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Circumcision What Does It Mean?

Circumcision What Does It Mean?

After Abraham’s conversion, God gave him and his descendants circumcision as a sign of that new relationship. Have you ever wondered why? What does circumcision mean? What does it symbolize? What is the reality to which it points?

Paul understood that bodily circumcision was only a symbol of something else and wrote:

A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code (Romans 2:28, 29 NIV84).

Circumcision is a sign of circumcising the heart, but what does that mean and why would bodily circumcision be useful in representing spiritual circumcision?

  • Physical circumcision was painful; spiritual circumcision, conversion, dying to self, cutting away attachments to this world is also painful.
  • Physical circumcision happens on a part of the body that is not easily seen by others; spiritual circumcision, conversion, happens in the secret parts of the heart, which is also not easily seen by others.
  • Those with whom we have some intimacy can know if we have been circumcised bodily (not just spouses, but also our doctors and even military buddies with whom we sometimes undress in the same barracks or shower in the same locker room)—so, too, with circumcision of the heart; the people who get to know us well can tell if our hearts have been changed from a state of fear and selfishness to a love for God and others.
  • Circumcision happens upon the part of the body that physically joins husband and wife together as one; circumcision by the Spirit happens upon the heart—cutting away sin, fear, selfishness, guilt, shame, and every obstacle that interferes with becoming one with God.

Without the cutting away from our hearts of fear, selfishness, guilt, shame, and the attachments to this world (things we love more than God), we cannot be wedded, united, bonded to our Savior.

Therefore, circumcision is a sign of dying to self, of cutting away ties, practices, attachments, and values of this world; of cutting out the fear, sin, and selfishness; and of having the heart renewed in truth, love, and trust in God.

Physical circumcision is done by a physical knife, whereas circumcision of the heart is done by the Spirit of love and truth wielding the Spirit-created or inspired tools of love and truth:

For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart (Hebrews 4:12 NIV84).

The Holy Spirit works through the Scriptures to cut through the lies, fears, and misunderstandings caused by sin and to bring healing truth to bear upon our hearts and minds in order to cut out of our heart falsehoods, unhealthy practices, and worldly or lustful affections, and to instill godly methods leading us to establish healthy routines and boundaries with others.

The Holy Spirit also works through His trusting friends. When the prophet Nathan confronted King David after David’s sin with Bathsheba, the truth brought to bear by Nathan was used by the Holy Spirit to bring David to conviction and repentance and was part of a healing process of cutting the sin, guilt, and shame out of David’s heart.

While we can choose to have our infant sons circumcised physically, we cannot choose for any human heart other than our own to be circumcised by the Spirit. The newborn in Christ must choose for themselves to surrender to the Holy Spirit, study the Word of God, and actively cooperate with the Spirit to cut out of the heart anything that interferes with our intimacy with Jesus.

This is because the transformation of the heart that occurs in God’s plan of salvation requires the active and voluntary participation of the sinner. God cannot use His infinite power to inflict a change of heart without the consent of the person because to do so would destroy that person’s individuality and create either a programmed robot that cannot love, or a new intelligent being.

So, circumcision is, ultimately, a poignant object lesson illustrating the intimate cutting away from our hearts every obstacle to our unity and oneness with God. Understanding this, Jesus, praying for His followers right before His crucifixion, asked His Father to “sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth” (John 17:17 NIV84). Jesus asked His Father to use the sword of the Spirit, the truth, to cut away from His followers everything that interferes with their unity, so that having had their hearts sanctified by the truth, “all of them may be one, Father, just as you are in me and I am in you (John 17:21 NIV84). This is the goal, unity, at-one-ment with God that requires fear, sin, selfishness to be cut out of our hearts and God’s law of love to be written in (Hebrews 8:10).

What does circumcision mean? It means being set free from the world and being united in the bonds of love and trust with God.

I encourage you to allow God, in these last days, to circumcise your heart from every fear, sin, guilt, and shame, from anything in this world that you love more than Him so that you might be one with Him just as Jesus prayed for us to be.

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Thank you and may God continue to bless you as you share with others the intricacies of how we are all “fearfully and wonderfully made”. I must share that you have opened a whole new world to me, and I have found tremendous healing through what you have shared in two of your books, “Could It Be This Simple?” and “The God Shaped Brain.” I praise God for what you shared, what I have learned, and how I have grown and healed! My prayer is that My Precious Jesus will be seen by others in the way I live, act, talk, etc. and they may be encouraged to know He is truly a GREAT God of LOVE, desiring that no one should perish! God Bless you in your continued endeavors to present Him as He really is!

