I Kings 2:28-46 - Joab and Shimei Eliminated

I Kings 2:28-46

So shall their blood return on the head of Joab and on the head of his descendants forever; but to David and his descendants and his house and his throne, may there be peace from the Lord forever. (verse 33)

Message: Joab and Shimei Eliminated

Time: The author of 1&2 Kings (originally 1 book) is not known. First Kings follows the history of this divided kingdom from the death of David around 971 BC through the year 853 BC. First Kings reveals Solomon’s relationship with Yahweh and introduces the prophet Elijah who pronounces judgment on the evil northern king Ahab. Like other books, it helps us to understand the history of Israel and Judah. 

What the Lord is Saying: Previously in Chapter 2 of I Kings, Adonijah wants to sort of usurp Solomon's authority and make a claim once again for the throne this time by cleverly asserting himself to have David's former concubine as his wife, Solomon has him killed but spares Abiathar the priest who was associated and had supported Adonijah. 

Joab is mentioned in verse 28 and this news of Adonijah and Abiathar coming to him. Joab is an interesting fellow. He has been mentioned often in the life of David. Joab had served David for 4 decades as the commander of his army. He had some sort of respect for God throughout this time but at other times he was ruthless and carried out things in a harsh manner. He murdered people like Abner and Amasa right after David had put Amasa in charge and earlier made a covenant with Abner, but Joab wasn't about to share anything with another. David wanted Absalom spared even though Absalom wanted the throne. Joab stepped in and killed Absalom. But Joab disagreed in the census that David carried out which is a good thing to disagree on. Joab has been hard to figure out. 

And now in verse 28 it says that "Joab had followed Adonijah" and so this is odd. Solomon sent Benaiah to kill Joab for Joab was to removed "from my father's house [for] the blood which Joab shed without cause. Joab had many times taken matters into his own hands against the wishes of David. Verse 32 mentions Abner and Amasa. 

After this Solomon makes Benaiah the commander of his army and places Zadok as priest in place of Abiathar. 

Shimei is mentioned next in verse 36. Shimei cursed and threw stones at King David while David was fleeing from his son Absalom. David gave him a momentary reprieve but eventually told Solomon he would need to be punished. Solomon tells Shimei to go and live in Jerusalem and build a house there but at some point he will die. He had done evil and it is promised that "the Lord shall return your evil on your own head." Benaiah was eventually ordered to kill Shimei. 

It seems David didn't want to deal with things at times. Joab was effective even though he did things that were wrong, but David didn't deal with them. David had a way of struggling with open acts of rebellion. David and Solomon were great leaders, but they were not perfect. A perfect king was still needed one day and would come in the name of Jesus. 

Summary: Solomon followed through on David's request to have Joab and Shimei killed. 

Promise: From Tabletalk, "We remain utterly dependent on the grace of God for the growth of the kingdom."

Prayer: God your kingdom is always to be respected. I understand Lord you are to be praised and I praise You. And I also know that Jesus is the perfect king. You do great things through all sorts of people. Your kingdom will be established forever. Your will be done and you often work things out, not in the perfect way, but still in the best way only because your people on this earth are imperfect. Jesus is always perfect though and so we submit and surrender to Him always. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's.

John 4:31-34 - The Food that Sustained Jesus

John 4:31-34

In the meanwhile the disciples were requesting Him, saying, "Rabbit, eat." But He said to them, "I have food to eat that you do not know about." The disciples therefore were saying to one another, "No one brought Him anything to eat, did he?" Jesus said to them, "My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to accomplish His work." 

Message: The Food that Sustained Jesus

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)."

What the Lord is Saying: The disciples have returned to Jesus and were surprised he was speaking to a woman and a Samaritan woman at that. As John has presented to us thus far, we have seen Jesus respond about being born again in a different sort of way, even that He is the light in contrast to the darkness, that He provides a living water versus regular drinking water. Living water yields eternal life. And now today we see a reference to food and yet Jesus will talk about a different sort of food. 

I find this interesting and not sure I've put this connection together before in the past of these normal everyday needs or experiences we have as people and how Jesus is using them to reference something new and different. And He is using basics of our life - born, light, water, and now food. He uses physical needs to instruct in spiritual matters. Just as we have needs for these physical needs, Jesus shows that our need for God can be seen in the same way. These bring us life. Abundant life. 

