In yesterdays posting I share two parts of one promise, the first was the greater, the second the lesser but still important. Today I will do likewise but in reverse dealing with mans Circumcision of the heart. But before doing so I will call on the writing of Pastor Hoekstra as he explains GODS Grace in some detail as he has been doing. Then with the use of the ESV translation and the LORD I will undertake today's subject. And is my normal practice when the LORD gives me more I will add it in to the mix.
"The Resurrection and Sanctification"
"The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know . . . what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when HE raised Him from the dead and seated Him at HIS right hand in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 1:18-20)
"Just as the Resurrection had an essential role in our starting out with GOD (in Justification), it also plays an irreplaceable part in our going on with GOD (in Sanctification). In the New Covenant of Grace, the Resurrection is involved from start to finish in the Christian life.
Our scripture meditation is from one of the great prayers in all of the Bible. This portion begins by asking GOD to give us spiritual insight: "The eyes of your understanding being enlightened." What the LORD addresses in this prayer determines whether as a believer will live by Godly power or by human weakness. GOD desires to give us heavenly insight on this vital matter. Then, HE intends for this spiritual Enlightenment to lead us into a personal walk concerning this reality: "that you may know." The issue of this prayer is to become a partaker of HIS Life in our daily experience.
GOD wants us to experience the proper power source for living the Christian life: "that you may Know . . . what is the exceeding greatness of HIS power toward us who believe." We who have been Justified (declared Righteous) through the faith of Christ are not supposed to face each day by our meager, inadequate resources. We who have been born again by the Spirit of GOD are to live this New Life by the power of GOD! Just as did Jesus and Paul and the others from the moment of their transformation on. GOD working within them just as HE is working within and through me.
The aspect of GOD's power in view here is Resurrection Power: "according to the working of HIS mighty power which HE worked in Christ when HE raised Him from the dead." Think of the mighty power of GOD that was at work to bring Jesus from a crucified Savior to a victorious risen LORD. This is the power that our GOD wants to unleash upon and within us day by day.
As great as this display of power was, even more is available to us: "and seated Him at HIS right hand in the heavenly places." This mighty Divine power that brought forth Jesus from the dead, also raised Him to the right hand of the Father in the heaven realm. Surely, this power is sufficient to lift us out of any deadening situation of our minds or our surroundings."
Circumcision:
Spiritual Circumcision of the Heart,
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 (Revere, Respect and greatly Reverence) 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."
Deuteronomy 30:6-10 "The LORD your GOD Will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your GOD with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live. And the LORD your GOD Will put all these curses on your foes and enemies who persecuted you. And you shall again obey the voice of the LORD and keep all His commandments that I command you today. The LORD your GOD Will make you abundantly prosperous in all the work of your hand, in the fruit of your womb and in the fruit of your cattle and in the fruit of your ground. For the LORD Will again take delight in prospering you, as HE took delight in your fathers, when you obey the Voice of the LORD your GOD, to keep His commandments and His statutes that are written in this Book of the Law, when you turn to the LORD your GOD with all your heart and with all your soul."
Jeremiah 4:3-4 "For thus says the LORD to the men of Judah and Jerusalem: "Break up your fallow ground, and sow not among thorns. Circumcise yourselves to the LORD; remove the foreskin of your hearts, O men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem; lest My wrath go forth like fire, and burn with none to quench it, because of the evil of your deeds."
Romans 2:25-29 For circumcision indeed is of value if you obey the law, but if you break the law, your circumcision becomes uncircumcision. So, if a man who is uncircumcised keeps the precepts of the law, will not his uncircumcision be regarded as circumcision? Then he who is physically uncircumcised but keeps the law will condemn you who have the written code and circumcision but break the law. For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Hebrew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from GOD."
Colossians 2:8-15 "See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human (religious) tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, and you have been filled in Him, Who is the head of all rule and authority. In Him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised with Him through faith in the powerful working of GOD, Who raised Him from the dead. And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, GOD made us alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by canceling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This HE set aside, nailing it to the cross. He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame, by triumphing over them (in) through Him."
