The Supremacy of Jesus Christ in Complete Atonement; Part 1

Study: The Colossians Epistle

The Supremacy of Jesus Christ in Complete Atonement; Part 1

Colossians 2:11-12
July 10, 2005

Introduction

Last week, in verses 8-10, we studied, "The Supremacy of Jesus Christ in All Wisdom and Knowledge." In sharp contrast, we also studied how human knowledge is: a) utter foolishness, b) empty deceit and c) Christ-negating. More specifically, we studied:

The Utter Insufficiency of Human Wisdom (Colossians 2:8):
Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ.

The All-Sufficiency of Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:9):
For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;

The Completeness of the Believer (Colossians 2:10):
and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power.

This week, we continue our theme of the supremacy of Jesus Christ by beginning a two week study of verses 11-15 entitled, "The Supremacy of Jesus Christ in Complete Atonement." These verses are really a continuation/expounding of verse 10 (i.e., our completeness in Jesus Christ both positionally (viz., through the imputed righteousness of Christ) and in our sanctification).

In other words, we will further see what it means to be complete in Jesus Christ; in whom dwells all the fullness of Deity. Namely, that our salvation is one which does not need to be supplemented (i.e., completed) by false human philosophy/psychology, ritualism, mysticism, self-denial or any other human work. This morning, we will study verses 11-12.

Colossians 2:11-12 (NKJV): 11 In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, 12 buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

1. Completeness in Jesus Christ's Circumcision

Colossians 2:11 (NKJV): In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ,

Colossians 2:11 (NASB95): and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ;

A. The Reference to Circumcision

Why at this point does Paul reference circumcision? Most likely, it is because the Colossian Heresy was not only a mixture of incipient Gnosticism and pagan philosophy, but also Jewish legalism which would have included the falsehood that circumcision was necessary for salvation.

B. The Old Testament Nature of Circumcision

In general, every Jewish boy was circumcised (i.e., his foreskin was physically and literally cut away) on the eighth day after his birth. It was the sign that he belonged to the covenant nation which was established clear back in Genesis.

Genesis 17:10-14 (NKJV): 10 This is My covenant which you shall keep, between Me and you and your descendants after you: Every male child among you shall be circumcised; 11 and you shall be circumcised in the flesh of your foreskins, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between Me and you. 12 He who is eight days old among you shall be circumcised, every male child in your generations, he who is born in your house or bought with money from any foreigner who is not your descendant. 13 He who is born in your house and he who is bought with your money must be circumcised, and My covenant shall be in your flesh for an everlasting covenant. 14 And the uncircumcised male child, who is not circumcised in the flesh of his foreskin, that person shall be cut off from his people; he has broken My covenant."

Much more important than any physical aspect of circumcision (e.g., hygiene and disease prevention) was the spiritual aspect. In other words, this initiating rite of the old covenant (i.e., circumcision) signified a change of heart (based on one's need for cleansing).

Deut. 10:16: Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer.

Deut 30:6: And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.

Jeremiah 4:4 (NKJV): Circumcise yourselves to the LORD, And take away the foreskins of your hearts, You men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem, Lest My fury come forth like fire, And burn so that no one can quench it, Because of the evil of your doings."

Jeremiah 9:25-26 (NKJV): 25 "Behold, the days are coming," says the LORD, "that I will punish all who are circumcised with the uncircumcised- 26 Egypt, Judah, Edom, the people of Ammon, Moab, and all who are in the farthest corners, who dwell in the wilderness. For all these nations are uncircumcised, and all the house of Israel are uncircumcised in the heart."

Ezekiel 44:7,9 (NKJV): 7 When you brought in foreigners, uncircumcised in heart and uncircumcised in flesh, to be in My sanctuary to defile it-My house-and when you offered My food, the fat and the blood, then they broke My covenant because of all your abominations 9 Thus says the Lord GOD: "No foreigner, uncircumcised in heart or uncircumcised in flesh, shall enter My sanctuary, including any foreigner who is among the children of Israel.