Interlinear - But in the meantime were asking Him the disciples saying Rabbi eat. But He said them I food have to eat that you not. Were saying therefore the disciples to one another No one did bring Him. Says to them - Jesus My food is that I should do the will of the [One] having sent Me and should finish of Him the work. 

The food that Jesus mentions is "do the will" of the One having sent Me and "should finish of Him the work." Jesus is to accomplish or bring to an end or perfect the will of God who sent Him. The way of salvation is completed in Jesus. 

Deuteronomy 8:3 - He humbled you and let you be hungry, and fed you with manna which you did not know, nor did your fathers know, that He might make you understand that man does not live by bread alone, but man lives by everything that proceeds out of the mouth of the Lord.

There are times when I have learned and studied God's word and been in fellowship with others in the faith that I have felt this sustenance from the Lord that he sustains me through His word. That we have all that we need in Him. I wonder often if much of what I am doing is busy work and not ultimate work that is needed. We all have to toil and do so much in life simply to survive. And yet real survival is found not in these activities, but real survival is found in doing the will of the Father. It is in Him that life is complete. 

Summary: The greatest delight (real food) of Jesus is to do the will of God who sent Him and complete/accomplish/perfect that work. 

Promise: We need to reciprocate the same sort of will and zeal that Jesus had in doing the will of the Father through obedience in following His commandments. 

Prayer: Lord, thank you for Your word and that it sustains me this day. I start the day with You Lord, not something I did this weekend, but I return to You again to start afresh. You sustain me and your Words in this book are the true words to my life. Light my way now. Be my water, my food, my sustenance to live in a born again way. Thank you for speaking the truth to me. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's. 

Isaiah 55:10-11 - The Power and Infallibility of Scripture

Isaiah 55:10-11
10 10 “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.

Message: The Power and Infallibility of Scripture

Time: Isaiah prophesied from 739–681 BC to a nation that had turned a deaf ear to the Lord. He wanted to see the nation of Judah return to serving God with humility and love for their neighbors. But he was called to pronounce judgments to on a people offering meaningless sacrifices in the Temple and committing injustices throughout the nation. It provides the most prophetic picture of Jesus in the entire Old Testament.

What the Lord is Saying:

Scripture is God-breathed meaning that it is inspired by God and this means that He actually spoke through each writer and the words penned in Scripture are considered the words of God. Yet each Word still represents the personality of the author. Scripture speaks to man and provides him with everything that he needs in life. It serves as the foundation for every situation man may find himself in and it equips man for every good work. This Word completes man. Without, we are incomplete.

Scripture has the highest authority in life. I think many understand this and this is why interpreting scripture has become such a big deal and defines many religions today. But the Word of God is consistent. Scripture holds a greater authority than any man-made structure.

In these verses in Isaiah he records that Word will not return void. The Word of God has no chance of failing. It is 100% useful each time. This doesn't mean that every person achieves salvation because many hearts are hardened toward the Word of God and God. But even that hardening is complete. It is true that God loves the world, but the entire world does not accept the things of God. And God makes this clear in His word.

Isaiah 55 is an entire chapter chronicling the promises of God. It provides an invitation to the feast and the promise to Israel and then the preparation of the feast, namely repentance and the encouragement to it because of God's faithful promises. It makes mention that man can come to God and receive what He needs. What He needs most of all is to be restored to God. In verse 3 - Incline your ear and come to Me. Listen, that you may live; And I will make an everlasting covenant with you. God promises a promise to His people to be their God. He tells us to come to Him and this promise will be realized.

The wicked have the promise that God will restore them. Let the wicked forsake his way And the unrighteous man his thoughts; And let him return to the Lord, And He will have compassion on him. We are all fragile in our sin. We are all ashamed of our mistakes and the results those mistakes have on our lives. We know we are being disobedient. God makes it clear that if we forsake our way and admit our sin then the Lord will return to us and have compassion. When we are sorry, he forgives us. I think this is hard for us to accept many times because we are deep in our own thoughts of who we are and we think who we are is too great of a problem for God. But God then declares - My thoughts are not your thoughts,Nor are your ways My ways. Again, we are to trust for God's ways are not man's ways.

In all of these truths of God rescuing us, God restoring us, God declaring to us that we are loved and we are His as we come to Him, He makes it known that His word is complete. My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it. It will accomplish its purpose. People always want a visual of God, but God has given us a visual in His word. The written word provides us what we need, all that we need. It is complete.

