Romans 4:11, Sign of circumcision. Circumcision is a seal of righteousness not the cause of righteousness. Humans are perpetually endeavoring to mold religion into their own image in order to highlight their goodness and remove the focus off of YHVH’s terms and conditions for receiving his grace, love, imputed righteousness resulting ultimately in the glorification of man. This is humanism, the fundamental premise of which is the goodness of man resulting in the promotion or elevation of man (in his own eyes, at least) and the demotion of Elohim.

The religion of humanism originated in the Garden of Eden where the serpent (Satan), in the first lie, told man that he could attain immortal life not by having faith in and assiduously adhering to the word of Elohim, but by twisting or conforming the word of Elohim to suit man’s carnal passions. After Adam and Eve had succumbed to the alluring lies of the serpent, they attempted to make amends for their disobedience to YHVH’s word by covering themselves in their own works of self-righteousness. This they did when they fashioned an apron of fig leaves to cover the shame (the result of their disobeying YHVH’s word) of their (spiritual and physical) nakedness. These garments—a symbol of man’s self-righteousness based on his own “good works”—were made to conform to man’s body. In Hebraic thought, fig leaves are a metaphor for Torah (YHVH’s instructions in righteousness). Man’s first sin was to twist YHVH’s word and to rebel against that word or the instructions of YHVH (i.e., the Torah). His first religious and legalistic act was to attempt to atone for his own sins (by covering himself with fig leaves) through his own efforts. They attempted to conform the Word of Elohim to fit their own carnal passions. This scheme of man to save himself through his own works-based or humanistic attempts didn’t relieve man of his sin guilt nor redeem him from the wages or result of sin, which is death, then, and it doesn’t work now. Atonement of sins occurs only through the shedding of blood, which likely occurred when YHVH made animal skins (most likely from a lamb) for Adam and Eve to wear to replace the fig leaves they had made for themselves (Gen 3:21).

A Biblical Overview of the Subject of Circumcision 

The first question many will ask is whether redeemed believers should practice circumcision today or not. Continue reading →