Divine Revelation:
Daniel 2:17-23 "Then Daniel went to his house and made the matter known to Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah, his companions, and told them to seek mercy from the GOD of heaven concerning this mystery, so that Daniel and his companions might not be destroyed with the rest of the wise men of Babylon. Then the mystery was revealed to Daniel in a vision of the night. Then Daniel blessed the GOD of heaven. Daniel answered and said: "Blessed be the name of GOD forever and ever, to Whom belong wisdom and might. HE changes times and seasons; HE removes kings and sets up kings; HE gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to those who have understanding; HE reveals deep and hidden things; HE knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him. To You, O GOD of my fathers, I give thanks and praise, for You have given me wisdom and might, and have now made known to me what we asked of You, for You have made known to us the king's matter."
Amos 3:1-8 "Hear this word that the LORD has spoken against you, O people of Israel, against the whole family that I brought up out of the land of Egypt: "You only have I known of all the families of the earth; therefore I will punish you for all your iniquities. "Do two walk together, unless they have agreed to meet? Does a lion roar in the forest, when he has no prey? Does a young lion cry out from his den, if he has taken nothing? Does a bird fall in a snare on the earth, when there is no trap for it? Does a snare spring up from the ground, when it has taken nothing? Is a trumpet blown in a city, and the people are not afraid? Does disaster come to a city, unless the LORD has done it? "For the LORD GOD does nothing without revealing His secret to His servants the prophets. The lion has roared; who will not fear? The LORD GOD has spoken; who can but prophesy?"
John 15:12-17 and Romans 16:26 (Jesus is speaking) "This is My commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in My name, HE may give it to you. These things I command you, so that you will love one another."
Romans 16:25-27 "Now to Him Who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal GOD, to bring about the obedience of faith—to the only wise GOD be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen."
1Corinthians 2:6-13 "Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of GOD, which GOD decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the LORD of Glory. But, as it is written, "What no eye has seen, nor ear heard, nor the heart of man imagined, what GOD has prepared for those who love HIM"— these things GOD has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of GOD. For who knows a person's thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of GOD except the Spirit of GOD. Now we have Received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit Who is (from) GOD, that we might understand the things freely given us by GOD. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual."
Ephesians 1:1-14, 3:5 and Colossians 1:26 "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the Will of GOD, To the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus: Grace to you and peace from GOD our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Blessed be the GOD and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Who having blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, even as HE chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be Holy and blameless before HIM. In love HE predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of HIS Will, to the praise of HIS glorious Grace, with which HE has blessed us in the Beloved. (Through) In Him we have Redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His Grace, which HE lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight making known to us the mystery of HIS Will, according to HIS purpose, which HE set forth in Christ as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in HIM, things in heaven and things on earth. In Him we have obtained an inheritance, having been predestined according to the purpose of Him Who works all things according to the counsel of His Will, so that we who were the first to hope in Christ might be to the praise of His glory. In Him you also, when you heard the word of Truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of His glory."
Ephesians 3:4-13 "When you read this, you can perceive my insight into the mystery of Christ, which was not made known to the sons of men in other generations as it has now been revealed to His Holy apostles and prophets by the Spirit. This mystery is that the Gentiles are fellow heirs, members of the same Body, and partakers of the promise in Christ Jesus through the gospel. Of this Gospel I was made a minister according to the gift of GOD's Grace, which was given me by the working of His power. To me, though I am the very least of all the saints, this Grace was given, to preach to the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to bring to Light for everyone what is the plan of the mystery hidden for ages in GOD Who created all things, so that through the Church the manifold wisdom of GOD might now be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places. This was according to the eternal purpose that HE has realized in Christ Jesus our LORD, in Whom we have boldness and access with confidence through our faith in Him. So I ask you not to lose heart over what I am suffering for you, which is your glory."
Colossians 1:24-29 "Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ's afflictions for the sake of His Body, that is, the Church, of which I became a minister according to the stewardship from GOD that was given to me for you, to make the word of GOD fully known, the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to HIS saints. To them GOD chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory. Him we proclaim, warning everyone and teaching everyone with all wisdom, that we may present everyone mature in Christ. For this I toil, struggling with all His energy that HE powerfully works within me."
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