Promise: While the Word of God is spoken to fallible humans it was spoken by an infallible God, so that it does not teach falsehood. It is either all right or all wrong, but there is no middle ground.

Prayer: Thank you Lord for the truth of Your Word and thank you that I can see you in this word. I can know about a person by reading words written by him. I do this throughout my life. I don't need pictures, but the words make a picture. You have given me all that I need, my need is simply to trust in You and trust that You are complete, and God's word is complete. I love discovering the Word because it often surprises me of the clarify of it when I read it. Like on Sunday at church, and studying a simple passage and how it comes alive and we all walk out of the service amazed of the clarity of the Word of God. It is because God we have met You and we have seen you and experienced You and know you better. We have received what we need. We thank you for this and how you speak through fallible men your perfect ways. You are great Lord, great indeed and we praise Your name.

Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with February being about the doctrine of revelation and the various aspects of the doctrine of Scripture that sola Scriptura seeks to preserve.

Ecclesiastes 7:20 - The Vain Search for a Righteous Man

Ecclesiastes 7:20
Indeed, there is not a righteous man on earth who continually does good and who never sins.

Message: The vain search for a righteous man

Time: Ecclesiastes: Solomon's authorship is not stated. Solomon's reign as king of Israel lasted from around 970 B.C. to around 930 B.C. The Book of Ecclesiastes was likely written towards the end of his reign, approximately 935 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

From Tabletalk lesson of the same title:

The doctrine of total depravity emphasizes that sin corrupts everything about us, including our hearts, minds, and wills. Consequently, since wickedness has perverted us so thoroughly, not one of us will make it through life without having sinned. We will commit sins of omission (failing to do good) and sins of commission (transgressing what is good), for no one “does good” (omission) and “never sins” (commission).

I notice this at my job, at work, especially in the discipline that I find myself to be in, accounting, and government accounting at that, which is generally under the rule of auditors and reviewers. These individuals of oversight are constantly reviewing work to determine what you are not doing right, what rules you have failed to follow in carrying out your duties. It's interesting because it doesn't matter how well we might be doing something, if we goof up one time, and they happen to check on it, then it is assumed we have not done anything right.

This can be difficult because we want to be viewed as above reproach. We measure ourselves often by having adhered to all the rules. It's hard at times as it knocks at our pride, at our since of hard work, and the reality that our best is not ever viewed as enough.

Scripture is clear that mistakes will happen. We will live in a way that is not right. As hard as we try, we are not perfect. Yet, people view themselves often by noting they are good enough or have done more wrong than right -- and so they get a good grade. They view their spiritual condition like sitting in a school classroom, with the teacher passing out the grades from the recent test. Everyone in the class, except maybe one is hoping that they at least didn't fail, but others have higher standards. In the end, the performance expectation is not perfection, but generally passing with a high grade. This is somewhat hard to digest because we as people tend to view ourselves similar to the way the world defines it, arriving at the pearly gates with a perspective of being more right than wrong, in how our life has been lived.

Yet, it really looks more like the accountant and the auditor and finding one error. The intent of salvation and being accepted by God is not on the basis of how good we are. But, rather, whether there is any sin in us. One imperfection makes us unacceptable, even though the reality is we have many more than one imperfections. Solomon here, the Preacher. simply notices something that he has noticed throughout this 7th chapter, that what we see or know is not always the truth, and no one never sins. Yet God is holy and so everyone needs a substitute or a way to be redeemed. That is the simple truth of the Gospel: I have sinned. I am not perfect. I need a Savior. God has provided the means for me to be accepted by Him. I have a decision to trust and obey. There is no other way.

Promise: We can find no person that has never sinned.

Jesus Calling: May 26

     In a world of unrelenting changes, I am the One who never changes. I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End. Find in Me the stability for which you have yearned.
     I created a beautifully ordered world: one that reflected My perfection. Now, however, the world is under the bondage of sin and evil. Every person on the planet faces gaping laws of uncertainty. The only antidote to this poisonous threat is drawing closer to Me. In My Presence you can face uncertainty with perfect Peace.

Revelation 22:13
English Standard Version

I am the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end.

