Paul presented the gospel of Jesus Christ to the gentile nation. He spread the good news of salvation to all who would believe. The true followers of Christ were those who worshiped with a true circumcision of the heart. Not those who touted an outward circumcision, with no repentance. Throughout the Old Testament there had been those who came to God from outside the Chosen nation of Israel. Rahab, the harlot and Ruth held the distinct privilege of being a part of the lineage of Jesus Christ. We, even read of Nebuchadnezzar who in his later days; despite all the evil he had done previously, worshiped God and even commanded his nation to do the same. Jesus reached out to the Samaritan woman at the well, crossed the sea to save one demon possessed man and healed the Centurion’s son because of his faith.
From the time that God called forth Abraham to establish a nation of worshipers, circumcision became a symbol separating them from the world. Circumcision became the symbolic gesture of God’s covenant with them as His people. However, time and time again they as a nation, failed to follow God’s commands. They would worship idols, complain against God, and ultimately reject the Messiah who came to bring Salvation to the world. God remained faithful in His covenant to the nation of Israel, and still does today as they will play a major role in the end prophecies. However, their outward circumcision of the flesh did not guarantee their true worship; unless, the outward expression symbolled a true circumcision of the heart.
GOD’S CALL TO TRUE CIRCUMCISION OF THE HEART
And now, Israel, what doth the Lord thy God require of thee, but to fear the Lord thy God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, and to serve the Lord thy God with all thy heart and with all thy soul, To keep the commandments of the Lord, and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord’s thy God, the earth also, with all that therein is. Only the Lord had a delight in thy fathers to love them, and he chose their seed after them, even you above all people, as it is this day.
Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked. For the Lord your God is God of gods, and Lord of lords, a great God, a mighty, and a terrible, which regardeth not persons, nor taketh reward:
Deuteronomy 10:12-13
GOD’S COMPASSION AND GRACE
Yet with compassion and Grace God promised to circumcise their hearts; if only, they would turn and worship Him.
And it shall come to pass, when all these things are come upon thee, the blessing and the curse, which I have set before thee, and thou shalt call them to mind among all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath driven thee, And shalt return unto the Lord thy God, and shalt obey his voice according to all that I command thee this day, thou and thy children, with all thine heart, and with all thy soul; That then the Lord thy God will turn thy captivity, and have compassion upon thee, and will return and gather thee from all the nations, whither the Lord thy God hath scattered thee. And the Lord thy God will circumcise thine heart, and the heart of thy seed, to love the Lord thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, that thou mayest live. Deuteronomy 30: 1-3,6
TO THE CHURCH OF PHILIPPI AND ALL CHRISTIANS
There entered the early church many false teachers who tried to place the gentile believers under the old testament law, including circumcision. Yet, Paul addressed this by saying that false teaching, preached from a point of arrogant pride; had no validity.
Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh. Philippians 3:2-3
God’s new covenant reached out to all who would believe. Those who truly worshipped God in the spirit and rejoiced in Jesus Christ; are the chosen of God–the true circumcision of the heart, not some vain outward symbol. Rather, those who believe God and worship Him with all their heart; because, He first loved them and sent Jesus Christ as their propitiation for sin.
Now we, who believe in Jesus Christ as our Savior become the ones to whom God includes in all the covenant promises given to Abraham so long ago. Paul, led by the Holy Spirit, makes precisely that argument in detail in Romans 2. The following verses represent an excerpt from that argument.
28 For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29 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.
THE HEART OF TRUE WORSHIP
So, the question comes down to. “Are you a true follower of Christ, who seeks to follow Him with all your heart? Or are you merely going through the outward motions of the flesh; depending upon your own righteous acts? Are you motivated by pride? Or do you humbly bow before an Almighty God, thankful for all that He has done for you by grace and grace alone?”
Know therefore that the Lord thy God, he is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love him. Deuteronomy 7:9
If you don’t know how to accept Christ as your Savior: I urge you to go to my page titled How to Be Saved by clicking on this link, email me by clicking here or comment here
CONCLUDING TWEETS
[tweetthis]Laying aside all pride let us worship God with all our heart spirit & soul[/tweetthis]
[bctt tweet=”God keeps covenant with all who truly worship Him-believing in Jesus Christ His Son for Salvation” username=”effiedarlene”]
OTHER RESOURCES AVAILABLE
I wrote and published Mountaintop Experiences in the Valley as a revised version in 2011 from the first writings I did in 2003. If you want to know more about the books I have written: You can find a link at: Book Resources.
featured Photo by LifeLike Creations on Unsplash
©Effie Darlene Barba, 2017
Disclosure of Material Connection: I have not received any compensation for writing this post. I have no material connection to the brands, products, or services that I have mentioned except for my own books. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.