Circumcise Your Hearts!

Part 3 of 10

What other "shadows" exist? What other "figures of the true" have been elevated to a higher spiritual plane? Circumcision too is an Old Covenant truth that has gone to the Cross of our Lord, been nailed to it, annulled (as to it's literalness), and divinely reshaped into a glorious spiritual truth, vital for all believers.

In these days, circumcision is no longer a religious issue. However, in the early church, it surely was! Acts 15 describes the tension and strife that circumcision laws brought to the early church: to circumcise, or not to circumcise? The Christians from Judea had followed Paul, and caused much confusion over this matter. They taught the Gentiles that they couldn't be saved "except they were circumcised, after the manner of Moses" (Acts 15:1, 5).

The church in Galatia was also "bewitched" by these Judaizers. In his letter, Paul had to deal with the matter of circumcision (Gal 5:1, 6, 11; 6:12-15).

Old Covenant circumcision?

The rite of circumcision was given to Abraham. For him, this was a very important covenant. Anyone who failed to keep this rite would be "cut off" from the people (Gen 17:14).. No pun intended!

Circumcision was to occur on the eighth day. The boy would also be named at this time.

In the Old Testament, when the act of circumcision occurred, the male was then in covenantal relationship with God: blood had been shed. They could now partake of the privileges of the covenant. Now we see why God sought to kill Moses for neglecting to circumcise his own seed (Exod 4:24-26). This is why Moses said he had "uncircumcised lips", even after he was called of God (Exod 6:12, 30).

Circumcision was also a part of the Mosaic covenant (Exod 12:43-50). It was continued and further confirmed through this covenant.

This Old Covenant rite became yet another hypocrisy for Israel and Judah. They exalted the physical aspect, and forsook the deeper, spiritual truth behind it.

Was it perpetual?

The rite of circumcision is a part of Abraham's "everlasting covenant" (Gen 17:7, 13, 19). How then does Paul say this ordinance has been "nailed to the cross" and taken out of the way (Col 2:14)? Circumcision is ONLY eternal because it becomes an elevated, spiritual truth once it comes to the cross of Christ Jesus. It's literalness was nailed to the cross, similar to the Sabbath, as we saw yesterday. It's spiritual virtue continues, however, and is "everlasting".

New Covenant circumcision?

What spiritual virtue does circumcision possess? A lot!

Even in the Old Covenants, circumcision was meant to be a physical sign of a spiritual change, similar to how water baptism is an outward sign of an inward change. The people, however, neglected the spiritual truth that circumcision was meant to impart, and it became a distorted and despised thing (Est 8:17; Gen 34:14-31; 1 Sam 18:22-27). The spiritual truth that circumcision was intended to imply was to "circumcise therefore the skin of your hearts, and be no more stiffnecked" (Deut 10:16). Similar prophetic words were given to those already naturally circumcised (Jer 32:39; Ezek 11:16; 36:26). The Lord even lamented through Jeremiah that Judah was uncircumcised in heart though circumcised in the flesh, and that He would punish both "the uncircumcised with the circumcised" (Jer 9:25-26). The circumcised in flesh was Judah, and the uncircumcised were Egypt, Edom, Ammon and Moab. God was looking upon their hearts.

Paul gives the fullest and clearest interpretation of New Covenant circumcision. Circumcision becomes uncircumcision if a Jew fails to keep God's law, and uncircumcision becomes circumcision for a Gentile if he keeps the law. A Jew is not one outwardly by circumcision of the flesh. Rather, a Jew is one inwardly, by that circumcision of the heart (Rom 2:24-29).

Abraham "believed God" while he was yet uncircumcised. In other words, he was a Gentile, and yet believed God - therefore, he can be the father of ALL who believe, not solely the Jews. The issue is belief. Anyone can become the seed of Abraham, all they must do is believe - natural circumcision is no longer the issue.. it has been elevated to a higher, spiritual plane: "There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Gal 3:28-29).

To the Galatians, Paul wrote that natural circumcision does not profit. If a man is circumcised, he becomes a debtor to perform the whole law; he brings himself under the curse of the law. So why do it? It's fruitless! His helpful admonition was, "Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage. Behold, I Paul say unto you, that if ye be circumcised, Christ shall profit you nothing. For I testify again to every man that is circumcised, that he is a debtor to do the whole law. Christ is become of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are fallen from grace. For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith. For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love" (Gal 5:1-6).

He goes on to say: "As many as desire to make a fair shew in the flesh, they constrain you to be circumcised; only lest they should suffer persecution for the cross of Christ. For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh. But God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God" (Gal 6:12-16). We should never glorify in the literalness, but in the spiritual aspect of God's commandments. The Jews wanted the Gentiles to be circumcised just so they could glorify in the flesh! How absurd! In Christ Jesus, neither circumcision nor uncircumcision avail, but a new creature! As many as walk by this New Covenant understanding, peace be on them!

To the Philippians, Paul wrote: "For we are the circumcision which worship God IN THE SPIRIT, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have NO CONFIDENCE IN THE FLESH" (3:3). He also warns them of Judaizing "dogs", "evil workers", and "the concision" (Phil 3:2). Paul wrote to the Philippians as a circumcised man, yet he realized that there was no spiritual value in natural circumcision. The ONLY act God wanted to see was a spiritual circumcision, circumcision of the heart - this is the circumcision "made without hands", because it is an operation of God, by the Spirit, upon the human heart (Col 2:11)! There is to be no confidence in the mere flesh.

The circumcision of Jesus?

Why was Christ Jesus circumcised (Lk 2:21-24)? Again, it was because He was born under the law to redeem those under the law (Gal 4:4-5). His physical circumcision pointed to a greater circumcision yet to come: the circumcision of the cross!

"And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ: Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead. And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days: Which are a shadow of things to come; but the body is of Christ" (Col 2:10-17).

Jesus' cross was His greatest circumcision - His greatest "cutting off" of the flesh. There, at His cross, He was "cut off" for our sins. When Paul speaks here in Colossians of "the circumcision of Christ", he isn't referring to His circumcision as a baby, when He was eight days old. Rather, he's referring to His cross. On the cross, Jesus' flesh was broken for our sins, and His blood shed.

So we see, therefore, that the cross of Christ was His ultimate circumcision. He was cut off on Calvary, for you and I. Rather than this occurring only on the eight day after His birth, He too resurrected on the eighth day. And rather than Him being only named "Jesus" on the eighth day, He was here given the triune name: the "Lord Jesus Christ", the name above every name (Phil 2:9-11)! The rite of circumcision was fulfilled both literally and redemptively!

Similarly, the New Covenant believer is to be "cut off" in heart: baptized into Christ's death, "cut off" from the old man (Rom 6:3-5). We are then to be raised to walk in newness of life, by the Spirit. We receive of His triune name at the baptism (Matt 28:18-20; Acts 2:37-38), and become partakers of His divine nature! Hallelujah!

Will you be re-born, re-cut, and re-named? This is God's New Covenant desire for you!

To be continued...