Circumcised by faith….

[Not me]

Colossians 2:11 (NASB20)
and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision performed without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ,

    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
This circumcision that is being spoken of is put forth as performed by something other than human hands, which is the removing one from their body of sin by the active power of faith… 

This is the operation of God scripture speaks of concerning the work of God in the life, that being, the cutting off the body of sin by faith in one being joined with Christ in His death, this is the circumcision of the heart that is spoken of in scripture…. This is the active work of God in the life, which can only be had by the faith of one’s heart turned towards Him… This relationship of faith is that relationship that will do all, and even more than all according to one’s faith, that being one’s desire after God… For faith and desire go hand in hand, for one’s faith in God will be in accordance to one’s desire after Him… For the faith that sees that the getting rid of the life of self is the all of growing in Christ, that being, that the all of Christ forming Himself in one, is the all of the salvation offered in Christ…

Whereby is one called to live by allowing the truth of the scripture that says, ‘be it unto me according to your word’ to have its way in the life, for this living by it, is trusting the life of Christ to manifest itself through the life that is presented to Him by faith… For this is the new creation coming to birth and then growing in one…

For believing into one’s death in Christ and trusting in God to grow, to form the new creation in one, is the all of the faith one is called to…. For the cutting off of the old is the circumcision of Christ preformed without hands, that being, without human  ingenuity, but through the faith of the heart turned towards God… For the new cannot grow till the old is cut away….

Be blessed in the cutting away of the old and then the growing of the new…. 

 

A fellow walker in the faith, Not me 

[AdHoc]

Here is my understanding of that verse. Here it is in its context.

9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 11 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: 12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Colossians was written because, having started well, an element had crept in that did not like the accusation that man was totally fallen and that human wisdom could be applied to Christians. This was the forerunner to the Gnostics who maintained that man was essentially good, but that his environment - that is, the creature, made him sin, and that their superior knowledge could combat this. Paul attacks this philosophy energetically, sayin that the Christian is "complete in Christ" and needs no human wisdom. One of the areas in danger of human philosophy was the coming Kingdom of Christ. Verse 9 opens the context "principalities" and this runs till verse 15 with the "principalities spoiled".

Now, to Abraham is promised that his seed would "possess the gates of his enemies". A "Gate" in parable is the place in the city where the elders gathered to discuss and decide on governmental matters of the city (Deut.21:19 etc.). But man's part of this Covenant is circumcision (see Genesis 15 & 17). But two problems face the Colossians:

1. How are they to be part of the Covenant with Abraham
2. Seeing as "flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom" (1st Cor.15:50), how will they enter this Kingdom

The first problem is shown and solved in Galatians 3 were things build up to verse 29 where we are judged to be Christ's and because He is heir to Abraham's Covenant, we are too WITHOUT becoming Israelites. But must we also be circumcised as per the Covenant. Yes. No exceptions are allowed. But in this lies a problem. The foreskin was enough for the "Kingdom of Israel", but for the whole earth (Rom.4:13), the whole body must be cut off. But that would mean the end of the Church because our BODIES are the members of Christ (1st Cor.6:15). So how does God get around this? He counts us, based on John 12:24, to be IN Christ. And because we are counted as IN Christ we enjoy all that He has achieved - one thing of which is that His whole Body was cut off on the cross. So, because Jesus went through another and more comprehensive circumcision, one not done by his father Joseph on the eighth day, but one by death. AND WE ARE, BECAUSE WE ARE IN HIM, INCLUDED IN THIS CIRCUMCISION. We are COMPLETE IN HIM (v.10). 

That is, the REALITY of the total cutting off of the flesh for partaking of the Covenant of Promise is REALIZED IN CHRIST. But Romans 4:11 says that the circumcision of Abraham was a "SIGN". Therefore, we who are equipped for the Kingdom of Christ (not just Israel) must show a "SIGN" of the reality. And this sign is BAPTISM. Baptism is a "SIGN" that we partake of the Covenant with Abraham which entails terminating the whole flesh, by being TOTALLY IMMERSED in the death waters AND then RISEN by coming out of the water (v.12). Thus, for the partaking of the Kingdom when Christ sets it up on earth, we must be Baptized. For the saving of our souls from the effects of sin and trespasses, we need FAITH in Christ's Work. But we are SAVED FOR A PURPOSE - to rule the earth. And while salvation is guaranteed by FAITH, being enlisted in the Kingdom is done by COVENANT - that with Abraham.

