Colossians 2:11-12

Through faith in God who gifts us the  salvation of Jesus  we are saved. Not of our works but of faith in the One who loves us and wants a relationship with us.

Forgiven and blessed in His name!

Today I plan to live simply. Love seriously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. And leave the rest to God. Terry Hershey “SabbathMoments “

Romans 6:4 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.

Colossians 2:11-12

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. 13 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, 14 having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. 15 Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it. The New King James Version

Whereas all Jewish males were required to receive physical circumcision, the circumcision that is from Christ is without hands. Rather than the mere removal of flesh, Christian circumcision is the spiritual removal of sin from the heart, taking part in the New Covenant of Jesus Christ.

Baptism is the symbol of the believer’s association with Christ’s death on the Cross. Water baptism itself does not bring forgiveness of sins, but Paul uses the rite to help explain the work of the Spirit. The early church would never have understood the idea of an unbaptized Christian. Baptism and faith were considered to be the outward and inward realities of being a Christian. Some have highlighted Paul’s close association of baptism and circumcision in this passage as an indication that water baptism is a sign of the New Covenant, just as circumcision was a sign of the Abrahamic covenant. The NKJV Study Bible

Although the physical act of circumcision was a sign of Jewish identity within the covenant, God continually expresses concern for circumcision of the heart. Deuteronomy 10:16.

Here, Paul affirms that the Colossians already have received Christ’s spiritual circumcision through their union with Him in baptism; therefore, they do not need the sign of physical circumcision to legitimize their identity as God’s people. Circumcision Made without Hands!

Through baptism, believers identify with Christ’s crucifixion and burial, symbolizing death to sin. 

Paul often speaks of being raised with Christ as a future even. In this verse, however, the Greek verb indicates a past event: The Colossians already have been raised with Christ in some sense. Paul likely intends to counter any uncertainty about salvation that the false teaching might have generated. By stating that believers have been raised with Christ, Paul affirms that they share in His resurrection life and are alive to God, empowered to live in ways that please God. This anticipates the future resurrection: When Christ returns, every believer will be raised from the dead and will receive a glorified human body, incorruptible and immortal. Paul refers to the Colossians’ situation prior to faith and baptism, when they lived apart from Christ. Faithlife Study Bible

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

Acts 2:24 whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.