What is "Spiritual Circumcision"?
Philippians 3:3 says, "For we are the circumcision, who
worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no
confidence in the flesh." The footnotes under this passage
in the Spirit-Filled
Life Bible, for which Pastor Hayford served as General Editor,
reads:
3:3 The true sign of a right relation to God is not the
observance of an external rite but a manifestation of the three
characteristics mentioned. Worship God in the Spirit not
only refers to one’s being alive in the spirit (John 4:24) and thereby
qualified for living worship, but also includes the Holy Spirit’s
enablement in expanded worship expressions in song (Ephesians 5:18,
19), in prayer and singing (I Corinthians 14:15) and in communion
with God (I Corinthians 14:1, 2).
The cross-reference for this passage is Deuteronomy 30:6, "And
the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your
descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with
all your soul, that you might live." The footnotes hear
say, "…circumcise their heart (v. 6), a reference
to the messianic covenant when God would deal with man’s spiritual
problem through an internal transformation."
Circumcision is a cutting away of unnecessary flesh that gets in
the way. We, as believers, desire for God to "cut away"
any of our flesh that would get in the way of what He desires to
reproduce in and through us.
Resources:
Tape #609 "New
Testament Circumcision"
Tape #3077 "The
Expense of Excellence Part 1"
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Jack
Hayford Ministries
14800 Sherman Way, Van Nuys, CA 91405-2233