The Jewish ceremony of circumcision has value only if you obey God’s law. But if you don’t obey God’s law, you are no better off than an uncircumcised Gentile. And if the Gentiles obey God’s law, won’t God declare them to be his own people? In fact, uncircumcised Gentiles who keep God’s law will condemn you Jews who are circumcised and possess God’s law but don’t obey it. For you are not a true Jew just because you were born of Jewish parents or because you have gone through the ceremony of circumcision.
No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God’s Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people.
-Romans 2:25-29
I find it helpful to think of the difference between Jews and Gentiles as the difference between people that grew up in Christian households and not; the similarities are striking, and it’s a way better use of scriptures than to read it as cultural issues that have mostly disappeared throughout the centuries.
After all, the Jews grew up following the Bible. They followed good laws and practiced good traditions. They followed God the best they knew how, but they were missing a relationship with God and their attempts to please Him were off. The Gentiles were passionate for the Lord, but knew literally nothing about the traditions or scriptures. Ceremonies like circumcision meant nothing because they didn’t have the rich history of the Jews to fall back on. They were confused when they heard the words of Jesus but then walked into a church and they were doing all of these ceremonies that had nothing to do with their faith.
So it is today. There are many people that get saved, then find themself in a church and wonder what on earth kneeling benches are for why people are singing hymns, and why there are annual clam-bakes. My father-in-law walked in church with long hair and without shoes - it was a big issue for the church even though he probably looked more like Christ than anyone else there. These things have nothing to do with the faith, but many find life in them if they were raised in that tradition. To them, the law (the set of traditions and history of the way of doing things) means nothing, and forcing them to follow these laws can seriously stifle what God’s doing.
If you don’t believe me, look at what the Bible says about the Law: Paul, the apostle to the Gentiles, is harsh with it, declaring it the law that brings death. James, apostle to the Jews, has more good things to say about the Law, calling it the "gracious law" and the "law that gives life." To those who grew up with the traditions and meanings, the law or the traditional way of doing things can bring life. To others, it brings death because it’s foreign; they are adopting styles and traditions that make no sense to them.
There are also parallels in relationships. For some couples, it’s the spontaneity that shows their love and affection - the surprise flowers, sudden dates, or unexpected gifts. For others, it’s the traditions of morning coffee, date nights they never miss, and the kisses they do before they leave every morning. To some couples, a daily tradition would bring death and a hardening of heart due to repetition. For others, spontaneous events are a huge stressor. Usually our lives are a mixture of both, and depending on the season of life you are in, one or the other would bring much-needed life into your relationship.
So it is with God. Some of us need a little more law, stability and tradition in our walk with God, like daily Bible reading, small groups, or healthy habits. Others are stuck in a rut and need some more spontaneity to really feel alive again.
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