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I’ve been reading the bible and walking with Jesus since I was around 16. I’m 42 now. I’ve mostly been alone in my walk although I went to several churches in different denominations. For the past 3 years God has been showing me His character of agape. It’s been a blessing and changed how I view God and my walk with Jesus. About a year ago I came across the power of love and the principles of design law. These teachings changed how I read scripture and have been such a beautiful blessing. I’m very excited and grateful for these truths. We share these truths of agape, design law and the reality of the principles of the two trees in the garden of Eden with people on Facebook and YouTube. People all over are learning to trust God and His agape design law which makes life possible. Thank you for everything you shared with me. May God continue to bless your ministry and lives.

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Thank you for all of your work to correct misconceptions about God’s character. So many people that my husband and I have talked to seem to be against the natural law construct and view it as “errant” and “dangerous.” Having learned more about it through your blogs and lessons, I don’t really understand why they view it that way, except that it means they have to relearn theology they have known for their entire lives. But I’m so excited to relearn this. For the past few years I have been questioning how I could trust a God who punishes arbitrarily and is full of wrath for those who don’t obey His commands. That view made me afraid to “mess up” or “not be good enough,” even within my relationship with God. I really appreciated the point you bring out about God not wanting us to serve Him because we are afraid, but because we love Him.

Melissa H., IN, USA

 

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Testimony 30

God lead me to your book “The God-Shaped Brain” while I was searching for another book about the brain and then to your interview about your book on HeartWise Ministries [where] I found out about [Come And Reason Ministries]. I’m now devouring the webcasts of your Bible studies. I have been so greatly blessed and I thank God so much for your courage to speak the Truth in love no matter what. Listening to you contrast the two opposing systems (laws) and digging deep to unearth the hidden treasures in the Bible makes me so incredibly happy and I feel very blessed to be part of your Bible Study Group although I live far away. I am just so excited that there is a group of people that is spreading the Truth about the character of God and it saddens me how few realize what our Father in Heaven is really like.

Kessy B., Australia

 

Testimony 50

After coming into contact with Come And Reason Ministries, I can finally say that many of my unanswered questions have fallen into place. I discovered that my view of God’s Law was “imposed laws and rules” with “imposed punishments” and that this was the major culprit of my many unanswered questions. Thanks be to God for using you and those around you to help us who have struggled with this “infection” of thought. I have now rejected the “imposed law” concept to fully embrace “Design Law”… to look thru “Design Law,” instead of “imposed law,” is a relief.

Viliami L., Australia

 

Testimony 35

I am so pleased with the response your message is receiving at my church from the middle-aged to the young adults. I have given out 100 copies of the first two seminars and there are more request every week. One of my [class members] came to me after viewing the series, grateful and impressed with how easy the message was retained. He had been a Seventh-day Adventist in fear all his life, and felt like the scales were removed from his eyes after viewing the seminars. I am so impressed by the change I see in members who have received this message, we are in one accord. However, I am sadden by the negative response of the older people. I am verbally attacked anytime I talk about imposed laws, but I believe my mission is to enlightened everyone I can. I watch your Bible Study Class on YouTube every Friday night and I feel like I am apart of the class. All of you are in one accord and I am so blessed to have found you. I pray that all of you continue to spread this message and I am committed to doing my part.

Clara S., Westfield, MA, USA

 

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I am absolutly on fire with the message at Come and Reason! I can’t get enough! I’ve read your book, blog, and articles. I’ve listened to your Bible study podcasts, your radio show, and your series – all excellent! It wasn’t until the past couple of years that I have I like I’m becoming “healthy,” with more to share with others than just beasts and commandments! I used to be a Bible worker and preached when the pastors were gone until I had had enough. I didnt realize at the time what the problem was, but i know now… the message wasn’t properly focused. Now my flame is rekindled. All of your little examples are so perfect in explaining something “complicated” and making it easily understood! Now I’m trying to shape it into a life changing evangelistic series! Thank you!

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Testimony 43

Two years ago I stumbled upon your book, “Could It Be This Simple,” and then found “The God-Shaped Brain” videos on YouTube, your bible study class, and the ‘Come And Reason’ mobile app. I shared your book with a friend and after nine months of showing love, patience, and kindness this person has been changed by the love of God, too. The same love that healed me, I now express to other women in tangible ways, such as to a Baptist woman with high anxiety and childhood trauma. She was extremely happy and relieved when I shared about the so-called “judgment of God” and burning in hell. She had no desire to serve a God that was so harsh. I have repeated the phrase dozens of times to her. “What we believe has power over us, but we have power over what we believe…”

This message that you are sharing has changed my life. I will continue to serve other women and bring this message of God’s healing love to their lives by sharing your books, YouTube videos, and The Remedy Bible app. Keep up the good work. Don’t be discouraged. God is doing a mighty work in and through this ministry!

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Testimony 40

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