Today’s sermon delivered by Pastor Tzeng was from Romans 2:1-29 entitled “Circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit.” The sermon encouraged church members spoke about categories of righteousness and goodness we create, but how we ultimately need to receive Jesus Christ through the circumcision of the heart.
Continuing from last week, we are looking at Romans 2, a chapter that pierced the hearts of the Jews in Rome. It also pierces our hearts in America today.
First, in Romans 2:1-11, Paul speaks deeply about the problem of our faith system. As a dogmatic Jewish Pharisee, he knew the problems. As Jesus told us, Pharisees prayed about the great faith acts they did before God in comparison with the tax collector who beat his breast. Pharisees, Romans, Americans all have the same problem – we have a self-righteous image drawing a circle around ourselves and categorize ourselves as “good” people. In our defined categories of “good”, we exclude others, and are gracious with ourselves, saying that God has mercy and forgives us “good” people. But our stubborn boundaries blind us to the truth that we are stuck circling around in my self-righteousness in my own shell of myself. God’s truth is not based on my categories of “good”, they are based on truth. God does not show favoritism and He does not judge based on my standards.
Next in Romans 2:12-27, we see that the Jews thought the Law would protect them, so they lose fear, and keep sinning. We think being a personally defined “good” person will protect me, but we must know that we will be judged even more. In America, we are so smug in that we are good people living a self-sufficient life – but will this protect me. The author of Hebrews says that we will all die once and face judgment. All my sins will be judged accordingly, big or little sin, all sin prevents us from going to heaven. Just because I think I’m generally a “good” person, that won’t protect me. Let’s not sugar-coat the reality of judgment, we must know there is an end and we must know our insufficiency that we cannot escape judgment on our own. Finally, in Romans 2:28-29, we see there is a way out of judgment and this way is not using outward things like circumcision. Just because we acknowledge a boundary of a “good” person, will God acknowledge it like we want? The Gospel is not for self-seeking ones filling up myself, but it’s for the ones with an empty heart. When I am humble, with an empty heart, I can accept from God above. What is faith? Faith is circumcision of the heart, about my heart opening to receive from God. Apostle Paul has deep self-reflection, breaking down and confessing that he is a sinner with problems. That honesty, the open heart, the circumcision of the heart is the starting point to faith. That the only way out of judgment from our sins is not my ways, but it is when I can receive Jesus Christ, his unconditional love and grace of salvation.
Let us pray to have our hearts circumcised and received from above. Rather than being the self-righteous ones by our own efforts, may we rely on Jesus Christ and the cross.
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