The Amish are an interesting group of people. They have set themselves apart from the world, disengaging from worldly things or modern technologies. I remember once when Lou and I were driving in Amish territory, Lou was driving on the hilly roads about 50 miles an hour. I said, “Slow down because on the other side of that hill could be a buggy and you won’t see it until it’s too late.” I love reading books and watching movies about the Amish. They truly interest me. But we may ask… is that what God meant when He said that we are set apart? Does He want us to set ourselves apart from the world and not associate with others. I mean, God says that we are set apart… so is that what it means? My answer is an emphatic NO.
So, what does it mean that we have been set apart? There is a word in the Bible that describes this: CIRCUMCISION. This is not a word we commonly use, right? But it is a biblical word and it has great meaning for us. In the Old Testament, circumcision was an outward sign that God’s people belonged to Him. They were different from other nations. But from the earliest of days, God talked to His people about “circumcising their hearts” (Deuteronomy 10:16). In other words, God was more interested in the position of their hearts than the outward act of circumcision.
When New Testament people put their faith in Jesus, He breathes the Holy Spirit into our hearts and the Holy Spirit is the one that circumcises our hearts. Therefore, we are not just set apart in outward position, but our hearts have changed. Paul talks a lot about the circumcision of our hearts. And in our key verse to the Philippians, he says: “For we who worship by the Spirit of God are the ones who are truly circumcised. We rely on what Christ has done for us. We put no confidence in human effort” (Philippians 3:3). And in this verse, Paul gives us two features to a true circumcised heart…
1) We rely on what God has done for us! Hence, we rest in the finished work of the cross. We stop trying to win God’s approval or others’ approval. We think… If I do this, God will be pleased with me. My service will bring God honor. If I handle it this way, then so-and-so will be pleased. A true circumcised heart will rely only on the finished work on the cross. Fransesca Battistelli sings about this in her song, He knows my name: I don't need my name in lights, I'm famous in my Father's eyes. Make no mistake, He knows my name, I'm not living for applause, I'm already so adored. It's all His stage. He knows my name.
2) We put no confidence in human effort! Paul goes on to say… Listen, at one time, I walked around with my head held high because of my pedigree. I was a true Jew, I was taught by the greatest teacher in all Israel. I was zealous for the cause – persecuting the church. I stood heads taller than all Jewish people. These are the things I clung to. This is where my identity lied. But now, everything is about Christ. I see the value in everyone, no matter who they are or where they’ve been. It doesn’t matter if they are of a different religion, agnostic, living a life of habitual sin, or an enemy of God. I see them as valuable. My confidence is in my circumcised heart… nothing else.
We should let God continually circumcise our hearts so that we ONLY rely on His finished work on the cross and so that our confidence is in Him, nothing else. Hope this encourages you today.