This morning I felt I should read from Philippians 3:1-11 NIV:
[1] "Further, my brothers and sisters, rejoice in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. [2] Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. [3] For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus, and who put no confidence in the flesh--- [4] though I myself have reasons for such confidence.
If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: [5] circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; [6] as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.
[7] But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. [8] What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ [9] and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ---the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. [10] I want to know Christ---yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death, [11] and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead."
I love the verses from 7-11, but what caught my eye this morning was Paul's statements about circumcision. I guess it is one of those topics I haven't really thought about much. It seems pretty straight forward, and yet, there is much more to this than a medical procedure. The fact that this one topic was one of the first divisive themes in the newly born church, should clue us into its overall importance.
I figured I should do some research. I came across a really good article discussing the importance of Circumcision and the role of this act in the life of the Jewish male written by a rabbi ( https://www.jtsa.edu/torah/the-power-of-circumcision/). He describes circumcision as that rite of separation from one's mother and receiving one's name and identity, and dedication unto God. The author describes the impact of this on the life of Abram and Sarai, as described in Gen 17:
"It is at this juncture that God intervenes again. “I am El Shaddai. Walk in My ways and be blameless. I will establish My covenant between Me and you, and I will make you exceedingly numerous (Genesis 17:1-2).” For effect, God changes Abraham’s name from “Abram” to “Abraham,” with the additional heh, endowing it with the meaning of “the father of a multitude of nations (Genesis 17:5).” The physical symbol of this everlasting covenant is to be circumcision. Indeed, Sarah becomes pregnant with Isaac only after her elderly husband has undergone the operation. Circumcision is as critical to setting human history on a new course as the original call to Abraham to leave his native land and his father’s house. Fertility comes to Sarah at the age of 90 with Abraham’s entry into the sacred covenant. Moreover, her name is likewise changed by the addition of the letter heh from “Sarai” to “Sarah (Genesis 17:15),” a letter that in both cases may represent the transfer of the letter heh from God’s name (i.e. the Tetragrammaton) to that of Abraham and Sarah. The new names signify not only a change in their fortune but a nearness and fidelity to God."
As I was reading and reflecting on this article, I saw the parallels between circumcision and the "new creation" that Paul writes about in Galatians 6:14-15 NIV:
"May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation."
Clearly Paul believes that the "new creation" is superior to circumcision, and one must agree for no longer does just our name and identity change, our whole being changes, we are in effect born again (John 3:3-7 & 1 Peter 1:23) as a new human creation. Where Abraham represented the first of a new nation, wholly dedicated to God, Jesus is the new Adam (1Cor 15:45), the first born (Col 1:18) of the new creations. Paul again writes in 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV: "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!"
Going back to the verses from Paul's letter to the Philippians, he started the verses I quoted talking about those pushing for circumcision as a requirement for the gentile believers. Paul clearly had not time for this nonsense, for he understood that our new identity, our new relationship with God as His sons and daughters, as co-heirs with Christ Jesus completely fulfilled any new identity, commitment to or nearness to God achieved through the sacramental circumcision. This was not some new expression of the Jewish faith, this superseded everything all the way back to Adam! Circumcision was type and shadow of what was to come, but in the end was replaced by the "new creation". As author of the letter to the Hebrews wrote that the new covenant is superior to the old covenant (Heb 8:6), and effectively replaces it.
If the old covenant has been superseded by the new, then the requirements of the old have been replaced as well, for Christ Jesus fulfilled all, and as we are joined to Him, so has His fulfillment been applied to us. Paul makes that simple statement in verse 3 above, "It is we who are the circumcision" for our nature and identity have changed and we are covenanted to God, sealed by the Holy Spirit, bought through Jesus' sacrifice! What can some act of the flesh ever add to this?
This morning I am grateful for this deeper understanding of what I have gained in Christ! I am grateful for Paul's unrelenting support of the Gospel of Grace and his willingness to stand-up to those that would have injected some fleshly requirement into the Gospel. I am grateful that Jesus has made the way for us to enter as new creations into His Divine Kingdom!
Lord, help us to more deeply consider and embrace all that You have given us in our salvation!
Amen and Amen!
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