Friday, August 15, 2014

What Is Added And What Is Taken Away

God removed something from each Jewish male as an outward sign. He didn't add something. He removed something. Each believer has had something removed at the point of their salvation.

"For no one is a Jew who is merely one outwardly, nor is circumcision outward and physical. But a Jew 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." - Romans 2:28-29 ESV

"Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. ... For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything, but only faith working through love." - Galatians 5:2-3, 6 ESV

"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," - Colossians 2:11 ESV

"For neither circumcision counts for anything, nor uncircumcision, but a new creation." - Galatians 6:15 ESV

"Look out for the dogs, look out for the evildoers, look out for those who mutilate the flesh. For we are the circumcision, who worship by the Spirit of God and glory in Christ Jesus and put no confidence in the flesh" - Philippians 3:2-3 ESV

Religion tells us to remove something outwardly and God will be pleased with our life. Become something different and things will be better.

"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," - Colossians 2:11 ESV

What has needed to happen has already happened. The moment you accept Christ God does it. He didn't make us to be something more. On the contrary, He took something away and added Himself to our lives.

"But if some of the branches were broken off, and you, although a wild olive shoot, were grafted in among the others and now share in the nourishing root of the olive tree, do not be arrogant toward the branches. If you are, remember it is not you who support the root, but the root that supports you." - Romans 11:17-18 ESV

It doesn't make us Jewish... It grafts us into the source of what made people in the Hebrew scriptures like Abraham and Moses spiritual and makes us spiritual us well. We are wild branches grafted into God's life by Jesus Christ.

Never look at someone and envy what they have. God looks at what they don't have. It is an inward sign. Don't fall for the lie that something must change on the outside. The only thing that needs a change is the heart and that change is made by God in a moment.

There are additions and they happen over time...

"His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence, by which he has granted to us his precious and very great promises, so that through them you may become partakers of the divine nature, having escaped from the corruption that is in the world because of sinful desire. For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. For if these qualities are yours and are increasing, they keep you from being ineffective or unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. For whoever lacks these qualities is so nearsighted that he is blind, having forgotten that he was cleansed from his former sins. Therefore, brothers, be all the more diligent to confirm your calling and election, for if you practice these qualities you will never fall." - 2 Peter 1:3-10 ESV

In other words we learn to live out the finished work of Christ. God has taken away what hindered us and given us His life. Now we live that life with awareness. We live on purpose connecting the dots and reckoning on the newness and freshness of God's life.

"May grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord." - 2 Peter 1:2 ESV

We don't seek outward additions... we have inward multiplications.

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