Colossians 2 11 12


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:
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 2:10-12

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.
For as many of you as have been baptised into Christ have put on Christ.

Galatians 3:26-27

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:

  1. Your righteousness is sealed
  2. Holiness for you is to trust God for your righteousness, instead of trying to establish your own righteousness
  3. 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:
By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.

Romans 5:1-2

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.
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.

Ephesians 5:22-24

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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