This is a Bible study tool designed to take us through the entire Bible in 2 years. Six days a week (Monday through Saturday) there will be a post telling you what the assigned readings are. Some days there will also be comments from me. These are intended to provide material for devotional meditation and practical application. Please feel welcome to post questions or comments so that we can encourage each other. May God bless our study!
I, of course, have all the answers! Ok, not really. But let me take a stab at this.
When we understand Biblical theology of manhood and womanhood, we might argue that it was not necessary for the females to have a sign of the covenant like the males did. Though Eve was deceived, Adam also ate. In fact, Paul repeatedly holds Adam responsible for the sin. In Adam, all have fallen into sin. In Adam, all have died.
But the sign of circumcision was given to the sons of Adam to remind them of the "offspring" promised in Gen. 3:15. This Offspring would be the second Adam - through whom we would have life. Though all die in Adam, all are justified in Jesus Christ.
And God created foreskin so that he could give OT believers this sign. Now, Adam was perfect, so there was no need for it to be removed. After the fall, we do have certain health concerns. I have read some medical articles that assert there are medical benefits to removing it. There tends to be less disease for the husband and the wife - though if it remains it is not necessarily a problem. Actually, it becomes more of a problem if there are multiple sexual partners, which children of God are warned against anyway.
So, there is no rule telling present day believers what they should do. They may or may not circumcise their boys. It makes no theological difference. It was just a sign that set Israel apart from heathen nations, and a sign that pointed forward to an Offspring.
Yes, that makes sense, but the question still remains for me. Why did God create Adam with it? Did it serve a purpose at that time, or was God anticipating our messing up. And if the latter, couldn't he have come up with a better "sign."
I should have probably waited until Acts with this question, but I couldn't help myself.
When you get to heaven, go through the pearly gates and take a left. Right next to the ice cream stand is the information booth. There all your questions will be answered.
I tease a little, but I don't mean to make fun of your question. I just can't answer it. We can answer very few if any questions concerning why God did something this way or that way. The best we can do is accept that God did it that way, and then respond appropriately in a Godly way.
I think that "it" did (and does) serve a purpose apart from circumcision. Not that I know what that purpose would be, but I'm sure it had one. Keep in mind that scientists used to think we had all kinds of "junk DNA," that is, genetic sequences they thought were useless leftovers from the supposed random evolutionary process. However, they are discovering that these sequences have a purpose. Some scientists are even saying that the appendix gives immune and digestive benefits because it harbors good bacteria. So, just because we may not understand something yet doesn't mean that God didn't give it a purpose.
Ok, I have to ask it now. This is the only question I've been asked that I had literally no response for.
ReplyDeleteWhy did God create us men with foreskin if he wanted us to have it removed?
Now, I can totally see how this would be a testament of faith, especially as adults, but what other response can you give to this?
This was from the Romans passage, btw, I just wanted to get this out there and over with.
Okay, my mother-in-law said it was to set us apart, but then how were the women set apart? And what about Adam? God created us perfect, right?
ReplyDeleteOkay, I'll wait for your response now.
I, of course, have all the answers! Ok, not really. But let me take a stab at this.
ReplyDeleteWhen we understand Biblical theology of manhood and womanhood, we might argue that it was not necessary for the females to have a sign of the covenant like the males did. Though Eve was deceived, Adam also ate. In fact, Paul repeatedly holds Adam responsible for the sin. In Adam, all have fallen into sin. In Adam, all have died.
But the sign of circumcision was given to the sons of Adam to remind them of the "offspring" promised in Gen. 3:15. This Offspring would be the second Adam - through whom we would have life. Though all die in Adam, all are justified in Jesus Christ.
And God created foreskin so that he could give OT believers this sign. Now, Adam was perfect, so there was no need for it to be removed. After the fall, we do have certain health concerns. I have read some medical articles that assert there are medical benefits to removing it. There tends to be less disease for the husband and the wife - though if it remains it is not necessarily a problem. Actually, it becomes more of a problem if there are multiple sexual partners, which children of God are warned against anyway.
So, there is no rule telling present day believers what they should do. They may or may not circumcise their boys. It makes no theological difference. It was just a sign that set Israel apart from heathen nations, and a sign that pointed forward to an Offspring.
Does that make sense?
Yes, that makes sense, but the question still remains for me. Why did God create Adam with it? Did it serve a purpose at that time, or was God anticipating our messing up. And if the latter, couldn't he have come up with a better "sign."
ReplyDeleteI should have probably waited until Acts with this question, but I couldn't help myself.
When you get to heaven, go through the pearly gates and take a left. Right next to the ice cream stand is the information booth. There all your questions will be answered.
ReplyDeleteI tease a little, but I don't mean to make fun of your question. I just can't answer it. We can answer very few if any questions concerning why God did something this way or that way. The best we can do is accept that God did it that way, and then respond appropriately in a Godly way.
I think that "it" did (and does) serve a purpose apart from circumcision. Not that I know what that purpose would be, but I'm sure it had one. Keep in mind that scientists used to think we had all kinds of "junk DNA," that is, genetic sequences they thought were useless leftovers from the supposed random evolutionary process. However, they are discovering that these sequences have a purpose. Some scientists are even saying that the appendix gives immune and digestive benefits because it harbors good bacteria. So, just because we may not understand something yet doesn't mean that God didn't give it a purpose.