My Friend, Wayne, and I are studying together and he discovered something remarkable. Wayne shared with me, ” It struck me that what identifies Christians today is ‘Gods Mark of Love.’ This mark is not a physical mark such as in “circumcision” (Genesis 17:10-11), but in some ways is similar, the circumcision is a hidden mark cut into the flesh, but it is hidden from the world. The “Mark of Love” is visable to the world, but the (true) mark of LOVE is hidden or invisible to the believer, only! Why?”
We are studying parts of the Sermon on the Mount. Consider this.
Matthew 5:43:48 (TNIV)
43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46 If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that? 47 And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that? 48 Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.
We look next at Matthew 6:1
Matthew 6:1 (TNIV)
“Be careful not to do your ‘acts of righteousness’ in front of others, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.
Ahhh, these acts of love or righteousness are not being done to bring focus on ourselves, but are to be done because they are the product of our love for God and each other. In essence, they are “hidden”.
My friend Wayne went on to say, “I think LOVE is the Christian Circumcision. Love is HIS Mark in this world, upon us.”
Physical circumcision in the Old Testament was the mark of the covenant with God. We know that in the New Testament that the new Covenant would be written on our hearts (Hebrews 10:16). As we look back at the summing of the wisdom of Jesus, we see that everything points to loing God and loving each other as ourselves (Mark 12:28-31 and John 13:34-35). Matthew 5:43-48 above is a discourse on how we are to love each other…even our enemies. If you look closely, as we love our enemies…..this is, in essence, the Mark of a true follower of Jesus. As Wayne said, “Love is HIS Mark in this world, upon us.“
My friend Wayne goes on to observe, “But, this brings us back to Gen 1:26 . “God created man in His own “Tzellem” . . . interesting word! In this time period, a King would place a statue of himself throughout his kingdom, letting all those a that could see .that this place belonged to the King! The statue was called “Tzellem.” It was the Kings visible image, claiming ownership of the land. Is Love the “Tzellem” of God upon the land today, and upon us? Amazing that God invites us to participate in His restoration–His redemption, of this world!
It is very interesting that “Tzellem” is one of MANY Hebrew words translated as image. I find it also VERY interesting that Genesis 1:26 is, “Then God said, ‘Let us make man in OUR image, after OUR likeness…'” “Our” being a first person plural pronoun. So many people miss that small word “our” here and I find it so significant to who Jesus is. The Hebrew word for God is also plural. While some believe that the “our” in this Scripture refers to “heavenly host, heavenly beings, angels and such”, I believe that it is a clear indication of the plurality of the Godhead, God the Father, God the Son and the Holy Spirit.
On a side note, “Tzellem” is also used in 1 Samuel 6:5, “So you must make images of your tumors and images of your mice that ravage the land, and give glory to the God of Israel.” This Scripture is interesting enough as it is, but you look at the word traslated as “Tumor” “ophel“, and it means , “forts, stronhold, tower” but also has the meaning of hemeroid. What’s up with that, LOL.
I can see how LOVE is the the Christian circumcision, as well as the significance of “Tzellem“ being Christ followers (not just believers), a visible image of God that is God claiming ownership of the land through the restoration and redemption that He works through us. I can see how love is the “Tzellem“|image] of God upon the land today…. and us.
Deuteronomy 10:16 (TNIV) says,
“Circumcise your hearts, therefore, and do not be stiff-necked any longer.”Deuteronomy 30:6 (TNIV) says,
“The LORD your God will circumcise your hearts and the hearts of your descendants, so that you may love him with all your heart and with all your soul, and live.”
I believe strongly that God invites us to be apart of HIS restoration and redemptiomn of this this world, “on earth as it is in heaven” . I believe that as we FOLLOW Jesus, this is the natural product of our following.
A great provocative insight in relecting agape love.