Summary:

1. You are Christ's - this makes you a seed of Abraham
2. With Abraham and his seed is made a Covenant for rulership of this earth
3. Abraham and his seed's part in this Contract is circumcision
4. Circumcision was for Israel (Canaan), but because the whole earth is now involved (Rom.4:13) a circumcision without hands is required - the terminating of the whole body
5. This terminating of the whole Body was achieved by Christ so those IN Christ are validated by the same event
6. This event of termination must be "SIGNIFIED" - the "SIGN" is water immersion - Baptism
7. The Christian who refuses Baptism is still saved from the Lake of Fire and still is a son of God, BUT HE/SHE WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE KINGDOM when Christ sets it up on earth

[Not me]

58 minutes ago, AdHoc said:

Here is my understanding of that verse. Here it is in its context.

9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily. 10 And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power: 11 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: 12 Buried with him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with him through the faith of the operation of God, who hath raised him from the dead.
13 And you, being dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your flesh, hath he quickened together with him, having forgiven you all trespasses; 14 Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; 15 And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.

Colossians was written because, having started well, an element had crept in that did not like the accusation that man was totally fallen and that human wisdom could be applied to Christians. This was the forerunner to the Gnostics who maintained that man was essentially good, but that his environment - that is, the creature, made him sin, and that their superior knowledge could combat this. Paul attacks this philosophy energetically, sayin that the Christian is "complete in Christ" and needs no human wisdom. One of the areas in danger of human philosophy was the coming Kingdom of Christ. Verse 9 opens the context "principalities" and this runs till verse 15 with the "principalities spoiled".

Now, to Abraham is promised that his seed would "possess the gates of his enemies". A "Gate" in parable is the place in the city where the elders gathered to discuss and decide on governmental matters of the city (Deut.21:19 etc.). But man's part of this Covenant is circumcision (see Genesis 15 & 17). But two problems face the Colossians:

1. How are they to be part of the Covenant with Abraham
2. Seeing as "flesh and blood cannot inherit the Kingdom" (1st Cor.15:50), how will they enter this Kingdom

The first problem is shown and solved in Galatians 3 were things build up to verse 29 where we are judged to be Christ's and because He is heir to Abraham's Covenant, we are too WITHOUT becoming Israelites. But must we also be circumcised as per the Covenant. Yes. No exceptions are allowed. But in this lies a problem. The foreskin was enough for the "Kingdom of Israel", but for the whole earth (Rom.4:13), the whole body must be cut off. But that would mean the end of the Church because our BODIES are the members of Christ (1st Cor.6:15). So how does God get around this? He counts us, based on John 12:24, to be IN Christ. And because we are counted as IN Christ we enjoy all that He has achieved - one thing of which is that His whole Body was cut off on the cross. So, because Jesus went through another and more comprehensive circumcision, one not done by his father Joseph on the eighth day, but one by death. AND WE ARE, BECAUSE WE ARE IN HIM, INCLUDED IN THIS CIRCUMCISION. We are COMPLETE IN HIM (v.10). 

That is, the REALITY of the total cutting off of the flesh for partaking of the Covenant of Promise is REALIZED IN CHRIST. But Romans 4:11 says that the circumcision of Abraham was a "SIGN". Therefore, we who are equipped for the Kingdom of Christ (not just Israel) must show a "SIGN" of the reality. And this sign is BAPTISM. Baptism is a "SIGN" that we partake of the Covenant with Abraham which entails terminating the whole flesh, by being TOTALLY IMMERSED in the death waters AND then RISEN by coming out of the water (v.12). Thus, for the partaking of the Kingdom when Christ sets it up on earth, we must be Baptized. For the saving of our souls from the effects of sin and trespasses, we need FAITH in Christ's Work. But we are SAVED FOR A PURPOSE - to rule the earth. And while salvation is guaranteed by FAITH, being enlisted in the Kingdom is done by COVENANT - that with Abraham.

Summary:

1. You are Christ's - this makes you a seed of Abraham
2. With Abraham and his seed is made a Covenant for rulership of this earth
3. Abraham and his seed's part in this Contract is circumcision
4. Circumcision was for Israel (Canaan), but because the whole earth is now involved (Rom.4:13) a circumcision without hands is required - the terminating of the whole body
5. This terminating of the whole Body was achieved by Christ so those IN Christ are validated by the same event
6. This event of termination must be "SIGNIFIED" - the "SIGN" is water immersion - Baptism
7. The Christian who refuses Baptism is still saved from the Lake of Fire and still is a son of God, BUT HE/SHE WILL NOT BE ELIGIBLE FOR THE KINGDOM when Christ sets it up on earth

Thank you for putting forth of your understanding, may you be blessed in your relationship with Christ, in all good work and word, be blessed in Him…

 

A fellow believer, Not me