By Which Means Are We Chosen?

 

“For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.”

(Romans 2:28-29 ESV)

 

When we think of the Jewish identity, we tend to think of an ethnic identity. Although we realize that a particular faith was held and practiced by the people, we continue to think of them in terms of their race. And knowing that the people of Israel were both called and used by God, we tend to believe that they are his chosen people.

 

We believe that they are his chosen people regardless of their faith, or lack of faith, in Jesus. We believe that they are his chosen people regardless of our understanding of the gospel. Even knowing that we are saved only by the grace of God through faith in Jesus, we maintain our belief that they will receive God’s salvation.

 

They certainly believe this about themselves as well. They believe that their ethnicity, they believe the fact that they are descended from Abraham, makes them part of God’s people. They trust also in their ceremonies, believing that, because they are circumcised, they are part of God’s people.

 

As Christians, we sometimes believe the same about ourselves. We look not to the gospel for the assurance of our salvation.  And we look not to Christ. We look instead to outward factors.

 

We count ourselves Christian, we count ourselves as part of God’s people, because we have Christian parents and were raised in a Christian household. We count ourselves Christian, and count ourselves part of God’s people, because we are members of a church. We count ourselves Christian, and count ourselves part of God’s people, because we attended Sunday School as children.

 

We do so regardless of our faith, or our lack of faith, in Jesus. We do so regardless of our understanding of the gospel. And we do so regardless of the clear teaching of Scripture.

 

As we look at the passage above, Paul crushes this belief in no uncertain terms. He says that no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly. And he says that circumcision is not merely outward and physical.

 

A Jew, he says, is one inwardly. In other words, it’s a matter of faith. Circumcision, likewise, is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit.

 

So, a person is not a Jew merely because of his heritage. And he is not a Jew merely because he is circumcised. It’s his faith that makes him a Jew, and his faith that makes him part of the people of God.

 

The same principle, then, applies to us. Our standing before God is not a matter of birthright. Nor is it something that comes to us by mere ceremony. It’s a matter of faith. It comes to us, as the free gift of God, through our ongoing trust in the Savior.