Circumcision was first introduced to Abraham as a sign of the covenant between him and God. In Genesis 17:10-11, God commands, “This is my covenant, which you shall keep, between me and you and your offspring after you: Every male among you shall be circumcised. You shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and you.” This act was a physical mark signifying the people’s special relationship with God, setting them apart as His chosen people to whom He promised blessings and through whom He planned to bless all nations.

In the New Testament, the significance of physical circumcision shifts. The Apostle Paul explains that the true circumcision is not merely physical but a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter (Romans 2:29). Paul further argues that in Christ, physical circumcision is no longer the means by which one belongs to God’s covenant people. Instead, faith in Christ and baptism symbolize entrance into the new covenant and the true circumcision of the heart (Colossians 2:11-12).

Thus, while circumcision began as a physical sign of belonging to God’s covenant people in the Old Testament, the New Testament redefines the concept to emphasize a spiritual relationship with God through faith in Jesus Christ.