The Circumcised Heart

 DEVOTION

THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

THE CIRCUMCISED HEART

Acts 15:1-4

15:1 Some men came down from Judea to Antioch and were teaching the brothers: "Unless you are circumcised, according to the custom taught by Moses, you cannot be saved." 2 This brought Paul and Barnabas into sharp dispute and debate with them. So Paul and Barnabas were appointed, along with some other believers, to go up to Jerusalem to see the apostles and elders about this question. 3 The church sent them on their way, and as they traveled through Phoenicia and Samaria, they told how the Gentiles had been converted. This news made all the brothers very glad. 4 When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and elders, to whom they reported everything God had done through them.

NIV

There is going to be much discussion among the apostles and elders in Jerusalem about this matter of Gentiles needing to be circumcised, that is, to become a Jew to be saved. We know the outcome of that debate, with Peter making the strongest case that the Gentiles need not be burdened with circumcision, since the Holy Spirit was poured out on them just as on the believers in Jerusalem. We do not have any restrictions or requirements for becoming a follower of Jesus, or, as some say, being saved. But then we start making up rules on how we think believers should live, with restrictions on certain things. One of the main objections among many believers is smoking and drinking wine or other adult beverages. However, the word tells us not to be drunk on wine, but to be filled with the Spirit. So then we should see the evidence of those who abstain from wine, that they are full of the Spirit. However, the main discussion is about the circumcision of the heart, rather than any outward sign needed to become a believer. We will see that the only admonishment was not to eat food that was sacrificed to idols, or strangled meat, or meat with the blood, or sexual immorality. Circumcision was taken off the table, not to burden believers with that act of the flesh. We would be good to take this truth to heart. It is not so much about what we should not eat or drink, but whether we have allowed the Lord to circumcise our hearts. Of course, we are supposed to rid ourselves of certain things, but they are all heart issues, like pride, envy, jealousy,  slander, which means gossip, bitterness, anger, deceit, and hypocrisy. It would be better for us to consider the condition of our hearts than what we should not eat or drink. If we are filled with the Spirit, he will lead us into all truth. Let us not worry about the restrictions, but let us open our hearts, having them filled with the Spirit, then we will live with circumcised hearts.