Still Searching for a Sign?

The Duomo in Florence. 

Scripture:

Rom. 4:9   Is this blessedness, then, pronounced only on the circumcised, or also on the uncircumcised? We say, “Faith was reckoned to Abraham as righteousness.” ¹⁰ How then was it reckoned to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. ¹¹ He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the ancestor of all who believe without being circumcised and who thus have righteousness reckoned to them, ¹² and likewise the ancestor of the circumcised who are not only circumcised but who also follow the example of the faith that our ancestor Abraham had before he was circumcised.

Observation:

The Jews were intent upon the sign of circumcision as proof that they were made righteous before God. This, of course, distinguished them from the Gentiles who were not circumcised. In the diatribe style Paul continued the conversation regarding Abraham. “Paul’s answer is that Abraham received the sign of circumcision (see Gen 17:11) as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised (see Rom 2:25–29; Gen 17:11, 13). The expression sign of circumcision means simply ‘a sign consisting of circumcision’” (Edlin & Modine, NBBC). Moo goes on to say, “In this way Abraham is qualified to be the father of all who believe. For, like Gentile Christians, Abraham was justified without being circumcised (11b) and, like Jewish Christians, he was both circumcised and justified by faith. Paul’s reading of Genesis, in the light of the fulfilment of God’s plan in Christ, allows him to see Abraham as more than just the father of the Jewish nation (1, ‘our forefather according to the flesh’), but as the father of all Christians” (Moo, NBC).

Chrysostom unpacked this concept: 

Circumcision is meaningless if there is no faith within. It is a sign of righteousness, but if there is no righteousness, then there is no sign either. The reason the Jews received a sign was that they might seek diligently for the reality of which the sign spoke. If they had done so, they would not have needed the sign in the first place. Righteousness is not the only thing that circumcision proclaims; it also proclaims that righteousness can be found in an uncircumcised man (e.g., Abraham). In effect, therefore, circumcision proclaims that there is no need of circumcision (HOMILIES ON ROMANS 8). 

Therefore, those who are searching for a sign are looking in the wrong place. Even Abraham was justified by faith years before he received the sign, and therefore is the father of Jews and Gentiles alike. This was a radical news for those who had been clinging to the outward signs of their faith. 

Application:

There are numerous outward signs of Christianity to be found in this world. This includes a variety of church buildings that you find throughout all of Europe. Often they stand out as symbols of a faith that impacted the entire world, but are starkly empty these days. Just as the Jews of the first century, we may also be searching for an outward sign that God is still at work in our world. 

The reality is that God doesn’t work through buildings, but does work through people. Humans are God’s chosen instruments to impact the world. The church is made up of God’s people, uniting together as living stones to touch the world for Christ. These living stones are the sign that God is at work. 

Sadly, the humble service of one follower of Christ may not be exciting enough for those who are still searching for a sign. That sign may not be found in the Cathedrals of Europe, but it might be found in the latest upstart church in your neighborhood. I don’t know how many times I’ve heard parents say that they needed to move from the smaller, more humble church community to a larger one that had more to offer in the youth group. If we reflect on young people who grow up to follow Christ they are not necessarily the ones who were a part of a large and entertaining youth group, but the ones who came from the smaller church communities where they were eye-witnesses of the faithfulness of Christ in the lives of God’s humble servants. These kids learned how to serve along-side the older folks of the church because everyone was needed. There may not have been an exciting outward sign, but there was a divine sign of the presence of God in the lives of those who had been justified by faith. 

The world is mocking a Christianity that grades its “cool” pastors by the types of shoes that they wear. These are not signs that we have made it as Christians. Paul challenges us to return to posture of humility before a loving God who saves and justifies us through faith in him alone. 

Prayer:

Lord, the temptation to seek for signs of success seem to tug at the heart. Please help me to seek you with all my heart and willingly serve you wherever you may place me. Amen.