REAL CIRCUMCISION Devotion 11 of 39 – 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)
At this point, I am distinguishing between the circumcision of Abraham and circumcision under the Law. In the case of Abraham, circumcision was a sign and seal of the righteousness that was imputed to him because of his faith. Abraham was righteous because he believed God, not because he flawlessly obeyed God. As it is written, "And he believed in the LORD; and He counted it to him for righteousness" (Gen 15;16; Rom 4:3; Gal 3:6; James 2:23).
However, under the First Covenant, inaugurated at Mt Sinai, DOING became the basis for righteousness, NOT believing. Again it is written, "And the law is NOT of faith: but, The man that DOETH them shall live in them" (Gal 3:12). Under that covenant of doing, circumcision related people to Abraham, but did not confer upon them the righteousness of God. I am now speaking of circumcision under the Law, the Divinely ordained system of DOING. Under it, the righteousness of men depended wholly upon their complete and flawless obedience to every word commanded them.
Under the Law, circumcision did not take the place of DOING to obtain life, or righteousness. Remember, the Old Covenant offered righteousness strictly upon the basis of perfect compliance with its demands. Under it circumcision was a sign that the individual was within that covenant – i.e., related to father Abraham. If, however, that Law was broken, circumcision was invalidated so far as being righteous was concerned. That is, their actual character was no different from the Gentiles, who had no covenant with God. That is the reason for the statement, "but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision" (Rom 2:25).
The books of Moses are filled with the names of those who were severely punished, and even died, because they broke the law. Their circumcision was not sufficient to exempt them from Divine judgment. It did not qualify them for gracious treatment. Nadab and Abihu (Lev 10:1-3), Korah and his cohorts (Num 16:19-32), and over 600,000 who refused to obey, and thus fell in the wilderness (Num 14:26-34). Who can forget Saul being stripped of his kingship (1 Sam 16:1,14), or Samson losing his strength (Judges 16:20). All of these people were circumcised, but it was of no avail when they became obstinate and disobeyed the Lord.
When it came to the matter of righteousness, or being justified from all sin (which is the subject of our present discussion), the Jew's disobedience invalidated their circumcision. None of them could appeal to their circumcision for Divine acceptance, for they were under a covenant of DOING – a covenant where spiritual life depended upon flawless obedience.
Inclusion in the Old Covenant, which was confirmed by circumcision, required complete obedience to the Law. Where this did not occur, no confidence could be placed in circumcision. Life and acceptance were not offered because the people had been circumcised. Rather, they were circumcised because they were chosen and blessed by God in Abraham. To boast, therefore, in the "sign and the seal" brought no glory to God. Nor, indeed, did it bring exoneration from guilt to them.
All of this confirms the need for a higher order of circumcision – one that was in the spirit instead of the flesh, and of the heart rather than of the body. A covenant was needed that did not revolve around doing, like the Law, or First Covenant. Rather, righteousness must be obtained by faith, as it was by Abraham, who was before the Law. What is even more, faith and Law cannot mix as a basis for the conferment of righteousness. Law – even the best moral Law – "is not of faith" (Gal 3:12). It is not based upon faith, nor does it require faith. Under Law the matter of being made righteous is placed wholly upon man. No individual under such a covenant can appeal to their circumcision as a basis for being made righteous. From the standpoint of being made righteous, or receiving life from God, their disobedience has invalidated their circumcision.
PRAYER POINT: Father, I praise Your name through Jesus for deliverance from the condemning Law. I thank You for causing me to become dead to the Law in Christ, that I might be married to Him and bring forth fruit to You.