In business, the saying goes, “It’s not what you know; it’s who you know.” This leads to the idea that all the work you put into something doesn’t matter because the person who has cozied up to the boss will be rewarded. Ultimately, this causes many to do or think completely counter to the ways they know to be right. Look, act, and become powerful or influential in attaining a higher status through mimicry. This behavior often leads to the type of language that sounds like, “Don’t you know who I am?”
It would be pleasing if we could believe that this type of language would be completely foreign in the community of faith; unfortunately, it might even be worse than in some areas. In the early church, Paul noticed how the Jews wanted to force the standard of circumcision upon the Gentiles who had become followers of the Way and used their circumcision as a status that they would flaunt. This behavior prompted Paul to call people out for not acting like the God worshippers they proclaimed that they were, and going as far as to say without living a life according to the promises God made; they might as well not even be circumcised.
25 For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. 26 So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? 27 Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. 28 For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. 29 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 2:25-29 (ESV)
As we find in Romans as well as much of the Bible, the Jews were a people marked by covenant, and the circumcision was a sign and seal of that covenant that God made with Abraham. Through the ritual rite of circumcision, the Jew is connected back to the day when God singled out Abraham because of his faith and made a covenantal promise to be their God, and they would be obedient to the law or Word of God and mark themselves with the circumcision. In the church, we often have baptisms and celebrate communion as these identifying markers that we are a part of the community of faith and that we are covered by a covenant that connects us with the sacrifice of Christ. Similarly, many of us mark ourselves with identifying markers, whether it be something related to our job, our favorite sports team, or political affiliation. We wear these identifying things as markers or badges to define ourselves. Through these, we go through certain ritualistic behaviors, such as chants or songs. We treat them with a certain dignity and hold them tightly, sometimes even tighter than our allegiance to Christ. Paul warns us of this behavior.
Allegiance produces behavior; thus, how we behave will tell the world around us what we prioritize. Thus, through how we act, people will connect with our community or reject it. Unfortunately, when Christians and others produce acts and behavior that do not align with the teachings of Christ and instead reflect the negative and ugly treatment of others, many will reject them and the church they represent. Through covenant, our behavior should reflect obedience to the Word of God because, without obedience, there is a disconnect between what we proclaim on the outside and how we act on the inside. The covenant with Abraham that began the mark of circumcision was born out of Abraham’s faith and obedience, and the purpose of the sacraments in a church is to remind us of our identity and how we are to act. When we remember who we are, we reconnect to the Gospel, produce healing, and share hope, peace, and love with the world.
God placed the Jews on the Earth to carry the name of praise; literally, the name Jew translates to “praise.” Thus, the sign of circumcision was a sign to oneself to remember who they were, while walking around with lives full of praise and obedience to the law is supposed to be the external sign for the world. Similarly, followers of Christ have reminders and signs to remember that they belong to a community, but our life is supposed to be based on living out the Gospel for the world. This living reflects a heart that the Spirit transforms into a heart of worship and obedience. We must fully submit to God and allow all competing allegiances to become secondary to our devotion to the Almighty God and the Gospel mission in the world. As our hearts become changed and formed by God, so too will the world come closer to God, and the community will find transformation.
Our transformation purposefully reveals the holiness of God present within our hearts to the external world. However, there are no loopholes in transformation. The law clearly calls us to avoid lying, cheating, or putting anything above God. Additionally, the Gospel calls us to show kindness and care in all circumstances, and there is no excuse to avoid behaving according to the Gospel. The law and the Gospel were both put in place for our benefit so the holiness within can be visible outside world. When the world sees the holiness within, they also have an opportunity to see God in action and have the chance to praise. The world watches us, and our witness must be Holy and true to the Gospel with hearts transformed to live out God’s Holy Word.
Elpis and Shalom 