In this episode, I walk through Romans 2:17-29. This passage of Romans is going to walk through the emptiness of religion that is only external and not rooted in a heart centered around God. Paul is going to show that you can say all the right things but the only thing that matters is if you have a pure heart and a life that shows that you believe what you believe. This passage hits heavy on the topic of empty religion. This is a longer passage but the truths are hopefully simple to grasp.

“But if you call yourself a Jew and rely on the law and boast in God and know his will and approves what is excellent, because you are instructed from the law; and if you are sure that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of children, having in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— you then who teach others, do you not teach yourself? While you preach against stealing, do you steal? You say that one must not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? You who boast in the law dishonor God by breaking the law. For as it is written, ‘The name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you.’” Verses 17-24

There is a phrase that we have all heard a million years, “Practice what you preach!” This is exactly what Paul is accusing the Jewish leaders of not doing. They are hypocrites who preach one way and live another. This is the kind of hypocrisy that has pushed people away from religion all together. This passage is incredibly clear to understand right? They said one thing and did the opposite. This is the danger of empty religion: Paul is showing that one can say the right things while walking in total disobedience. The sins of the religious pushed the Gentiles away from God; they saw the emptiness of their religion and wanted nothing to do with it.

“For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. 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.” Verses 25-29

Circumcision was required of Jewish men to enter into covenant with God. This was an outward symbol of a belonging to God. This outward symbol was meant to be just that: outward! The outward symbol is never meant to replace the inward commitment to follow God and worship Him as the Bible commands. In these several verses, Paul is explaining that just because some have the outward sign, it does not mean that they are inwardly following God. Paul is explaining that the true sign of a person who follows God is one who has centered their heart around God’s Word and lived lives for His glory. Paul is showing a person can be without the outward sign yet still be counted in as righteous because of their heart. It is the heart that shows your belonging. The uncircumcised who keeps God’s laws and lives for His glory would be counted as circumcised while the circumcised who did not keep God’s laws would be counted as uncircumcised. This was a heart issue.

In summary, Paul is explaining that a person can say and look right on the outside yet be empty on the inside. One can say all the right things while completely living in disobedience. The central takeaway from this passage is that God cares about the heart. It is our hearts that God judges and exposes. We cannot hide who we truly are from Him. A person may convince everyone that they are holy and blameless but God is the exposer of hearts and sees through the empty religion. As we continue to study Romans, we will see that God changes people from the inward first and then the outward. God transforms hearts because the heart shows who we truly are.