Romans 2:17-29

Here Paul addresses those who think that a certain religious status or certain external marks or certain religious activities shield them from God’s judgment.[1] All the while, they do not possess the more important qualities that ultimately matter to God. They are impostors, trying to pass as the genuine article but lacking the essential qualities. It’s a temptation we all face, and so we all need to use Paul’s description here of the true Israelite as a mirror to gauge our own status as members of God’s people. Essentially, we all need to answer Paul’s question, Will the real Israel please stand up?

[1] Porter, Romans, 80.