What we read in Romans 2 today was Paul addressing their hypocrisy. They who were teaching, and bragging about the law, were actually dishonoring God because they were doing the very same things. In their criticism of the Gentiles and their uncircumcision, they break the law and act like they were never circumcised. Because as Paul was saying, a man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, or has circumcision if it is only physical. A Jew is one who is inwardly and also has circumcision of the heart or the removal of our flesh or fleshly, worldly desires, and sinful living. Jesus said, “Follow me”. He didn’t offer us a book of rules, but Himself. It’s all about relationships, not performance! We are following Jesus, not rules. Again in Matthew 23, Jesus takes aim at people who have confused following the rules with following Jesus. Seven times, He says, “Woe to you,” and corrects the misguided practices of rule-following religionists.
