Today we are reading about the Law that God gave to Moses, and how it cannot save us. Paul is saying that we are all condemned by whatever light we have, if we follow the law, because the Law cannot save us. Verse 15 tells us that, sometimes a person can have the requirements of the law written on their hearts, and those people will have their consciences bearing witness to the Law. However, we must remember that consciences can be damaged and then we run the risk of leading others astray. Verse 16 tells us that eventually, God will judge all people according to His standards.

In verse 17 Paul turns to the Jews among the people he was writing to and says they are proud of the law, because they are Jews, but despite that heritage they don’t keep it properly. They know in their minds what the law says, but don’t live it out in their day to day behaviour.

Then he turns to circumcision, the mark of a Jew, and says it is of no value being circumcised in your skin if you are not circumcised in your heart – that is what God is looking for. To the Christian, the non-Jew, who relies on the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the same applies. We must not glory in the Gospel and then not live it out in our behaviour.

In Chapter 3 Paul talks to us of Gods faithfulness, and says, even though we may be unfaithful, Jew or Gentile, this does not nullify God’s faithfulness. So, Jew or Gentile, we are all unrighteous and all under sin and depend upon God’s faithfulness (see verse 9).  Paul then gives us proof from various Psalms and shows us that the law is there to show us our sin and drive us to our knees.

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Prayer: Lord help me to remember today, that it is Your faithfulness that we rely on, and that will never fail. Amen.