REAL CIRCUMCISION Devotion 2 of 39 No person can be accepted by God who is not righteous. Further, because all of humanity is spiritually impotent, no man can make himself righteous. Therefore, there is a need for a righteousness from God – the "gift of righteousness" (Rom 5:17), whereby the individual is "made righteous" (Rom 5:19). – Tomorrow:
"For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God. (Rom 2:25-29, NKJV)
To further confirm this reality, the Spirit confronts those who imagine they can develop a righteousness on their own. Several centuries before Christ, God made the real human condition known through Isaiah the prophet. "But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away" (Isa 64:6). Note, the prophet does not say our sins are as filthy rags. He does not affirm our failures, obstinance, or rebellion are as filthy rags. It is the very best part of us that is so identified – "our righteousnesses."
If some protest, saying this only applied to the Jews, and not to everyone, all doubt is decimated by this word. "The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one" (Psa 14:2-3; 53:2-3; Rom 3:10). Although men argue over this fact, it is actually beyond debate. This is a Divine assessment, and must be addressed if men are to be saved.
Even though the salvation of God is being accomplished with the extensive involvement the Father, Son, Holy Spirit, and an innumerable host of holy angels, some men are tempted to think little is required of them personally. Satan has succeeded in deluding them into believing God will graciously overlook their situation. Too, they also are convinced a minimal amount of input is required of them. To further complicate the matter, the absolute necessity of a total change in the character of the individual is seriously doubted among many wearing the name of Christ. I have been exposed to teaching that affirms the new birth is actually a metaphor of speech, and is not meant to taken literally. Such views betray an alienated heart and a blinded mind.
SEASONAL RELIGION IS NOT ACCEPTABLE
The Law confirmed God cannot be served seasonally, or in activities that are an adjunct to life itself. Where there is no dominate appetite for the Lord, it is not possible to be accepted by Him, serve Him, or worship Him. Such activities are mere mockery when they are not the true manner of the people. Jesus put it this way, "This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me" (Matt 15:8). He declared that generation fulfilled the words of Isaiah, who said them of his generation (Isa 29:13). A similar generation exists in our day.
The Law did not allow men to come frequently before the Lord. That was owing to their corruptness. A holy God could not long endure them. Thus the High Priest went into the Most Holy Place only one time a year (Lev 16). All of the men went to an appointed place to honor the
Lord, three times a year (Deut 16:16). The Passover was observed annually (Num 9:2-3). There were also other annual feasts, including "the feast of unleavened bread" (Ex 12:17), "the feast of harvest," or Pentecost (Ex 23:16), "the feast of weeks" (Ex 34:22), and "the feast of tabernacles" (Lev 23:34). There was even a special year – the "year of Jubilee" (Lev 25). There were other period times, including the Sabbath day (Ex 20:8), New Moon (1 Chron 23:31), and Sabbath year (Lev 25:2-4). Theirs was a seasonal religion!
This is precisely how the Israelites worshiped and served the Lord. This was not the heart and soul of their life, but an addition to it. Furthermore, it was a burdensome one to them. They saw no correlation between serving the Lord and life itself. That is why the Lord upbraided them, "You have said, 'It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept His charge, and that we have walked in mourning before the LORD of hosts?" (Mal 3:14, NASB).
While some may be tempted to chide the Israelites for their inconsistency, care must be taken NOT to miss the point being made by the Holy Spirit. It is simply this: men without the righteousness of God cannot live acceptably to God, because they are fundamentally unlike Him. The only acceptable change that can be made is through faith, which accounts for the unusual men and women prior to Jesus. Their superiority was not due to more hearty effort, or a greater discipline of the mind on their part. It was their faith that made them unique. As it is written, "And these all, having obtained a good report through faith" (Heb 11:39).
I cannot leave this point without pointing out the remarkable similarities between the Israelite manner of serving God and much of the contemporary church. Seasonal and periodic religion is in vogue – in fact, it is the rage of the times. Special "church services" are planned for special times: Easter, Mother's Day, 4th of July, Christmas, etc. The church has become adept at accommodating people who have no real appetite for God. Gatherings are infrequent and brief, sermons are short and shallow. This approach seems to have garnered quite a few people in some circles – but it has changed no hearts, and brought righteousness no nearer to the people. God simply cannot be served seasonally of briefly.
PRAYER POINT: Father, in the name of Jesus, help me to see the relevance of faith in, and fellowship with, You in every facet of life.