Today's Passage - Romans 2:25-26

River of Life Christian Church ︳www.rolcc.net/english Romans 2:25-26   "Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. So then, if those who are not circumcised keep the law's requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised?"   Circumcision is the symbol for God's people. When God made covenant with Abraham, He asked all the Israelites to be circumcised so as to show that they were different from the Gentiles in the way that they were God's people. However, what God cares is not the formality itself. As important as the formality can be, it sometimes can be misleading in the way that someone might think that somehow the external formality is equivalent to the internal faith. The formality can never stand for the true faith. On the contrary, a really faithful person will have some external manifestation. Circumcision is only the symbol during the Old Testament times. In the New Testament times, God uses baptism as the symbol for His chosen people instead. Many people claim they are baptized Christian. In fact being a Christian asks for much more than the external baptism. God cares more about our hearts. Are you willing to follow His will in your daily life?    God's order is actually quite simple, not complicated at all. It is just that people's hearts are so hardened that they wouldn't follow His order. God told the husbands to love their wives and please them. Even if you claim that you do tithe and go to church every Sunday, God will still ask you today whether you are a good husband or a good father at home. Your children know very well whether you pay attention to them or not. Don't use the excuse that you are busy with your work to get their understanding. God will still ask you whether you are a good father after all. The word of God is always very clear and simple, but people tend to ignore it.     Likewise, as a wife, are you obedient to your husband? Do you bless him every day? Stop nagging. Just open your mouth and bless him in the name of the Lord every day, because it is the way to get blessed. Many people are wrong when they think one's belief should be internal and personal, not something to be expressed. It actually is the deception of the enemy. Jesus suffered all the shame on the cross for us. Nothing else can publicly express more of His love and sacrifice for us. Shouldn't we also express our obedience to Him in our life?                       Pray with Pastor Tong           Lord, thank you for suffering all the shame on the cross for me so that I can enjoy my new life. You died for me so that I can live for you. Help me live out the life of Christ every day instead of running away from my duty. We thank you and we pray in the victorious name of Jesus, amen!