Why Is Circumcision Important in the Bible?
What is Circumcision?
Males are born with a flap of skin (called the foreskin) attached to their primary private part, and circumcision is the act of cutting off that flap of skin. Ouch! Doesn’t that seem cruel and unusual? Why would God tell his Old Testament followers to do that?
God’s Alliance with Abraham
When God made his alliance with Abram, He told Abram to circumcise himself and all his descendants. That way, their alliance would be marked on their bodies forever.
“You and your descendants will need to keep this alliance throughout your generations. As a sign of our alliance, you and all your male descendants will need to be circumcised by cutting off the flesh of your foreskins. Throughout the generations, all your males need to be circumcised when they turn 8 days old. Even circumcise your workers who are born into your household or are purchased from someone outside the family. That way, our alliance will be marked on your bodies forever. If the flesh of a male’s foreskin isn’t cut off, then that person will be cut off from his people for disregarding my alliance.”
—Genesis 17:9–14 (Simple Bible)
Cutting off the Sinful Flesh
Human beings naturally oppose the only being in existence that lives forever: God. If we oppose the only being that has infinite life, then we definitely can’t expect to experience infinite life for ourselves.
Our animalistic bodies tend to pull us toward death and away from life. For example:
Our bodies are naturally lazy even though hard work is actually more life-giving.
Our bodies are naturally selfish even though generosity is actually more life-giving.
Our bodies are naturally lustful even though love is actually more life-giving.
The act of cutting off the foreskin is actually really symbolic of the way we need to cut off the corruption our bodies drag us towards if our spirits want to join God in living forever.
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