The theme of the book of Colossians is Christ, the fullness of God (Colossians 1:19; 2:10). As Christ is fully deity (Colossians 1:15-18; 2:9), the fullness of the spiritual riches of God are in Him (Colossians 1:13-14,19-23; 2:10). In Colossians chapter 2, the apostle puts the brethren on their guard against two sources of error that would take them captive away from Christ: "philosophy" (human wisdom) and "tradition of men" (humanly devised religion) (Colossians 2:8). The stagnant stream from which Christians in Colosse might drink human wisdom was Greek philosophy, and the polluted well from which they might draw humanly devised religion was Jewish tradition (cf. 1 Corinthians 1:22-24). In the second century and later these two sources of spiritual poison mingled together as Gnosticism.

The Jews who infiltrated the church and pretended to believe in Christ demanded that Gentile Christians be circumcised as a condition of salvation (Acts 15:1,5; Galatians 2:1-5). In refutation of this damnable error, Paul reminded the Christians in Colosse that what they had done to enter Christ procured for them a circumcision that truly does save, "the circumcision of Christ" (Colossians 2:11-12).

What is "the circumcision of Christ"? When does it take place?

This circumcision is "In Him" (Colossians 2:11). That is, it is in relation to Christ (Colossians 1:2,4,14,17,19,28; 2:3,5,7,10; 3:15,18; 4:7) not Judaism.

It is not physical circumcision, for it is "made without hands" (Colossians 2:11)

It is done by "putting off the body of the sins of the flesh" (Colossians 2:11; KJV, NKJV). Other translations, following different Greek texts, simply read "putting off the body of the flesh" (ASV, ESV) or "removal of the body of the flesh" (NASB), leaving out the phrase "of the sins." This is because the oldest manuscripts omit the phrase "of the sins" (JFB).

Assuming the phrase "of the sins" is not in the text, the meaning would still be the same. Obviously this is not a literal "putting off the body of the flesh," else the Colossians, to whom Paul was writing, would be physically dead at the time he wrote them (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:1-4; 2 Peter 1:14). This is rather metonomy, the body for the body of sin which arises from our bodies. It is not a reference to repentance, for it is "the circumcision of Christ," what Christ does. Rather, a parallel passage (Romans 6:3-6), explains the apostle's meaning here and may be the source of the phrase "of the sins" in later manuscripts of Colossians. In Romans Paul explains that, when we were baptized, "our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with" (verse 6).

The "circumcision of Christ" is a spiritual operation done by Christ Himself. Jewish circumcision is the fleshly removal of a small portion of the physical body. The circumcision of Christ is the spiritual removal of the entire body of sins. All our sins are forgiven.

When does "the circumcision of Christ" take place? The apostle Paul explains that it is when we are "buried with Him in baptism" (Colossians 2:12). The Greek verb translated "buried" is here a "second aorist passive participle" (NAGL. 395). This means "the burial" in baptism was "contemporaneous with the circumcision" (Vincent). Christ cut all our sins away when we were "buried with Him in baptism."

We were then "raised with Him" from that grave of water (Colossians 2:12) to a new life of freedom from sin (Romans 6:3-7).

Does this mean our salvation is based on our own meritorious work? Absolutely not! Rather, it is "through faith in the working of God" (Colossians 2:12). This term "working" is used in the New Testament "only of superhuman power" (Thayer). When we submit to baptism as a condition of salvation from sin, we are by faith depending on the "superhuman" power of God.

That power is abundantly demonstrated by the fact He is the One "who raised Christ from the dead" (Colossians 2:12). Furthermore, it is "through the resurrection of Christ" that baptism saves us. "Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you - not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience - through the resurrection of Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 3:21, NASB).

The circumcision of Christ is the removal of all the guilt of sin. Christ does this when one is baptized into Him. This baptism is a burial in and resurrection from water in a likeness of Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection as a demonstration that we are depending on the sacrifice of Christ and the working of God for our salvation.

Have you been circumcised by Christ?

Works Cited

Bible,
.....American Standard Version
.....English Standard Version
.....King James Version
.....New American Standard Bible
.....New King James Version
Jamieson, Robert, A.R. Fausset, and David Brown, A Commentary (3:447).
Perschbacher, Wesley J., The new Analytical Greek Lexicon.
Thayer, J.H., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (in e-Sword Bible computer program)
Vincent, Marvin, Word Studies in the Greek New Testament (in e-Sword Bible computer program)