I was reading in GENESIS 17 1-27 where GOD had established a covenant with Abram by where in which every male was to be circumcised in order for them to be confirmed in the covenant. Circumcision was to be a sign for GOD to know HIS people . GOD states that this covenant in the flesh is to be an everlasting covenant . GOD wants to know that HIS people have “cut-away” the unclean flesh in their lives. Glory!!!
Abraham and Sarah were blessed with new names that day. Names have meaning and Abraham wasted no time in circumsizing all the males in his family that day , even the ones who were not born into his family- but bought!!! They had been purchased for a price and now fell under the Abrahamic Covenant !!! Thank You JESUS!!!
Colossians 2 vs. 11 states ” By whom also ye have been circumcised – ye have received the spirit typified by old by circumcision. With a circumcision not performed by hands – by an inward spiritual operation . In putting off , not a little skin , but the whole body of the sins of the flesh – All the sins of your evil nature. By the circumcision of CHRIST – By that spiritual circumcision which CHRIST works in your heart. ” Amen!!!
For those of us who have accepted CHRIST JESUS we have Good News. We are circumcised!!! Here in the “Church Age ” those of us who truly believe that CHRIST came as a man and died for our sins have been bought by CHRIST and we are in covenant with GOD through HIM. CHRIST has Redeemed us!!! Male and female alike are under an obligation to accept this spiritual circumcision in order for us to be known by GOD as HIS people . I Hope that GOD hears me shouting-I believe , I believe , I believe!!!
Feels good to be Redeemed!!! I love you!!!!!!! Mark
I feel there’s a web of dogma and unneccesary ancient cultural ritual at play here.
But, I suppose quite often people fall back on ritual for comfort purposes, which I can understand.
But circumcision is surely another cultural relic of a time before people had regular access to clean water, good hygiene standards and good health knowledge so they knew how to look after themselves properly.
I bet if tonsilitis had of been relatively common and having them removed a relatively easy procedure, then God would’ve “told” his people to have them removed.
This is cultural confusion amongst words purporting to be divine.
Again, I highly doubt that God worries too much about such benign humanly affairs. We just worry about that; and then to pass it on, generation after generation, we try to attribute it to divine authority.
the old Testiment was about ritual the covenant of circumcision was only for the Jews and is still practices as a religous rite we practice as a matter of health. if you read the New Testiment you will find that circumcision is not required. but as Mark stated receiving the promise requires making a statement.
Mari
Yes
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May GOD Bless you Nick!!! I believe that what GOD had in mind in GENESIS 17 was seperating HIS people from the world!!! HE wanted them to DO something!!! Amen???
God had created a new covenant with Abram and his offspring!!!
Divine smilings to you too, Mark!
I’ve just had a read of the quotes online with this website: http://www.biblegateway.com
I must admit, the whole tale just seems a little odd to me!
So, God is turning circumcision in to some obscure metaphor for being connected with one another… or something like that?
I must admit quite a lot of confusion toward Genesis. It’s quite clearly in the realms of fiction, and strewn with metaphors that can be interpreted a myriad of different ways, as various Christian faiths have shown for millenia now.
The God depicted here is quite a controlling and power hungry God, it seems. This God is one who is easily swung by very human seeming emotions, like anger and jealousy (Thou shalt worship no other God? Why? Surely if God is all powerful, it really doesn’t matter at all whether people know about God, love God or hate God, because regardless of all this, that God still has the same power).
Circumcision I still see as a generally unneccessary procedure in the west, and it’s interesting you bring it up now, because I was just listening to a discussion on circumcision the other day on Australia’s ABC Radio National ( http://www.abc.net.au/rn/lifematters/stories/2010/3047380.htm )
I suppose that’s why I don’t personally believe in dogmatic religion, because I don’t believe the divine would get so intermingled in cultural nonsense.. I think that’s a human thing, a very human thing!!
And we certainly don’t want to get anthropocentric about all this!
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