Sincere Faith: Beyond Religious Motions

The Mask of Religion

Romans 2:17–24 ESV

But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God and know his will and approve what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You who say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. For, as it is written, “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

All Scripture is from God, and is meant for all of us.

Although this passage starts out by addressing the Jews, God is still speaking to every one of us.

We don’t get to check out because it’s talking to the Jews.

We should be opening our ears when the Word of God is read or taught because of the promise in 2 Timothy 3:16-17.

2 Timothy 3:16–17 “All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

Therefore, we can read this passage that is specifically speaking to the Jews with the understanding that God intends to teach us, to highlight our wrongdoing, to inspire a change in our actions, and to guide us toward righteousness.

We often hide behind religion, in order clear our conscience.

Paul describes the Jews in this passage in these ways:

They rely on the law.

This shows that they understood the law which teaches how to be obedient to God.

They boast in God.

This shows that the they worshipped the one true God.

They know God’s will.

This shows that that the they were aware of God expects from man.

They approve of what is excellent.

This shows that the they agreed with God on what was right and wrong.

Yet, despite this great resume, the Jews failed to honor God, because they broke the law.

What was meant to set them apart from the rest of the world is what condemned them.

They preached against stealing, yet they stole.

They said one should not commit adultery, yet they commited it.

They condemned idols, yet they worshipped them.

Are we not the same way?

Each one of us have such easy access to the Word of God.

Furthermore, each one of us are here in a church having that very Word of God explained to us.

Each one of us has had the privilege of the Gospel being preached to us.

You have been given the knowledge of how to come to God.

Yet, despite this access and privilege, how many of us are still dishonoring God?

Some of us here today are dishonoring Him by continuing to reject God, which you have done by rejecting the message of the Gospel.

What pains me the most, is that several of us are living out verse 24.

Romans 2:24 “The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”

When we say we are Christians, but our lives say differently, those outside the church don’t see a God worthy of worship, but instead they see God who is not worthy of their time.

Our Heart Problem

Romans 2:25–29 ESV

For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.

Religious acts do not save.

First before we can get to what this passage even means, we must know the significance of circumcision.

Circumcision is a sign of the Old Covenant that God has between Himself and the Jews.

The Jews of the Old Testament would circumcise their children to signify that they were God’s people.

It is an outward action to show the world that they belong to God.

The issue that we see in verse 25 is that if you break the law then your “circumcision becomes uncircumcision,”

This means that the circumcision really means nothing for those that break the commandments of God.

Many Jews believed that because they were circumcised, that as a result, they would not face the wrath of God since they were God’s people.

What they failed to see was that...

Salvation is a matter of the heart.

What the Jews failed to understand, and what we often fail to understand, is that our outward actions are to be a reflection of our heart.

Paul is telling us that the outward act of circumcision is supposed to show a deeper inward truth.

Its supposed to tell the Jews that they have been separated from the world to live in obedience to the Lord.

As Christians, we aren’t required to get circumcised, but the Bible does call us to be baptized.

But we have to be careful that we don’t make the same mistake with baptism as the Jews did with circumcsion.

Just like the outward action of circumcision did not save the Jews, the outward action of baptism does not save us.

As Ephesians 2:8 says “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,”

We are only saved by the inner working of the Holy Spirit in our hearts when we respond to the Gospel.

We are saved by grace alone, through faith alone.

We are not saved by:

baptism.

walking down the aisle to pray a prayer.

raising your hand at church camp.

or any other outward action.

Romans 1:9 tells us that we are saved by confessing with our mouth that Jesus is Lord and believing in our heart that God raised Him from the dead.

We see that salvation is the matter of the heart.