In the ancient world of the first century (at the risk of painting with very broad strokes) it was easy to know who was a Jew and who was not. There was a physical characteristic that set Jews apart (that I won’t dwell on here.)
But Paul in this chapter argues that it is not purely, simply, solely that physical distinction that makes one a Jew. And by “Jew” Paul is really talking about people who clearly and unquestionably belong to God.
Think about it this way: I was born and raised in Arkansas, so one could say I am an Arkansan. If I stretch things, I was probably a legal resident of Arkansas for about twenty-four years. I still have my college ID card (no, I will not show it to you!). Does this make me an Arkansan?
But I have lived in Georgia, off and on, for almost thirty years. When people ask me where I am from, my response is “Georgia.” I wasn’t born here, folks, but I got here as quickly as I could!
Identity is not based on who or what you were when born; spiritual identity is based on what I choose to be, how I choose to act, and who I choose to follow. I’m not entitled to anything—not even God’s grace. I choose to receive it, and strive to live by it.