KEY SCRIPTURE: Colossians 2:9-12
For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 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.
RELEVANCE Genesis 17:10 sees God explaining the sign of the covenant of promise. 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.
Circumcision seems like a strange way to begin a covenant. I remember watching cowboy and Indian movies as a boy. I would see a couple of actors lightly slicing their hands or wrists with a knife and then holding each cut part to the other to signify they were blood brothers. Of course, my mates and I would go to school and do the same. With a bond that strong, you would think I'd be given a sixth sense or something to remember who they were after all this time. No such extra powers came with the short-lived union.
The circumcision of Abraham was different, much more than a childhood fantasy. That bond was real and eternal—not the physical circumcision, but the expected circumcision of the heart.
Various scriptures speak of the circumcision of the heart. That is, removing the fleshly mind and worldly thoughts and desires. (Deut 30:5-6, Lev 26:41, Ez 44:7, Jer 9:25).
When we give our hearts to the Lord Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit enters our lives, we are changed people. The former ways are washed away in baptism. In our Christian walk, we ensure we don't reverse the circumcision by returning to our old ways of the flesh.
Our key scripture says those times and ways are buried in baptism, and we're not to haul them back out or, as I put in the heading, reverse the circumcision.
How we reverse circumcision is to re-acquaint ourselves with the following or similar: fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. And to add to that, anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy talking or other means of communication, and not lying to people. (Colossians 3). God's wrath came upon the children of disobedience because they enjoyed and used those things daily.
These are all deeds of the old man we used to be, not the one renewed in Christ.
Instead, let's continue putting on mercy, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, and longsuffering as the elect of God should. God gives us a portion upon Salvation, and we grow them, not the former things. After all, none of the former things reside in the image of God.
We're best leaving circumcision the way it is and walking the path of cleanness and holiness, allowing ourselves to be purified daily by the Word of God.
We follow the path of maturity in Christ, His fruit, knowledge and power.
PRAYER Dear Lord, How precious was the death of your Son on that cross. Praise His holy name.
Photo by Abraham Popcatl
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