Sermon: “True and Forever”
TEXT: Romans 2:28-29
REVIEW
1. God demands true righteousness. No one will escape His judgment through simply hearing the Law, through the mere label of “Jew,” or through the sacrament of circumcision. He demands the actual obedience that circumcision signified. But where can anyone find that perfect obedience?
2. Only by faith could a parent sensibly agree to the circumcision of a son. Circumcision should have been a deeply humbling sign. Because of disobedience, it could only testify against the boy who received it, unless somehow he had no sin. The only hope for any sinner who received this sign would have to come through substitution.
TODAY’S PASSAGE: (Read all of Romans 2, and then focus on the following.)
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.
1. Outward, Manifest, Known
Verse 28 might be most literally translated as follows: “For it is not the in-the-manifest Jew, and not the in-the-manifest-in-the-flesh circumcision.” More liberally, the translation might read this way: “For it is not the one who everyone knows as a Jew who is the true Jew. Nor is it the outward visible circumcision in the flesh that is the true circumcision.” Here Paul is stating a very important principle. Being in the church by your own claim or by the act of a sacrament does not make you acceptable to God.
This morning we conclude the second chapter of Paul’s letter to the Roman church. He is determined to help the Jews within the church by showing them their guilt before a holy God. He is insistent that they will be judged as guilty in the absence of a perfect substitute, a perfect Lamb slain for them. That which is outward, manifest, and known to all cannot save them.
2. Inwardly, Hidden, Secret
What is needed is something that is inward, rather than merely outward – something that is hidden, rather than manifest in the flesh – something that is known and approved by God, and beyond the ability of men, beyond the approval of men, and even beyond the gaze of men. Can you identify with the Jew who has counted on his Jewishness to save him? How about the man who has always counted on his circumcision when all else fails? Can you relate to the woman who rested her hope on the fact that she was a part of the people descended from Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob? Can you put yourself in their places for a moment? What are you feeling like now at the end of Romans two? You are feeling powerless. If you are feeling like there is nothing you can do to save yourself, then you are right.
Let me reread my very literal translation of verse 28, and then follow with 29 using the same method. “(28) For it is not the in-the-manifest Jew, and not the in-the-manifest-in-the-flesh circumcision, (29) but the in-the-hidden Jew, and circumcision of heart in spirit, not letter, who the praise, not from men but from God.” Paul speaks in verse 28 of “not” a Jew, and “not” circumcision, and then he speaks in verse 29 by way of contrast about a Jew that is, and a circumcision that is. Even though he does not use many words here, it is plain that his contrast is between the false and the true. True Jewishness and true circumcision are settled firmly in the judgment of God. Men judge based on what can be seen and heard. The judgment of men is temporary. The judgment of God is settled and forever.
a. The true Jew: The true Jew is one who by merit deserves the name “Jew.” The name Jew comes from the tribal name of “Judah.” The true Israelite would have wanted to be associated with this tribe, even if, like Paul, he actually descended from another tribe, for blessing was to come from Judah. The name “Jew” should be given to one who was the true Israel of God. It is not, in its essence, about nationality, but about righteousness. You can’t finally be judged to have the name simply because you use the name. Paul is saying to the one who considers himself a Jew by birth, you are not the true Jew.
b. The true circumcision: Circumcision is the mark that God appointed to be used by His people as a sign of belonging to Him. (While it could only be given to men, women were also considered to be a part of the people of God, though they could not receive the sign themselves. They were the mothers through whom the baby boys were born. They were a part of the people of circumcision.) The outward sign was never the true circumcision. Only the one who had the perfect obedience that circumcision demanded could be by merit the true circumcision. True circumcision is circumcision of the heart – of the mind and the will – a circumcision of love, where you love what God loves, and live entirely for Him.
God demanded and looked for this circumcision of the heart throughout the Old Testament. (Read Deuteronomy 10:16, and Jeremiah 4:4.) What He found according to Jeremiah 9:25-26, was that though Israel was circumcised in the flesh, she lacked the circumcision of the heart.
25 "Behold, the days are coming," says the LORD, "that I will punish all who are circumcised with the uncircumcised -26 Egypt, Judah, Edom, the people of Ammon, Moab, and all who are in the farthest corners, who dwell in the wilderness. For all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart."
You can’t be judged to have the sign and the seal by merit simply because you have no foreskin, or are related to those who have no foreskin. Paul is saying to the one who considers himself a part of the circumcision, you are not the true circucision.
c. The true praise: Finally Paul moves to the heart of the matter of how one might by merit be called “Jew” or be judged to have the circumcision of the heart. Such a one must have praise from God, rather than from men. Praise from God is the true praise. The name “Judah” came from the word praise. These concepts of true Jew, true circumcision, and true praise are all one and the same. Who is the true elect of God – not by mercy, but by merit. We know that God will have mercy on whom he has mercy, and he can mark with the hidden mark, and apply that praise and that name to a precious elect sinner according to his abundant mercy. But someone must first have that praise by merit, before the praise can be distributed by mercy. You can’t be judged to have His praise by merit simply because you descend from Judah or have physical circumcision. Paul is saying to the one who would have confidence in outward things of the Old Covenant, you do not have, by merit, the praise of God.
3. Christ the True One Forever
True and forever blessedness comes when God declares you blessed, not when men do. How can a Jew (or a Gentile for that matter) have this true and forever blessedness? There must be One True Jew (Isaiah 42:1, I Peter 2:6, Galatians 3:16), One True Circumcised Heart (Philippians 3:3), One True Praised of God (Matthew 17:5). He must come. He must be born. He must live. He must die for us. Jesus Christ has done this that the true and forever blessedness that He had by merit, might be truly and forever yours by mercy.
APPLICATION:
Throughout this chapter, Paul has addressed the holy privileges of God’s covenant people. There is something very offensive to God that Paul is addressing in Romans 2. It is called “sacrilege.” Sacrilege comes from two words that mean “holy” and “to steal.” A sacrilege is when you steal something holy.
God made circumcision. It was His holy sign and seal. It was designed to humble the sinner. “Walk before me and be blameless” was God’s instruction to Abraham when He instituted this sign (Genesis 17:1). He did not mean this in some partial, ceremonial, or redefined way. He was revealing His demand for perfect obedience. It was God’s will that this holy sign would humble His people, and that they would turn to Him for their Messiah – their substitute, and then endeavor after new obedience by the power that God had promised to supply (Deuteronomy 30:1-6).
If God’s people of the Old Testament took a holy sign and seal designed by God to humble them, and used it as a badge of pride, would that not be stealing something holy? We must not be sacrilegious. If we use a sacrament or our knowledge of the doctrines of grace as an excuse for ignoring His call to us to be holy, we are doing something that is sacrilegious. We are using holy gifts for unholy purposes.
Some 2000 years ago a child was born. That child is the One you need. The answer for you is Christ. You can’t take something holy – something less than Christ (the Word of God’s love, the name “Christian,” your baptism, or your membership) – and use these holy things to keep Christ away. That is sacrilege. That will not bring you the true joy that you long for in your life. Embrace your Lord moment by moment, and know His good pleasure. The circumcision of the heart that you need is “Christ in you, the hope of glory” (Colossians 1:27). He is here with His people today and always. Do not place your confidence in anything less than Him. Amen.