John 16:33
Amplified

I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have [perfect] peace and confidence. In the world you have tribulation and trials and distress and frustration; but be of good cheer [take courage; be confident, certain, undaunted]! For I have overcome the world. [I have deprived it of power to harm you and have conquered it for you.]

My Prayer (2018)
You never change God. You are the first and the last, the beginning and the end, the Alpha and Omega.  You beautifully ordered this world and it reflects you. There is beauty in the flowers because you are beautiful. You made all of this and it is so pleasing to my eye. In You, I have perfect peace and confidence. Thank you for being over this world. Thank you for sending your Spirit to live in me and give me strength, your strength. I depend on You Jesus. I want to rest in You, in Your Presence. You are my stability. You are my Rock, my fortress. I praise You God. You alone are God and I worship You.

Note: The devotion and scriptures are from author Sarah Young. If you haven't already, please purchase the book and support the author. 

Also, bookmark https://bibletags.blogspot.com/2019/06/jesus-calling-366-days.html to have an easy link to the entire year of these entries.

Romans 12:2 - Renewing Your Mind

Romans 12:2 - And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect.

Message: We are transformed by the renewing of our minds.

Time: Written in AD 57 from Greece, to the Christians, both Gentile and Jewish in Rome.

What the Lord is Saying:  

In light of the salvation that we have received, by the mercy of God and the grace of God, through faith, we are to daily present ourselves as a living and holy sacrifice, in ways that are acceptable to God. This is our spiritual service of worship to God. We surrender to God and submit to His will and live out His commandments with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength.  

Do not be conformed
This is the hallmark of the Christian's life and really what God expects of every person, that they are not to be conformed to anything beyond Christ and His word and His commandments. 

Give me Jesus 
Give me Jesus
Give me Jesus
You can have the world
But Give me Jesus

This should be our daily heart cry. This should be what our heart sings every day. 

Exodus 23:2 - You shall not follow a multitude in doing evil. 
Deuteronomy 18:9 - When you enter the land which the Lord your God gives you, you shall not learn to imitate the detestable things of those nations.
2 Corinthians 6:14 - Do not be bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness?

To this world
More specifically, we are not to be conformed to this world. When Jesus was tempted, it was the devil that brought him to a mountain top to show him the kingdoms of the world. Matthew 4:8, "Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory;" The devil offered to Jesus the authority of the world as a gift from him (Luke 4:6).  And in 2 Corinthians 4:4 it says, "in whose case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelieving so that they might not see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God."

It is clear that the devil is the god of this world. I am just not sure this is apparent enough in our thinking. I am not sure we really realize the significance of this in our everyday life. I think Satan is so good at making the Christian think that a couple of visits to the church weekly are enough for us. And he is so good at making us think that a quick prayer of repentance, one time, is all we need to be secure in God's kingdom. And then this allows us to continue to roam around in the world as we desire, continually sampling from the things of this world.  And that's just with Christians. But, it almost seems like Christians are who he is luring the most. I don't believe Satan can possess a Christian. But, I definitely think the Christan can be lured away. I only say this because of what I see in my own life. 

I think of stalwarts of the faith like Martin Luther, George Whitefield, and Charles Spurgeon and think about the volumes that wrote or the volumes they did and then  These men did so much for the faith. They wrote so much and preached so much and yet, they lacked all of the creature comforts we have of this day. They didn't have computers, but very primitive communication. Everything took more time and yet how did they do so much? It is just amazing. Whitefield died at age 55. Spurgeon died at 57. Luther was 62. Those aren't long lives. And yet they were so productive. I just marvel at the distractions we have in this world.

I am reading the book Gospel right now by JD Greear and it really speaks of the importance of the Gospel message in our everyday life. It is not natural for us to live a life of faith-righteousness, but rather works-righteousness is natural. And so it is so important that daily we go to the Gospel and find our security in the gospel. 

I understand this message; this sentiment; this belief, but, I don't live it consistently because I am so trained in the things of the world continually that I just don't know how to really separate myself from its ways. Technology in the form of electronics has really created a distraction in our lives. This really started with the visual box--television--that came upon us in the fifties. I think the moment our eyes had something to look at, we would be hard pressed to get ourselves trained away from anything else. The TV replaced the radio which replaced the book. The book and TV remain supplemented by the radio. Then the computer came to really augment the TV as well as now the mobile phone. And if that wasn't enough, we had to make the computer more portable with the tablet (iPad). TV and Radio started out being nightly sources of entertainment, but then moved to all day. In the 80s cable TV came on board and suddenly we had multiple channels and 24 hour news and sports. Shows were originally on broadcast TV only, then it moved to another channel and now it is on pay only channels as well as streaming services like Amazon. And if TV watching wasn't enough, we brought video games through the TV, the computer, the tablet, the phone. We have so many different ways and forms of entertainment seeping through out life. And we brand it all as okay and good.

