11/12/2010 - Our most important duty

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“Circumcision is nothing and uncircumcision is nothing, but keeping the commandments of God is what matters.” (I Corinthians 7:19)

One of the most important things we can do is to keep the commandments. Those who do that are showing their love to God and they’re loved by both Jesus and the Father (John 14:21). The moment we fail to keep the divine commandments we’re despising the Lord and getting committed to the enemy. The Most High’s ordinances are given to us as a divine plan for our life as well as our neighbour’s; that’s why there’s nothing wiser to do than to be a loyal fulfiller of the Word of God.

Circumcision was established by the Lord as a pact between men and Him. That was so important that Abraham circumcised Ishmael, his son with Hagar, and also his servants who had been born in his house and those he had purchased with his money (Genesis 17:23). According to Abraham, nobody could live in his house if they didn’t have a covenant with God.

There was a mishap in Moses’ life in which the Lord almost killed him. When Zipporah, the wife of that servant of God, saw her husband’s worrying situation she rushed and cut off her son’s foreskin and threw it at his feet, then the Lord allowed Moses to live (Exodus 4:24-26).

Circumcision was physical in the Old Testament, made only on the male genital organ. It was a symbol of the true circumcision which would be done in our hearts by God Himself both on men and women at the time of our baptism in the waters. That’s a mark we’re divine ownership. The same way the physical intervention was a signal that that person was Hebrew; the one made in our hearts also identifies us before the spiritual world as members of the people of God.

Yet, even though that’s very important, Paul says that both circumcision and uncircumcision are nothing compared to our duty to keep the commandments of the Lord – both the official, recorded in the Bible, and the personal: those God speaks to our hearts. What pleases our Father the most is undoubtedly that we keep His ordinances!

Failing to keep the Most High’s statutes is akin to signing a declaration which states that He’s not that important to us as we say. It’s easy to honor Him without really meaning it but that kind of honor isn’t accepted by the Lord. He said through Prophet Malachi that the son honors the father and the servant honors the Lord. If He’s Father, where’s His honour? If He’s Lord, where’s the respect we owe Him? (Malachi 1:6)

Next time you’re tempted, ask yourself these questions: Is it right to do what God prohibits? If I do what He has forbidden, does it mean I do not honor or respect Him? Think about it, my brethren!

In Christ, with love,

R. R. Soares