Genesis 17

God did not invent circumcision. Archaeological evidence shows that it was practiced in Egypt and the area of Canaan before God made his covenant with Abram. God took an already established practice and filled it full of new meaning. He gave it symbolic meaning. God was establishing a covenant relationship with Abram and all of his descendants.

This was a two party covenant. God says I will, and you will. The covenant required both parties to live up to their half of the covenant. Abram and his descendants were to walk faithfully, live blameless and be circumcised. Walking faithfully required them to maintain their relationship with God. Living blameless required them to be honest and righteous in their dealings with the other people of the world. To live faithful and blameless required them to have their hearts and minds aligned with God’s will. 

The second half of the covenant involved the physical act of circumcision. It was to take place eight days after birth. The cutting off of the foreskin would symbolize that the child is being cut off from the world. Later in life the man could point to that act and say “that is the day I became a part of the family of God.  Circumcision was to be an outward sign of an inward condition. Abrams descendants remain true to the outward sign, but often strayed from the heart condition it was to symbolize.

Deuteronomy 10:16 “Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer,” makes clear what God is expecting.  If we will not cut ourselves off from the love of this world we cannot keep our covenant with God.  God still requires his children to walk faithfully, live blameless and circumcise/cut off their hearts from the love of this world.  We are still called to be a covenant people.