Paul starts by saying that people who preach should practice what they preach. This statement is accepted by both parties. Jewish leaders saw sin as an offense against God while Greek Philosophers saw it as a moral folly. But either way, Paul is trying to make them understand the severity of sin. He points out that through God's grace we've received repentance but on the flip side we are held responsible to choose to stay holy and true to God. We cannot simply continue to live in sin and take His loving kindness for granted.
Craig S Keener mentions that this passage (5 - 11) is chiastic which means inverted parallelism which is an ancient literary form. Paul states that God is impartial in his judgment and each person would be judged based on his deeds. He introduces a similarity or common ground amongst their cultural differences. Judgment or punishment and glory or honor are the same for the Jews and the Greeks. He makes it clear that there is no partiality inside Christ.
According to most Jewish preachers, Gentiles need to follow the laws given in Noah's times. But Paul mentions something even more strict. Anyone who sins, with or without the law will be judged equally because we are all given something called the 'conscience' to judge us from within. People can live according to Christ's standard of holiness when that conscience aligns with God's law in Christ. So the law or conscience alone is not enough to survive.
Paul concludes by saying that Jews cannot boast in their circumcision and their law because if they sin, their circumcision is nullified and it becomes uncircumcision. Hence both Greeks and the Jews should be circumcised in their hearts and inwardly not outwardly.
V13 says we should not be just hearers of the law but doers of the law. So listening to the word of God does not suffice. But we need to practice, obey and apply it in our day-to-day lives. This whole chapter stresses this point again and again. We as followers of Christ often listen to the word and without applying it in our life, we start judging others. Even if we don't judge people verbally we do it in our minds. We shouldn't stop at the hearing but we should apply it and practice what we hear in our lives. Being a Christian is more than just listening to the word of God and wearing a cross. You are not called to judge other people but to assess and judge yourself based on the law that is written in your heart with your conscience bearing witness and your thoughts alternately accusing or defending you. Judgment belongs to God and He will judge all men and women on judgment day. Remember that you are a witness to the unseen God. Your actions should reflect Christ and his characters.
Your worth in Christ comes from Him alone and not by human standards. Who you are is based on the Spirit dwelling inside of you.
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