Romans Chapter 2 Vs. 29

 

God's Judgment and the Law

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. Rom 2:29

he is a Jew,... A true child of God; the true spiritual seed of Abraham.

circumcision is that... The outward rite is of value only when it reflects the inner reality of a heart separated from sin unto God.

in the spirit… Salvation results from the work of God’s Spirit in the heart, whose praise is not of men, but of God.

and not in... not mere external efforts to conform to His law.

In the case above vs. 28, it would be possible for a Gentile to be a better Jew than the natural Jew, because the Gentiles’ heart is right with God. God looks on the heart of man and judges the heart. Only you and God know the relation that you have with God. Men look at the outward man, but God sees the heart.

The NIV has rendered the Greek words “in spirit” as “by the Spirit,” as though they refer to the Holy Spirit. However, it is better to understand this verse as saying that circumcision of heart fulfills “the spirit” of God’s Law instead of mere outward conformity to the Law. Some Jews followed the Law’s regulation outwardly, but their hearts were not right with God (Isa. 29:13). A circumcised heart is one that is “separated” from the world and dedicated to God. The true Jew receives his praise… not from men (as did the Pharisees) but from God, who sees people’s inward natures (cf. Mat. 6:4, 6:6) and discerns their hearts (cf. Heb. 4:12).