Calvary Chapel Fort Lauderdale Daily DevotionalSample

4-Signs, Symbols, Superstition, and Circumcision Human nature is unbelievably resilient. It has a hard time lying down in light of God's truth. As we continue to make our way through Romans, we get a glimpse of this here in the second chapter. Remember, Paul has just leveled the playing field by declaring everyone to be guilty before God. That's a key point going forward. But right about then, our human nature rears it's ugly head. "Wait a second, that may be true for other people who don't care about God, but me...I'm different, I'm special, I'm circumcised." Circumcision was instituted as a sign and symbol of the unique covenantal relationship with God. But over time, its significance became distorted. Instead of serving as evidence for having a heart that follows after God, it became the basis for having a heart that follows after God. "I'm right with God because I'm circumcised." It became a form of false right-ness with God, and many felt they were fine just by being circumcised. Anticipating this argument, Paul points out that a circumcised body doesn't count for anything unless you also have a circumcised heart. It's not what you've done to your body that counts but what God's Spirit has done inside you. He's showing us that the "Yeah, but I'm circumcised" argument doesn't exclude or excuse you from your guilt as a sinner and your need for salvation. For us, the issue probably isn't circumcision. But there are plenty of other religious forms of false right-ness our human nature wants to hide behind. "I'm fine because when I was a child I was..." None of that matters or makes us any better than anyone else. Our trust cannot be in anything we've done to ourselves outwardly, but in what God's Spirit has done for us inwardly. Think about it... What does this passage reveal to me about God? What does this passage reveal to me about myself? Based on this, what changes do I need to make? What is my prayer for today? Human nature is unbelievably resilient. What does this passage reveal to me about God? What does this passage reveal to me about myself? Based on this, what changes do I need to make? What is my prayer for today?