" Circumcision is that of the Heart "

    I don't know about you but I used to wonder why there was the designations of Jew and Gentile to refer to people. If you were not a Jew then you were a Gentile. The word Jew or Jews, per GOD's WORD, represents the Hebrew Nation per verses in the book of Esther Chapt.3:6 & 13 and the book of Ezra Chapt.5: 1 & 5, where you first find the actual word Jew or Jews. Of course, those who are familiar with the beginnings of the nation of Israel ( the Jews ) know that it started when GOD called out Abram ( later to become Abraham ) and Sarai ( later to be called Sarah ), his wife, from his country and his kindred to a land that GOD would later give to the nation of Israel ( the Jews ) in the book of Gen.Chapt.12: 1 thru 3. When Abraham and Sarah had their child of promise, Isaac, the child that GOD promised them would be born in their old age ( Abraham was 100 and Sarah was 90 ). Abraham had a son born about 13 years earlier that Abraham and Hagar ( Sarah's Egyptian maid ) had together, outside the promise that GOD had given to Abraham and Sarah.  In Gen.17:9 thru 14, GOD instituted the covenant of circumcision for all the males either directly related to Abraham or born in his household. All males were to be circumcised.

     Now this was a fleshly circumcision and Isaac, Abraham's son of promise was part of this covenant of circumcision. Now over a period of time, Isaac grew and also had 2 sons, twins, Esau and Jacob.  Esau was the oldest so he should have been the son who would inherit the blessings and most of his fathers inheritance, but Esau despised his birthright and so Rebekah, Isaac's wife made a plan to deceive her husband and get her favorite son, Jacob, the birthright and the blessing. To make a long story short, Isaac's eyes were dim from age and he could not see so Rebekah dressed Jacob up to look, feel and smell like Esau. The trick worked and Jacob got the blessing over his older son Esau. Now the name Jacob means deceiver or surplanter and after many years of ups and downs Jacob came to a point in his life where he understood that he was not worthy of any of the blessings that the GOD of Abraham and Isaac, his father, had bestowed on him. So in Gen. 32:24 thru 30 Jacob wrestled with the pre-incarnate CHRIST until the breaking of day and in verse 28 the LORD changed Jacob's name to Israel, which means Prince with GOD, for Jacob had struggled with GOD and with men and had prevailed.  So this is the root of the nation of Israel as we know it today.

      We as Christians know that we are to pray for the peace of Israel ( as a nation ) and to witness to them as instructed by their MESSIAH, our LORD and SAVIOR JESUS CHRIST before HE left to go back into heaven. Israel has been set aside for the " time of the Gentiles " to be fulfilled and scripture is quite clear that they have to come to GOD the same way the Gentiles come to GOD, through HIS only begotten SON, JESUS CHRIST. The book of Romans's Chapters 2 thru 4 deals a lot about what is currently happening to Israel as far as their salvation as a nation and as individuals.  Let me give you some of what it says in Romans 2:11 thru 3:20 as a portion of what GOD's WORD says about Jew and Gentile salvation :

    

    " For there is no partiality with GOD. For as many as have sinned without law will also perish without law, and as many as have sinned in the law will be judged by the law, ( for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of GOD, but the doers of the law will be justified; for when Gentiles, who do not have the law, by nature do the things contained in the law, these, although not having the law, are a law to themselves, who show the work of the law written in their hearts, their conscience  also bearing witness, and between themselves their thoughts accusing or else excusing them ) in the day when GOD will judge the secrets of men by JESUS CHRIST, according to my Gospel.
     Indeed you are called a Jew, and rest on the law, and make your boast in GOD, and know HIS will and approve the things that are excellent, being instructed out of the law, and are confident that you yourself are a guide to the blind, a light to those who are in darkness, an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, having the form of knowledge and truth in the law.  You, therefore, who teach another, do you not teach yourself ? You who preach that a man should not steal, do you steal ? You who say, " Do not commit adultery," do you commit adultery ? You who abhor idols, do you rob temples ?  You who make your boast in the law, do you dishonor GOD through breaking the law ? For " The name of GOD is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you ( the Jews )," as it is written. For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision ? And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law ? For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is that circumcision which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the SPIRIT, and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from GOD.

     What advantage then has the Jew, or what is the profit of circumcision ? Much in every way ! Chiefly because to them ( the Jews ) were committed the oracles of GOD. For what if some did not believe ? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of GOD without effect ? Certainly not ! Indeed, let GOD be true but every man a liar. As it is written:
          " That YOU may be justified in YOUR words,
          and may overcome when YOU are judged."
But if our unrighteousness demonstrates the righteousness of GOD, what shall we say ? Is GOD unjust who inflicts wrath ? ( I speak as a a man.) Certainly not ! For then how will GOD judge the world ? For if the truth of GOD has increased through my lie to HIS glory, why am I also still judged as a sinner ? And why not say, " Let us do evil that good may come "? - as we are slanderously reported and as some affirm that we say. Their condemnation is just. What then ? Are we ( Gentiles ) better than they ( Jews ) ? Not at all. For we have previously charged both Jews and Greeks ( Gentiles ) that they are all under sin. As it is written:
"  There is none righteous, no not one; there is none who
understands; there is none who seeks after GOD.
They have all gone out of the way; they have together
become unprofitable; there is none who does good, no not one."
" Their throat is an open tomb; with their tongues they
have practiced deceit "; " The poison of asps is under their lips ";
" Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness."  " Their feet
are swift to shed blood; destruction and misery are in their
ways; and the way of peace they have not known."
" There is no fear of GOD before their eyes."
     Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before GOD. Therefore by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in HIS sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin. "

     Jew or Gentile, we are all in the same boat as far as Salvation goes. For the Jew, he has to come to the realization that their MESSIAH came in the form of GOD's only begotten SON, JESUS CHRIST. The Jew and Gentile both have to come to the realization that we are all born sinners and that nothing we do, no law, no works, no church ritual or liturgy will endear us to an all HOLY GOD. JESUS came to earth, born of a virgin, born under the law. HE did all the things that were required, under the law. HE fulfilled each prophetic scripture that was written about HIS coming and HIS manor of death on the cross. HE came and died, not for HIS own sin, because HE was the sinless SON of GOD. The only ONE WHO could pay the price that GOD the FATHER required, for the sin of all mankind.  TODAY is your day of Salvation !!! GOD's HOLY SPIRIT is talking to you thru this post. If you have never thought about eternity, it could only be a few moments from now !!! We are not promised anymore time than the few breathes that we are now breathing !!! A car accident may take your life tomorrow, or you may not see the sun rise in the morning.  Take time now to bow your head in prayer, admit to GOD that you are a sinner and you believe that HIS SON, JESUS CHRIST came to die and pay the price for your sin. Ask HIM to come into your heart and save you, HE IS WILLING AND ABLE, remember that circumcision is that of the heart for Jew or Gentile !!!
Your servant in CHRIST,
Julie