Jesus to be sin, because if God had not, Jesus could not die as our substitute and redeem us from the very sin that was condemning us to hell. This is the miracle of Jesus’ life.

There is a great book by Peter Lewis, The Glory of Christ. In it he writes these amazing few sentences describing what was taking place when Jesus showed up on the scene as a human being, just like you and me.

“It comes to this: for our salvation it is as necessary that the Son of God be truly and fully human as that He be truly and fully divine. If this humanity is less than full and true, then he is inadequate as a mediator, incompetent as a sympathizer and disqualified as a redeemer. If (save for sin) He is not all that we are in our uttermost humanity, the He cannot perfectly represent us either in His life or in His death. If He does not descend to us from God, the He cannot lift us up to God.” (pg. 142)

The wonder and mystery of the incarnation is the linchpin that makes our redemption possible and sure. In the incarnation, God paved the way to the cross. And at the cross, Jesus became guilty of something he never did, your and my sin.

4. Where?: “so that in [Jesus]…”

As we move from the “Why” to the “Who” and pass through the “How” we arrive at the “where.” Where is it that God places us after Jesus has taken our place on the cross? This short clause packs a powerful punch in answering that for us. Listen to where God has put us. God has put us in him. But how can it do that? He can do that because that is what the plan was. Those two words, “so that,” right there are the arrows point to God’s design. But, what do those two words mean? What they mean is that

Based on what has been said before, what comes after IS GUARANTEED!

Do not miss that. Do not read this truth and just pass along as if something ordinary has happened!

This is the power of what is happening here in this verse. The reason that God is able to give to us what rightfully belongs to Jesus is because Jesus took from us what rightly belonged to us and made it his own. We are heading toward heaven because Jesus punched the ticket with a blood-soaked nail. This is not a cheap fare. The Gospel moves us from the Glory of God to the Grace of God. The journey from glory to grace goes right through the terrible door of the Judgment of God that falls directly upon Jesus.

The second part of this clause is that all of this takes place “in Jesus.” And here is where true Christianity is separated from all other religions, philosophical systems and ideologies of the world. If a person does not come to Jesus, trust in Jesus, hold to Jesus and rely on Jesus all of the benefits of God’s righteousness will not be enjoyed. And what’s worse they will never be applied to the sinner’s account.

Salvation in Christ is conditional. All of salvation depends on our staying in Jesus and only Jesus.

5. What?: “we might become the righteousness of God.”

This is the great truth of the Gospel. The Gospel, I believe answers this question: What is the ultimate goal of God’s redemption plan? The Gospel preaches Christ crucified, buried and raised so that we may become sons and daughters of God. So that we might become heirs and joint heirs with Jesus. So that we might be transformed, conformed, and renewed in every area of life. But, all of this presupposes that we are now something different. What we have become has changed. FOREVER!

God’s plan for salvation was not an afterthought. God knew what it was going to take to redeem a fallen human race. And Jesus willingly stepped down from his thrown at the right hand of God and stepped into the finite, fallen world of sinners. At the heart of this act of undefiled love is the understanding that without sacrifice the price of salvation would never have been paid. Without out Jesus’ death there is no imputed righteousness.

Conclusion

Faith in Christ, the kind of faith that sets a person free from sin, fear and all of the traps that lead to bondage can only come when we freely receive the righteousness of God. It is not something that can be won, earned or coerced. It must be enjoyed, plain and simple. To do otherwise is to jeopardize living into the full reality of God’s grace. Don’t make that mistake.

Receive what has been given. And, then do what you should be doing already, leave it all in God’s hands.

Romans Series (Pt. 25) – Romans 5:18-21

Christ’s Obedience Brings Righteousness (5:18-21)
Paul returns to the thought that he began in verse 12 about the source of humanity’s sinful nature. Let’s look at the complete thought here.

Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—…Therefore as by the offence of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification of life. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous. Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord. (Rom 5:12, 18-21, KJV)

Here is Paul’s full theological statement about the relationship between Adam and Jesus, between sin and redemption. In Adam all were found guilty of falling short of God perfect standard, God’s glory (Romans 3:23). It cannot be stated too often, that the nature of sin’s offense must be measured against the perfect nature of God’s character. Paul then gives us the opposite reality found in Christ. In Jesus, all who believe will be restored into right relationship with God. God will no longer require payment for the offense of sin, but will rather count the righteousness of Christ to the account of all who place their trust in Jesus. What we often fail to realize is that what Adam did in the Garden was to place his faith in himself. This is the ultimate reality. Pride is the springhead of all sin. When Adam and Eve ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, they withdrew their trust from God and placed it on their own understanding and wisdom. Did the devil play a role in this? Absolutely. But the responsibility for falling into sin rested at the feet of Adam and Eve who committed the sin. The devil has his own sins to answer for, but the fall is not one of them.

In Jesus God is reestablishing the proper object of faith. This is why faith is the required means for salvation. When we do not believe in God we are believe in something else to be the source of our lives, and this is the sin that cast humanity from the Garden of Eden. When we come to grips with the fact that the universe is guided by the principle of faith we will understand why Adam’s sin affected all of his descendants. Verses 20 and 21 help us to make sense of the parenthetical statement found in verses 13-17. The law came to let all know why God was upset with our actions. The law is what provides man with accountability to God. Culpability is found in the act of sin. We sin because we are sinners. And it is also true that we are sinners because of sin. Just look at what happens in Genesis, specifically the generation of Noah and during the time of the building of the tower of Babel (Genesis 6, 11).

This is why Paul says that where sin abounds, grace abounds much more (v.20). When we understand the terrible offense of our sin (through the law’s revelation); we can see why grace is so much more powerful and wonderful. When sin looks as if it has had its final victory, grace comes and reveals the true weakness and impotence of sin. God loves to show that He can lift us up from the most desperate of places if we would jut trust in Him. But the power of God’s salvific work in found in the work and person of Jesus Christ (v. 21). To turn to any other place is to place our faith in the wrong object, i.e., ourselves.

Romans Series (Pt. 16) – Romans 4:9-12

The Seal of Righteousness (Romans 4:9-11a)
What was the purpose for all of that has transpired thus far in Abraham’s life? Why did God go through all of this trouble so long ago? Why did God make a man who had faith go through the trouble of circumcision if the act had no power in the salvation event? It was because all people need to have moments of commitment. It is during these moments that we come face-to-face with ourselves and with our God and are made to decide where we will stand. Listen to the way that Paul phrases it:

He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. [Romans 4:11a, ESV]

Abraham received the sign not to establish or prove his faith, but so that through that act of sealing, or better understood as covenant, Abraham would never forget that he would never be the same. After that moment of faith, there was no turning back. There was no returning to the Land of Ur. He and God has set out on a new path, in a new direction.

In the Footsteps of Abraham (Romans 4:11b-12)
Paul takes the example and definition of true faith back to Abraham and clearly shows the Roman church that circumcision was circumstantial. Circumcision was not necessary for their faith to be recognized and approved by God. Abraham is the father of those that understand that circumcision is not what saves and of those that live out what circumcision stands for, even if not circumcised.

Any person that walks in the faith of Abraham has been approved by God. That is a startling and wonderful truth. That is why every nation and tongue who surrenders to the name of Jesus will be saved. Because Abraham was one of those outside and was brought into the family of God. This is the heart of salvation — adoption through faith.

Romans Series (Pt. 9) – Romans 3:10-18

There is None Righteous (Romans 3:10-18)
Verses 10-18 are Paul’s biblical proof for why both Jew and Gentile have equal standing in the eyes of God. Paul quotes from various places in the Old Testament to make his case. He uses the Psalms because of their ability to capture the truth at the heart level. David was a man who spoke, sang, and wrote from his varied experiences. It was because of this that as you read the Psalms a kinds of emotions are written about there. From joy to anger; love to revenge; faith to impatience; jubilation to repentance. We will look at this next, but without the law, there is no knowledge of sin (v. 20). But before Paul gets to that he wants to make it plainly clear that that there is already sufficient cause for God to hold us guilty of sin.

I have provided the quotations and their references below. Paul is paraphrasing from these passages, but the essence of this is the same.

