Romans 2:29, commentary and pictures

A true Jew is one inwardly, and true circumcision is of the heart in the spirit and not in the letter, whose praise comes from God and not from people. Outward standing, fleshly circumcision, profession of truth, resting in the law and boasting in God are worthless without inward obedience of the heart, and breaking the law while boasting in it dishonors God and causes His name to be blasphemed. The Israel of God are the converted rather than the lineal descendants of Abraham, for being Abraham's child is a matter of the heart, so circumcision is not required for Gentiles to share in God's promises. All ceremony finds its fulfillment in Christ, so true circumcision is worship in spirit and truth through faith that works by love and purifies the soul, not reliance on forms, ceremonies and outward pretense. This inward life gives God all the glory and takes no credit to self, lives in humble dependence on Him, receives all without partiality, and refuses to judge another by outward appearance.

Inward Circumcision Explained

A true Jew is one inwardly, and true circumcision is of the heart, in the spirit and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men but of God. This inward work is seen when danger is realized and self is humbled before God. Outward standing, fleshly circumcision, profession of truth, resting in the law, boasting of God, and having the form of knowledge and of truth have no value without inward heart obedience. Merely acknowledging the authority of the law, knowing the divine will, and claiming religious status or knowledge do not make righteous before God, for God expects the requirements of the law to be fulfilled in a life that obeys Him. Breaking the law while boasting of the law dishonors God and causes His name to be blasphemed among those who observe the inconsistency.

The Israel of God are those who are converted, not lineal descendants of Abraham. Claiming descent from Abraham and claiming every promise made to Israel while clothed in self-righteousness does not make one part of Israel. The Jewish people in Christ's day might still have repented and become inward Jews if they had been willing. Being Abraham's child is a matter of the heart rather than bodily descent or outward circumcision, with the heart circumcised in the spirit and a righteous life bearing evidence of the grace of Christ. Therefore circumcision is not required for Gentiles to enter the church or receive God's promises, and the distinction between circumcised and uncircumcised believers does not determine standing with God.

The Old and New Testament Scriptures do not contradict, for true religion under the former dispensation was just as essential and thorough and full in its requirements as under the gospel. Christ was the originator and foundation of all the Jewish ceremonies and the true Leader of Israel enshrouded in the cloud while Moses administered God's law, and when type met antitype in His death He Himself became minister of the better covenant without changing the inward nature of true religion. The ritual service was passing away and had no virtue in itself, because all Jewish ceremony and typical service finds its fulfillment in Christ. True circumcision is worship of Christ in spirit and in truth, not reliance on forms, ceremonies, outward attractions, outward display, or hypocritical pretense. True religion does not consist in those outward things but in pure character as of supreme importance and in faith that works by love and purifies the soul as the only qualification for the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus was the perfect pattern of inward Jewish identity, honoring God's law and teaching obedience to its precepts while showing sympathy and humanity toward people. He rejected pretentious piety and burdensome human rules while revering God's law. The Jewish nation was given the greatest privilege in possessing light concerning God's kingdom, being entrusted with His oracles and with truth in clear lines to impart to others who were in darkness and knew not God. Instead of feeling need and obligation to share what was received, they became filled with self-complacency and boasted that they alone were the favored people of God and more exalted than their neighbors. The outward sign is of no value if heart and mind and strength are not devoted to God, and if used to exalt and favor self all claims to superior wisdom are as nothingness in His sight.

Those who claim to be children of God while the heart is not given to Him are not clean but remain full of selfishness, impurity, pride, and deceit, and will be found as the circumcised among the uncircumcised. Keeping God's law in the spirit as well as in the letter is required, and this calls for daily study in order to do it. Those who have every privilege of knowing Bible truth and nominally accept it but do not practice it and refuse to put on the robe of Christ's righteousness are professedly circumcised yet among the uncircumcised in practice. Their covetousness and walking with the uncircumcised proves it, and they will be destroyed with the uncircumcised and spared no more than the veriest sinner.

Humble Faithful Living

The inward work of the heart is seen when a person realizes his danger and humbles himself before God. Such inward obedience, with the law treasured in the heart, gives evidence of itself in the speech. It gives God all the glory for any increase and takes no credit to self. It refuses self-exaltation, pride, and self-righteousness that quench and grieve the Spirit, depends wholly on God for sufficiency, grace, and perfection of character through the Saviour who paid the ransom, and walks humbly with God while expressing lovingkindness, judgment, righteousness, kindness, compassion, mercy, tenderness, and love. This is what makes true gentlemen and gentlewomen, approved by the Lord's commendation rather than by self-commendation or human praise.

Belonging to God depends on the heart renewed by the Spirit rather than on outward form, and looks for praise from God rather than from men. Therefore Christ receives all who come to Him without prejudice or partiality, rich or poor, white or black, with no caste distinction. For workers as ministers of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God, this means living in connection with God and being found faithful. It means judging nothing before the time, not commending self or glorying in self, but glorying in the Lord and receiving praise and approval from God alone.

The estimate that brethren or the church may place on a person, whether good or evil, does not change that person's position in the sight of God. What counts is being found true and faithful as a steward when the Lord comes and brings to light the hidden things of darkness and makes manifest the counsels of the heart. Then praise is not of men but of God, and approval belongs not to him who commends himself but to whom the Lord commends, which requires close self-examination, conversion, and direct personal connection with God. Outward profession, resting in the law, boasting of God, and having the form of knowledge and truth do not make one righteous before God, while breaking the law while boasting of the law dishonors God and causes His name to be blasphemed. No one can read the heart, and the one found fault with may be more righteous in God's sight than the one judging.

Therefore those in God's service must not number Israel, put human measurement upon ministering brethren, exclude them from fellowship and counsels, or presume to be judges of character and limit the working of grace. Each person is called to examine his own life rather than judging another by outward appearances, to be careful how he measures his brother amid the perils of the last days, to take heed to himself, and to put no occasion of stumbling in his brother's way. Seeking approval from God rather than from people belongs to the good sense found in the Lord Jesus, whose centered gospel is the highest education the human family can find. Yielding the mind to its divine light and earnestly studying Scripture rather than trusting one's own mind exposes deficient experience and shows the great need for a new heart and a new mind. Moving beyond half-conversion to whole trust in Christ means receiving His worked-out righteousness through reliance on a crucified and risen Saviour so the sinner stands justified before God and the healthy beats of the new heart change the atmosphere surrounding the soul.