Deuteronomy and the Spirit
Imagine the scene. Nearly all the Israelites who’d left Egypt with Moses had died in the desert. The next generation — desert-hardened, accustomed to traveling as led by God’s special presence in the camp — prepared to cross the Jordan and conquer the Promised Land.
God called the people together to remind them of the covenant he’d made with their parents — a covenant we call “Deuteronomy” or “Second Law,” because this was the second giving of the Law of Moses.
After recounting God’s mighty works on behalf of his beloved Israel, he declares –
(Deu 10:12-16 ESV) 12 “And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you, but to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the commandments and statutes of the LORD, which I am commanding you today for your good? 14 Behold, to the LORD your God belong heaven and the heaven of heavens, the earth with all that is in it. 15 Yet the LORD set his heart in love on your fathers and chose their offspring after them, you above all peoples, as you are this day. 16 Circumcise therefore the foreskin of your heart, and be no longer stubborn.
What did God mean by “circumcise … the foreskin of your heart”? You have to start by thinking about the purpose of literal circumcision, which God instituted beginning with Abraham, centuries before the Exodus.
(Gen 17:10-11 ESV) 10 This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. 11 You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you.”
Circumcision marked Abraham and his descendants as being in covenant relationship with God. Now, it was not the most obvious mark, of course, but in that culture, sex with a “priestess” was a very common fertility ritual — and no Jew could “worship” in that way without advertising his covenant relationship with God.
To circumcise your heart is for your heart to display your commitment to God. People should be able to see where your loyalties lie by your passions and feelings.
It’s been commonly taught that Judaism was a religion of externals, in which the heart was unimportant. Obviously, that is not remotely true. Jesus branded some Jews, especially the Pharisees, as hypocrites, but the religion God gave the Jews was all about the heart. Jesus’ point was not to condemn Judaism so much as those who attempted to be a true Jews without circumcision of the heart.
“Stubborn” refers back to earlier portions of Deuteronomy recounting earlier events in Jewish history –
(Deu 9:13-14 ESV) 13 “Furthermore, the LORD said to me, ‘I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stubborn people. 14 Let me alone, that I may destroy them and blot out their name from under heaven. And I will make of you a nation mightier and greater than they.’”
“Stubborn” is to be so rebellious that God loses patience, perhaps even bringing destruction.
Near the end of Deuteronomy, Moses speaks of a future time when Israel rebels and is severely punished by God, driven from the Promised Land and scattered among the nations. But, Moses prophesies, if Israel repents, God will bring them back –
(Deu 30:3 ESV) 3 then the LORD your God will restore your fortunes and have mercy on you, and he will gather you again from all the peoples where the LORD your God has scattered you.
This scattering took place, centuries later, when Judea was taken into Babylonian Captivity. Nebuchadnezzar defeated Judea in two wars. In the first, he took many of the people captive and carried them back to Babylon. The prophet Ezekiel was among them. Jeremiah remained behind and prophesied to those remaining in Judea.
In the second attack, Jerusalem and the Temple were destroyed.
We traditionally think of the Exile as ending when Ezra and Nehemiah led a band of Jews (only a small minority) to return to Jerusalem and rebuild the walls and Temple, all under the rule of the Persians.
But in the minds of most Jews, the Exile continued even after that. After all, most Jews had not yet returned and Israel remained scattered among the nations. Moreover, the many promises made by God to send a king — the Messiah — to re-establish the throne of David had not yet occurred.
Therefore, the Jews of Jesus day were expectantly awaiting the “Kingdom,” the re-established kingdom of Judea, to be ruled by a king descended from David who would bring a time of great happiness and prosperity.
In that sense, which is, I believe, the truest sense, the Exile continued until Pentecost, at which time God began to fulfill his most important promises regarding the Kingdom.
The prophets referred to the coming of the Messiah, the establishment of the promised Kingdom, and God’s rule on earth through the Messiah as “good news,” which is why the Jews Jesus preached to knew what he meant when he spoke of the “good news of the kingdom of heaven” long before he revealed himself to be Messiah.
(Deu 30:6 ESV) 6 And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your offspring, so that you will love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.
