“No, a person is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code. Such a person’s praise is not from other people, but from God.”
Romans 2:29 (NIV)
Paul explains that being devoted to God is not about how we look, our customs, or upholding rules that people can witness. Outward circumcision only had value if the law was put into practice. If we break God’s instruction, it is as though we were never circumcised at all. Being set apart for God is about what is happening on the inside, not what people can see on the outside.
True circumcision is of the heart, done by the Spirit of God rather than written codes or rituals. In Colossians 2, Paul explains that our sinful nature was cut away when we were circumcised by Christ, as we were buried with Him in the waters of baptism and raised to a new life by the same Spirit of God that rose Jesus from the grave. The Holy Spirit changes us from the inside out so that we seek God’s approval instead of the praise, power, or position of man.
In Deuteronomy 10, Moses called the people of Israel to circumcise their hearts and stop being stiff-necked, stubborn toward God. Jesus taught us the entire law is based on loving God and loving others. That is where we get stubborn. That is what we reject. We need the Spirit of God to change our heart of stone into a heart of flesh like Ezekiel said, restoring us back to God’s heart so we can walk in love toward God’s creation.
The Holy Spirit lives in us and allows that purity of heart to remain as we continually surrender to Him. When our faith rests in Jesus’ sacrifice rather than our outward actions, His blood restores our relationship with God and compels us to love others. Today, do you need to let God circumcise your heart? Are you willing to surrender to the Spirit of God and let Him cut some things out of you that don’t belong? Let’s begin to embrace God’s path of love through new hearts.