“But he is a Jew who is one inwardly, and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.” Rom. 2:29. We become circumcised by walking by faith. Then we are set free from being bound to people—those who walk according to their human reasoning. When Abraham believed he went out, not knowing where he was going. Heb. 11:8. By faith Abraham and Sarah received a son, which went against all human reasoning. He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness of the faith he had while he was still uncircumcised. Rom. 4:11. As long as a person walks according to his human reasoning, other people can understand him, and he is praised by them for being a good and “sensible” Christian. Such Christians have fellowship with carnal relatives and worldly neighbors. They also experience the same anxieties, such as how they can make ends meet! They have the same sense for the things that are great and fashionable in the eyes of man. Such people do not exude an aroma of death to death. 2 Cor. 2:15-16. Even though their way of life is different from that of the ungodly, they nevertheless have not come to the point of their heart being circumcised. You can only come to that by walking by faith, which means that you have to think vertically and do your works before God. Then the honor of God is sufficient for you. When I walk by faith, the Spirit will witness with my spirit that I am a child of God, and the witness of people becomes superfluous. Then those who are perishing will notice the aroma of death to death, and I will be set apart. This is the circumcision of the heart. I seek the things that are above where Christ is sitting, and fellowship is broken with those who seek the things of this earth. Col. 3:1-3; Rev. 3:9. Faith is the full assurance of things not seen. Heb. 11:1. Enoch was translated by faith. This was not a jump of faith, but rather a life of faith—a way of life. Before he was translated, he received the testimony that he pleased God. V. 5. He was separate from the others by living a life of faith. By faith Noah was divinely warned of things not yet seen, and he moved with godly fear, building an ark for the saving of his household. V. 7. He was circumcised— separate from all those who walked according to their human reasoning, according to what they saw. He was dishonored by people, but he was honored by God. “Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen and precious before God.” 1 Pet. 2:4. Everything I do according to my natural understanding is human. This is how most people serve God—on a human level. They cause division and argue about doctrine. They do not want to come to Him who was rejected by men. On the contrary, they all strive for their group to be recognized by as many people as possible. They think horizontally instead of vertically. If we seek the things above where Christ is seated and not the things of the earth, we will be strangers and sojourners. We walk by faith, and together with Jesus we will be rejected by people, but we are chosen and precious before God. This is the Bridegroom and the bride. Jesus has consecrated this way as the author and finisher of faith. Now He is seated at the Father’s right hand and intercedes for us. We who are partakers of a heavenly calling are exhorted to consider Him. Heb. 3:1. He will come again to fetch His bride, those who are rejected by men like He was, whose hearts are circumcised and whose praise is from God!Sigurd Bratlie