Romans 4:9-12 ( NKJV )
Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.
Yesterday we looked at verse 1 of Romans 4 which asks the question, “What has Abraham our father found.” The answer was that God had accounted his faith as righteousness. Abraham believed God and it was this faith that God accepted as enough to call him right with Himself. This meant that Abraham was not righteous because he kept a law. The Jews whole identity was the law of Moses. They knew it in minute detail and were quick to punish any breaking of it. Their whole relationship to God was based on the fact that they had the law and kept the law while the rest of the world neither had it nor kept it.
In these few verses, Paul eliminates their whole value structure by pointing out that Abraham was right with God independent of any law. In verses 9-12 Paul points out that all this happened before circumcision. If there was anything more important to the Jews than the law, it was the covenant that was sealed by circumcision. If someone could be accepted by God on the basis of faith even without circumcision then the Jews were no longer special. Anyone could come to God. This is Paul’s point.
The purpose of Judaism was to bring forth the Messiah. The purpose of the covenant was to provide a people with relationship to God so he could bring forth the Messiah. The purpose of the law was to give them a way to deal with sin, which breaks relationship, until the Messiah could come. Once the messiah came, Jeremiah 31:31-34 tells the Jews that there would be a new covenant. This meant a new kind of relationship. The key feature would be that the Law would be written on the hearts of the people. They would know longer have to be told to know the Lord but they would already know Him. They would no longer need the written law.
Who were the people of this New Covenant. How did they become a part of it? How do you have God write His law on your heart? By believing Him. Jeremiah 31 is a picture of Christianity. In John 3:16 Jesus says that God so loved the world that He sent Jesus so that anyone who believed could have eternal life. The difference between Christianity and Judaism is the difference between a righteousness based on Law and one based on simple Faith.
To be part of the Jewish covenant you had to be circumcised and you had to keep the law. You did not have to be part of the Hebrew race but you did have to do these other two things. To be part of the Christian covenant you have to really believe in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. What must we do to be cleansed of the sense of separation from God that all people feel? We must believe in Jesus.
Have you made this decision? If so than you are in relationship with God. You are right with God. You are not excused from living above sin. On the contrary you are expected to live in greater purity than those who do not believe. However you don’t do so by Law. You do so because you know God and He knows you. You can do so, not you have to do so. Think about the difference. Stir up your faith in this truth and it will begin to make changes in your thinking and it will affect you actions.
If you have not made this decision, you should do so today. Your eternity depends upon it, but so does your life today. Read Romans 10:9-10 and do what it says. Than you can know God and grow in that knowledge. Then you will be right before him despite anything you may have done. You will be a new creature in Christ Jesus. (2 Cor. 5:17)
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