Circumcision and faith ….. ….part 3 Abraham and Genesis 21

Genesis 21:4 “And Abraham circumcised his son Isaac being eight days old, as God had commanded him.”

This account is detailed again for us by Paul in Galatians 3:29 “And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” This promise, based on our faith and action AFTER we have accepted the salvation of Yeshua. Salvation from eternal destruction has always come through the grace and mercy of YHWH. He tells Noah to build a boat, sends his angels to get Lot and He tells the Hebrew nation in Exodus that it is “by My mighty right hand that I have brought you out of bondage.” This is not a new idea to Paul when he pens “For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God” in Ephesians 2:8. This, in his mind, has been the only way to come to salvation.

 

Let’s look at this in Galatians 4:21-30 “Tell me, ye that desire to be under the law [earning your salvation though the sacrificial system thereby rejecting Yeshua], do ye not hear the law? For it is written, that Abraham had two sons, the one by a bondmaid [Ishmael], the other by a freewoman. [Isaac]

But he who was of the bondwoman was born after the flesh [man’s traditions]; but he of the freewoman was by promise. [Instructions of YHVH] Which things are an allegory: for these are the two covenants; the one from the Mount Sinai [sacrificial system], which gendereth to bondage [tied to the endless work of sacrifice], which is Hagar. For this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and answereth to Jerusalem [man’s traditions] which now is, and is in bondage with her children.

But Jerusalem which is above [those believing in Yeshua] is free, which is the mother [Sarah] of us all. For it is written, Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more children than she which hath an husband. [there will be far more that are outside of salvation than those that are saved ; Matthew 7:13-14 “Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. ]

Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise. But as then he that was born after the flesh [Ishmael] persecuted him that was born after the Spirit [Isaac], even so it is now. [Pharisees wanting to impose the sacrificial system as well as all the laws of the Talmud, Mishnah and the Oral traditions]

Nevertheless what saith the scripture? Cast out the bondwoman and her son: for the son of the bondwoman shall not be heir with the son of the freewoman.”

Also Paul points out this dividing line between the Pharisees and the believers in 1 Corinthians 1:18 “For the word of the cross is folly to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” Pointing out the simplicity of the fulfillment of the sacrifice. YHWH puts the crushing blow to Satan head as promised in Genesis 3:15 (see the post “It is finished”) as explained in Hebrews 2:14 “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil”

Bringing this all together now it is easily concluded that our faith in YHWH requires some action on our part. Again, Noah had faith, received grace, and had to build a boat or he would have drown too. Abraham had faith, received grace, and had to journey to a land he did not know. Moses had faith, received grace, and had to drag 2 million whiney Hebrews around for 40 years. What has YHWH required of me and you? Look at Deuteronomy 10:12-22….

“And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, and to keep the commandments and statutes of the Lord, which I am commanding you today for your good? Behold, to the Lord your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. Yet the Lord set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day. Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn. For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great, the mighty, and the awesome God, who is not partial and takes no bribe. He executes justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the sojourner, giving him food and clothing. Love the sojourner, therefore, for you were sojourners in the land of Egypt. You shall fear the Lord your God. You shall serve him and hold fast to him, and by his name you shall swear. He is your praise. He is your God, who has done for you these great and terrifying things that your eyes have seen. Your fathers went down to Egypt seventy persons, and now the Lord your God has made you as numerous as the stars of heaven.”

 

YHWH is patiently waiting for you and me to claim our place in the covenant, become grafted into the House of Israel and circumcise our hearts to His instructions. YHWH wants to put us to work, not earning our salvation, but to reaching the lost and dying world. “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

 

James 2:18-24,26 “But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works. You believe that God is one; you do well. Even the demons believe—and shudder! Do you want to be shown, you foolish person, that faith apart from works is useless? Was not Abraham our father justified by works when he offered up his son Isaac on the altar? You see that faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by his works; and the Scripture was fulfilled that says, “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness”—and he was called a friend of God. You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone. For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so also faith apart from works is dead.”

Statistically the majority of men reading this post are physically circumcised. So let me ask you? Are you spiritually circumcised?