Colossians 2:11-13

The Circumcision of Christ

The Jews stressed the importance of a physical circumcision. In Christ, sinful ways, to which our fleshly desires lead, are cut off. The "circumcision of Christ" may be his death on the cross which made it possible for our sins to be put away from us. Or, it may refer to the putting away that is done when one yields to Christ. The circumcision of our body of sins, as it was described by Paul in the previous verse, is accomplished in baptism. Note, Paul says we are buried in baptism, which would eliminate sprinkling or pouring. When we are raised out of the watery grave, we are cleansed because we showed faith in God's power to take away sin. Certainly, the God who could raise Jesus from the dead can rescue us from the spiritual death.

The Gentiles were not circumcised. Paul used this outward condition to depict the inward sinful state of men separated from God. Their sins, or trespasses, were actually the problem that caused them to be spiritually dead. God quickened, or made them alive, by forgiving their trespasses. A brief comparison of Luke 24:46-53; Acts 2:38 and the preceding verse in this chapter will show that such forgiveness takes place in baptism (Colossians 2:11-13).