7 THEN Joshua circumcised their sons [the sons of those who died in the wilderness] whom He raised up in their place; for they were uncircumcised, because they had not been circumcised on the way.
8 SO it was, when they had finished circumcising all the people, that they stayed in their places in the camp till they were healed.
9 THEN the LORD said to Joshua, "THIS DAY I HAVE ROLLED AWAY THE REPROACH OF EGYPT FROM YOU [I have rolled away the shame of your slavery in Egypt]." THEREFORE the name of the place is called Gilgal to this day."
Joshua 5:7-9 (NKJV)
28 FOR HE IS NOT A JEW WHO IS ONE OUTWARDLY, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh;
29 BUT he is a Jew who is ONE INWARDLY; AND CIRCUMCISION IS THAT OF THE HEART, IN THE SPIRIT, NOT IN THE LETTER; whose PRAISE is not from men but from GOD."
Romans 2:28,29 (NKJV)
• The shame of slavery is on everyone who lives in Egypt.
- Living in Egypt means living in Sin. Egypt is a type of the world. If you are still living in Sin, there would be reproaches and shames in your life. SINS and reproaches are together, they are inseparable. The presence of Sin in a person's life is the presence of reproaches or SHAME.
- You cannot be living in Sin and expect honours (Romans 6:1). God's honour is on those whose lives are lived for Him—for the glorification of His name:
"AND He died for all, THAT THOSE WHO LIVE SHOULD LIVE NO LONGER FOR THEMSELVES, BUT for HIM who DIED for them and ROSE AGAIN" (2 Corinthians 5:15 NKJV).
READ: 1Peter 4:2
• Circumcise your heart
- The New generation of Israelites were circumcised that the reproach of Egypt might be rolled away.
- Likewise, a Believer's heart has to be circumcised (Romans 2:28,29).
- The circumcision of the Israelites is of the flesh, but that of the Believers is of the heart:
28 A PERSON is not a JEW because of his APPEARANCE, NOR IS CIRCUMCISION A MATTER OF HOW THE BODY LOOKS. 29 Rather, A PERSON IS A JEW INWARDLY, and CIRCUMCISION IS SOMETHING THAT HAPPENS IN A PERSON'S HEART. CIRCUMCISION IS SPIRITUAL, NOT just A WRITTEN RULE. THAT person’s PRAISE will come from GOD, NOT from PEOPLE" (Romans 2:28–29 GOD’S WORD Translation). - Without circumcision the reproach of slavery, Sin, would still remain in your life.
- Sin is a type of Egypt as said earlier, whoever is living in Sin is still in the bondage, a slavery—the captivity of Satan.
- Until you come out of Egypt, be delivered from the slavery of Sin, and circumcised your heart; reproaches or shames would not be removed completely in your life.
- Circumcise your heart with the Word of God. The Word of God will save your soul, that is, your mind:
"THEREFORE lay aside all FILTHINESS and overflow of WICKEDNESS, AND RECEIVE WITH MEEKNESS THE IMPLANTED WORD, WHICH IS ABLE TO SAVE YOUR SOULS" (James 1:21 NKJV). - When someone accepted Jesus as Lord and Saviour, the spirit of the person was reborn or regenerated. The soul and the body of such, however, still remain the same, they are yet to be saved.
- A Believer has a responsibility to allow or cooperate with the Holy Spirit to work on his or her soul, that is, the mind, to renew it, Wash it with the water of the Word of God:
"AND do not be conformed to this world, BUT BE TRANSFORMED BY THE RENEWING OF YOUR MIND, that you may PROVE what is that GOOD and ACCEPTABLE and PERFECT WILL OF GOD" (Romans 12:2 NKJV).
"DON'T be like the PEOPLE of this WORLD, BUT LET GOD CHANGE THE WAY YOU THINK. THEN you will KNOW HOW to do everything that is GOOD and PLEASING to HIM.
Romans 12:2 (Contemporary English Version)
(i) The Word of God will save your soul, the mind, and circumcise it.
THE Word will purge your mind of dirty ideas, thoughts and imaginations, that cannot edify you and glorify God. Your mind would afterwards be preoccupied with the edifying Word (Romans 12:2; Ephesians 4:23).
(ii) The thought life or the person of a Believer is changed through the Word of God. If a person's THOUGHT, thinking pattern, is changed, the person or the personality of that individual has changed (James 1:21).
(iii) The Word of God will change you to another person, a person of God. It will change you to a new person completely (Romans 12:2; 2 Corinthians 5:17; James 1:21).
• At new birth, a Believer's inner character, the thoughts and emotions, is still not an approved one in the sight of God; because such is still lacking in the knowledge of God's Word and the pattern of the Kingdom.
- It is always good If such a Believer has or submit to a mature Believer, who would be able to disciple or mentor him or her. Through that, the New Believer's heart would be circumcised and be weaned of the world—worldly desires (1 John 2:15-17).
- Usually those who do not have anyone who disciples them, who teaches them the Word of God practically, through examples, are always shallow in their knowledge of the things of the Kingdom.
- This point is no longer emphasized again in the body of Christ today. One of the imperfections or weaknesses of the charismatic move is, some of these things are no longer considered important.
- Instead, the emphasis now is, If you are baptised in the Holy Spirit with the evidence of New tongues and the manifestations of the gifts, that is all—regardless or irrespective of the kind of life the person lives. Though these, baptism of the Holy Spirit, and manifestation of His gifts, are important and good; however, someone who is charismatic but Lacks character is not proclaiming the Praises of Him who has called them out of darkness into the marvelous light (1 Peter 2:9).
- Commitments and consecrations are no longer emphasized. Even if the so-called Believer lives in blatant Sin, he or she should go ahead with his or her life—anything goes.
- As a new Believer, you should have someone whom you are following, watching and learning from, in your Christian life or journey (Hebrews 13:7).
- Apostle Paul says:
"PATTERN yourselves after me [follow my example], AS I IMITATE AND FOLLOW CHRIST (the Messiah)" (1 Corinthians 11:1 Amplified Bible, Classic). - In another place:
"BUT YOU [Timothy] HAVE CAREFULLY FOLLOWED MY [Paul's] DOCTRINE, MANNER OF LIFE, purpose, faith, long-suffering, love, perseverance" (2 Timothy 3:10). - He also told Timothy:
"AND the THINGS YOU HAVE HEARD FROM ME among many witnesses, COMMIT THESE TO FAITHFUL MEN WHO WILL BE ABLE TO TEACH OTHERS ALSO" (2 Timothy 2:2 NKJV). - Read and Meditate on these Scriptures: Philippians 3:17; 1 Corinthians 4:16; 11:1; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; 2 Thessalonians 3:7,9; Hebrews 13:7; 1 Peter 2:21
- The person who disciples or mentors you, impacts your Life with his or her practical Christian lifestyles—Christian living (Hebrews 11:3).
• Take Note: you have to be careful of whoever you are following or learning from.
(i) Whoever you are learning from or following, should be someone who is following Christ (1 Corinthians 11:1).
(ii) If you follow a wrong person, someone who is not living by the principles of the Word of God, that may have negative impacts on your Life.
(iii) You may pick wrong things, characters that are not right or godly in the life of such. Because disciples usually pattern their lives after whoever discipled them.
THUS, do NOT follow blindly. Follow as long as the person is following Christ Jesus, the Word of God—the Bible.
• You will not fail in Jesus' name.
Peace!
TO BE CONTINUED