REAL CIRCUMCISION Devotion 6 of 39 "And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised" (Rom 4:11). – 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)
In delineating the truth of justification by faith, Paul brings up Abrahamic circumcision. In Genesis, the Lord was very detailed in His directions to Abraham concerning circumcision. The reason for this precision was that circumcision foreshadowed the cutting away of the sinful nature, or "flesh" that would take place in Christ Jesus. This cutting away is called "the circumcision of Christ," and involves the separation of "the body of the sins of the flesh" from the essential part of those in Christ (Col 2:11). That includes the forgiveness of sins, a basic inclination toward God, and agreement with His Law. It also involves the removal of a hard stony heart and the reception of a tender heart of flesh (Ezek 11:19; 36:26).
Therefore, there could be no flaw in Abraham's obedience to this commandment. A flaw in his response would cause the coming salvation to be obscure and beyond the grasp of our understanding. The REAL circumcision would take place in Christ. A type of it was given to Abraham in order to assist us to see the marvelous scope of the salvation that is in Christ Jesus.
1 – God's covenant with Abraham was to be faithfully kept throughout his generations. "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" (Gen 17:l0).
2 – This circumcision in the flesh, crude though it may appear, became the personal token of the covenant of blessing God had made with Abraham. "And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you" (Gen 17:11).
3 – Perfect consistency must be found in obedience to this command. Every male child, whether free born or a servant, must be circumcised. "And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed" (Gen 17:12).
4 – God's covenant would thus be in the flesh of the circumcised. "He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant" (Gen 17:13). Other versions read, "My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant" (NIV), and "Your bodies will thus bear the mark of my everlasting covenant" (NLT).
5 – Every male who was not circumcised had broken the covenant of God, and was to be cut off, or excluded, from the people. They had no convenantal rights. "And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant" (Gen 17:14).
It is apparent that a great deal of importance was placed on circumcision. It was something that could not be taken casually without being cut off from the people of the covenant.
Referring to this circumstance, Paul said of Abraham, "And he received THE SIGN of circumcision, a SEAL of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised" (Rom 4:11). That sign was the proof of Abraham's participation in the covenant, which involved the reception of the righteousness Abraham had by faith. As it is written, "And he believed in the LORD; and He counted it to him for righteousness" (Gen 15:6). As Paul points out, Abraham received the righteousness BEFORE he was circumcised. His circumcision was proof that he had really received that righteousness. It was not enough that there simply be an intellectual acknowledgment of the covenant. There was a sign and seal of it – a personal token or evidence of its reality.
Circumcision was known to the possessor, but was hidden from the view of others. It was a personal token – a personal sign of the covenant of God, and a personal seal of the righteousness Abraham had received from God.
PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank You through Jesus Christ that You have granted spiritual indicators that confirm we have been made righteous in Christ Jesus.
– Tomorrow: In delineating the truth of justification by faith, Paul brings up Abrahamic circumcision. In Genesis, the Lord was very detailed in His directions to Abraham concerning circumcision. The reason for this precision was that circumcision foreshadowed the cutting away of the sinful nature, or "flesh" that would take place in Christ Jesus. This cutting away is called "the circumcision of Christ," and involves the separation of "the body of the sins of the flesh" from the essential part of those in Christ (Col 2:11). That includes the forgiveness of sins, a basic inclination toward God, and agreement with His Law. It also involves the removal of a hard stony heart and the reception of a tender heart of flesh (Ezek 11:19; 36:26).
Therefore, there could be no flaw in Abraham's obedience to this commandment. A flaw in his response would cause the coming salvation to be obscure and beyond the grasp of our understanding. The REAL circumcision would take place in Christ. A type of it was given to Abraham in order to assist us to see the marvelous scope of the salvation that is in Christ Jesus.
1 – God's covenant with Abraham was to be faithfully kept throughout his generations. "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" (Gen 17:l0).
2 – This circumcision in the flesh, crude though it may appear, became the personal token of the covenant of blessing God had made with Abraham. "And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you" (Gen 17:11).
3 – Perfect consistency must be found in obedience to this command. Every male child, whether free born or a servant, must be circumcised. "And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed" (Gen 17:12).
4 – God's covenant would thus be in the flesh of the circumcised. "He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant" (Gen 17:13). Other versions read, "My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant" (NIV), and "Your bodies will thus bear the mark of my everlasting covenant" (NLT).
