A person is not a Jew who is one only outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. – Romans 2:28

Today’s Scripture Reading (January 25, 2018): Romans 2

I am Irish. Well, I am not sure that I can prove that, but I self-identify as part of the Irish diaspora. The reality is that if I am tracing my ancestry back, I am the descendant of a Dutch immigrant who landed near New York (actually then it was New Amsterdam at the southern tip of Manhattan Island) in the 1650’s. Lines that pre-date that are primarily English. My Irish roots extend back to the 1740’s where I first catch sight of a Mullen (in this case, Peter Mullen). I have no idea where he came from, but my guess is that he might have been a newly landed Irish immigrant. And so, because I carry the name Mullen, I self–identify as Irish.

To be honest, I don’t think anyone really cares how I self-identify. An examination of my DNA might reveal that there is very little Irish blood in me. But even then, no one would likely care if I persisted in believing that I was Irish. However, that is not always the truth. Pretending that you are African when you are a White European has become an issue in recent years, and it is definitely not okay. That situation was made clear not too long ago when Rachael Dolezal, an ex-NAACP leader, claimed that she felt qualified to lead the NAACP because she self-identified as Black, even though she was White.   

Paul’s argument carries us in a different direction. According to Paul, it is not your genetics that defines you as a Jew or Gentile. It is your relationship with the Law of Moses. If you are a Jew, the Law is essential to you, and you will keep the Law. If you don’t follow the Law, then it doesn’t matter if you can trace your ancestry back to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; you are not a Jew.

Paul is speaking directly about the Jews in Romans 2. Incidentally, Romans 1 was aimed mainly at the Gentiles and all of this working its way up to the main point of this section which is highlighted in Romans 3:23, “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” but there is an important comparison for the Christian Church. If I am to self-identify as a Christian, it is because I am endeavoring to follow Jesus law of Love. If I refuse to love, then it doesn’t matter how many times a week I go to church, or how many times I have said the Sinner’s Prayer. Jesus words are clear; “This is my command: Love each other” (John 15:17). There is no Christianity without love.

And yet I see them running around, often filled with self-importance. They call themselves Christians. However, love is not evident in them. They are like the Jew that Paul describes who declares their Jewish heritage and yet disregards the Law. They are not who they proclaim to be – and that is the danger. Paul says that no one can be called a Jew who does not follow the law, and in the same way, no one can be called a Christian who does not love. It is really that simple.

Tomorrow’s Scripture Reading: Romans 3