So, even going back to the OT, the significance of circumcision was a spiritual one in that it was a matter regarding one's heart; not a mere physical, outward, act. In other words, the significance of circumcision was its outward demonstration that man was born sinful and needed cleansing. More specifically, the cutting away of the male foreskin demonstrated that man needed cleansing at the deepest level of his being. Why? No other part of the human anatomy so demonstrates the depth of sin, since it is this part of man which carries the seed which produces depraved sinners. So, circumcision symbolized the need for profound deep cleansing.

C. The New Testament Nature of Circumcision

As we just saw, circumcision symbolized man's need for cleansing of the heart. We see this same idea in the New Testament.

Acts 7:51 (NKJV): "You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.

Romans 2:28-29 (NKJV): 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.

Romans 4:9-12 (NKJV): 9 Does this blessedness then come upon the circumcised only, or upon the uncircumcised also? For we say that faith was accounted to Abraham for righteousness. 10 How then was it accounted? While he was circumcised, or uncircumcised? Not while circumcised, but while uncircumcised. 11 And he received the sign of circumcision, a seal of the righteousness of the faith which he had while still uncircumcised, that he might be the father of all those who believe, though they are uncircumcised, that righteousness might be imputed to them also, 12 and the father of circumcision to those who not only are of the circumcision, but who also walk in the steps of the faith which our father Abraham had while still uncircumcised.

Philippians 3:3 (NKJV): 3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh,

Old and New Testaments alike, God was always concerned with the heart, not with the physical rite itself. Further, as we just saw in Romans 4:11 regarding Abraham, the external act of circumcision does not save sinners from their sin (i.e., Abraham was not circumcised until many years after "he believed in the Lord; and (God) reckoned it to him as righteousness" as seen in Genesis 15:6). His circumcision was the outward sign of a heart already made righteous by faith.

D. Our Source of Circumcision

Verse 11 says, "In Him you were also circumcised by the circumcision of Christ," Simply put, whatever our circumcision may be, it is one that is founded in Jesus Christ. Again, this is a continuation and expounding of verse 10 which proclaims that believers are complete in Christ.

E. Our Type of Circumcision

As verse 11 puts it, "In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands,"

For Christians, the physical, outward, rite of circumcision is unnecessary because we've already been circumcised with, "a circumcision made without hands" (i.e., a spiritual circumcision). In other words, in contrast to the teachings embodied within the Colossian Heresy, believers are complete in Christ not because of any external, physical, outward act of man, by human hands; but because of a spiritual circumcision in, and through, the Person and Work of Jesus Christ. In fact, to add circumcision (or any other human work to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ is to gut the Gospel of Jesus Christ into no gospel at all (see Galatians). So not only is circumcision unnecessary for complete salvation, it is contradictory and opposed to the saving Gospel of Jesus Christ.

F. The Meaning of Circumcision

Colossians 2:11 (NASB95): and in Him you were also circumcised with a circumcision made without hands, in the removal of the body of the flesh

The meaning of the circumcision in Jesus Christ is, "the removal of the body of the flesh" (NASB). Simply put, this refers to the sinful, fallen, human nature which totally dominates one before salvation. In being spiritually circumcised, Christians have been cleansed of that sinful dominance and been given a new nature created in righteousness.

Romans 6:1-7 (NKJV): What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? 2 Certainly not! How shall we who died to sin live any longer in it? 3 Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin.

2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV): 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.

As believers in the Person and Work of Jesus Christ, we have been freed from sin's penalty and power, though not yet from its presence. The question will surely arise as to why Christians still sin if their sinful self has died. As one can see in Romans 7:15-23, the new disposition, which desires to obey God, resides in the unredeemed flesh (i.e., humanness) which is still subject to temptation from "all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life" (1 John 2:16).

Hughes- "His circumcision on the Cross involved not the stripping away of a small piece of flesh, but the violent removal of his entire body in death. The Colossians, now "in Him" as believers, spiritually shared in this circumcision, this death. Their "sinful nature" was cut away; they died to their former way of life."

