SERMON: Inside Out

Romans 2:25-29 | Twin City Bible Church | twincitybible.org/media/sermons

In this passage, we explore the tension
between outward religious ritual and inward spiritual reality, unfolding in two
main points: the problem with rituals – how external practices like
circumcision are worthless without true obedience to God’s law; & the
priority of regeneration – observing that true identity and righteousness come
from a transformed heart through the Spirit, not from adherence to the letter
of the law./o:p

I. THE PROBLEM WITH RITUALS/o:p

• Religious
  rituals, like circumcision, hold no intrinsic value apart from obedience./o:p




• Romans
  2:25 –
  Circumcision is only valuable if one keeps the law. If not, it is
  nullified./o:p


• 1
  Samuel 15:22 –
  Obedience is better than sacrifice./o:p


• Galatians
  5:2–4 – Those who
  receive circumcision are obligated to keep the whole law. Christ becomes
  of no benefit; they are severed from Him and have fallen from grace./o:p




• Mere
  ritual without righteousness becomes condemnation./o:p




• Romans
  2:26–27 – The
  uncircumcised who keep the law will be counted as circumcised and will
  judge those who possess the law and yet transgress it./o:p


• True
  obedience trumps ceremonial inclusion./o:p




• Historical
  and scriptural examples of outsider obedience:/o:p




• Matthew
  12:41–42 – The
  men of Nineveh and the Queen of the South will condemn the unrepentant
  religious because they responded to lesser revelations with greater
  faith./o:p




• External
  signs do not equate to internal transformation./o:p




• Romans
  7:6 – Release
  from the Law leads to newness in the Spirit, not oldness in the letter./o:p


• 2
  Corinthians 3:6 –
  The letter kills, but the Spirit gives life./o:p

II. THE PRIORITY OF REGENERATION/o:p

• True
  identity is internal, not external./o:p




• Romans
  2:28–29 – A real
  Jew is one inwardly, and true circumcision is of the heart, by the
  Spirit./o:p




• The
  call for heart transformation in the Old Testament:/o:p




• Deuteronomy
  10:16; 30:6 –
  Circumcise your hearts; God Himself will circumcise hearts so they can
  love Him fully./o:p


• Jeremiah
  4:4 – Remove the
  foreskin of your hearts or face judgment./o:p




• Spiritual
  rebirth is necessary./o:p




• Ephesians
  2:1, 5 – All were
  dead in sin, but God made them alive with Christ./o:p


• Isaiah
  44:3; Ezekiel 36:26–27; Jeremiah 31:33 – God promises to give a new heart and spirit,
  causing obedience through internal transformation, not external
  enforcement./o:p




• New
  covenant identity:/o:p




• Philippians
  3:3 – True
  circumcision worships in the Spirit, glories in Christ, and has no
  confidence in the flesh./o:p


• John
  3:3, 10 – Unless
  one is born again, they cannot see the kingdom. Even teachers of Israel
  must grasp this spiritual reality./o:p




• God’s
  approval is what matters./o:p




• Romans
  2:29 – Praise is
  not from men, but from God./o:p


• John
  5:44 – Those who
  seek glory from others miss the glory from the only God./o:p

Unity and New Identity in Christ/o:p

• Breaking
  down barriers between groups:/o:p




• Ephesians
  2:14–16, 18 –
  Christ made both Jew and Gentile one, breaking down barriers through the
  cross, reconciling all to God./o:p




• No
  partiality in Christ:/o:p




• Galatians
  3:28 – There is
  neither Jew nor Greek, male nor female, slave nor free. All are one in
  Christ./o:p




• Earthly
  credentials don’t justify:/o:p




• Philippians
  3:4–5 – External
  qualifications like circumcision on the eighth day are meaningless in
  Christ./o:p

God Sees the Heart/o:p

• 1
  Samuel 16:7 – Man
  looks at the outward appearance; God looks at the heart./o:p


• Psalm
  139:1–4 – God has
  searched and known everything, even unspoken thoughts./o:p


• Hebrews
  4:13 – Nothing is
  hidden from God. All is laid bare before Him./o:p

Conclusion:/o:p

• Rituals
  and religious identity have no saving power without inward transformation
  by the Spirit./o:p


• Salvation
  is by grace through faith, not external adherence to religious law./o:p


• God’s
  focus is on the inner person—on regeneration, obedience from the heart,
  and Spirit-wrought righteousness./o:p


• Regeneration
  results in true spiritual identity, worship, and eternal security not
  based on human effort but divine action./o:p