Day 23 – Abraham & Circumcision

Readings

  • Genesis 17
  • Romans 4:7-13
  • Colossians 2:11-13

Prayer

Pray… that you’ll understand why God required circumcision but why, through Christ, it is not required any more.

Day 23 – Abraham & Circumcision

The sign of circumcision vs. spiritual circumcision

 

Quick note! Normally I’d encourage you to investigate the subjects we’re discussing each day, but – without wanting to state the obvious – if you search for information regarding this topic on the internet you’re gonna see some pretty graphic images! Maybe one to avoid this time!

 

  • Over the past few days, I’ve been using the names Abraham and Sarah, even though your bible will have used their original names Abram and Sarai. I’ve just done this to keep it simple, but it’s worth highlighting that it’s here, in Genesis 17, that God actually changed their names. Why does He change their names from Abram to Abraham and Sarai to Sarah?
  • Let’s just remind ourselves of the timeline. We’re jumping back to a time before Isaac was born. Abraham was 86 years old when Ishmael was born, and at the start of Genesis 17, he’s now 99 years old, and Ishmael is a young teenager. Issac won’t be born for a couple more years. Do you remember how old Abraham was when God first spoke to him in chapter 12? That’s a long time to trust in God without seeing any of the promises God gave him come true. Why do you think God was silent for so many years?
  • Abraham “falls on his face” twice in Genesis 17 (verses 3 and 17). He didn’t trip up though! Abraham fell down for two very different reasons though. What was he reacting to in each of the instances?
  • In today’s passage, God re-affirms his promise to Abraham to give him an son and a true heir. God also states that the covenant will be an everlasting covenant, throughout all ages (verses 7-8).
  • A few weeks ago we read about God sending a physical sign to Noah to remind him about His promises. What was it? Today we read about another sign. What physical act, in verse 10, is Abraham asked to perform to show that he and his family are part of God’s plan and belonging to Him?
  • From this moment on, all the descendants of Abraham will be circumcised. It continued through all the Old Testament, and Jews continue to practice this today.
  • What did God say would happen to people who were not circumcised? Why?
  • This leads us to consider an obvious question. If God commanded circumcision, and all the Jews were, why don’t Christian men get circumcised too? The two New Testament passages from Paul’s letters offers some answers. Can you get a grasp of what it is saying?
  • In the familiar fourth chapter of Romans we re-read some verses that we looked at only a few days ago. We’ll do that from time to time in this reading plan. What is Paul’s message to his readers about the link between circumcision and faith? Whilst not undermining the importance of following God’s command for the men to be circumcised, how does Paul skilfully make his point about justification through faith, especially in verse 11?
  • The Colossians passage talks about the fact we are spiritually circumcised through faith in Christ. This is a hard thing to grasp, but have a think about what that might mean. Try explaining this passage in your own words and write it down in your journal. Why, according to Paul’s teachings, do we not need to be physically circumcised any more?

 

The passage in Colossians is a good example of how knowing about the Old Testament practise can help you to understand the New Testament teaching. That’s why we are reading through the whole bible – it will help you understand better the things written in the New Testament. Paul’s explanation, in Colossians 2:11 for example, shows us that we are made a part of God’s family through Jesus instead of showing belonging by having a physical sign on our bodies.

 

You’ll hopefully see now Christian men don’t have a requirement to be circumcised, and today’s passages talk a little about why. However, that doesn’t mean the physical act of circumcision is wrong – just that it doesn’t change anything in a spiritual sense. You shouldn’t consider circumcision nowadays because the New Testament has shown us why faith in Christ has replaced it. However, if you have been circumcised for some reason (such as family tradition, or for a health reason) there is nothing wrong with this and you shouldn’t be worried about it.

 


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