Tuesday, November 28th, 2023

Scripture: Col. 2:11 In him also you were circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,

Teaching: Paul continues here his description of the salvation process that is accomplished by Christ’s work; said another way, Paul is describing how believers are made complete in Christ (and thus, refuting the false teaching of Gnosticism in their church). Verse 11 describes how the believer is complete in Christ by undergoing a spiritual circumcision, one not accomplished by the works of hands or flesh. This is referring to what Paul speaks of in other letters as the circumcision of the heart by the Holy Spirit. It results in a changed heart, one who faith leads to repentance and whose joy is in the Lord. Interestingly here, Paul then compares physical circumcision – the removal of a certain part of flesh – with what Christ will do for believers one day whose hearts are already circumcised: remove their fleshly bodies and give them new, sinless and glorified bodies.

Takeaway: Paul is saying here that by faith, we are given the Holy Spirit to indwell us, and that indwelling of the Spirit marks us in a way that physical circumcision did under the Old Covenant. Though it cannot be seen, as physical circumcision can, it is seen and known by the Lord and we are complete in Christ because of it. The Holy Spirit, once given, is not taken away. We are His children at this point. The good work that the Lord has started, by the pouring out of His Spirit in us, and the “circumcision of the heart” will be brought to completion at the day of Jesus Christ (Phil. 1:6). Thus, though we struggle against our sin all the days of our lives, we are already made complete in Christ when we believe, because we have this assurance of our future. Nothing else is needed to guarantee we one day escape the corruption of our sinful flesh. In Christ, we have already overcome.