It is just such a huge part of our life and it seems to be getting larger and larger. Recently, as a household we dropped our cable bill, to help save $50 per month, and went with the antennae. I think there were some adjustments to our viewing habits, but I have noticed something interesting. For the most part, we are just changing what we are looking at, which means we are changing what is acceptable. Yes, we have less choices, but we are still viewing at the same level as we were before. In fact, I am actually viewing more because recently an old movie channel was added to the antennae lineup and I have access to old movies in ways I haven't in the past. However, I continue to be concerned about what my children are accessing as we do have Netflix and Netflix streaming is available and the content on there is actually not that great, as far as clean entertainment. 

Last night, sitting down, not feeling very well, and just wanting to rest, I wanted to watch a movie. One of the services we have now is FeelN, a streaming service backed by Hallmark providing family friendly content. They don't have a huge catalog, but I have noticed I am never disappointed with anything I watch. And yet because I have the option of Amazon Prime and Netflix, I sometimes revert to searching for entertainment through those sources. My concern is whether or not I end up choosing media that really is filled with content that would never be viewed in a church setting. Just like cable TV, once we have availability, does it possibly open us up to content that we justify in our viewing by saying, it is not that bad? Should that be the calling card for determining if we watch something? Whether it is not that bad? 

To not be conformed to the world, I think, should mean that even our viewing habits are not likened to the world's viewing habits. 

Now, back to the message, which is "Do not be conformed to the world." Those words are almost hard to read and think about and mediate on. Why? Because I love the things of the world. It is what I've known and where I've been trained. And it is becoming more and more a dominant force in our life. And to think, Paul saw this temptation back in his day. It is so hard to imagine the extent of what Paul saw in the 1st century. And yet, I believe, that this calls to evidence more that God did inspire the writing of his text because God stood outside of time and saw the importance of this message throughout time. Maybe it seems more applicable today, twenty centuries later, but there have always been distractions. The gospel message and sharing that with others was needed and prominent even in Paul's day. The first chapter of Romans speaks of the encouragement Paul gained from the church at Rome because they were sharing the faith.

But be transformed
I know I am taking this passage slow and probably spending way too much time on it, but it is actually an amazing passage of contrast from my normal life. Its message is really foundational and revolutionary to our lives. Here with this word, "but be" means that when one is not conformed to this world, there is an alternative. There is another way. There is another way we are to be training ourselves daily (I Timothy 4:7-8). 

The word transformed is in the passive voice. Active voice would mean that I am needing to do something in order to accomplish the transformation. But, here the word is passive, so an outside force is making its mark on me, transforming me. "Do not be conformed" is active, "but be transformed" is passive. The Spirit will transform us. 

This is in the imperative mood which means I have responsibility. What I need to do is turn from sin and then make myself available or able to be molded. I do have a responsibility and that is to avail myself to the work of the Spirit in me. I think this is a very important step and part of the process. We have a responsibility daily in our lives. We can't just live our lives the way we see fit because as we do we will be conformed to this world. We must stop and present ourselves as a sacrifice to Him. "Lord, Here I am." "Lord, I come to You." "Lord, I surrender to You." "Lord, I present myself to You." "Lord, I want You in me."

In addition, transformed in in the present tense, so it is not a past event, but an ongoing event in our lives. Each day, I am to present myself to the Lord and each day He will make a change in me. 

By the renewing of your mind
This is the result of surrendering to the Lord and being transformed, my mind is renewed. I become something different than what I was in the past. 

This newness and this difference is not simply a condition that is then on par with what I was in the past, before being in Christ. It is superior.  


