Religious ritual detached from relational affection for God is nothing. The Jews thought that if they were circumcised in the flesh, they were guaranteed entrance into Heaven. Today, Christians sometimes feel the same about baptism or other rituals they perform. In this week’s passage, Paul corrects this false notion and reminds his Jewish readers that it’s always been about the heart, never merely about the ritual act. Christians today would do well to remember that doing the things is not the same as loving the Lord.