Moses says that when God gathers his people together, “God will circumcise your heart.” This is radically different from Deu 10:16. Both passages intend that God’s people love him with all their hearts, but after the Exile, their hearts will be changed by God. Rather than being a command to honor by self-help, it’s a promise and blessing to be received with gratitude.
The result is life, in contrast to the destruction that follows being stubborn. The history of Israel proves that, over the long haul, self-help is not enough and leads to rebellion and death — regardless of good intentions. Only when God enters our hearts to change them do we experience true life.
This is why, in Romans 8, Paul speaks of the Spirit giving us “life.” It’s what the Prophets promised.
There’s one thing wrong with this lesson. It implies that it’s up to the Spirit to give us life. I believe it’s the Son who offers us life and GIVES the Spirit to those who obey HIM. That’s what Peter is saying in Acts 2:38. He is not encouraging the hearers who seek salvation to trust in the Spirit or to somehow in an unknown way receive life from the Spirit. Paul does not disagree with salvation being in Jesus. He makes clear that we are baptized INTO CHRIST, not INTO or BY the Spirit, and that we receive the Spirit as a result of turning to Jesus for salvation. Surely the new life is from Jesus and from our seeking to make HIM our Lord. The Spirit is promised to those who obey the gospel. That’s HOW the Spirit gives life and WHEN the Spirit gives life. It’s not apart from our obeying Jesus. The Spirit gives life to those who are now IN JESUS through repenting and being baptized.
JAY
SPIRIT AND LAW
SORTA KINDA
🙂
(The Moral Law Within, Part 1)
gal.
5:1 For freedom1 Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not be subject again to the yoke2 of slavery.
Rom.
5:13 for before the law was given,15 sin was in the world, but there is no accounting for sin16 when there is no law.
ROM
5:18 Consequently,26 just as condemnation27 for all people28 came29 through one transgression,30 so too through the one righteous act31 came righteousness leading to life32 for all people.
James
2:12 Speak and act as those who will be judged by a law that gives freedom.22 2:13 For judgment is merciless for the one who has shown no mercy. But mercy triumphs over23 judgment.
gal
5:2 Listen! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you at all! 5:3 And I testify again to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey3 the whole law.
James
2:10 For the one who obeys the whole law but fails18 in one point has become guilty of all of it.19 2:11 For he who said, “Do not commit adultery,”20 also said, “Do not murder.”21 Now if you do not commit adultery but do commit murder, you have become a violator of the law
gal.
5:4 You who are trying to be declared righteous4 by the law have been alienated5 from Christ; you have fallen away from grace! 5:5 For through the Spirit, by faith, we wait expectantly for the hope of righteousness. 5:6 For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision carries any weight – the only thing that matters is faith working through love.6
ROM
2:28 For a person is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision something that is outward in the flesh, 2:29 but someone is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is of the heart51 by the Spirit52 and not by the written code.53 This person’s54 praise is not from people but from God
gal.
5:13 For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters;21 only do not use your freedom as an opportunity to indulge your flesh,22 but through love serve one another.23 5:14 For the whole law can be summed up in a single commandment,24 namely, “You must love your neighbor as yourself.”
1st Tim
1:8 But we know that the law is good if someone uses it legitimately, 1:9 realizing that law11 is not intended for a righteous person, but for lawless and rebellious people, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for murderers, 1:10 sexually immoral people, practicing homosexuals,12 kidnappers, liars, perjurers – in fact, for any who live contrary to sound teaching. 1:11 This13 accords with the glorious gospel of the blessed God14 that was entrusted to me.15
gal.
5:17 For the flesh has desires that are opposed to the Spirit, and the Spirit has desires30 that are opposed to the flesh, for these are in opposition to31 each other, so that you cannot do what you want. 5:18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
1st cor:
15:56 The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 15:57 But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ!
Heb
2:14 Therefore, since the children share in flesh and blood, he likewise shared in25 their humanity,26 so that through death he could destroy27 the one who holds the power of death (that is, the devil), 2:15 and set free those who were held in slavery all their lives by their fear of death.
