Circumcision

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 17

17 When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him, saying, “I am God Almighty. Live in my presence and be blameless. 2 I will set up my covenant between me and you, and I will multiply you greatly.”

3 Then Abram fell facedown and God spoke with him: 4 “As for me, here is my covenant with you: You will become the father of many nations. 5 Your name will no longer be Abram; your name will be Abraham, for I will make you the father of many nations. 6 I will make you extremely fruitful and will make nations and kings come from you. 7 I will confirm my covenant that is between me and you and your future offspring throughout their generations. It is a permanent covenant to be your God and the God of your offspring after you. 8 And to you and your future offspring I will give the land where you are residing—all the land of Canaan—as a permanent possession, and I will be their God.”

9 God also said to Abraham, “As for you, you and your offspring after you throughout their generations are to keep my covenant. 10 This is my covenant between me and you and your offspring after you, which you are to keep: Every one of your males must be circumcised. 11 You must circumcise the flesh of your foreskin to serve as a sign of the covenant between me and you., 12 Throughout your generations, every male among you is to be circumcised at eight days old—every male born in your household or purchased from any foreigner and not your offspring. 13 Whether born in your household or purchased, he must be circumcised. My covenant will be marked in your flesh as a permanent covenant. 14 If any male is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that man will be cut off from his people; he has broken my covenant.”

In Hebrew, the words used to command circumcision speak of irreversibly removing something forbidden from the most intimate part of the body. This type of complete, intimate, and irreversible commitment becomes an inspiring example for the depth of commitment possible in all covenants God offers his people.

Smith’s Bible Dictionary (Circumcision)

CIRCUMCISION was peculiarly, though not exclusively, a Jewish rite. It was enjoined upon Abraham, the father of the nation, by God, at the institution and as the token of the covenant, which assured to him and his descendants the promise of the Messiah. Gen. 17. It was thus made a necessary condition of Jewish nationality. Every male child was to be circumcised when eight days old. Lev. 12:3, on pain of death. The biblical notice of the rite describes it as distinctively Jewish; so that in the New Testament “the circumcision” and “the uncircumcision” are frequently used as synonyms for the Jews and the Gentiles. The rite has been found to prevail extensively in both ancient and modern times. Some of the Jews in the time of Antiochus Epiphanes, wishing to assimilate themselves to the heathen around them, “made themselves uncircumcised.” Against having recourse to this practice, from an excessive anti-Judaistic tendency, St. Paul cautions the Corinthians.

In medical terms, pediatricians cite studies that being uncircumcised is a risk factor to develop urinary track infection, penis that are circumscribed have lover levels of yeast and bacteria. Studies show that there's a ten-fold increase in the rate of urinary tract infection in boys who were uncircumcised vs those who were circumcised.

Case control studies show that en who were uncircumcised have a three time greater chance of developing penile cancer.

a Systematic review of 26 studies found that circumcised men are a a lower risk of syphilis or chancroid. There might be some protection against herpes, but it’s less significant.

HIV prevention. Randomized control trial shows circumcision absolute rate reductions of 1-2 percent over 1-2 years were seen. Some estimate that for 10-20 males circumcised, one fewer man might contract HIV over a life time.

One study compared circumcision to a vaccine of high efficacy.

Colossians Christian Standard Bible (Chapter 2)

9 For the entire fullness of God’s nature dwells bodily in Christ, 10 and you have been filled by him, who is the head over every ruler and authority. 11 You were also circumcised in him with a circumcision not done with hands, by putting off the body of flesh, in the circumcision of Christ, 12 when you were buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead. 13 And when you were dead in trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh, he made you alive with him and forgave us all our trespasses. 14 He erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it away by nailing it to the cross. 15 He disarmed the rulers and authorities and disgraced them publicly; he triumphed over them in him.

To the Colossians, Paul says likewise, namely that those who are in Christ—both male and female believers—“were also circumcised…” (2:11). Clearly he is not speaking literally but with the metaphor of having sin cut away, like the rite of circumcision illustrates. All Christians, both male and female, have been spiritually circumcised in the “removal” of their sinful nature by being born again through faith in Christ. The Greek term for “removal” denotes both shedding and throwing away, like stripping off and disposing of soiled clothing.

So what does this have to do with us tonight?

The ordinance of circumcision was an outward physical sign of one's willingness to obey God and be one of His chosen people.

Under the New Covenant, God is calling a spiritual nation composed of individuals converted and regenerated by His Holy Spirit. God's people now are all to be "circumcised" spiritually. Physical circumcision is no longer necessary for religious purposes. It was a forerunner or type of what God really wanted—circumcision of the heart (Deuteronomy 10:16; 30:6; Jeremiah 4:4).

A removal of that which can cause impediment.

Christian Standard Bible Jeremiah (Chapter 6)

Who can I speak to and give such a warning that they will listen?Look, their ear is uncircumcised,,so they cannot pay attention.See, the word of the LORD has become contemptible to them—they find no pleasure in it.

closed against the instruction of God by the foreskin of carnality, your desire to do you, your unbelief, your pride.

Jesus spoke of in these terms in Matthew 5

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 5

29 If your right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30 And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and throw it away. For it is better that you lose one of the parts of your body than for your whole body to go into hell.

Paul told the congregation in Rome that physical circumcision is of no spiritual benefit (Romans 2:25-29). Spiritual circumcision, though, is a process of conversion. That Christ circumcises us spiritually is made plain in Colossians 2:10-11.

This is why the assembled apostles and elders of the New Testament church declared circumcision to be one of the physical requirements of the Old Covenant that is not necessary for Christians (Acts 15:24, 28).

What God wants to do: Ezekiel 36.26

Christian Standard Bible Chapter 36

25 I will also sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. I will cleanse you from all your impurities and all your idols. 26 I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. 27 I will place my Spirit within you and cause you to follow my statutes and carefully observe my ordinances.

Psalm 51.20

Create in me a clean Heart oh God, and renew a right spirit within me.

This can be the first time some want to ask and recite that prayer.

What is in the way? What needs to be removed?what needs to be circumsised in your heart, do you need to cut off a toxic relationship, an angry heart?

Psalm 34.18 “The Lord is near the brokenhearted; he saves those crushed in spirit.”

Romans 12.2 “Do not be conformed to this age, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may discern what is the good, pleasing, and perfect will of God.”

He knows you by name. He knows what the problem is, and he said “I stand a the door and knock, if anyone let me in, I will come in and eat with that person and they with me. The intimate setting between you and Jesus.

You cannot earn it with God. That’s the beauty of it. He has paid the ultimate price, the debt for your sin, for your life.

He gives you healing, He gives you comfort, He rescues you. Why? so that you can live. So that you can live.

Dont’ allow the infection of all your past en present mistakes keep you from Him. Surrender that. I don’t want to sprinkle happiness in all this. But you have to give up to self, know your new image. Seeing yourself as God sees you.

Will you allow Him to take away. The stone.

Ancient Israel and places around it struggled with idolatry. The worship of things of man-made creatures depicting ancient disembodied spirits. God continually telegraphed destroy those altars, cut off the worshiping of gateways to demonic activity. It hasn’t changed. Tear down, take out, circunsice your heart, and