Paul’s Quotation	Old Testament Reference
Romans 3: 10-12 10 as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one; 11 no one understands; no one seeks for God. 12 All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.”	Psalm 14:1-3 (cf. Psalm 51:1-3) 1 The fool says in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they do abominable deeds, there is none who does good. 2 The Lord looks down from heaven on the children of man,to see if there are any who understand, who seek after God. 3 They have all turned aside; together they have become corrupt; there is none who does good, not even one. Ecclesiastes 7:20 Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins.
Romans 3:13a “Their throat is an open grave; they use their tongues to deceive.”	Psalm 5:9 For there is no truth in their mouth; their inmost self is destruction; their throat is an open grave; they flatter with their tongue.
Romans 3:13b “The venom of asps is under their lips.”	Psalm 140:3 They make their tongue sharp as a serpent’s, and under their lips is the venom of asps.
Romans 3:14 “Their mouth is full of curses and bitterness.”	Psalm 10:7 His mouth is filled with cursing and deceit and oppression; under his tongue are mischief and iniquity.
Romans 3:15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood;”	Proverbs 1:16 for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood.
Romans 3:15-17 15 “Their feet are swift to shed blood; 16 in their paths are ruin and misery, 17 and the way of peace they have not known.”	Isaiah 59:7,8 7 Their feet run to evil, and they are swift to shed innocent blood; their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; desolation and destruction are in their highways. 8 The way of peace they do not know, and there is no justice in their paths; they have made their roads crooked; no one who treads on them knows peace.
Romans 3:18 “There is no fear of God before their eyes.”	Psalm 36:1 Transgression speaks to the wicked deep in his heart; there is no fear of God before his eyes.

The apostle does not hold back on his description of the state of man. While this may appear tame and mild to some, pull is not pulling any punches. It is through these verses that Paul puts forth a detailed, and nearly comprehensive, wrecking ball to any argument for justification, salvation or righteousness apart from God and His Son Jesus. To seek any of these three attributes independently of God’s presence and intervention is to step away from what God has revealed in Scripture. What Paul is saying in this section is not something that can be, or should be taken lightly. The indictment upon humanity is equal to the remedy that God has provided in the Cross of Christ. But, if man’s understanding of sin does not agree with the price paid for that sin there will remain an inconsistency in any theology/doctrine that we try to claim is genuinely Biblical.

It is worth noting that sin must be understood from the perspective of the offended rather than that of the offender. The value of the one wronged determines the just compensation. As we look at the price that God paid for our redemption, i.e., the Blood of Jesus, we can see that sin is far worse than we could ever comprehend.

Romans Series (Pt. 7) – Romans 2:25-29

Paul bridges chapter 2 with its emphasis on God’s righteous judgment on sinners and chapter 3 with its emphasis on righteousness through faith with a brief discussion on circumcision. While this may seem strange Paul does this because circumcision had become a point of contention regarding salvation. In light of the argument that he was making Paul wanted to remove this as an obstacle to faith. Was it necessary for gentiles to become Jews before becoming Christians? (cf. Act 15:1-35, Galatians 5:6, 11-15).

Circumcision of the Flesh (2:25-27)

As Paul comes out of his discussion about God judging according to a righteous standard and moves into the issue of circumcision. What is interesting in his treatment of the issue is that he begins to drive the issue of faith and salvation beyond the physical conformity to the Mosaic Law. It was important for the Romans to understand that faith in Christ was more than external, behavioral conformity. Paul, a pharisee and student of the Old Testament, alludes to the prophet Samuel’s mistake in looking at the outer appearance instead of looking at the heart (1 Samuel 16:1-13). As experience has taught us, appearances can be deceiving. This may be why Paul wants to move away from the appearance of a person’s compliance of holiness to the actual practice of holy living.

Circumcision of the Heart (2:28-29)

Paul goes so far as to say that there are some among the Jews who are not truly Jews. The standard that determines whether a person is a Jew is that they “are one inwardly” [v. 29]. There will be an expansion of this idea of justification by faith in chapter 4 when the example of Abraham is examined. This is a very astonishing statement from someone who was among the most devout and zealous observers of Jewish customs, culture, and faith [Philippians 3:3-6]. As Paul wraps up the second chapter he begins to firmly establish that faith is the measure and the means by which God will judge those who claim to be in Christ. Paul established here that the proper order of any good work done by a Christian comes as a result of the heart transformation that has taken place because of salvation and not the other way around.

Tag: Righteousness