Hello again,
You asked what is meant by Circumcision of the Heart. The NLT translation tells us plainly what this “Operation” is about. It is the removal of the Sinful Nature (it would be wise to study Colossians 2:9-15 as a whole, for much of the Bible revolves around these seven unbelievable verses).
Colossians 2:11, 13 NLT – “When you came to Christ, you were "circumcised," but not by a physical procedure. Christ performed a spiritual circumcision--the cutting away of your sinful nature.” ... 13 “You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave all our sins.”
This added, Evil Nature is a Curse placed upon humanity by God Himself. It is also known as the Curse of Adam and Eve, the Adamic Curse, etc. So, what is this Curse and its effect? Romans chapter five tells us these things. Here is a snippet of chapter 5 (but it is wise to study the entire passage set that discusses the unholy work of Adam and Eve (Rom 5:12-21):
Romans 5:12, 19 NLT - 12 “When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam's sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned.” ... 19 “Because one person disobeyed God, many became sinners. But because one other person obeyed God, many will be made righteous.”
The Purpose of Christ is to redeem us from this Curse, or, to take it away. The Purpose of Christ is to perform the necessary Work to render His True Children as considered to be Pure by His Father, God. The essence of the Work of Christ seems to equate to four basic Works. They are:
- Circumcises the Heart of the Sinful Mind
- Grants the ability to Repent and Turn, to begin living a Holy, and Righteous Life
- Sends the Gift of the teaching and Sanctifying Holy Spirit
- Pays the penalty of our Sins through His death on the Cross so that His True Children would be made Right with God
Men and women of the Old Testament received the first three of the points above, but as Scripture states (below), they ALL had to wait for the Day of Christ BEFORE they could be made right with the Father. This means that people like Abraham, David, and Moses, Joshua, Caleb . . . they were all Holy, Pure, and Righteous, but they were not yet made Right with God.
Romans 3:25-26 NLT – “For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed his life, shedding his blood.
This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when he held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, 26 for he was looking ahead and including them in what he would do in this present time. God did this to demonstrate his righteousness, for he himself is fair and just, and
he declares sinners to be right in his sight when they believe in Jesus.”
If we’re going to understand the Holy Life and Purpose of Abraham, we NEED to understand Spiritual Circumcision, for this is what physical circumcision represents and this physical circumcision is founded in Abraham, beginning in Genesis chapter 17.
I apologize for the comments above that cast a disparaging light on the circumcision concept. Please do not FALL for this person's shameful words; and do not be ashamed of the word “circumcision,” for this is the very mindset that God has placed upon those who remain in a state of confusion regarding His Holy Word. It is IMPERATIVE that we understand and embrace this incredibly Holy Word, as it is to infer that our “shame” (of the Sinful Nature) has been cut away and removed . . . which again is what physical circumcision reflects. Understanding this concept equates to Knowledge, which leads to the Wisdom of the Lord, for our “shame” must be cut away and removed. And it is the Sinful Nature that is “shameful,” which is why Adam covered himself with fig leaves. And yes, it is a hidden concept mentioned many times in the Old Testament, how shameful it is to look up a person’s skirt, for example. Or, the “shame” of Noah being physically exposed by his son, Ham. This shame revolves around uncircumcision first physically, and the Spiritually . . . a reflection of the Sinful Nature and how that Nature must be dealt with (by the Hands of Christ).
Genesis 3:7 NLT – “At that moment their eyes were opened, and they suddenly felt shame at their nakedness. So they sewed fig leaves together to cover themselves.”
We are to shed this shame, or . . . the Sinful Nature. The problem is that we cannot do this on our own. We do not have the free will to cast aside this Curse that causes Spiritual Blindness. And because of this Spiritual Blindness, we BELIEVE that we understand the Word of God, but it is impossible. We BELIEVE that we have the free will to choose all that we do, say, and think, but this is impossible, for this is the very purpose of the Curse. The Curse, also represented in the Veil of Moses, must be lowered so that the Glory of God can be Understood and so that we can also obey. When Moses lowered his Veil, Israel could all of a sudden understand the things he said and they were also able to obey. But when Moses raised the Veil, thus covering the Glory of God, Israel could no longer understand nor could they obey. This Veil IS the Curse. This is what the Curse of the Lord does to each of us . . . it causes Spiritual Blindness.
And so, as we look at all of the healings in the New Testament, these are a physical reflection of what is to take place to the heart of each child of Christ. John 9:39-41 proves it. John chapter 9 deals with the healing of a blind man and the chapter concludes with this:
John 9:39-41 NLT – “Then Jesus told him, "I entered this world to render judgment--to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind." 40 Some Pharisees who were standing nearby heard him and asked, "Are you saying we're blind?" 41 "If you were blind, you wouldn't be guilty," Jesus replied. "But you remain guilty because you claim you can see.”
The Pharisees, Sadducees, and teachers of the Law all believed that they knew the Truth. But they were actually blinded, as they had not received the Circumcision of Christ. They taught against adultery, yet they committed these sins themselves as a practice. Again, this is what the Curse does to people . . . and that includes MOST Christians of today. Today’s “church” believe they hold the Truth of Spiritual matters, but any person that has been granted Understanding, Knowledge, and Wisdom, will clearly see that today’s “church” is corrupt, for it teaches a false gospel that could not save a gnat!
My friend, this is but only a start, and so I encourage you to begin studying the Bible in a timeline, chronological fashion and begin processing the entire Bible through this concept of Spiritual Circumcision, for when you do, you will not be ignorant as so many are here. When you thoroughly grasp Circumcision of Heart, then you may begin testing the Spirit that is within others . . . and all of these things will make sense.
1 John 4:1 NKJV – “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”
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