What He Meant

 

What He Meant

Genesis 17:10 “This is my covenant, which ye shall keep, between me and you and thy seed after thee; Every man child among you shall be circumcised.”

Exodus 12:48a “And when a stranger shall sojourn with thee, and will keep the passover to the Lord, let all his males be circumcised,”

Deuteronomy 7:6 “For thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God: the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth.”

Romans 2:29 “But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”

     What is our mark as Christians?  Formerly, Jews took confidence in a surgical operation.  This after all, fulfilled the divine command, right?  A simple outward showing earmarked a faithful male Jew.  If God uses pictures in the Old Testament to convey spiritual understanding, then this biggie should bear the weight.

     Naturally, we are insensitive to God.  Our hearts have wills that conflict with His and this doesn’t bother us.  Kinda like an avocado, our outsides are leathery.  We have little use in the salad with our shells on.  If left too long, we rot from the inside turning grey about the seed.  Then we are discarded to the garbage.

     When turning to Christ, we let the Surgeon remove our calloused coat which has numbed our ears to His voice.  He regenerates our hearts, renewing our desires.  Suddenly we feel driven to love exceedingly.  If you have met a one radically saved in their adult life, you have witnessed this.  God transforms hearts.  His light compels new wants.

     God wanted Israel to be dedicated to Him.  This outward showing was to get the point across.  However, the sign of a covenant with them fell to empty ritual.  A check of the box to say.  In Christianity, we understand circumcision to be a standing order.  All must submit their desires to Christ and so cut off that which interferes.

     Do you have to be physically circumcised to be a Christian?  No.  It is just another picture He used with Israel to show His wants as a close Father.  He doesn’t want our hearts to stray.

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