Religious Condemned

Our sixth message in Romans condemns those who think they are saved simply by being religious. All who are SELF-CONFIDENT in their personal accomplishments have taken the wrong direction. They claim superiority because of their special lineage, Law, private God, knowledge and discernment. They had strong confidence in their skill as guides, lights, correctors and teachers - but they had deviated from the truth by breaking the Law, shamefully dishonoring God and slanderously blaspheming His name. These individuals are SELF-SERVING as they misuse the purpose of circumcision. They cause division away from God - practicing physical circumcision while breaking the spiritual Law. Keeping only the external requirements of the Law is of no real value, as this only severs them from God - the uncircumcised keeper of the Law will become their judge and sentence them. Paul makes the distinction clear that a Jew is not one who is physically descended in the flesh from Abraham, but one who is spiritually circumcised in the heart by the Spirit, and his praise comes from God, not men.