Romans 2:25-29

"(25) Circumcision has value if you observe the law, but if you break the law, you have become as though you had not be circumcised. (26) If those who are not circumcised keep the law's requirements, will they not be regarded as though they were circumcised? (27) The one who is not circumcised physically and yet obeys the law will codemn you who, even though you have the written code and circumcision, are a lawbreaker. (28) A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. (29) No, 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."

If you were like me when you read these verses you were like "whoa!" At first glance it seemed like Paul was talking about circumcision out of nowhere. He's talking about hypocrisy in previous verses and now this? What's the connection? Well when I read the notes in my Bible I realized that for ancient Jews (and maybe modern Jews?) circumcision was an outward sign of submitting to God. But what Paul is trying to say is that your outward sign doesn't mean anything if you continue to disobey God's law. In fact, those that don't make an outward sign like circumcision, but obey God's law will be set above those who just make the outward sign. So let's apply this to Christianity, shall we. At my church a lot of people like to raise their arms during praise and worship which is all fine and good. But if you do this as a sign of your righteousness and you don't follow God's law in your heart, then you're a hypocrite, which we know from previous verses is not godly and turns others away from God. This also speaks to one key misconception people have about God and eternal life. Most people think that if they do good works in life, they'll have eternal life, but Paul clearly says there has to be a change in your heart made by the Holy Spirit. If you're doing good works great, but please make sure there's also been a heart and Spirit change so I can see you after death.