Ye Old Circumcision - Romans 2:17-29

After reminding the Christians in Rome that there will be a day “when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ to my gospel,” Paul starts to give reminders of ways in which hypocrisy can creep into their lives. For instance, going beyond the mark, meaning that they might be seeking “the things that are more excellent,” perhaps meaning more complicated doctrine. And like the Pharisees and other believers throughout history, when we go looking for more complicated or intriguing gospel doctrine, we end up “being instructed out of the law.”

He warns them about preaching against stealing, yet being dishonest themselves, or against committing adultery, but doing it themselves. He also brings up idolatry, sacrilege, and blasphemy. Then we get to the topic of circumcision. From what I can understand about what Paul is saying, is that circumcision is an outward symbol, but that doesn’t make anyone more or less righteous by itself. He says that “circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”
The IM says, “Paul reminded the Roman Saints that circumcision, which had been required by the law o Moses, was no longer required of God’s people, for the Savior’s earthly mission and atoning sacrifice had fulfilled the law of Moses. Any outward ordinance-whether circumcision in the Abrahamic covenant or baptism and the sacrament in the gospel covenant- has meaning only if it is done with sincerity and real intent.
“President Dallin H. Oaks quoted from Romans 2 to teach about the importance of becoming what God wants us to become:… “Paul contrasted the position of those Jews who preached the law and then did not practice it with Gentiles who did not have the law but whose actions ‘whew the work of the law written in their hearts.’… To paraphrase, a person is a true Latter-day Saint if he (or she) is so inwardly, if his conversion is that of the heart, in the spirit, whose praise is not from men for outward acts but from god for the inward desires of his heart… This issue is not what we have done but what we have become. And what we have become is the result of more than our actions. It is also the result of our attitudes, our motives, and our desires.’”
This is one of the most beautiful aspects of the gospel for me, the concept that people can not only change, but can become completely different people. I’d like to think that I am a completely different person now than I was when I was younger. I think back to all the terrible things that I’ve done and the person I was who thought it was ok to do them. It is a sad sight for me look back at, but the fact that I don’t have to be that person anymore, that I can grow and improve is a beautiful thing for me. It is how we can heal from spiritual injuries, it’s the whole reason we are here and it is a glorious thing to behold.