Circumcision Of The Heart - Bliss & Fire Network Weekly Digest - Success Scripture June 23, 2009

Circumcision Of The Heart  

"For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 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." - Romans 2: 28-29

EXPLORATION

Definition: To circumcise means to remove the foreskin (prepuce) of a man and, in rare cases, of a woman. It is sometimes carried out for hygiene or health reasons.

HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHT: Circumcision among ancient people was a sign of covenant - making, that is the cutting of the skin and the shedding of blood. Circumcision was first given its first religious significance in the Old Testament when it was prescribed as the required external sign or seal that a person belonged to the covenant people of God.

INSPIRATION

God said to Abraham: "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. And ye shall circumcise the flesh of your foreskin; and it shall be a token of the covenant betwixt me and you. 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. 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." - Genesis 17:10-13 (Acts 7:8, Romans 4:11) Because of this mark of covenant with God, the Jews derided or despised other nations as UNCIRCUMCISED, in other words, not belonging to Jehovah, God of Abraham. To the Jew it was a thing of pride. Also in the Old Testament, it was revealed that this external operation of circumcision was symbolic of the change of heart that the Jew should have towards God. Moses said to Israel: "Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked." - Deuteronomy 10:16

And the Bible also says: "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them." - Ezekiel 36:25-27 (Hebrews 9:14, Acts 24:16)

In the New Testament, the Christian is symbolically portrayed as the Israel of God by faith and he is said to have a circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of sin of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ. The Bible says: "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:" - Colossians 2:11 This is the transforming work of the Holy Spirit in the life of a person who accepts Christ as Lord and Savior of his life. The book of Titus put it this way: "Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost;" - Titus 3:5. And the Bible says in the book of John: "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." - John 1:12-13

Whether as a Jew who takes pride in the outward circumcision of the foreskin, or the Christian who rejoices that his circumcision is without hands through Christ Jesus and that he is a child of God, Paul says: "For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision." - Romans 2:25

A Christian may boast of being a child of God, but his "son-ship" is meaningless if he does not obey God by keeping his word. The Jew or Christian may despise the "Gentile" who is not circumcised with or without hands, but he is not different from the gentile if he does not obey the law of God. Paul points out that the moralist that is an uncircumcised man who by nature keeps the law of God is in a position to judge or condemn the self - professed circumcised man who does not keep the law of God.

True circumcision is that which takes place in the heart in which there is a submission to the word of God and a willingness to do what God demands out of a pure and sincere heart whether it is in the old or new dispensation (Deuteronomy 10:16).

Paul said "For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and CIRCUMCISION IS THAT OFTHE HEART, IN THE SPIRIT, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God." - Romans 2: 28-29

The true sign or seal that a person belongs to the covenant people of God is in obeying the Lord out of a pure heart. The bible says: "Flee also youthful lusts: but follow righteousness, faith, charity, peace, with them that call on the Lord out of a pure heart." - 2 Timothy 2:22

This week what is it that your heart is saying to you? Is your heart circumcised by the Holy Spirit or is it occupied with ungodly thoughts and ideas? God, out of HIS love for you, is willing to help you cleanse it today but, ... only if you're are ready and willing to submit to Him. Beloved after God has cleansed your heart, your life will never remain the same again. Your healing depends on your choice, your breakthrough depends on this visitation of the Lord and your marriage/ministry depends on it. Finally, your success, GOOD SUCCESS depends on your choice to open your spiritual heart to the LORD.

As you obey the Lord Jesus Christ and God our father, you will be lifted up, you're favored and blessed and above all you're loved!

Remember: "He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked." - 1 John 2:4-6.

God bless you,

We love you!

Bliss & Fire Network Team

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