Romans 2:The Jews and the Law

¹⁷Now you, if you call yourself a Jew; if you rely on the law and brag about your relationship to God; ¹⁸if you know his will and approve of what is superior because you are instructed by the law; ¹⁹if you are convinced that you are a guide for the blind, a light for those who are in the dark, ²⁰an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the law the embodiment of knowledge and truth— ²¹you, then, who teach others, do you not teach yourself? You who preach against stealing, do you steal? ²²You who say that people should not commit adultery, do you commit adultery? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples? ²³You who brag about the law, do you dishonor God by breaking the law? ²⁴As it is written: "God's name is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you."

so basically Paul is calling people out who say that they are christian but dont live out their lives that way. It seems like even Christians today this is still a major problem.It happens alot... I believe I heard that it was about 80% of christians who grew up in the church and go to college stop attending church. 80%!!!!

Back to the passage... but yea I do believe that paul is trying to convict the hearts of all of those who say that they believe yet still dont leave their lives of sin behind.

²⁵Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not been circumcised. ²⁶If those who are not circumcised keep the law's requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? ²⁷The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will condemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker.

²⁸A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. ²⁹No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a man's praise is not from men, but from God.

im still iiffy on this verse but I think that even though the law(of moses) says one thing it means nothing if you dont believe it with your heart and live it out. Closing wise I think he was trying to make the point that We shouldn't be seeking praise from others but we should seek the praise from God.