Prescription for Eternal Life: Heart Change (Romans 2:25-29)

"25 For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written cod and circumcision, ar a transgressor of the law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart; and in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God."

Paul concludes this part of the letter by telling the Jews that just because they were circumcised into the covenant family of the Israelites (which meant they were true worshipers of God) that that act alone would not save them. Just because one has an outward appearance of holiness (circumcision, knowing the Law and the traditions, etc) does not mean that they are without sin and are going to inherit eternal life. No, Paul makes it clear that one is not a Jew (or a true believer) unless one has been circumcised of the heart. Our hearts have been cut fresh by the Spirit and we have decided to follow Jesus which is shown to the world by an outward life change. There are three truths about our actions in this passage:

1) By our actions we judge ourselves (v.25-26)
a. Outward actions are nullified (v.25)
b. Inward actions are validated (v.26)

2) By others' actions we ourselves are judged (v.27)

3) By our inward actions we are saved (v.28-29)
a. True believers have inward faith (v.28)
b. True believers have right hearts (v.29)

Only through the saving faith in Jesus Christ will we be saved. It does matter where we grew up, our family lineage, or our history of our church attendance. None of that matters. In order to be truly part of God's family we need to be 'circumcised of the heart.' Our hearts need to be broken by the Spirit and mended to the Son. Therefore by doing that, we can have everlasting fellowship with the Father.