Summary- Spiritual Circumcision Versus Physical Circumcision

Spiritual circumcision was the work of the Holy Spirit (made without hands). Physical circumcision was a manual operation (minor surgery).
Spiritual circumcision is inward, of the heart. Physical circumcision was outward.
Spiritual circumcision was the putting off and casting away of your entire evil nature (the body of flesh). Physical circumcision was mere removal of excess foreskin.
Spiritual circumcision was Christian (the circumcision of Christ) that is, the circumcision which is your because of your vital union with Christ. Physical circumcision was Abrahamic and Mosaic.

Hendriksen- "Colossians, do not allow these teachers of error to deceive you as if... you need to be literally circumcised. You were already circumcised! Yes, with a circumcision that excels by far the rite that is being recommended so strongly by the false teachers."

2. Completeness in Jesus Christ's Baptism

Colossians 2:12 (NKJV): buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

Colossians 2:12 (NASB95): having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.

First, a quick note of what we will not study here: a) the issue of infant baptism versus believers baptism and b) the mode of baptism (i.e., immersion versus sprinkling). Why not? a) those issues would require much time, b) would only serve to distract from the main points of the verse and c) I am not 100% convinced that this verse is even talking about water baptism. The key thing is not to trust in baptism, whatever it may be.

Second, is verse 12 referencing water baptism or spiritual baptism? The Greek is "baptisma" and can be used both ways. So its immediate context would seem to dictate the meaning of this word. The context of verse 11 is one of spiritual circumcision as opposed to physical circumcision. As such, it seems the context in verse 11 would suggest a similar meaning of "baptisma" here in verse 12 (i.e., spiritual baptism, not physical, water, baptism). Further, this meaning would be consistent with the meaning of the same Greek word (i.e., baptisma) in:

Commentators, including MacArthur, agree that "baptisma" in Romans 6 refers to "spiritual," not water, immersion. Instead, "baptisma" in Romans 6 means to be "identified," or "placed" in Christ. That is the meaning that Wuest, Hughes and myself would attach to Colossians 2:12. In other words, water baptism is no more in view in 2:12 than physical circumcision was in 2:11. Both verses speak of spiritual realities.

However, with all that said, Wuest, Hughes and myself are in the minority. Most other commentators, including MacArthur, attach a physical connotation to "baptisma" in verse 12.

Regardless of whether verse 12 speaks of water baptism or spiritual baptism, we are complete in Jesus Christ by virtue of our being "buried with Him" in His death and "raised with Him" in His resurrection. In fact, those who adopt a meaning of water baptism in this verse assert that its very act pictures the realty of one's union in the death, burial and resurrection in Jesus Christ. If so, this is an outward affirmation of the already accomplished inner transformation.

In other words, while some see support in verse 12 for baptismal regeneration, Paul would hardly replace one rite with another. Arguing that the change from spiritual death to spiritual life is effected by water baptism would make Paul as much of a ritualist as those he was condemning.

Instead, such a spiritual transformation can only be achieved "through faith in the working of God." Working- The Greek is "Energeia." We get our word "energy" from it. It refers to God's active power (i.e., the same power that raised Jesus Christ from the dead).

Closing

Hughes- The Colossians possessed a fullness which was created and maintained by the fact that they actually participated in the death, burial and resurrection of Christ. The practical application for us is this: we are to daily reckon to our account that we died with Christ, that we were buried with him and that we were resurrected with him. This ought to come into our minds again and again, so that it dominates our being.

Hendriksen- You, believers, have no need of external circumcision. You have received a far better circumcision, that of heart and life. That circumcision is yours by virtue of your union with Christ. When he was buried you (i.e., your former wicked selves) were buried with Him. When he was raised you (i.e., as new creatures) were raised with Him. In the experience of baptism you received the sign and seal of this marvelous Spirit-wrought transformation.

Study: The Colossians Epistle