UNCIRCUMCISED EARS
Acts 7:51-52
Morning Meditation 12/23/16
Verses 51-52 say, “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: as your fathers did, so do ye. Which of the prophets have not your fathers persecuted? and they have slain them which shewed before of the coming of the Just One; of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers:”
These are the words of Stephen a deacon in the First Church in Jerusalem. The ministry of Chris/t and the organization of the Church where believers were to worship and grow caused division among the Jews. Jesus says in Matthew 10:35, “For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law.” Truth always separates. Stephen brings a message to the unbelieving Jews that causes such anger that they stone him and he becomes the first martyr in the early Church.
What does the word “circumcised” mean? It is the cutting away of the flesh of male children and a sign of faith in the Abrahamic covenant. It happened on the eighth day after birth. Circumcision is a common term used figuratively of death. Colossians 2:11 says, “In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:” Here circumcision is referring to the death of Jesus and our death with Him whereby we died in His death to the flesh. It is described as a circumcision “made without hands.”
Romans 2: 28-29 says, “For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.”
Stephen is using a term in his message to the Christ rejecting Jews that cut them to the heart. They were stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears. As we consider this statement, let’s look first of all at CIRCUMCISED EARS. What is circumcised ears”
Circumcised ears hear the things of God. Christians who maintain a walk in fellowship with the Lord are constantly tuned to their Lord and Saviour. They hear from Him and recognize His voice. The unsaved are deaf to spiritual things. First Corinthians 2::14 says, “But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” The natural man is the man who is not saved. He is at home in this world and lives according to human rationalism. To live by faith to him is unreasonable and foolish. When he hears spiritual truth it is foreign to him. On the other hand, the saved who are under the control of the Holy Spirit, hear and discern the things of God. Their ears are open to the Holy Spirit’s message. They have the capacity to hear God.
Circumcise ears are deaf to the things of the world, the flesh and the devil. This is a deftness of response. It does not mean that one does not hear the words.. It does not mean that the believer is never tempted after salvation. What it means is that when the tempter comes he might as well be talking to a corpse in the casket as to be speaking to the one who has experienced Spiritual circumcision. The man who walks according to Romans 6:11, and is constantly reckoning himself dead to sin, is dead to the appeals of the world, the flesh and the devil.
UNCIRCUMCISED EARS. What is it to have uncircumcised ears? What was Stephen talking about? Uncircumcised ears have a heart problem. Christianity is a heart matter. When we are saved we have a Spiritual circumcision of the heart. The heart has to do with sincerity, feeling, and love. Romans 10:10 says, “For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness . . .” Religion is cold and academic. Religion has killed more people to force them to believe as it does than all the wars between nations. One can never become a follower of Christ by force. He ONLY RECEIVES VOLUNTEERS.
Uncircumcised ears are proud and resistant to change. The Jews thought more of the interpretation that their father put on the Scriptures than the Scriptures. They could not be influenced to change their minds about their wrong views because they had uncircumcised ears. This is what Stephen is telling them. It infuriated them. The nation of Israel today still has uncircumcised ears. They are not open to the possibility that they could be wrong. They are unwilling to admit that they crucified their Messiah. They will never be saved until they are willing to become circumcised in heart and ears. There are those who have been reared in religious homes and have attended their church and embraced its doctrine. Yet they have no assurance of salvation. If you suggest they might be wrong to the extent they are not saved they greet that bit of information with hostility. Just like the Jews did when they stoned Stephen. They were uncircumcised in heart and ears and because of this they were locked in to error.
Uncircumcised ears consistently resist the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of truth. He will always make you uncomfortable if you are in error. There is no assurance for those who are in error. They always say something like, “I hope I am saved.” The Holy Spirit has been sent into the world to convict of sin, of righteousness, and judgment to come. It is a sin to be wrong about the way of salvation. Just as Stephen informed the Jews in this message that they were guilty of resisting the Holy Spirit, people today need to be told that they have uncircumcised ears and that they too resist the Holy Spirit.. It is their only hope of change.
Uncircumcised ears follow the wrong examples. Stephen said, “Ye stiffnecked and uncircumcised in heart and ears, ye do always resist the Holy Ghost: AS YOUR FATHER’S DID, SO DO YE” (Caps mine for emphasis). They were following in the footsteps of their fathers. This means that in order to be right, they would have to reject the opinions of their fathers. This is not an easy decision. The wrong way must be abandoned. Uncircumcised ears follow the wrong examples.
Uncircumcised ears are heartless and cruel. Stephen said of their rejection of Jesus, “ . . . of whom ye have been now the betrayers and murderers.” Their uncircumcised ears were infuriated because of the truthful confrontation concerning the crucifixion of Jesus. At the crucifixion they cried out, “Let His blood be on us.” But now that it is history, they deny it, and will kill to silence their accuser.
But their is a breath of fresh air in this incident. There was one who was in charge of the stoning of Stephen by the name of Saul. Saul saw and heard something that day from which he could not get away. When he was converted on the road to Damascus, Jesus said to him, “. . . It is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.” This is speaking of the conviction of the Holy Spirit where He makes you know in your heart of hearts that you are wrong. So the Lord allowed the death of Stephen and converted the chief persecutor of the Church. You might find yourself complaining over the death of Stephen, but you will not find him complaining. Verses 59-60 say, “And they stoned Stephen, calling upon God, and saying, Lord Jesus, receive my spirit. And he kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, Lord, lay not this sin to their charge. And when he had said this, he fell asleep.” You may dread death but you welcome sleep. I wonder if the Lord is not trying to tell us something in the use of the word “sleep.”
One more thing in closing. The Holy Spirit can be resisted. There are those who believe that grace cannot be resisted. You get that from your theology books, you do not get that from the Bible. Stephen said, “ye do ALWAYS resist . . .” It is amazing what men will do to get God to say what they want Him to say!
Let’s make sure that we do not have uncircumcised ears. We should be open to the truth and be willing to change any time the Lord shows us that we are wrong.
May the Lord bless these words to our hearts.
In Christ
Bro. White
