Made in the Flesh

Ephesians 2:11 There fore remember that at one time you Gentiles in the flesh, called "the uncircumcised" by what is called the circumcision, which is made in the flesh by hands.

We live in a world and time in which you can do almost anything if you set your mind to it and have enough capital or credit backing. Our abilities enhanced by higher education, technology and innovation have empowered humans to accomplish almost anything that we have set our mind to, or at least we think. Even in some church settings, there is a thought that we are in control of many things, even our salvation. I will never forget a conversation with a friend a couple of years ago when we were discussing salvation and baptism. He stated that he was sprinkled with Holy water as an infant and that he had always been a Christian as the sprinkling kind of certified the Spirit's work, or something like that. Where do we get these types of ideas from? Certainly not the bible. If all we need is sprinkling then why does Jesus speak so in depth of abiding, serving, suffering and following Him? He is in control of our destiny, not us. Not our denomonations (including my own) and certainly not any of our actions can please God, only Christ's works can.

AW Tozer said that an unregenerate man can no more make His salvation than he can create the universe. Amen brother. Surely we have a responsive role to answer the call of Christ to follow Him, but all of the man made traditions and efforts to create practices that bring salvation are only man made shadows of the things of God.

Look at what Paul is speaking of in Ephesians 2. He is talking about being saved by Christ in verses 1-10. His oint is hammered home in verse 8 where he states that "for by grace you have been saved by faith, and this is not of your own doing, it is a gift from God." He also reminds us gentiles that we were on the outside looking in at those marked of faith with circumcision. Paul then sets the stage for Jesus's Divine work by reminding that the work of circumcision was done with human hands. Praise God that he continues and says that Jesus brought down the wall of hostility that kept gentiles out of the club so to speak. Circumcision is done with human hands, Jesus actions were done by God and are unable to be done or duplicated by man. We can not win or pay back God for our grace and mercy, and we certainly can not invent another way to please God. We have indeed all earned death with the actions of our hands. True salvation comes only through the work of His spike driven, bloody hands as He hung on the Cross. Our response is "Holy Holy Holy..Lord God all Mighty". Our hope is in the Glorified risen and healed hands of Jesus Christ.

So where is your trust? Does your confidence in salvation lie in a ritual? Does it lie in an orchestrated church event of any denomination? Or can you feel and sense the Holy Spirit leading, convicting and shaping you as you follow Christ?