Romans 2:25

25 Circumcision has value if you obey the law. But if you break the law, it is just as if you hadn't been circumcised.

Romans 2:25 Meaning and Commentary

Romans 2:25

For circumcision verily profiteth
The plea from circumcision in favour of the Jews, and their acceptance with God, and justification before him, is here, and in the following verses, considered. The apostle allows that circumcision was profitable; which must be understood whilst it was in force, before the abrogation of it, for since, it is not profitable but pernicious; and then it was only profitable, in case the law was kept:

if thou keepest the law;
that is, perfectly; for circumcision obliged persons to keep the whole law. Now the circumcised Jews did not keep it in such sense; wherefore circumcision was of no use to them, but, on the contrary, was an handwriting against them.

But if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made
uncircumcision;
that is, it is not accounted circumcision; it is of no avail; such a man was all one as an uncircumcised Gentile, and appeared to be uncircumcised in a spiritual sense: the apostle perhaps alludes to a practice among some of the Jews, to bring on and draw over the foreskin, after they had been circumcised; (See Gill on 1 Corinthians 7:18).

Romans 2:25 In-Context

23 You brag about the law. But when you break it, you rob God of his honor!

24 It is written, "Those who aren't Jews say evil things against God's name because of you."(Isaiah 52:5; Ezekiel 36:22)

25 Circumcision has value if you obey the law. But if you break the law, it is just as if you hadn't been circumcised.

26 Sometimes those who aren't circumcised do what the law requires. Won't God accept them as if they had been circumcised?

27 Many are not circumcised physically, but they obey the law. They will prove that you are guilty. You are breaking the law, even though you have the written law and are circumcised.