Paul had earlier showed us that knowing the truth alone does not bring
security to a believer. It’s in living out the truth. Now he shows us the second
danger of thinking that by association one can be secured. This was how the
Jews felt. They thought that by their circumcision, they had become a member of
God’s chosen and covenant people. They thought that their circumcision automatically
made them secure. When the rite of circumcision was given to Abraham, he was
already living out his faith in God. It was given as a sign that he belonged to
God. Paul here reiterated that circumcision is only good if one also keeps the
Law. If they were circumcised but would transgress the Law, then their
circumcision would mean nothing.
In verses 26-27, Paul then flipped the coin on them. He was not saying
that an uncircumcised Gentile could keep the Law. He was just giving a
hypothetical situation. He said that when a person who is uncircumcised keeps
the Law wouldn’t that put him on par with a circumcised man? Wouldn’t he be
more qualified to be summoned to judge the circumcised who had transgressed and
violated the Law? The point of Paul was this. A faith actively lived out is
more valid than one that merely professes and not acted upon.
The crux of
the matter is found in verses 28-29. An authentic circumcision is not an external
and physical excision of the flesh. It is spiritual work that only the Spirit
of God can do. It is the excision of the old nature in the sanctifying work of
the Spirit. It is this that would bring approval of God.
What is in all
these for us? Mere knowing and confessing the truth we know is nothing if we
don’t act on them. So also is mere affiliation to the Church if we are not
actively seeking to know and serve the Lord. We are secured only when, apart
from attending church, we also stay connected to Christ, and seeking moment by
moment to actively live out our faith in Him. It is allowing the Holy Spirit to
enable us to live out principles prescribed in God’s Word. This is Faith in
action!
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