From Adam to Abraham men did not have to be circumcised to be saved and from the cross to now men have not had to be circumcised to be saved. So why is circumcision such a big thing in God’s eyes from Abraham to the cross? It seems a strange thing to prove your faith by cutting off your foreskin. Any thoughts on this?
It seems strange to us because we don’t understand the covenant ceremony. Circumcision was an external physical sign that a covenant existed between God and the Israelites. It’s not that God changed His mind about its importance, it’s that like many Old Testament practices, circumcision became internal and spiritual in the New Testament (Romans 2:28-29). For a better understanding of the covenant ceremony, Read The Covenant Relationship.