A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God.
I think that we can agree that there is no fooling God (Psalm 44:21, Luke 16:15, Psalm 94:11). Regardless of our outward appearance, God knows what is going on inside our hearts and minds. He knows if we are troubled or at peace, content or wanting, full of light or plagued with darkness. He knows whether or not we have true faith, dependence, and reliance on his Son…he knows whether or not we have a genuine desire to do his will or if we are simply playing the part. He knows if we are committed to rejecting all sin or if we rather prefer to pick and choose our way through his commands. He knows if we are living our lives for him or for this world. Bottom line…he knows it all. We may be able to fool others with a polished front, but we can’t fool God. While this message may appear solemn, intended to strike fear into our lives, it is actually filled with hope. For through Christ, we have rescue. For if we battle internally with some sin…a sin that we have hidden behind that polished front, our God knows that we are in need. He knows that this sin has us by the throat and we are unable to defeat it on our own. He understands the struggle, acknowledges our need, and the responds with the perfect remedy. We don’t have to shoulder the burden on our own. All we need to do is call out to him…and trust that through the sacrifice made by his Son, we have healing from his hands. May we invite the Lord into our lives, requesting that he renovate the
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