17 Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and boast in God; 18 if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; 19 if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, 20 an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of little children, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— 21 you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? 22 You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? 23 You who boast in the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? 24 As it is written: “God’s name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.”[b]
25 Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. 26 So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law’s requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? 27 The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the[c] written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.
28 A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. 29 No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.
Its is so easy to read this section and think 'He's not talking to me'. After all I'm not Jewish. I'm not circumcized (I'm a girl so it doesn't really matter). Still there are a couple of ways of looking at the above. First you could replace Jew with 'Grew up in the church'. I know the law. I do boast in God. And sometimes I feel/act very superior because of my knowledge of the bible and theology. But I so easily commit adultery against God. I so often break the law, that I claim to know so well. And as a lawbreaker I have very little weight. In fact if it wasn't for the New law which Jesus brings to life with his death, I would be waiting for a death sentence.
Second you could of Jew it could be 'Catholic' or 'Presperterian' or 'Whatever denomination'. Too often we think of our theology or our denomination, as the best. We have it RIGHT. Everyone likes to think that they are on the winning team, but we forget that Jesus' is the team that's winning. Not the Catholic's or Protestants. Every Sunday my church stands up and recites the Apostle's Creed. As part of this we state 'I believe in the Catholic Church' meaning: The whole body of Christ. We have to stop seperating ourselves from the rest of Christ's Body.Together we are the circumcized of heart and spirit.
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