Quote:
Originally Posted by good samaritan
At what point of the new birth do we experience circumcision (metaphorically)?
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Romans 2:25-29 KJV
For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. [26] Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? [27] And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? [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.
Here circumcision of the heart, spiritual circumcision, inward circumcision, is contrasted with physical circumcision. The inward spiritual heart circumcision is identified with fulfilling the law of God. Inward UNcircumcision of the heart is identified with breaking the law of God. So here heart circumcision has to do with genuine obedience to the law of God from the heart.
1 Corinthians 7:18-19 KJV
Is any man called being circumcised? let him not become uncircumcised. Is any called in uncircumcision? let him not be circumcised. [19] Circumcision is nothing, and uncircumcision is nothing, but the keeping of the commandments of God.
Here physical circumcision and physical uncircumcision are contrasted with keeping God's commandments. This follows the same pattern in Romans where the physical circumcision status is contrasted with obedience to the law of God, thus again identifying heart circumcision with keeping God's commandments.
Galatians 5:6 KJV
For in Jesus Christ neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision; but faith which worketh by love.
Here the physical circumcision status is contrasted with "faith which worketh by love". The same pattern is seen, where faith working by love is equivalent to genuine obedience to God from the heart, ie fulfilling the law/keeping the commandments of God is the same as faith working by love which is the heart circumcision.
Galatians 6:15 KJV
For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature.
Here physical circumcision status is contrasted with being a new creature (a new creation). Being a new creature then is equivalent to keeping the commandments of God, fulfilling the law, faith working by love, or having the heart circumcised.
Philippians 3:3 KJV
For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.
Here the truly circumsized people (as opposed to the merely physically circumsized people) are identified as those who worship God in the spirit and rejoice in Christ Jesus and who are not basing their confidence on a physical circumcision. So heart circumcision is correlated with worshipping God in spirit and rejoicing in Christ Jesus, that is, being a Christian.
Colossians 2:11 KJV
In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:
Here the inward circumcision is identified with putting off the body of the sins of the flesh. This ties inward circumcision with repentance and baptism which together involve putting off the body of sins or the "old man" (old life and way of living).
All of these clearly indicate that spiritual circumcision is associated with repentance and baptism, whereby a person begins a life of obedience to God, keeping His commandments, fulfilling the law of God, having faith that works by love. This agrees with the old testament:
Deuteronomy 10:12-17 KJV
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, [13] To keep the commandments of the Lord , and his statutes, which I command thee this day for thy good? [14] Behold, the heaven and the heaven of heavens is the Lord's thy God, the earth also , with all that therein is . [15] 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. [16] Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked. [17] 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 30:6 KJV
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.
Jeremiah 4:3-4 KJV
For thus saith the Lord to the men of Judah and Jerusalem, Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. [4] Circumcise yourselves to the Lord , and take away the foreskins of your heart, ye men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem: lest my fury come forth like fire, and burn that none can quench it , because of the evil of your doings.