Have you ever considered this??

I hear you, sir.

I think we all have little minds. We do need to listen to what men of God are saying and carefully examine the Book. I believed things for many years that simply aren't true.

That's very, very cool to hear, Journeyman!! You just might be the first person to have ever said to me that Jesus has Spiritually Circumcised their Heart.

I've got a smile on my face and a chuckle coming out of my mouth as I write . . . but this is very cool!

Me too. In fact, I used to refer to myself as a sort of "Biblical Master" regarding certain doctrines, like Eternal Security. After I stopped reading commentary and began reading the [entire] Bible (and not just the New Testament) . . . and began leaning upon the Spirit to show me what He wanted me see and know, I was forced to realize that I was utterly stupid when it came to the Mysterious Plan of God.

Well, it's because of all God has done that our hearts are circumcised. A changed life is a sign of faith.

No, Spiritual Circumcision is the Work of Christ. It is a Holy Operation of Faith. It is the lifting of the Curse of the Sinful Nature; the Mind of Satan.

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."

That's good. The OT and NT agree in everything. I'll tell you how stupid I am. I'm praying asking God to help me understand, so he sends this Jewish believer in Jesus to me with the answers and then I rejected what he said for a long time. I wouldn't even look at what he was saying.

To speak with a Jewish person who is open-minded enough to speak with a Christian . . . that is pure gold. I used to live on Mercer Island, the largest Jewish community in Washington State. It was the greatest place I've ever lived, and I loved the Rabbis that I had come to know. If I had known what I was talking about back then, I'd have taken advantage of their knowledge and wisdom.

The fact that you have an open mind is most indicative of a Genuine relationship with and procured by God. The fact that you are willing to listen without mocking and degrading . . . this is one of the first pieces of evidence of a Transformed and Transforming Life. There aren't many in this world that are willing to listen

Our sinfuls natures can't be cut away unless we're made sorry for them.
The "operation of God" (vs.12) is that he raised Christ from the dead. He was always sinless. He suffered injustice. And it doesn't matter that we didn't slap him physically, or pound the nails in, because all sin like those sins are the same.

The work of Christ is that he bore it. And if that doesn't produce a circumcised heart, nothing will,

Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked. Deu.10:16

My Jewish brother knew Jesus better than anyone I've ever known. His knowledge of scripture was amazing, yet he was also humble.

I'll tell ya, all I have to do to refrain from mocking others is to look at myself in the mirror.

Journeyman, you MUST stop avoiding the below Scripture. You MUST know them and memorize them. These verses below are Keystone passage of the entire Bible. Again, we must stop avoiding them and we must know them.

I've scoured the entire Bible looking to answer the question of Spiritual Circumcision; what it is; what it entails . . . and there is nothing that teaches that unless we're sorry, it gets cut away. On the contrary, actually.

Read verse 12 again but through as many different translations as possible. What you're saying makes no sense whatsoever.

I mean, I don't even know what to say. Keep reading Colossians 2:9-15. Verse 10 explains verse 9, and then verses 11-15 explains verse 10, which is WHY a believer is "whole and complete" in Christ.

Right . . . this is equivalent to being told to Turn and Repent. But who grants repentance? Yes, the Lord.

Acts 11:18 KJV - "When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life."

2 Timothy 2:25 NIV - "Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth . . ."

Because God grants the Ability to Repent, this would explain Ezekiel chapters 11 and 36, Deuteronomy 30:6, and Romans 2:27:

Ezekiel 11:19-20 KJV - "And I will give them one heart, and I will put a new spirit within you; and I will take the stony heart out of their flesh, and will give them an heart of flesh: 20 That they may walk in my statutes, and keep mine ordinances, and do them: and they shall be my people, and I will be their God."

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."

Ezekiel 36:25-27 KJV - "Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them."

