| Romans 3:29-31 "Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law." Why did Paul spend so much time on the issue of circumcision? Genesis 17:9-14 has made it clear that circumcision is the symbol for God's chosen people. So after being under this type of cultural influence for a long time, Jewish Christians then felt one must be circumcised first in order to become a Christian. However, they didn't realize that such a requirement would set up a trap of false teaching, which would require a Gentile to become a Jew before becoming a Christian. Which one is more important at all, the formality of circumcision, or the faith behind the circumcision? One may have gone through formality of circumcision, which may or may not prove that he has true faith. In the old days many Jews died due to their disobedience to God. The circumcision they went through failed to save them. On the other hand, when someone truly receives God's grace by faith, his faith will lead him along the path that follows God's heart. Paul said that faith doesn't nullify the law. Rather, it upholds the law, for the law is outward, not as important as a person's heart. A person thatcares for the law may not have the true faith. However, a person with faith will gradually obey the law due to his obedience to God. May God help us not to judge others by outward rules of behavior. There is such a culture inside the church by which we subconsciously judge and criticize others all the time. For example, how to baptize people may become controversial so some churches insist that people will only get saved when they are re-baptized in their churches. For another example, how to worship such as whether one should lift up his hands or not during worship may become controversial, too. Up till now, believers still are prone to place traditional culture of the church before faith, so that they argue with each other over the outward rules of behavior just like the Jews in the old days. May God set us free from the argument over the rules of behavior. So we may be joyful for each other's faith instead. 
Pray with Pastor Tong Liu Lord, may you open our eyes so we no longer judge brothers and sisters by the outward rules of behavior. Help us see the faith inside them and accept them instead. May your love pour down from the throne. We thank you and we pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen! |
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