Circumcision of the Heart

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Question
Why did the prophets so frequently call Israel to "circumcise their hearts" to the Lord?
Answer
The prophets did frequently call on Israel to "circumcise their heart" to the Lord. You see the first time in the Pentateuch where Moses commands them to circumcise their own heart. And, of course, when you think about it, that's an impossibility. How can a person circumcise their own heart, you see? … And so, if you look at Deuteronomy it'll talk about "circumcise your heart," and then just a few verses later what it's going to say is that God will circumcise our heart. And so, that was what was needed in the Old Testament. Remember, in the Old Testament, the law was given upon stones. It was given externally. The key for the Old Testament was, how do you internalize it? The way to internalize the law is being described by the term "circumcision of the heart." Now, we know circumcision was the great symbol and seal of the covenant of the Old Testament. But yet, what it really represented was the work of the Holy Spirit in one's heart and what we would call today "regeneration." Therefore, we become willing and able to try to obey God's law, not perfectly, but yet, with the Holy Spirit's help in a way that is acceptable to the Lord.

Answer by Dr. Russell T. Fuller

Dr. Russell T. Fuller is Professor of Old Testament Interpretation at The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.