But If Thou Be a Breaker of the Law

2014-04-20

For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? (Romans 2:25-27)

Circumcision was the quintessential rite that made someone Jewish in the Old Testament. When referring to the non-Jewish folks around them, the Jews called them the uncircumcised (cf. Genesis 34:14-16; 1 Samuel 14:6; 17:26; 31:4; 2 Samuel 1:20). This also became an issue when the first non-Jewish Christians came to be, and many erroneously thought they had to become circumcised to become Christians, such as in Acts 15:5 and Galatians 5:3.

However, for those who hope to become right with God by keeping this rite, they fail to realize they need to keep the entire law, not just this one ritual. James 2:10 reminds us, “For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.”

So the conclusion is this: going through the motions of rite and ritual cannot be one’s hope of eternal life and peace with God. Even if the “uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law,” they are better off than those who filled in the checkboxes of the to-do list. The spirit of the law is more important than the letter of the law, though by nature, the letter of the law is important, too. God tells us in Hosea 6:6, “For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.”

As Christians, we still often value appearance over the heart (cf. 1 Samuel 16:7). The more “liberal” church down the street does not have it together like we do because we have certain pre-defined ways we expect people to behave or appear. While there may be cases that it is important to do certain things for testimony’s sake or to best serve other people, such as dressing modestly or refraining from strong drink, if it does not come from a right perspective, then it becomes a checkbox on the list of self-righteousness.

We will see this thought continue in the next two verses.