THE LAW OF THE SPIRIT OF LIFE
6:14 Do not become partners21 with those who do not believe, for what partnership is there between righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship does light have with darkness? 6:15 And what agreement does Christ have with Beliar?22 Or what does a believer share in common with an unbeliever? 6:16 And what mutual agreement does the temple of God have with idols? For we are23 the temple of the living God, just as God said, “I will live in them24 and will walk among them, and I will be their God, and they will be my people.”25 6:17 Therefore “come out from their midst, and be separate,” says the Lord, “and touch no unclean thing,26 and I will welcome27 you,28 6:18 and I will be a father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters,”29 says the All-Powerful Lord.30
Jay,
You are correct, Deut. teaches, OT worshippers were to worship God both as commanded and with all of their heart engaged. Also, their mind was supposed to me “all in/focused on God.” Many preachers forget this fact and try to teach that this is this the lesson from John 4:23-24. However, Jesus contrasts something of the Old with something to come in the New. Commands and heart cannot be the contrast, because that was already an OT teaching. I believe NT worship of which Jesus spoke is in the reality (type vs. shadow). I am influenced by the Book of Hebrews. Still, not only are the law and sacrificial system changed, but we are the “true circumcision” who worship God through the Spirit. The Spirit brings his people into the very presence of God. My point is not to discuss NT worship per se, but rather affirm and add to your study of the Spirit and his work in the life (as life giver and sanctifier) of the Christian. Looking forward to part 2.
Ray,
It seems you are trying to strike a balance in something when making statements, such as “it’s the Son who offers us life and GIVES the Spirit to those who obey HIM.” I appreciate that and have a question. I think you are familiar with Jack Cottrell’s work on the Spirit, baptism, and Jesus. If so, you can better understand my perspective. The father plans, the Son dies to save, and the Spirit applies the saving work – but there is one God. I propose that baptism is a means of grace through faith. The normative work of God is that the Spirit regenerates (gives us new birth/life) in water immersion (baptism), whereas immersion in water of the believer is the occasion when the Spirit works the work of regeneration. It is the Spirit’s work and occasion when he circumcises the heart, crucifies the old sinful man, and raises us to new life (i.e. the Spirit is life giving). Do you disagree? If so, how? I am trying to understand what you believe the Spirit does and the occasion he does it (what is his role in giving us new life?). Thank you for your thoughts.
history guy has good questions and comments, including, “we are the “true circumcision” who worship God through the Spirit. The Spirit brings his people into the very presence of God. My point is not to discuss NT worship per se, but rather affirm and add to your study of the Spirit and his work in the life (as life giver and sanctifier) of the Christian.”
I feel that Jesus is the source of our life with the Father and with Himself. I certainly disagree that the Spirit circumcises the heart, crucifies the old sinful man, and raises us to new life. We are called to preach the GOSPEL. It’s all about JESUS. It’s not about the Holy Spirit. I point to Acts 2 and the preaching done there by the apostles. It was all about JESUS and what He had done and was doing. JESUS sent His Spirit to empower the apostles. The baptizing in the Spirit was a one-time event. It has never been repeated. The apostles were empowered. Miracles were done then by the apostles. The gift of the Spirit FOLLOWS being saved by Jesus.
The Spirit is not our Savior. There is ONE SAVIOR. That’s God the Son. Those who are saved by Jesus are then given the Spirit. One of our own claims that the Spirit thrusts us INTO JESUS. But that is NOT what the Bible teaches. I refer to my study at http://missionoutreach.org/OwensMaxey.pdf. False teaching comes from many sources. It includes anyone who ascribes to the Spirit what is done by God the Son. Jesus saves. It’s faith in JESUS we confess if we seek to be saved. It’s the gospel of JESUS we are urged to carry with us throughout the world.
What is the role of the Spirit in “new life in Christ”? It’s spoken of as helping us remain clean of sin, of helping us testify about Jesus and live for Jesus. The work of the Spirit is to exalt the Son of God who offers salvation to all men. Our call is to glorify JESUS, not the Spirit. Do I hear Jay glorifying the Spirit? The commission is to carry word throughout the world about JESUS. That’s what I believe we should be doing.
To both Ray and Historyguy, John 16:13-14. I believe we have it right, even if it was not our intent. The Holy Spirit did not come to make a Name for Himself, but to testify of Jesus. I believe that the people who believe in praising the Spirit have it backwards.
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The Lord our God, the lord, He is one.