Author: Rev. Lek Aik Wee

The Christian life is a sanctified life lived to the praise of God. There is so much a Christian live for having being freed from the bondage of sin. He lives in the beauty of holiness. Life with God must not deteriorate to a mere outward conformance to God’s law without having true allegiance to God from the bottom of our hearts.

The Apostle Paul speaks of converted gentiles who loved God and serve Him with all their hearts. Their devout lives speak volumes though they were not outwardly circumcised like the Jew. Their good testimony served as an indictment against the circumcised Jews. Though outwardly bearing the covenant of God in their flesh, they disobeyed God in heart, word and deed. This was the sad plight in Jewry during the time of Jesus’ earthly ministry.

Indeed, as Apostle Paul rightly conclude in 1 Corinthians 7:19 Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.

True faith is visibly seen by good works and spiritual fruit. It is a religion of the heart, a pure heart of piety toward God and men. The bible character Ruth was such an example. She was a Moabitess who left her homeland to follow Israel’s God by following her mother-in-law, Naomi, back to Israel. God’s commendation of Ruth’s faith came through Boaz’s words in Ruth 2:12 The LORD recompense thy work, and a full reward be given thee of the LORD God of Israel, under whose wings thou art come to trust. God counted her an Israelite in heart although she was outwardly a gentile.

The Jews were circumcised because God commanded it. They were a people set apart for God. The outward sign of the circumcision sets them apart as a people who practice God’s law. But if they failed to obey God in their daily living then the outward sign of circumcision will not make them a “true blue” Jew. Likewise the professing Christian who do not obey God’s law from the heart is not a “true blue” Christian. It is better than he be not called a Christian than to profess being a Christian and not live as a Christian.

David had to pay for the consequences of his sin. Old Testament law teaches that a person steal something and does not return, he is to pay back fourfold. God reserved fourfold judgment on David and his family. It was a heavy price to pay. And it must have caused much discouragement to the people in Israel to see their leader fall in shame and disgrace. It must cause us to shudder at the thought of failing our Lord – 1 Corinthians 10:12 Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he fall. Amen.

God has no other plan to raise another holy nation beside His church and His people, Israel! Both the church and the nation of Israel will God use to evanglise the world as bible prophecy tells us. In fact, our Lord Jesus Christ tells His church that they are to be salt and light in the world – Matthew 5:13-17 Ye are the salt of the earth: but if the salt have lost his savour, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men. 14 Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. 15 Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Man will be judged according to their deeds in the day of God’s judgement. And his conscience would tell him honestly that he is guilty. He had done wrong. Indeed, only those whose names are written in the book of life shall escape being cast into the lake of fire. And the gentiles cannot plead ignorance of their sins before God. What a powerful presentation of the truth which the Apostle Paul is building up to help them realise the preciousness of the gospel that he would present to them. The gospel message that Jesus Christ died for our sins and three days later rose from the dead for our justification. Hallelujah, what a Saviour!