WHAT IS COLOSSIANS 2 11 12 ABOUT?
Colossians 2 11 12 refers to the “circumcision of Christ” [Colossians 2:11]
The ‘circumcision of Christ’ is a spiritual circumcision that happens to a Christian on conversion [Romans 2:28-29, Philippians 3:3]
It is the permanent putting off/removal of your sinful flesh by God [Galatians 5:24, Romans 6:6], through your spiritual identification with the death and resurrection of Christ [Colossians 2:12]
If you are a Christian, this spiritual circumcision was done to you by God, when you were spiritually baptised into Christ at conversion [Colossians 2:11-12]:
And ye are complete in him, which is the head of all principality and power:
Colossians 2:10-12
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:
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.
COLOSSIANS 2 VERSE 12: BAPTISM INTO CHRIST
The centre of your person is your spirit
When you believed the gospel [1 Corinthians 15:1-4], your spirit was baptised into Christ [1 Corinthians 12:13, Galatians 3:26-27, Colossians 2:12]:
For by one Spirit are we all baptised into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have all been made to drink into one Spirit.
1 Corinthians 12:13
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.
Galatians 3:26-27
For as many of you as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ.
Consequently, your spirit was made to be in union with Christ [1 Corinthians 6:17]
But he that is joined unto the Lord is one spirit.
1 Corinthians 6:17
Therefore, you have a spiritual union with Christ
COLOSSIANS 2 VERSE 11: SPIRITUAL CIRCUMCISION
The union between your spirit and Christ, was made on the cross
Your spirit died with Christ and was raised with Christ [Colossians 2:12].
When you died with Christ, you died to the sin in your flesh [Romans 6:2-3].
Therefore, you died to your sinful flesh [Colossians 2:11] and effectively, your sinful flesh was killed to you [Romans 6:6]
Effectively, your sinful flesh has been removed/put off/crucified [Colossians 2:11, Galatians 5:24]
This is spiritual circumcision
WHAT ARE THE IMPLICATIONS OF COLOSSIANS 2 11 12?
Here are some direct consequences of spiritual circumcision:
- Your righteousness is sealed
- Holiness for you is to trust God for your righteousness, instead of trying to establish your own righteousness
- You submit to God
[1] COLOSSIANS 2 11 12: YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS IS SEALED
When you believed the gospel of Christ, you received the gift of righteousness by faith [Romans 5:1, 5:17]
Consequently, you have the righteousness of God [Romans 3:21-22] and are righteous before Him [Romans 3:28, 5:1]
When you believed the gospel, your spirit was also baptised into Christ by the Holy Spirit [Galatians 3:25-27, 1 Corinthians 12:13]
At that point, a spiritual union was made between your spirit and Christ [1 Corinthians 6:17]
Therefore, your spirit died with Christ and was raised with Christ [Colossians 2:11-12]. The result was that your spirit was born again of God
Since your spirit died with Christ, your spirit died to your sinful flesh [Romans 6:2-3], and you have effectively put off your sinful flesh. This is spiritual circumcision [Colossians 2:11, Philippians 3:3]
What this means, is that any sinful acts done in the flesh, are not accredited to your account by God, because your flesh is not you anymore [Romans 6:6, 7:17, 7:20]
Consequently, your righteousness is sealed [Romans 4:11, 5:1]
[2] COLOSSIANS 2 11 12: HOLINESS
I speak after the manner of men because of the infirmity of your flesh: for as ye have yielded your members servants to uncleanness and to iniquity unto iniquity; even so now yield your members servants to righteousness unto holiness.
Romans 6:19
Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Romans 5:1-2
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
Thanks to spiritual circumcision, your righteousness is sealed and therefore permanent. You always have it irrespective of what you do [Romans 5:1, 8:38-39]
Therefore you can rest in the gift of righteousness [Ephesians 6:14]
When you yield yourselves to the gift of righteousness, that is your fruit unto holiness [Romans 6:19]
What this means, is that when you rest in the gift of righteousness for your righteousness [Romans 5:2], instead of trying to establish your own righteousness [Philippians 3:9], this act is a fruit of holiness which glorifies God
Therefore, for a Christian, holiness is to trust God for your righteousness instead of trying to establish your own righteousness [Romans 6:19]
[3] COLOSSIANS 2 11 12: YOU SUBMIT TO GOD
For God is my witness, whom I serve with my spirit in the gospel of his Son, that without ceasing I make mention of you always in my prayers.
Romans 1:9
Wives, submit yourselves unto your own husbands, as unto the Lord.
Ephesians 5:22-24
For the husband is the head of the wife, even as Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.
Therefore as the church is subject unto Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in every thing.
When God baptised you into Christ, a spiritual union was set up between your spirit and Christ [Galatians 3:26-27, 1 Corinthians 6:17]
You died with Christ and were raised with Christ, and so you were born again in Christ. You are a new creation in Christ [2 Corinthians 5:17, Colossians 3:3]
The spiritual union created between your spirit and Christ is a marriage union, in which Christ is the Head [Ephesians 5:23]
Therefore, your spirit was made to be in subjection to Christ [Ephesians 5:24]
Consequently, your spirit submits to God. That is why Paul serves God with his spirit, because his spirit submits to God [Romans 1:9]
When your spirit died with Christ through baptism into Christ, your spirit died to your sinful flesh [Romans 6:2-3]. Effectively, because of this spiritual circumcision, you have put off your sinful flesh [Colossians 2:11-12]
Since your spirit submits to God and you have put off your sinful flesh, you actually submit to God
SUMMARY: COLOSSIANS 2 11 12
Through death and resurrection with Christ, God gave you a spiritual circumcision at conversion
This means that your righteousness is sealed, you are holy by standing on the righteousness of God and you submit to God
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