Romans 2:25

Romans 2:25 says, For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision.  In these next few verses, Paul discusses circumcision of the Jew, the identifying mark that set them apart from the rest of the world.  It was not just to be a physical act, but was to be a sign of a spiritual relationship.  I am not sure exactly what we can equate this to today, but any sign that says to the world that we are followers of Christ while we are breaking his law is the same thing.  I guess wearing a cross or carrying a Bible, which those of the world might see as identifying us as Christians, while speaking badly of others, for example, would be similar.  It is not enough to live with outward signs of being a follower of Christ without a change of our heart toward our relationship with God and the lost of the world. Verse twenty-six adds, Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision?  Here I believe that Paul was talking about earthly signs identifying Jews as God's people.  He was warning them that the uncircumcised, those the Jews considered as lost, had a better claim to belonging to God if they kept the law than did the Jew if they didn't.  We today may feel that professing to belong to Christ makes us better than the rest of the world, but if the lost live more by the laws of God than we do, then I believe Paul was saying that their actions would counted as more than our profession without obedience.  We must remember, of course, that the Law cannot save. I think we can apply this to those who have never heard the gospel, but who attempt to live Godly lives.  They are more justified than those who profess Christ without a change in nature.  Verse twenty-seven continues, And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law?  Paul, I believe, is still speaking of real obedience to God as opposed to simply following rituals without any real dedication to God that they represent.  It is a warning to us today as well.  Verse twenty-eight states, For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh:  Verse twenty-nine adds, But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.  Paul was distinguishing between outward, physical signs of obedience to God and the real inward change of the heart that is necessary to belong to God.  Worldly signs of obedience to God can come from self-pride, but true obedience comes from humility.  Only through Christ can we have salvation, and that can never lead us to feeling more worthy of God's love than anyone else.