THE TRUTH ABOUT THE CHRISTIAN CHURCH

 

Chapter 14

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The Church, The Truly Circumcised People

From Function to Identity​

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Phil. 3:3 For we are the circumcision, who worship God in the Spirit, rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

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The circumcision illustrated in the preparatory message of the Old Testament was a ‘shadow’ pointing to the spiritual circumcision not done with human hands, but by Christ Himself. In the Old Testament, circumcision was done on the body, by the body. Now, in the New Testament, it is done by the Spirit (Christ) in the heart.

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The shadow circumcision of the Old Covenant was a mark of identity separating all others not circumcised from the Commonwealth of the old Israel. In the same vein, the circumcision by Christ of the Christians’ hearts due to faith in Christ, has qualified them to share in the inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and God (Eph. 5:5; Col. 1:12-13).

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By the Abrahamic circumcision, the foreskin of the penis was cut off as an illustration of the cutting off of the sinful nature in people today, which inhibited the expression of the divine (spirit) nature of God effected by Christ through His word. The truly circumcised people are circumcised by Christ which enables them to see and think heavenward, not boasting about material possessions and achievements, and comparing themselves one with another as carnal people do (2 Cor. 10:12).

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In other words, their circumcised hearts have been renewed to know better how important and imperative to their lives is the will of God in Christ. Such is what bothers them first and foremost and as their highest priority in life. They have it as a goal to live out and grow in the grace and knowledge of the Son of God to such height (2 Pet. 3:18). Otherwise they are not fully believing. It is not ordinary to detect this faulty status without God’s revelation. Finally, a circumcision was a mark to a biological Israelite. So also is a life lived in the spirit a mark of identity on Christians – the new Israel (Gal. 6:16).

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Evaluation Questions & Answers​

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1. Physical circumcision was a mark identifying a biological Israelite. What similarly is the mark identifying a Christian?

   • Life lived in the Spirit: “Peace and mercy be upon… the Israel of God” (Gal. 6:16).

   • “If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit.” (Gal. 5:25)

   • Specifically: A circumcised heart that “worships God in Spirit, rejoices in Christ Jesus, has no confidence in flesh” (Phil. 3:3).

   • Visible proof:

     • Love (John 13:35).

     • Fruit (Matt. 7:16).

     • Obedience (1 John 2:3-6).

   • Not tongue, tithe, or title, but lifestyle. The truly circumcised do not compare by flesh.

2. Where and where are both the physical and spiritual circumcisions done and by who?

   • Physical:

     • Where? Body, foreskin (Gen. 17:11).

     • By who? Human hands, parents / priests (Gen. 17:23).

   • Spiritual:

     • Where? Heart (Col. 2:11).

     • “Circumcision is that of the heart and in the Spirit.” (Rom. 2:29)

   • By who? Christ Himself.

     • “Circumcision made without hands… by the circumcision of Christ.” (Col. 2:11)

     • Through His word (John 15:3; Eph. 5:26).

     • No man can circumcise your heart. No bishop, no daddy G.O., Christ alone.

3. What is the pride in both the physical and spiritual circumcisions for those circumcised?

   • Physical: Flesh, lineage, works.

     • “If anyone… has reason to boast… I more: circumcised on the eighth day… Hebrew… Pharisee… blameless.” (Phil. 3:4-6)

     • Result: Self-righteousness (Luke 18:11-12).

   • Spiritual: No pride in self, “no confidence in the flesh” (Phil. 3:3).

     • “God forbid that I should boast except in the cross” (Gal. 6:14).

   • Pride in:

     • Christ alone “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” (1 Cor. 1:31)

     • Will of God in Christ (Rom. 12:2).

     • Truly circumcised boast about Christ, not cars, cathedrals or certificates (2 Cor. 10:17).

4. Whereas the physical circumcision associated with the Israel of this world, where does the spiritual circumcision unite those involved?

   • In the Kingdom of Christ and God.

     • “Conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son” (Col. 1:13).

     • “Inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God” (Eph. 5:5).

   • Physical united to: Israel of this world – land, temple, Jerusalem.

   • Spiritual unites to: New Israel (Gal. 6:16), Commonwealth of heaven (Phil. 3:20), Body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13). We are not united in Ukanafun. We are united in Christ. He Himself is our peace… “one new man”.

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Prayer

Father, help me to know that the Christian church has now no foreskin, no confidence in lineage and no boast in achievements, but only in Christ. One Head, one Body and one cut heart. Amen.

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