5 – Every male who was not circumcised had broken the covenant of God, and was to be cut off, or excluded, from the people. They had no convenantal rights. "And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant" (Gen 17:14).
It is apparent that a great deal of importance was placed on circumcision. It was something that could not be taken casually without being cut off from the people of the covenant.
Referring to this circumstance, Paul said of Abraham, "And he received THE SIGN of circumcision, a SEAL of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised" (Rom 4:11). That sign was the proof of Abraham's participation in the covenant, which involved the reception of the righteousness Abraham had by faith. As it is written, "And he believed in the LORD; and He counted it to him for righteousness" (Gen 15:6). As Paul points out, Abraham received the righteousness BEFORE he was circumcised. His circumcision was proof that he had really received that righteousness. It was not enough that there simply be an intellectual acknowledgment of the covenant. There was a sign and seal of it – a personal token or evidence of its reality.
Circumcision was known to the possessor, but was hidden from the view of others. It was a personal token – a personal sign of the covenant of God, and a personal seal of the righteousness Abraham had received from God.
PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank You through Jesus Christ that You have granted spiritual indicators that confirm we have been made righteous in Christ Jesus.
– Tomorrow: In delineating the truth of justification by faith, Paul brings up Abrahamic circumcision. In Genesis, the Lord was very detailed in His directions to Abraham concerning circumcision. The reason for this precision was that circumcision foreshadowed the cutting away of the sinful nature, or "flesh" that would take place in Christ Jesus. This cutting away is called "the circumcision of Christ," and involves the separation of "the body of the sins of the flesh" from the essential part of those in Christ (Col 2:11). That includes the forgiveness of sins, a basic inclination toward God, and agreement with His Law. It also involves the removal of a hard stony heart and the reception of a tender heart of flesh (Ezek 11:19; 36:26).
Therefore, there could be no flaw in Abraham's obedience to this commandment. A flaw in his response would cause the coming salvation to be obscure and beyond the grasp of our understanding. The REAL circumcision would take place in Christ. A type of it was given to Abraham in order to assist us to see the marvelous scope of the salvation that is in Christ Jesus.
1 – God's covenant with Abraham was to be faithfully kept throughout his generations. "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" (Gen 17:l0).
2 – This circumcision in the flesh, crude though it may appear, became the personal token of the covenant of blessing God had made with Abraham. "And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you" (Gen 17:11).
3 – Perfect consistency must be found in obedience to this command. Every male child, whether free born or a servant, must be circumcised. "And he that is eight days old shall be circumcised among you, every man child in your generations, he that is born in the house, or bought with money of any stranger, which is not of thy seed" (Gen 17:12).
4 – God's covenant would thus be in the flesh of the circumcised. "He that is born in thy house, and he that is bought with thy money, must needs be circumcised: and my covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant" (Gen 17:13). Other versions read, "My covenant in your flesh is to be an everlasting covenant" (NIV), and "Your bodies will thus bear the mark of my everlasting covenant" (NLT).
5 – Every male who was not circumcised had broken the covenant of God, and was to be cut off, or excluded, from the people. They had no convenantal rights. "And the uncircumcised man child whose flesh of his foreskin is not circumcised, that soul shall be cut off from his people; he hath broken my covenant" (Gen 17:14).
It is apparent that a great deal of importance was placed on circumcision. It was something that could not be taken casually without being cut off from the people of the covenant.
Referring to this circumstance, Paul said of Abraham, "And he received THE SIGN of circumcision, a SEAL of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised" (Rom 4:11). That sign was the proof of Abraham's participation in the covenant, which involved the reception of the righteousness Abraham had by faith. As it is written, "And he believed in the LORD; and He counted it to him for righteousness" (Gen 15:6). As Paul points out, Abraham received the righteousness BEFORE he was circumcised. His circumcision was proof that he had really received that righteousness. It was not enough that there simply be an intellectual acknowledgment of the covenant. There was a sign and seal of it – a personal token or evidence of its reality.
Circumcision was known to the possessor, but was hidden from the view of others. It was a personal token – a personal sign of the covenant of God, and a personal seal of the righteousness Abraham had received from God.
PRAYER POINT: Father, I thank You through Jesus Christ that You have granted spiritual indicators that confirm we have been made righteous in Christ Jesus.