“Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised.” – Romans 4:9-10
Paul shifts from addressing good works to confronting the role of religious rituals—specifically circumcision. He’s already made it clear that deeds cannot earn righteousness, and now he tackles the assumption that divine ordinances might. Circumcision, a sacred sign for the Jews, is brought under scrutiny. If Abraham was justified by faith alone, then why did God command circumcision? Was it necessary for salvation? Paul anticipates this question and answers it head-on: circumcision was never the means of salvation, but a seal of the righteousness Abraham already had by faith. Just as the law pointed to our need for mercy, circumcision pointed to a heart already changed by grace.
This question isn’t just ancient—it’s modern. What role do religious ceremonies play in salvation? Baptism, communion, confirmation—are these saving acts or signs of something deeper? Paul’s answer is timeless: salvation is by faith, not ritual. He knew the pull of tradition. In Philippians 3:5–6, he lists his own credentials: “circumcised the eighth day…concerning the law, a Pharisee…concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” Yet he counted it all loss for the sake of Christ. Paul understood that old habits die hard. Even when we know the truth, the rituals we grew up with can cling to us like vines around a tree. They may look spiritual, but they can choke out the simplicity of grace.
False teaching and poor instruction often entangle people in a maze of religious performance. Instead of resting in Christ, they run in circles—trying to earn what God freely gives. That’s why Paul keeps returning to this theme. You might think, “Didn’t we already cover this?” But Paul presses the point again and again because he knows how stubborn our hearts can be. Like a lawyer dismantling every argument, he anticipates objections and answers them thoroughly. People will argue for works, for rituals, for anything that lets them hold on to control. But Paul won’t let us escape the truth: righteousness is imputed by faith, not earned by ceremony.
So here’s the call to action: examine your heart. Are you trusting in Christ alone, or are you clinging to rituals as if they save? Baptism is beautiful, communion is sacred, but neither can replace faith. They are signs, not saviors. Like a wedding ring that symbolizes love but doesn’t create it, religious rites point to a deeper reality. Let go of the maze. Step into the simplicity of grace. Trust in the finished work of Christ, and let every outward sign be a joyful echo of the inward transformation He has already begun.
“Abraham was justified in uncircumcision, that he might be the father of all believers. Circumcision was not the cause, but the sign and seal of the righteousness which he had by faith. Thus, the ordinance was subordinate to the grace it signified.” – Robert Haldane
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