CIRCUMCISE YOUR HEART

January 13th | Pastor Gino

It is a strange thing that God instituted circumcision as a sign of his love and grace in his call to Abraham to be a man of faith and to trust in Him. The sign of promise given to Abraham was to separate Israel from the world and mark them as a people devoted to the things of God. Yet, upon further investigation you begin to realize that this sign doesn’t produce the results God desired and must point to something greater than simply ‘the removal of the flesh’ in order to receive the promise. This sign pointed to God’s desire for the people of Israel to put off worldly cravings and pride from the heart and to put on love for God in personal conversion (Deuteronomy 10:16), something worked ultimately by God and established through Christ and His Spirit (Romans 2:29; Colossians 2:10–15).

You see, the outward work of circumcision will only take one so far. One can have the sign of circumcision; the blessings of God; be a part of the community of God; and yet still be a child of Satan and doomed to experience the wrath of God for eternity. One such case is the example of Ishmael, the son of Abraham with his servant Hagar in which Abraham and Sarah (his wife) behaved foolishly seeking to circumvent the promises of God thru their own effort and strength. They trusted in themselves instead of in God. The result was a disaster. Ishmael had the sign of circumcision; was blessed by God; and enjoyed the favor of God being a part of Abraham’s family and the community of God. But his heart was not with God and we are told that he would become a ‘wild donkey of a man’ with his hand against everyone and their hand against him (Genesis 16:12).

Moses would later give us the words of Deuteronomy 10:16 as we begin to understand that outward works and signs, while good, is not what God ultimately desires. It is inward affection for Him that He desires and that sets one apart. Moses was more concerned about the heart (one’s affections for God) than he was the flesh (what one can do for God). While the sign was an important part of God’s program, the heart is always more important than the flesh.

There are many things today that serve as pictures of circumcision or works of the flesh that make one appear to be aligned with God or a part of His community. Things like church attendance; tithing; outward pietism; long & lofty prayers; dress; speech; a profession of faith; and more can all be ways in which people seek to identify or align themselves with God thru various signs, and yet inwardly care little for Him or His ways. A person can have the appearance of godliness (the sign and works of ‘circumcision’) and still be far from God (2 Timothy 3:5). Jesus said it this way, “Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, when he said: This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me; in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the commandments of men (Matthew 15:7-9).”  Jesus is clear that a person can have all the outward signs, appearing to be aligned with God, and yet still be far from Him.

So, what are we to do with this understanding that, while good behavior is always good and right before the Lord, what He desires most is one whose hearts affections are for Him; His ways; and His truth? I would suggest the following: cry out to Him to change your heart; to change your affections; and to make you His own thru faith in his Son, the Lord Jesus Christ. If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. This is what God desires. For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved (Romans 10:9-10).

So, don’t delay dear friend. Call out to God today and render your heart unto Him because He cares for you and has demonstrated His love for you in that, while you were still a sinner, Christ died for you (Romans 5:8). Rejoice in Him and lift up your heart and be glad, for our Savior the Promised Seed reigns!