My mind is what determines my action, my decisions, my choices, my living life. The mind needs to be renewed. The mind can be molded. That is incredible. We often are baffled by the evil that is present in people's lives, in the world. We are baffled as to how people think. That someone could work in adult films or be a stripper day in and day out. That someone could have a business of sex trafficking. That someone could be in the business of selling drugs. That someone could be in the business of gambling. And this verse throws a bright light on us and reminds us that our mind is to be renewed, so if it isn't renewed, it is trained by the one that is over this world. We are not to be conformed to this world and yet for those not in Christ, conforming to the world is natural and encouraged. 

I read yesterday from JD Greear's book, Gospel, "The tragedy is that if you are spiritually blind you have no idea that you are missing anything at all." What a compelling and truthful statement. When the mind is not renewed and we are blind at seeing the things of the Gospel, Truth, God, we are living a life that we think is right. I dare to say that the majority of the people in the world seem to be living in this blind darkness. 


so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect
So, here is the sequence. The Christian does not conform to the world but is transformed, by surrendering to the Lord, and the Spirit transforms us. This renews our mind. For what purpose? Because this is the will of God. We are daily transformed. God is transforming us to prove God's will. His will is good and acceptable and perfect. And our lives are to be a perfect reflection of who He is.

This is the crowning verse of the Christian. We are God's representation on this earth and our lives are meant to reflect who He is. Our lives should resemble Him.

Recently, I have been encouraged by something. I've always wanted to stand out and several people lately have actually told me that my walk with God is something that they admire. I don't believe they are elevating me, but I do think that they see God in me. My life does reflect Him. And He gets the praise for that, not me.

Promise: Trust in the Lord and He will make your paths straight.

Romans 2:25 - The Value of Circumcision

Romans 2:25 - For indeed circumcision is of value if you practice the Law; but if you are a transgressor of the Law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision.

Message: The value of circumcision or how the inner much match the outward.

Time: Romans was probably written during Paul’s third missionary journey from Corinth to a Jewish/Gentile church in Rome (around 56-57 AD).

What the Lord is Saying:

At its most basic level, we can substitute the word "circumcision" for any sacrament in the church. Circumcision was the identifying mark of being a Jew. Often for the Christian, it seems the identifying mark is someone that goes to church or prays or reads their Bible or tries to practice what they preach. It could even be baptism or receiving Jesus into your heart.

That said, the point of this text is a message to the Jewish people. Since verse 13 the message has been the Jew that believes hearing the Law or being associated with the Law or being taught by it or informing others of it, give people a special pass or exemption before God and His acceptance of them. Paul is over and over eradicating this notion and letting the Jew know that if their desire is to focus on the Law above all then they must in their life obey the Law above all. Obedience can't simply be a partial thing or a part time thing, but it must be complete.

And here with circumcision is something the Jews felt like every Jew must have, despite the kind of Jew that they are. Circumcision resulted in justification.

Paul takes the two things that for every Jew they felt like if they have they were accepted by God: the Law and Circumcision. 

But Paul shows that circumcision must be coupled with complete practice of the Law and if that doesn't occur then it nullifies the circumcision from ever having occurred. If our quest is legalism then it must be total obedience and anything else completely nullifies in righteous deed that may have been performed.

Paul is stating that once we sin we are sinners then no amount of goodness in us can nullify this fact. More clearly, he is seeing that the outward has no meaning if their has been no inward change. How quickly do I want to put on a good show often in my faith and have people be impressed with my outward piety, when inward I may be living a different life. If we have no inward change then our outward changes don't mean anything. 

Some of the hardest people to reach with the Gospel are those that think they already have the answers. Religious people already are prodigy's of religion. They already possess the acumen of their faith. Whether they be Catholic, Mormon's, Jehovah Witnesses, Islam, Hindu, or even Protestants, they have tenure in their religion and they think through their deeds and beliefs they are safe.

For the Jew, circumcision was the golden ticket. For Catholics, it is baptism. For Christians, it is a sinner's prayer. For the Mormon's and JW's, it is belonging to a church. All faiths think that if I just get this one thing, then I am safe.  

Promise: None of us is saved unless personal trust in Christ resides in our hearts.

Hebrews 2:10

For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.
(Hebrews 2:10 ESV)

Jesus was the perfect fit from God. God, the author and sovereign One, provided a perfect salvation. And this was a plan to save many to heaven. Jesus is not just the one that carries it out, but he is called the founder, the author, the source. Jesus did not become perfect through suffering nor was his exaltation a reward for suffering, but he is complete and fully qualified through suffering.