Romans 2:29 NLT - "No, a true Jew is one whose heart is right with God. And true circumcision is not merely obeying the letter of the law; rather, it is a change of heart produced by God's Spirit. And a person with a changed heart seeks praise from God, not from people."

I'm not ignoring the scripture you'v cited. Circumcision of the heart is a change of heart. The Spirit of Christ circumcised or changed my heart.

Vs.12 says we're dead and raised with Christ by faith in what God has done.

Vs.9 says in Christ Divinity resides.

Vs.10 says in Christ we're complete in God.

There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Rom.8:1

It's an agreement, a covenant to walk by faith.

Vs.11 says in Christ our hearts are changed, circumcised, by which the sins of the flesh are put off. And so on.

God grants or gives people a repentant heart through circumstance. It isn't fored on or unwanted by a person.

Right. How the gospel is presented matters.

God gives repentance by how he portrays himself. He hardens hearts the same way.

You've added this. Agreement is nowhere in the text.

God grants His Grace upon anyone He chooses. Anyone that receives this Grace would never, in a million years, EVER refuse it. This Grace is the most incredible "thing" imaginable.

Exodus 33:19 KJV - "And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy."

God Circumcises hearts SO THAT we will obey. Again, anyone who has experienced this Circumcision of Heart would be able to identify these Words and phrases as they relate to the experiential change within their own lives. True Christians will read these texts and tell themselves, "THIS is what has happened to me! THIS explains why my life has changed as it has! Now I understand Romans 12:2! Now I understand Romans 7! Now I understand 1 Corinthians chapter 13, the Love Chapter! I get it! I get it!"

Ezekiel 36:27 NLT - "And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations."

The above is the Effect of Christ that I was mentioning earlier (amongst many other Holy Effects).

Youre right my friend, it's not in the text, but it's understood in many passages of scripture how God deals with people.

God chooses people of faith

to this man will I look,even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at my word. Isa.66:2

Hearken, my belovedbrethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world, rich in faith Jas.2:5

I have a question for you. How did God harden Pharaoh' heart?

Okie Doke. My Bibles teach me that Faith is granted:

Romans 4:16 NLT - "So the promise is received by faith. It is given as a free gift. And we are all certain to receive it, whether or not we live according to the law of Moses, if we have faith like Abraham's. For Abraham is the father of all who believe."

Romans 12:3 NLT - "Because of the privilege and authority God has given me, I give each of you this warning: Don't think you are better than you really are. Be honest in your evaluation of yourselves, measuring yourselves by the faith God has given us."

Romans 12:6 NLT - "In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you."

2 Peter 1:1 NLT - "This letter is from Simon Peter, a slave and apostle of Jesus Christ. I am writing to you who share the same precious faith we have. This faith was given to you because of the justice and fairness of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior."

We can't ignore these passages. We must reconcile them with the others verses that you push. We have to explain how all Biblical passages are to be True. And, they are.

By the way; thanks for not getting rude and snotty like many, here. I REALLY appreciate it.

The passages you've cited mean that God gives people faith by what he does, like this,

Now when he was in Jerusalem at the passover, in the feast day, many believed in his name, when they saw the miracles which he did. Jn.2:23

It's not only miracles, but it is always because of something our Lord does. and it's never arbitrary..

Why should I act rude or snotty? I have no reason to be proud of myself.

Btw,
God hardened Pharaohs heart by sending a nobody (Moses) to him with a demand. That's all God had to do.

Hmmm . . . alrighty. I guess we're just going to have to agree that we see the Bible very differently. I don't know what else to say at this point.

Just be aware that what I'm showing you doesn't disagree with any scripture you cited. It agrees completely. God giving or increasing a persons faith is because of what he does.

And if I was the most powerful king in the world (worshipped as a god) and a peon tried telling me what to do, well you know the rest of that story.

Then I am totally deceived and confused. I can't live with that.

You have faith in God like I do because we believe the gospel,

But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ Jn.20:31

Why is that confusing?